RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2013-03737 COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NOT INDICATED ________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: His records be corrected to reflect the following awards and decorations: 1. Air Force Good Conduct Medal (AFGCM). (Already reflected on DD Form 214) 2. Army Good Conduct Medal (GCM). (Already reflected on DD 214. 3. National Defense Service Medal (NDSM). (Administratively Corrected) 4. Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM). (Already reflected on DD Form 214) 5. Vietnam Service Medal (VSM). 6. Vietnam Campaign Medal (VCM). 7. Honorable Service Lapel Button. 8. Cold War Victory Medal. 9. Air Force Overseas Ribbon. (AFOR) 10. America Defense Service Medal (ADSM). 11. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (AFOUA) (Administratively Corrected). 12. Combat Readiness Medal (CRM). _______________________________________________________________ APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: He served in Vietnam, Formosa and the Philippines and is entitled to the aforementioned awards. In support of his requests, the applicant provides copies of his Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) rating decision, DD Form 214, Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge; and Temporary Duty (TDY) orders. The applicant's complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A. ________________________________________________________________ STATEMENT OF FACTS: On 19 Nov 1957, the applicant entered active duty. The applicant’s records reflect that he served in Taiwan in Sep 1959. He was assigned to Clark AB, Philippines from 2 May 1960 to 3 Jun 1964. On 18 Nov 1965, he was honorably discharged. The applicant served 8 years on active duty. The AFGCM is awarded to Air Force enlisted personnel during a three-year period of active military service or for a one-year period of service during a time of war. Airmen awarded this medal must have had character and efficiency ratings of excellent or higher throughout the qualifying period including time spent in attendance at service schools, and there must have been no convictions of court martial during this period. Air Force personnel who were previously awarded the Good Conduct Medal (GCM) and after 1 Jun 1963 qualified for the Air Force Good Conduct Medal may wear both medals. The NDSM is awarded for honorable active military service as a member of the armed forces of the United States including the Coast Guard, between 27 Jun 1950 and 27 Jul 1954 (Korean War), between 1 Jan 1961 and 14 Aug 1974 (Vietnam War), between 2 Aug 1990 to 30 Nov 1995 (Operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM), and currently from 11 Sep 2001 to a date to be determined (terrorism attacks on the United States). Service members who earned the medal during the first qualifying period and who again became entitled to the medal wear a bronze star on the ribbon to denote the second award of the medal. The AFEM may be awarded to members of the armed forces who after 1 Jul 1958: participate, or have participated, as members of the U.S. military in a U.S. military operation in which service members of any military department participate, in the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in significant numbers, and encounter, incident to such participation, foreign armed opposition, or are otherwise placed, or have been placed, in such position that, in the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, hostile action by foreign armed forces was imminent even though it did not materialize. Service members must have been permanently assigned, attached, or detailed to a unit that participated in or engaged in direct support of the operation for 30 consecutive days in a designated area of eligibility in a foreign territory (or the full period when an operation is less than 30 days duration) or for 60 non-consecutive days provided the support involved entering the area of eligibility. The VSM is awarded to members of the armed forces who between 4 Jul 1965 and 28 Mar 1973 served in the following areas of Southeast Asia: in Vietnam and the contiguous waters and airspace; in Thailand, Laos or Cambodia or the airspace thereof and in the direct support of military operations in Vietnam for 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days. The VCM is awarded to members of the armed forces of the United States (US) who between 1 Mar 1961 and 28 Mar 1973, served for 6 months in South Vietnam during this period; served outside the geographical limits of South Vietnam and contributed direct combat support to the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces for an aggregate of 6 months. The Honorable Service Lapel Button is awarded to United States military service members who were honorably discharged during World War II between the dates of Sep 1939 and Dec 1946. The Cold War Medal is a commemorative medal. These medals are primarily celebratory display medals rather than official awards or decorations of the United States Air Force and Department of Defense (DOD). Commemorative medals are not updated on the DD Form 214. The Air Force Overseas Ribbon was authorized by the Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Force (USAF), on 12 Oct 1980. Before 6 Jan 1986, the ribbon was awarded to Air Force and Air Force Reserve members credited with completion of an overseas tour on or after 1 Sep 1980. Air Force and Air Force Reserve members serving as of 6 Jan 1986 or later are entitled to reflect all Air Force overseas tours credited during their career. A service member may wear both ribbons if appropriate. The short tour ribbon takes precedence over the long tour ribbon when both are worn The American Defense Service Medal is awarded to all U.S. Navy and Marine Corps service members who served on active duty at any time between 8 Sep 1939 