RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2014-01490 COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NO APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: His Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) for the period 15 Jul 09 to 21 Jul 11, be used in the promotion process for cycle 12E8. APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: AFI 36-2502, Airman Promotion Program, Table 2.5, Rule 4 authorizes consideration for supplemental records evaluation based on an added decoration. The MSM was placed into official channels prior to the date selects were run for the cycle and it was not acted upon through loss or inadvertence. AFPC/DPSOE disapproved promotion consideration based on lack of credible evidence that the recommendation was officially placed in military channels. His squadron superintendent, senior enlisted advisor and commander did a thorough investigation prior to approving the missing MSM. The effective date of all decorations is the closing date of the service period recognized regardless of the order date, per AFI 36-2803, The Air Force Decorations Program, paragraph 3.4.2. The missing MSM closing date was 14 Jul 11 and the Décor-6, Recommendation for Decoration Printout is 22 Apr 11. Both dates are prior to the 2012/E8 Promotion Eligibility Cutoff Date (PECD) of 30 Sep 11 [sic]. Per AFI 36-2502, paragraph 2.8.3.1, a supplemental request based on a missing decoration must have a closeout date on or before the PECD and the commander’s recommendation date on the Décor-6 must be before the date AFPC makes the selections for promotion. In support of his request, the applicant provides a statement from the security forces superintendent validating the MSM was placed into official channels prior to the PECD. He also provides statements from the senior enlisted advisory and the base commander concurring with his requests to change the date it was placed in official channels and for supplemental promotion consideration to the grade of SMSgt. The applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A. STATEMENT OF FACTS: On 5 Jan 95, the applicant entered the Regular Air Force. On 22 Aug 13, he received an MSM w/2 Oak Leaf Clusters (2OLCs) for accomplishments during the period 15 Jul 09 to 14 Jul 11. AIR FORCE EVALUATION: AFPC/DPSOE recommends denial. Current Air Force promotion policy (AFI 36-2502, Airman Promotion Program, Table 2.2, Rule 5, Note 2) dictates that before a decoration is credited for a specific promotion cycle, the close out date of the decoration must be on or before the PECD, and the date of the Décor-6 must be before the date of selections for the cycle in question. Each promotion cycle has an established PECD which is used to determine what Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) or Chief Enlisted Manager (CEM) code the member will be considered, as well as which performance reports and decorations will be used in the promotion consideration. The PECD for cycle 12E8 was 31 Sep 11. A decoration that a member claims was lost, upgraded/downgraded, etc., must be fully documented and verified that it was placed into official channels prior to the selection date. A review of the applicant’s records indicates that this decoration does not meet the criteria for promotion credit for the 12E8 cycle as it was not placed into official channels until after selections were made on 21 Feb 12. Per AFI 36-2803, official channels are defined as when the recommending official signs the Décor-6 and a higher official in the chain of command endorses it. The Décor- 6 provided does not reflect the recommender or higher official endorsement. Although the print-out of the Décor-6 is dated 22 Apr 11, it was never signed and placed into official channels before 21 Feb 12. Per AFI 36-2502, paragraph 2.8.3.1, a supplemental request based on a lost decoration must have a close out date on or before the PECD, and the commander’s recommendation date on the Décor-6 must be before the date the Air Force Personnel Center (AFPC) makes selections for promotions. While the applicant states drafts of the MSM (dated 18 and 27 Apr 11) were found on a computer, edited on 12 Aug 13, and signed/awarded on 22 Aug 13, dates on a “draft” citation do not constitute an approved award or the placement of the citation into official channels. The complete DPSOE evaluation is at Exhibit C. APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: The investigation by his chain of command clearly shows credible evidence that the MSM recommendation was placed into military channels and was submitted prior to the PECD of 31 Sep 11, but not acted upon through loss or inadvertence. His squadron superintendent at the time submitted a memorandum dated 18 Dec 13, directly validating this fact. His case is not one where his chain of command wanted to submit him for a decoration after the fact. Credible evidence has been submitted showing clear intent by senior leaders to have the missing MSM reflected in his records in 2011. The applicant’s complete response is at Exhibit D. THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT: 1. The applicant has exhausted all remedies provided by existing law or regulations. 2. The application was timely filed. 3. Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of an error or injustice. We note that DPSOE states the applicant’s decoration does not meet the criteria for promotion credit for the 12E8 cycle as it was not placed into official channels until after selections were made on 21 Feb 12. However, we find the statement from the security forces superintendent verifying the original DÉCOR-6 for award of the MSM 2OLC was placed into official channels prior to the Promotion Eligibility Cutoff Date coupled with the statements from his chain of command concurring with his requests sufficient to grant the requested relief. Therefore, in order to resolve any potential injustice to the applicant, we recommend his record be corrected to show that the MSM 2OLC, awarded for the period 15 Jul 09 through 14 Jul 11, was placed into official channels on 30 Sep 11 and he was granted supplemental promotion consideration to the grade of senior master sergeant for all appropriate cycles beginning with cycle 12E8. Accordingly, we recommend that his records be corrected as indicated below. _______________________________________________________________ THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT: The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force relating to APPLICANT, be corrected to show that the Recommendation for Decoration Printout (RDP) (Décor-6), for the Meritorious Service Medal (MSM), Second Oak Leaf Cluster (2OLC), awarded for the period 15 Jul 09 through 14 Jul 11, was placed into official channels on 30 Sep 11, rather than 21 Feb 12. It is further directed that he be provided supplemental consideration for promotion to the grade of senior master sergeant for all appropriate cycles beginning with cycle 12E8. If AFPC discovers any adverse factors during or subsequent to supplemental consideration that are separate and apart, and unrelated to the issues involved in this application, that would have rendered the applicant ineligible for the promotion, such information will be documented and presented to the Board for a final determination on the individual’s qualifications for the promotion. All members voted to corrected the record as recommended. The following documentary evidence pertaining to AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2014-01490 was considered: Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 7 Apr 14, w/atchs. Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records. Exhibit C. Memorandum, AFPC/DPSOE, dated 9 May 14. Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 16 Jun 14.