RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2014-01610 XXXXXXXXXX COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NO APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: The inclusive dates and area of operation for her deployment to Iraq be added to her DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: The Armed Force Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) is reflected on her DD Form 214; however, the area of operation in support of the AFEM is not reflected on her DD Form 214. In accordance with AFI 36-3202, Separation Documents, the DD Form 214 should reflect the area of operation for the AFEM. The Board should find it in the interest of justice to consider her untimely application because she discovered the error when she was denied a Department of Veterans Affairs home loan because the aforementioned information was not included on her DD Form 214. The applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A. STATEMENT OF FACTS: The applicant served in the Regular Air Force from 16 September 2004 to 16 July 2006. She served on active duty for 1 year, 9 months and 16 days. She had 1 year, 3 months and 5 days of Foreign Service. In a letter dated 15 April 2015, DPSOR provided the applicant copies of a DD Form 215, Correction to DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, which added the Iraq Campaign Medal with two Bronze Service Stars, and the Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border to her DD Form 214. In addition, the DD Form 215 changed the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award to the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with one Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster. AIR FORCE EVALUATION: AFPC/DPSID recommends the AFEM, the Armed Forces Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (GWOT-E) be removed from the applicant’s DD Form 214. DPSID cannot ascertain why the applicant's DD Form 214 was updated with award of the AFEM as they are unable to verify the applicant deployed in support of an operation for which the AFEM is authorized. DPSID verified award of the Iraq Campaign Medal with two Bronze Service Stars as the appropriate award for the applicant's deployment to Iraq. In addition, the applicant's records fail to substantiate she deployed in support of an operation for which the Armed Forces Service Medal is authorized and failed to support she deployed in support of GWOT operations to the area of eligibility in which the GWOT-E is authorized. According to her official military record and the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, the applicant deployed to Iraq from August 2005 to February 2006. Her entire Foreign Service consists of a permanent assignment in Germany and a deployment to Iraq in support of GWOT operations. A Letter of Evaluation verifies that she served at Kirkuk Regional Air Base, Iraq, from 15 August 2005 to 17 February 2006 for approximately six months. The applicant's record fails to substantiate any additional deployments which would qualify her for award of the AFEM, the GWOT-E or the Armed Forces Service Medal as annotated on her DD Form 214. Therefore, unless the applicant is able to provide documentation substantiating these awards DPSID recommends they be removed as erroneous updates. DPSID determined that the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with one Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, the Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Boarder and the Iraq Campaign Medal with two Bronze Service Stars should have been awarded during the applicant's service from 16 September 2004 to 1 July 2006 and were not reflected in her records. Upon final Board decision, administrative correction of the applicant's official military personnel record will be completed by AFPC/DPSOR. The complete DPSID evaluation, with attachment, is at Exhibit C. DPSOR recommends denial. In accordance with AFI 36-3202, the operational name (if known by the DD Form 214 technician at the time of preparation) associated with the AFEM would be listed in parenthesis immediately following the medal in Block 13 of the DD Form 214. There is no operational name following the AFEM shown on the applicant’s DD Form 214. The dates and location of operational locations is not authorized; however, upon confirmation of the validity of the operational medal, DPSOR recommends approval of adding the associated operational name to the DD Form 214. The complete DPSOR evaluation is at Exhibit D. APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF THE AIR FORCE EVALUATION: On 18 May 2015, copies of the Air Force evaluations were forwarded to the applicant for review and comment within 30 days. As of this date, no response has been received by this office (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 an injustice. We note that DPSID recommends the AFEM, the Armed Forces Service Medal and the GWOT-E Medal be removed from the applicant’s DD Form 214 because they were unable to verify she deployed in support of qualifying operations for which the aforementioned medals are authorized. However, we do not believe it is appropriate to take an action that could conceivably be detrimental to the applicant. As such, we disagree with their recommendation and find no basis to disturb the record. While we will not take action to remove the AFEM from her records, given there is insufficient evidence that she qualifies for the AFEM, and the fact that dates and location of operational locations are not authorized on the DD Form 214, other than the administrative corrections noted above, we find no basis to grant the relief sought in 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 AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2014-01610 in Executive Session on 7 July 2015, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603: , Panel Chair , Member , Member The following documentary evidence pertaining to AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2014-01610 was considered: Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 16 April 2014, w/atch. Exhibit B. Applicant’s Master Personnel Records Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPSID, dated 25 September 2014, W/atch. Exhibit D. Letter, AFPC/DPSOR, dated 29 April 2015. Exhibit E. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 18 May 2015.