RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2012-03209 COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NO ________________________________________________________________ _ APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: His records be corrected to reflect his foreign service in Vietnam. ________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: He was sent to Vietnam in late 62 and returned late spring of 63. He was stationed in Bein Hoa and Pleiku. He does not have any temporary duty (TDY) records. He applied for disabled veteran status and was denied by the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) because there were no records to support he had Vietnam service. The applicant's complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A. ________________________________________________________________ STATEMENT OF FACTS: The applicant’s military personnel records reflect he commenced his enlistment in the Regular Air Force on 1 Feb 61. The applicant’s AF Form 7, Airman Military Record reflects he received the Air Force Expeditionary Medal (AFEM). The applicant’s Airman Performance Report for the period 20 Jul 62 to 19 Jul 63 speaks of a deployment but not does reflect the location for the deployment. On 29 Jan 65, the applicant was honorably released from active duty and was credited with 3 years, 11 months and 29 days of active service with no foreign service. The applicant’s DD Form 214, Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge, dated 29 Jan 65, reflects he was awarded the AFEM. ________________________________________________________________ AIR FORCE EVALUATION: AFPC/DPAPP recommends denial indicating there is no evidence of an error or injustice. A review of the applicant’s military personnel records failed to substantiate his claim of foreign service in the Republic of Vietnam. The complete AFPC/DPAPP evaluation is at Exhibit C. AFPC/DPSID comments were provided for informational purposes only. While the applicant’s DD Form 214 reflects the applicant was awarded the AFEM, his purported service in Vietnam could not be verified. The AFEM is awarded to service members of the Armed Forces who after 1 Jul 58, participated in United States military operations, in direct support of the United Nations, or United States operations of assistance for friendly foreign nations for 30 consecutive or 60 non consecutive days. Service members, who earned the Armed Forces Expeditionary medal for service in Vietnam between 1 Jul 58 and 3 Jul 65, may elect to receive the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) instead of the AFEM. The complete AFPC/DPAPP evaluation is at Exhibit D. ________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: He has gone to every agency to find his records to support his request and have come up with the same records the Review Board has used to address his case. The statutes to hold records which could have helped him have expired and, as a result, those records, including his travel and pay records, have been destroyed. The AFEM is reflected on his DD Form 214, which was authorized by the Air Force at the time the DD Form 214 was originally initiated which concludes there had to be supporting documents in his personnel folder to justify its issuance. He went to Vietnam in late Nov 62 after completing his Advanced Survival School training and returned in Jul 63. This course is annotated in his records with the dates of attendance. The applicant’s complete response is at Exhibit F. ________________________________________________________________ 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 relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of an error or injustice warranting relief. After a thorough review of the evidence presented and the service member’s military personnel records, we believe a reasonable basis exists to conclude the applicant served in Vietnam. While we cannot verify the specific dates the applicant was actually in Vietnam, in view of the fact that the applicant was awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) and noting that his performance report closing 19 Jul 63 indicates he was deployed in-country to support the repairs of B-26 aircraft, which were used in combat missions in Vietnam, we believe a preponderance of the evidence indicates he served in the Republic of Vietnam. Therefore, in view of the above, and in recognition of his service to the Nation, we recommend the applicant’s records be corrected as indicated below. ________________________________________________________________ THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT: The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force relating to the APPLICANT be corrected to show that he had boots- on-the-ground in the Republic of Vietnam. ________________________________________________________________ The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2012-03209 in Executive Session on 2 Apr 13, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603: , Panel Chair , Member , Member All members voted to correct the records as recommended. The following documentary evidence was considered: Exhibit A. DD Forms 149, dated 23 Jul 12, w/atchs. Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records. Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPAPP, dated 13 Sep 12. Exhibit D. Letter, AFPC/DPSID, dated 8 Nov 12. Exhibit E. Letter, Applicant, dated 21 Nov 12. Panel Chair