RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2013-05689 COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NO APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: His DD Form 214, Report of Separation from Active Duty, issued in conjunction with his 12 Jan 05 discharge, be corrected as indicated below: 1. Item 11, Primary Specialty, changed to include “3P031 -Security Force Apprentice.” 2. Item 13, Decoration, Medals, Badges, Citations, and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized to reflect: a. The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM). b. The Iraq Campaign Medal (ICM). c. The Meritorious Unit Award (MUA). (Will be administratively corrected) 3. Item 12f, Record of Service, Foreign Service, to reflect “3 months and 8 days.” (Will be administratively corrected to reflect 3 months and 1 day) 4. Item 14, Military Education, the Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing, Certificate of Training. (Will be administratively corrected) APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: He had a guaranteed enlistment to serve in the security forces career field. He volunteered to deploy to Iraq and should be credited for his service. His failure to timely file should be waived in the interest of justice because the errors on his DD Form 214 have just come to light. The applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A. STATEMENT OF FACTS: On 13 Jan 99, the applicant enlisted in the Regular Air Force. On 12 Jan 05, he was honorably discharged and credited with six years of active duty service. The applicant’s DD Form 214 issued 12 Jan 05, currently reflects in Block 11, Primary Specialty, "4A051 - Health Services Management Journeyman, 5 years and 10 months” and in Block 12, Record of Service, Foreign Service, as zero. The MUA is given to Air Force active duty, Reserve and Guard units for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding achievement or service in direct support of combat operations for at least 90 continuous days during the period of military operations against an armed enemy of the United States on or after 11 Sep 01. According to the Air Force Personnel Service (AFPS) website, , the Department of Defense (DOD) authorized the wear of the ICM with one bronze service star for the “Transition of Iraq” campaign from 2 May 03 – 28 Jun 04. AIR FORCE EVALUATION: AFPC/DPSIC recommends approval of the applicant’s request to include his service in Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) 3P031. His DD Form 214, Block 11, should be modified to read, "4A051 - Health Services Management Journeyman, 1 year and 7 months” and “3P03l - Security Force Apprentice, 1 year and 7 months.” The complete DPSIC evaluation is at Exhibit C. AFPC/DPSID recommends denial of the applicant’s request for award of the AFEM or the ICM. The applicant deployed to Iraq in 2004 in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (OIF), which is not an authorized operation for award of the AFEM; therefore, rendering the applicant ineligible. The applicant served in Iraq from 5 Mar 04 to 5 Jun 04 for a total of 3 months and 1 day and was awarded the Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary (GWOT-E) medal. Since the applicant served in Iraq, in 2004, DPSID also recommends the applicant advise if he would like to exchange the GWOT-E he previously received for his deployment to Iraq for award of the ICM with one Bronze Service Star. Should the applicant elect to keep award of the GWOT-E, DPSID recommends disapproval for award of the ICM as the applicant may not receive both the GWOT-E and the ICM for the same deployment. To grant relief would be contrary to the criteria established by DoDM 1348.33, Secretary of the Air Force, Chief of Staff, and/or the War Department. The AFEM may be awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces who after 1 Jul 58: participate, or have participated, as members of United States Military units in a United States Military operation in which service members of any Military Department participate, in the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), in significant numbers; 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 JCS, 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 for 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 or met the following criteria: was engaged in actual combat, or duty that was equally as hazardous as combat duty, during the operation with armed opposition, regardless of time in the area of eligibility, or was wounded or injured and required medical evacuation from the area of eligibility while participating in the operation, regardless of the time in the area of eligibility. Service members authorized the ICM must have served in direct support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM or Operation NEW DAWN between 19 Mar 03 to 31 Dec 11. The area of eligibility encompasses all land area of the country of Iraq, the contiguous water area out to 12 nautical miles, and all air spaces above the land area of Iraq and above the contiguous water area out to 12 nautical miles. Service members must have been permanently assigned, attached, or detailed to a unit that operated within the area of eligibility for 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days or meet one of the following criteria: was engaged in combat during an armed engagement, regardless of the time in the area of eligibility, while participating in an operation or on official duties was killed, wounded, or injured and required medical evacuation from the area of eligibility, regardless of time in the area of eligibility. Aircrew members accrue one day of eligibility for each day they fly into, out of, within, or over the area of eligibility in direct support of the military operations. Under no conditions shall personnel or units receive the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the GWOT-E, the ICM or AFEM for the same action, time period, or service. The complete DPSID evaluation is at Exhibit D. APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: Copies of the Air Force evaluations were forwarded to the applicant on 28 Jul 14 for review and comment within 30 days (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 AFEM or the ICM. 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 the rationale expressed as the basis for our conclusion that the applicant has not been the victim of an error or injustice. Although the applicant request his DD Form 214 be corrected to reflect “3 months and 8 days” of foreign service we agree with the OPR’s recommendation to administratively correct the DD Form 214 to reflect “3 months and 1 day.” In view of the above and in the absence of evidence to the contrary, we find no basis to recommend granting the relief sought in this portion of his application. 4. Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of an injustice to warrant amending his DD Form 214, Item 11, Primary Specialty to add “3P03l - Security Force Apprentice, 1 year and 7 months.” Having carefully reviewed this application, we agree with the recommendation of the Air Force OPR and adopt the rationale expressed as the basis for our decision that the applicant has been the victim of either an error or an injustice. Therefore, aside from the administrative corrections noted above, we also recommend the applicant’s record be amended to read, “4A051 - Health Services Management Journeyman, 1 year and 7 months” and “3P03l - Security Force Apprentice, 1 year and 7 months.” Accordingly, we recommend the applicant’s record be corrected to the extent indicated below. 5. 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 issues involved. Therefore, the request for a hearing is not favorably considered. THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT: The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force relating to the APPLICANT be corrected to show that his DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, Block 11, Primary Specialty, be amended to read, “4A051 - Health Services Management Journeyman, 1 year and 7 months” and “3P03l - Security Force Apprentice, 1 year and 7 months.” The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2013-05689 in Executive Session on 21 Oct 14 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 Form 149, dated 6 Dec 13, w/atchs. Exhibit B. Pertinent Excerpts from Personnel Record. Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPSIC, dated 31 Jan 14, w/atch. Exhibit D. Letter, AFPC/DPSID, dated 7 Jul 14. Exhibit E. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 28 Jul 14.