ADDENDUM TO
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:	DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2013-02379

		COUNSEL:  NONE

		HEARING DESIRED:  NOT INDICATED 


________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His records be corrected to reflect he was awarded the Purple 
Heart (PH) medal.

________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

On 6 Mar 14, the Board considered and denied applicant’s original 
request for award of the Purple Heart (PH) medal for an injury he 
incurred in Vietnam on 12 May 67.  The Board determined that the 
evidence provided by the applicant was insufficient to conclude 
that he was the victim of an error or injustice, noting that 
although he provided recent medical documentation indicating a 
shrapnel injury to his knee, the applicant had not provided any 
evidence showing the injury was the direct result of the action 
of an enemy.  For an accounting of the facts and circumstances 
surrounding his request, and the rationale for the earlier 
decision by the Board, see the Record of Proceedings, with 
attachments, at Exhibit E.

By a letter dated 28 Apr 14, the applicant disagrees with 
conclusion that there was no evidence of an error or an 
injustice.  He believes his documentation was sufficient to 
indicate his injury met the criteria for award of the PH medal.  
He also noted that the Board’s decision incorrectly indicated 
his injury was to his left knee, but his injury was to the 
pelvic bone and not his knee.  Furthermore, the injury was not 
documented at the time incurred because he was not aware of the 
metal object over the right pelvis until he had x-rays taken at 
the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) for his spinal 
problems.  The only explanation he has for the presence of the 
metal object is the incident where he came under fire of enemy 
rockets and mortar at Bien Hoa Airbase in 1967, which is well 
documented.  He further requests the Board’s documentation 
relating to the location of his injury be amended to accurately 
reflect the pelvic bone and not his knee (Exhibit F).

________________________________________________________________
THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT:

After again reviewing the evidence of record, the applicant’s 
prior submission, the additional evidence provided in support of 
his appeal, we are not convinced the requested relief is 
warranted.  While the original Record of Proceedings (ROP) 
erroneously identified the applicant’s injury as a knee injury, 
rather than a pelvic injury, irrespective of this administrative 
error, we find the evidence presented insufficient to conclude 
the applicant’s purported pelvic injury meets the criteria for 
award of the Purple Heart (PH) Medal.  Furthermore, although the 
applicant has presented documentation describing the attack at 
Bien Hoa Air Base, Vietnam; there was no evidence to show the 
applicant incurred this injury during this attack or due to 
action of the enemy.  Even if we assume for the sake of argument 
that such an attack occurred and involved the applicant, the PH 
medal criteria requires that the injury required medical 
attention at the time and the applicant has provided no 
documentation indicating that he required treatment for his 
purported injury in the aftermath of the attack.  While we are 
not unmindful or unappreciative of the applicant’s service to 
his Nation, in the absence of evidence substantiating the injury 
he sustained meets the criteria for award of the PH Medal, we 
find no basis to recommend granting the relief sought in this 
application.

________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT:

The applicant be notified the evidence presented did not meet 
the criteria for reconsideration; the application was denied 
without a personal appearance; and 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 AFBCMR Docket 
Number BC-2013-02379 in Executive Session on 17 Jul 14, under 
the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

	, Chair
	, Member
	, Member

?
The following documentary evidence pertaining to AFBCMR Docket 
Number BC-2013-02379 was considered:

	Exhibit E.  Record of Proceedings, dated 14 Mar 14,
	            w/exhibits.
	Exhibit F.  Letter, Applicant, dated 28 Apr 14.

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