RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2014-01890 COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NO APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: Her Enlisted Performance Report (EPR) rendered for the period 2 Jul 11 – 1 Jul 12 be removed or changed. APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: She questioned her rating of a “4” while stationed at her last base; she spoke with her supervisor and his rater about it and thought everything would be taken care of; however, upon arriving at her new duty station she found out that her report had become a matter of record with the same rating and without her signature. The applicant’s complete submission, with attachment, is at Exhibit A. STATEMENT OF FACTS: The applicant, while serving at Incirlik Air Base in the grade of Staff Sergeant (SSgt-E/5), received an EPR closing on 1 Jul 12. The report was digitally signed and dated, by the rater and additional rater, on 1 Aug 12. AIR FORCE EVALUATION: AFPC/DPSIDE recommends denial indicating the applicant has not exhausted all available avenues of administrative relief prior to seeking correction of her military records. Under the provisions of AFI 36-2603, Air Force Board for Correction of Military Records, the request for correction of military records, DD Form 149, Application for Correction of Military Records under the Provisions of Title 10, USC, Section 1552, has been examined at this Center. Air Force Board for Correction of Military Records (AFBCMR) is the highest level of administrative appeal within the Department of the Air Force. The AFBCMR will not consider a case until all avenues of administrative relief have been exhausted. We recommend the applicant submit a new AF Form 948, Application for Correction/Removal of Evaluation Reports, with all required supporting documentation, through the vMPF/Evaluation Appeals found under the Most Popular Applications. The application was forwarded to the Evaluation Report Appeals Board (ERAB) for their review and they determined to return the request without action, pending additional supporting documentation and evidence of the error or injustice. If the applicant wishes to void the contested report, the applicant must provide factual, specific, and substantiated information that is from credible officials or agencies and is based on firsthand observation. The applicant will need to provide any and all supporting documentation, such as, but not limited to wet-signed statements from the original rating chain that wrote the report or unit leadership that would support the claims that the report the applicant is contesting is either unjust or inaccurate. Evaluators are obliged to consider such incidents, their significance, and the frequency with which they occurred in assessing performance and potential. Moreover, AFI 36-2406, Officer and Enlisted Evaluation Systems, paragraph 10.2.1.3., states the ERAB works under the assumption that evaluation reports are accurate and objective. Therefore, the applicant must provide strong evidence to overcome the report's presumed validity. Additionally, paragraphs A2.2 and A2.3, states, when documenting the appeal, the applicant must provide convincing documentation for the appeal; the applicant must offer clear evidence that the original evaluation was unjust or wrong; and quality, not quantity of documentation is the issue. The most effective evidence consists of statements from the original evaluators who signed the report or from other individuals in the rating chain when the report was signed. As an alternative, the applicant can use support statements from other credible sources or reviewing agencies (such as the IG, EOT, CDI, etc.) that have firsthand knowledge of the allegations and can validate/confirm any perceived error/injustice. The applicant must substantiate any injustice(s) on the contested report and provide sufficient supporting documentation to validate/confirm any of the claims. The applicant must prove the report was not rendered in good faith by all evaluators based on knowledge available at the time. Furthermore, the applicant must supply specific information about the unfair evaluation for the board to make a reasoned judgment on the appeal and show strong evidence to the board when requesting to remove a report from the permanent record. The complete DPSIDE evaluation is at Exhibit C. APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: A copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to the applicant on 2 Oct 14 for review and comment within 30 days (Exhibit D). As of this date, no response has been received by this office. THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT: 1. The applicant has not exhausted all remedies provided by existing law or regulations. 2. The application was timely filed. 3. Insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of error or injustice. In this respect, we note this Board is the highest administrative level of appeal within the Air Force. As such, an applicant must first exhaust all available avenues of administrative relief provided by existing law or regulations prior to seeking relief before this Board, as required by the governing Air Force Instruction. The Air Force office of primary responsibility has reviewed this application and indicated there is an available avenue of administrative relief the applicant has not first pursued. In view of this, we find this application is not ripe for adjudication at this level as there exists a subordinate level of appeal that has not first been depleted. Therefore, in view of the above, 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 demonstrate the existence of material error or injustice; 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-2014-01890 in Executive Session on 11 Mar 15 under the provisions of AFI 36-2603: , Panel Chair , Member , Member The following documentary evidence pertaining to AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2014-01890 was considered: Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 13 Mar 14, w/atchs. Exhibit B. Pertinent Excerpts from Personnel Records. Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPSIDE, dated 4 Jul 14. Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 2 Oct 14.