RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

 AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

 

IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2012-03810 

 

 COUNSEL: NONE 

 

 HEARING DESIRED: NO 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 

 

His DD Form 214 Armed Forces of the United States Report of 
Transfer or Discharge, be corrected to reflect his entitlement 
to: 

 

1. The Vietnam Service Medal (VSM). 

 

2. The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM). 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 

 

He served on a temporary duty (TDY) assignment with the 6924th 
Security Forces Squadron, at Da Nang Air Base (AB), South 
Vietnam, from March through May 1970. He also served on a TDY 
assignment with the 6988th Security Forces Squadron, at Osan AB, 
Korea, from October 1969 through March 1970, and from May 
through June 1970. He would like to have the awards for his 
patriotic duty to the United States Air Force. 

 

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

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

STATEMENT OF FACTS: 

 

The applicant is a former member of the Regular Air Force who 
served from 7 September 1966 to 26 August 1970. 

 

The applicant’s DD Form 214 does not reflect award of the VSM or 
AFEM. 

 



________________________________________________________________ 

 

 

 

 

AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

AFPC/DPSID recommends denial. DPSID states after a thorough 
review of the applicant’s official military personnel record, 
they were unable to verify that he served at a location which 
would qualify him for award of the AFEM. In addition there is 
no documentation to verify that the applicant participated in 
TDY assignments to Da Nang AB, South Vietnam; therefore, he is 
ineligible for award of the VSM. 

 

The VSM is awarded to all service members of the U.S. Armed 
Forces who between 4 July 1965 and 28 March 1973, served in the 
following areas of Southeast Asia: Vietnam and its contiguous 
waters or airspace; in Thailand, Laos or Cambodia or the 
airspace thereof and in direct support of military operations 
in Vietnam for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days. 

 

In accordance with Department of Defense Manual 1348.33, the 
AFEM, was established on 4 December 1961, to be awarded to 
members of the United States Armed Forces who, after 
1 July 1958, have participated in a United States military 
operation and encountered foreign armed opposition, or were in 
danger of hostile action by foreign Armed Forces. 

 

The complete DPSID evaluation is at exhibit C. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

A copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to the 
applicant on 9 November 2012 for review and comment within 
30 days (Exhibit D). To date, a response has not been received. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

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 opinion and recommendation 
of the Air Force office of primary responsibility (OPR) and 



adopt its rationale as the basis for our conclusion that the 
applicant has not been the victim of an error or injustice. Due 
to the absence of official documentation that verifies the 
applicant was directly deployed in support to one of the 
designated operations, he is not entitled to the VSM or the 
AFEM. Therefore, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, we 
find no basis to favorably consider 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 this application 
in Executive Session on 8 May 2013, under the provisions of AFI 
36-2603: 

 

 , Vice Chair 

 , Member 

 , Member 

 

 

The following documentary evidence was considered in AFBCMR 
Docket Number BC-2012-03810: 

 

 Exhibit A. DD Form 149 dated 1 August 2012, w/atch. 

 Exhibit B. Applicant’s Master Personnel Records. 

 Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPSID, dated 3 November 2012. 

 Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 9 November 2012.