RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2011-04250 COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NO ________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 1. His record be corrected to reflect his service in the Republic of Vietnam. 2. His record be corrected to reflect award of the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM). ________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: The clerk who prepared his DD Form 214, Report of Separation from Active Duty, did not indicate that he served in the Republic of Vietnam, nor did he show he received the VSM. In support of his request, the applicant provides copies of his DD Form 214, and a letter from an Awards and Decorations Officer. The applicant's complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A. ________________________________________________________________ STATEMENT OF FACTS: The applicant served on active duty in the Regular Air Force from 10 Nov 1970 to 8 Nov 1974. His DD Form 214 reflects a total of 3 years, 11 months, and 29 days of total active service with 1 years, and 9 months of Foreign Service. The Vietnam Service Medal (VSM), created on 8 Jul 1965, is awarded to all service members of the Armed Forces who, between 4 Jul 1965 and 28 Mar 1973, served in the following areas of Southeast Asia: in the Republic of 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 the Republic of 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. In a memorandum to the applicant, AFPC/DPSIDR states they were able to verify entitlement to the VSM with one Bronze Service Star for his TDY to Thailand from 22 Jan 1968 to 21 Apr 1968. No additional awards could be verified. ________________________________________________________________ AIR FORCE EVALUATION: HQ AFPC/DPAPP recommends denial of his request to reflect service time in the Republic of Vietnam. DPAPP states they could not verify any time served in the Republic of Vietnam. The complete DPAPP evaluation is at Exhibit C. HQ AFPC/DPSIDR recommends approval for award of the VSM. DPSIDR states the applicant provided a memorandum, dated 2 Jan 1973, signed by a United States Air Force, Awards and Decorations officer from the 374th Organizational Maintenance Squadron, stating that he has completed the requirements for the award of the VSM, dated 20 Nov 1969. The applicant served 60 nonconsecutive days in the Republic of Vietnam in support of the military operation. The complete DPDIDR evaluation is at Exhibit D. ________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: On 24 Feb 2012, 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. Sufficient evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of an error or an injustice. After reviewing the documentation submitted, we believe, the applicant has provided sufficient evidence to support the award of the VSM and to reflect his service time in the Republic of Vietnam. In this respect, we note the applicant has provided official documentation, signed by a unit Awards and Decorations officer stating that he completed the requirements for award of the VSM and served 60 nonconsecutive days in the Republic of Vietnam in support of military operation. In view of the above, we recommend his records be corrected as indicated below. ________________________________________________________________ THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT: The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force relating to APPLICANT be corrected to show that he served 60 nonconsecutive days in the Republic of Vietnam, and was awarded the Vietnam Service Medal. ______________________________________________________________ The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR BC-2011- 04250 in Executive Session on 10 May 2012, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603: All members voted to correct the records, as recommended. The following documentary evidence was considered in AFBCMR BC-2011- 04250: Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 20 Oct 2011, w/atchs. Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records. Exhibit C. Letter, HQ AFPC/DPAPP, dated 6 Jan 2012. Exhibit D. Letter, HQ AFPC/DPSIDR, dated 18 Jan 2012. Exhibit E. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 24 Feb 2012.