RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2014-02887 COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NO APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: His official military records be corrected to reflect service in Vietnam. APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: His DD Form 214, Report of Separation From Active Duty, does not reflect his assignment to the 776th Tactical Airlift Squadron, Ching Chuan Kang Air Base, Taiwan during the period 27 Aug 71 through 30 May 73. During this assignment, he flew numerous combat missions in Vietnam. Most of his multiple TDYs reflected in his official record during this period were to Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Vietnam. The applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A. STATEMENT OF FACTS: The applicant initially entered the Regular Air Force on 8 Jan 69. During the period 27 Aug 71 through 30 May 73, the applicant was assigned to the 776th Tactical Airlift Squadron, Ching Chuan Kang Air Base, Taiwan as a C-130 pilot. During this period, his Officer Performance Reports (OPRs) credit him with a combined 500 plus combat flying hours and 102 combat missions flown in Southeast Asia (SEA). On 27 Jun 75, the applicant was furnished an honorable discharge, and was credited with 6 years, 5 months, and 20 days of total active service. The remaining relevant facts pertaining to this application are contained in the memoranda prepared by the Air Force offices of primary responsibility (OPR), which are attached at Exhibits C and D. AIR FORCE EVALUATION: AFPC/DPAPP recommends denial indicating there is no evidence of an error or an injustice. A thorough review of the applicant’s official military records verifies service in Taiwan, but does not verify service in Vietnam. Although his performance reports indicate numerous combat missions, the location of those missions is not known. A complete copy of the AFPC/DPAPP evaluation is at Exhibit C. AFPC/DPSID recommends denial indicating there is no evidence of an error or an injustice. The applicant is requesting foreign-service credit for service in Vietnam, which would result in award of the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM). The VSM is awarded to all members of the Armed Services who between 4 Jul 65 and 28 Mar 73 served in the following areas of SEA: Vietnam and its contiguous waters and airspace; in Thailand, Laos, or Cambodia or the airspace thereof and in the direct support of military operations in Vietnam. To be eligible, a service member must have been permanently assigned, attached, or detailed for one, or more days with an organization participating in or directly support ground (military) operations, or have directly participated as a crew member in one or more aerial flights directly supporting military operations, or, have served on temporary duty for 30 consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days. Those time limitations may be waived for personnel participating in actual combat operations. A thorough review of the applicant’s official military personnel record did not verify award of the VSM. AFPC/DPAPP was unable to verify the applicant served in Vietnam. Although there is documentation stating the applicant completed combat missions in SEA, SEA encompasses other countries which are not in the area of eligibility for award of the VSM. There is no documentation to verify he was in the VSM area of eligibility during combat mission. A complete copy of the AFPC/DPAPP evaluation is at Exhibit D. APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: He submitted a personal statement in which he explains his duties as a pilot while stationed in Taiwan took him to Vietnam frequently, highlighting his involvement in Operation Commando Vault, and contends he flew into Vietnam again while flying a C-141 from Travis AFB, California. In addition, he submitted copies of his official individual flight records and his personal record of all of his flights in 1971 and 1972 (Exhibit E). 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 injustice. After a thorough review of the evidence of record and the applicant’s complete submission, we believe a preponderance of the evidence indicates the applicant is the victim of an error or injustice. While we note the comments of the Air Force advisories indicating that relief should be denied because there is no official documentation in the applicant’s records to prove his multiple combat missions in SEA included missions in Vietnam, we believe the direct reference to his contributions to tactical airlift in the Republic of Vietnam in his Officer Performance Report covering the period 10 Jan 73 through 25 May 73, combined with the over 100 combat missions flown in SEA is sufficient to establish that it is more likely than not that he served in Vietnam and that such service, because he directly participated as a crew member in one or more aerial flights directly supporting military operations, meets the criteria for the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM).. Therefore, we recommend the applicant’s records be corrected as indicated below. THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT: The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force relating to the APPLICANT be corrected to show he had boots-on-the-ground in the Republic of Vietnam in 1973 and he was awarded the Vietnam Service Medal. The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2014-02887 in Executive Session on 14 May 15 under the provisions of AFI 36-2603: Panel Chair Member Member All members voted to correct the records as recommended. The following documentary evidence pertaining to AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2014-02887 was considered: Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 15 Jul 14, w/atchs. Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records. Exhibit C.  Memorandum, AFPC/DPAPP, dated 24 Nov 14. Exhibit D.  Memorandum, AFPC/DPSID, undated. Exhibit E.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 15 Apr 15. Exhibit F.  Letter, Applicant, dated 6 May 15.