and 7 Dec 1941. Members in the U.S. Army were required to have had served for a period of at least 12 months. The AFOUA is awarded by the Secretary of the Air Force to numbered units that have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service or outstanding achievement that clearly sets the unit above and apart from similar units. The services include; performance of exceptionally meritorious service, accomplishment of a specific outstanding achievement of national or international significance, combat operations against an armed enemy of the United States, or military operations involving conflict with or exposure to hostile actions by an opposing foreign force. The Combat Readiness Medal is awarded to members of the USAF and Air Force Reserve and to members of other services after 1 Aug 1960, for sustained individual combat or mission readiness or preparedness for direct weapon-system employment. Specifically, a service member must meet the following criteria: complete an aggregate 24 months of sustained professional performance as a member of USAF combat or mission ready unit subject to combat readiness reporting; or be individually certified as combat or mission ready and have maintained individual readiness the entire period according to a major headquarters or subject to an individual positional evaluation program according to a higher headquarters standard. The term “combat ready” is defined as being professionally and technically qualified in an aircraft crew position in an aircraft that can be used in combat. ________________________________________________________________ AIR FORCE EVALUATION: AFPC/DPSID recommends denial of the applicant’s requests. The AFEM was awarded for participation in Vietnam with the inclusive period from 1 Jul 1958 to 3 Jul 1965. In Accordance With (IAW) Section 542, Public Law 107-314, the AFEM for participation in Vietnam may be exchanged for the VSM. The applicant was awarded the AFEM per his DD Form 214 issued in conjunction with his discharge on 18 Nov 1965; however, DPSID was unable to locate official documentation showing the operation for which the applicant was awarded the AFEM. If The Board determines that he was awarded the AFEM for service in Vietnam, the AFEM may be exchanged for the VSM if the applicant wishes to do so. DPSID was unable to verify the applicant served an aggregate of 6 months in the area of eligibility for award of the VCM; therefore, recommend denial of the VCM. The applicant served before the authorization date for award of the Air Force Overseas Ribbon and is not eligible for the award. Furthermore, he was not serving on active duty as of 6 Jan 1986; therefore, he is also ineligible for retroactive eligibility. The applicant entered active duty many years after the inclusive period for the American Defense Service Medal, rendering him ineligible for the award. There is no official documentation in the applicant’s records verifying his eligibility for award of the Combat Readiness Medal; therefore rendering him ineligible for the award. The Cold War Medal/Certificate recognizes members of the armed forces and civilian personnel of the U.S. government who served in the U.S. during the Cold War. The endeavor is being conducted by the U.S. Army and the applicant may order his certificate on line or at the address provided by DPSID. DPSID was able to verify the applicant was awarded the GCM, AFGCM and the AFEM per the applicant’s DD Forms 214 effective on 18 Nov 1961 and 18 Nov 1965. Additionally, DPSID determined the applicant should have been awarded the NDSM and the AFOUA and will administratively correct his records for award of the NDSM and AFOUA. The applicant's service was past the award dates for the Honorable Service Lapel Button and is therefore ineligible for award thereof. ________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: In further support of his requests, the applicant provides a letter dated 11 Oct 2011, addressed to the Records Section, and another letter dated 28 Jun 2011, to the DVA. His complete response, with attachments, is at 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 an error or injustice to warrant award of the VSM, VCM, Honorable Service Lapel Button, Cold War Victory Medal, AFOR, ADSM and the CRM. After a thorough review of the available evidence and the applicant’s complete submission, we find no evidence that his records should be corrected as requested. We note that DPSID has verified that the applicant was awarded the AFGCM, GCM and AFEM. Therefore, with the exception of the awards (NDSM, AFOUA) that will be administratively added to his records, he is not entitled to additional awards. As such, we agree with the opinion and recommendation of the Air Force office of primary responsibility and adopt its rationale as the basis for our conclusion that the applicant has not been the victim of an error or injustice. In the absence of persuasive evidence to the contrary, we find no basis to recommend favorable consideration of his application. 4. The applicant’s case is adequately documented and it has not been shown that a personal appearance with or without counsel will materially add to our understanding of the issue involved. ________________________________________________________________ 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 AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2013-03737 in Executive Session on 27 May 2014, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603: , Panel Chair , Member , Member The following documentary evidence was considered: Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 20 Dec 2013, w/atchs. Exhibit B. Applicant’s Master Personnel Records. Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPSID, dated 15 Jan 2014. Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 9 Feb 2014. Exhibit E. Letter, Applicant, dated 26 Feb 2014, w/atchs. Panel Chair