RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS

IN THE MATTER OF:	DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2017-00199

	COUNSEL: NONE

	HEARING: NO

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

He be awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

In 1956, he served a 35-day temporary duty (TDY) assignment to Taiwan and recently became aware that he is entitled to the Armed Forces Expeditionary.  The applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A.

STATEMENT OF FACTS: 

According to DD Forms 214, Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge, provided by the applicant, he served in the Regular Air Force (REGAF) from 10 December 1952 to 9 December 1956 and had no Foreign Service for this period.  He also served in the REGAF from 8 March 1957 to 7 June 1961, with credit for 1 year, 5 months and 20 days Foreign Service.

Special Orders Number 236, dated 25 October 1958, provided by the applicant, indicates he was directed to proceed from Andersen AFB, Guam, Marianas Islands, on or about 27 October 1958, to a TDY assignment to Taipei, Taiwan, for approximately 30 days.  Special Order Number 238, dated 28 October 1958, amended the order to extend the TDY for 5 days.

On 12 July 1973, a fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri destroyed approximately 16-18 million Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF).  Air Force personnel discharged between 25 September 1947 and 1 January 1964, with names alphabetically after Hubbard, James E., which included the applicant’s OMPF, were in the area that suffered the most damage.

For more information, see the excerpt of the applicant’s record at Exhibit B. 

AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

AFPC/DP3SP recommends denying the application.  The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is authorized for United States Military Operations in Taiwan from 23 August 1958 – 1 January 1959 if the member is assigned, attached or detailed for 30 consecutive days.  The applicant provided a copy of his TDY orders; however, because he has a very limited OMPF, there is insufficient evidence the TDY was executed.  The complete advisory is at Exhibit C.

APPLICANT’S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

The Board sent a copy of the Air Force evaluation to the applicant on 3 January 2018, for comment (Exhibit D), and the applicant replied on 31 January 2018.  In his response, the applicant reiterated that he was on a 35-day TDY to Taiwan and gave a detailed description of the events that occurred during this period.  The applicant’s complete response is at Exhibit E.

THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT:

1.  The application was not timely filed, but it is in the interest of justice to excuse the delay.

2.  The applicant exhausted all available avenues of non-judicial relief before applying to the Board.

3.  After thoroughly reviewing all Exhibits, it is the Board’s opinion that the applicant is the victim of an error or injustice.  While the Board notes the comments of AFPC/DP3SP indicating that relief should be denied, the Board believes a preponderance of the evidence substantiates the applicant’s contentions.  In particular, the amended TDY order and the significant level of detail provided by the applicant in rebuttal tend to support the contentions of the applicant.  Therefore, the Board recommends correcting the applicant’s records 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 that the applicant was awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.

CERTIFICATION: 

The following quorum of the Board, as defined in Air Force Instruction (AFI) 36-2603, Air Force Board for Correction of Military Records (AFBCMR), paragraph 1.5, considered Docket Number BC-2017-00199 in Executive Session on 24 May 2018:

, Panel Chair 
, Panel Member
, Panel Member

All members voted not to correct the record.  The panel considered the following:

Exhibit A:	Application, DD Form 149, w/atchs, dated 1 March 2017.
Exhibit B:	Documentary evidence, including relevant excerpts from official records.
Exhibit C:	Advisory opinion, AFPC/DP3SP, dated 18 December 2017.
Exhibit D:	Notification of Advisory, SAF/MRBC to applicant, dated 3 January 2018.
Exhibit E:	Applicant’s response, dated 31 January 2018.

Taken together with all Exhibits, this document constitutes the true and complete Record of Proceedings required by AFI 36-2603, paragraph 4.11.9.