RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

 

IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2011-03636 

  COUNSEL: NONE 

 HEARING DESIRED: NO 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 

 

1. His DD Form 214, Armed Forces of the United States Report of 
Transfer or Discharge, be corrected to reflect he served in 
Vietnam. 

 

2. He be given award entitlements for service in Vietnam. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 

 

He served temporary duty (TDY) in Da Nang AB, Vietnam for 
183 days while he was stationed at Kadena AB, Okinawa. 

 

In support of his request the applicant provides a copy of his 
DD Form 214. 

 

The applicant's complete submission, with attachment, is at 
Exhibit A. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

STATEMENT OF FACTS: 

 

The applicant served on active duty in the Regular Air Force 
from 15 Apr 68 to 13 Jul 73. His DD Form 214 reflects a total 
of 8 years, 8 months, and 1 day of total active service, which 
includes 4 years, 6 months, and 12 days of Foreign Service. 

 

The Vietnam Service Medal (VSM), created on 8 Jul 65, is awarded 
to all service members of the Armed Forces who, between 4 Jul 
65 and 28 Mar 73, served in the following areas of Southeast 
Asia: in Vietnam and the contiguous waters and airspace; in 
Thailand, Laos or Cambodia or the airspace there over in the 
direct support of military operations in Vietnam. The specific 
eligibility criteria requires a member to be either: 

 

 Attached to or regularly serving for one, or more, days with 
an organization participating in or directly supporting ground 
(military) operations, 

 

 Attached to or regularly serving for one, or more, days aboard 
a naval vessel directly supporting military operations, 


 

 Actually participate as a crew member in one or more aerial 
flights directly supporting military operations, or 

 

 Serve on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 
60 nonconsecutive days, which may be waived for personnel 
participating in actual combat operations. 

 

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AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

HQ AFPC/DPAPP recommends denial of the applicant’s request to 
reflect foreign service in Vietnam. DPAPP states a review of 
the applicant’s master personnel records and documentation he 
submitted failed to provide any documents to substantiate 
foreign service time in Vietnam. However, they were able to 
confirm boots on the ground foreign service at Kadena AB, 
Okinawa, from 25 Sep 67 to 7 Nov 68, for 1 year, 1 month, and 
14 days. 

 

The complete DPAPP evaluation is at Exhibit C. 

 

HQ AFPC/DPSIDRA recommends denial of the applicant’s request to 
add the VSM to his records. DPSIDRA states that according to 
DPAPP’s memorandum dated 9 Nov 11, the applicant’s official 
military record and supporting documentation “failed to provide 
any documents that substantiate Foreign Service time in 
Vietnam.” DPSIDRA states they are unable to verify his 
entitlement to the VSM or any other awards for service in 
Vietnam as DPAPP is unable to verify the applicant served in 
Vietnam. 

 

The complete DPSIDRA evaluation is at Exhibit D. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

On 9 Dec 11, copies of the Air Force evaluations were forwarded 
to the applicant for review and comment within 30 days. To 
date, a response has not been received. Exhibit E. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT: 

 

1. The applicant has exhausted all remedies provided by 
existing law or regulations. 

 

2. The application was not timely filed; however, it is in the 
interest of justice to excuse the failure to timely file. 

 


3. Insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to 
demonstrate the existence of error or injustice. We took notice 
of the applicant's complete submission in judging the merits of 
the case; however, we agree with the opinions and 
recommendations of the Air Force offices of primary 
responsibility and adopt their rationale as the basis for our 
conclusion the applicant has not been the victim of an error or 
injustice. Therefore, in the absence of evidence to the 
contrary, we find no basis to recommend granting the relief 
sought in this application. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT: 

 

The applicant be notified that the evidence presented did not 
demonstrate the existence of material error or injustice; that 
the application was denied without a personal appearance; and 
that the application will only be reconsidered upon the 
submission of newly discovered relevant evidence not considered 
with this application. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

The following members of the Board considered Docket Number BC-
2011-03636 in Executive Session on 26 Jan 12, under the 
provisions of AFI 36-2603: 

 

The following documentary evidence was considered: 

 

 Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 12 Sep 11, w/atch. 

 Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records. 

 Exhibit C. Letter, HQ AFPC/DPAPP dated 9 Nov 11. 

 Exhibit D. Letter, HQ AFPC/DPSIDRA, dated 21 Nov 11. 

 Exhibit E. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 9 Dec 11.