RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

 

IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2010-04346 

COUNSEL: NO 

 HEARING DESIRED: NO 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 

 

His DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active 
Duty, be amended to include award of the Air Force Combat Action 
Medal (AFCAM) and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal (ACM). 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 

 

He qualifies for these medals due to his deployment during 
Operation ENDURING FREEDOM (OEF) from 22 February 2003 to 1 May 
2003. He participated in combat air operations during this 
period logging 74.8 combat hours as a Flight Engineer on the HC-
130P aircraft. 

 

In support of his appeal, the applicant provides copies of his 
Individual Flight Record Report and his Air Medal certificate. 

 

The applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at 
Exhibit A. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

STATEMENT OF FACTS: 

 

The applicant is a former member of the Regular Air Force who 
served on active duty from 17 August 1978 to 30 November 2003. 
He was released from active duty for sufficient service for 
retirement; and, retired effective 1 December 2003 in the grade 
of senior master sergeant (E-8). 

 

The remaining relevant facts, extracted from the applicant’s 
military service record, are contained in the evaluation provided 
by the Air Force office of primary responsibility at Exhibit C. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

AFPC/DPSIDR recommends denial of the applicant’s request for the 
ACM. DPSIDR states that his request for entitlement to the AFCAM 
has been forwarded to the proper awarding authority, Air Force 
Central Command (AFCENT), for review. If AFCENT approves his 
request, the award elements will be sent directly to the 


applicant. However, if his request is not approved, he has one 
year to submit a one-time reconsideration to AFCENT. 

 

DPSIDR indicates the ACM was established by Public Law 108-234, 
on 28 May 2004 and implemented by Executive Order 13363 on 
29 November 2004. It may be awarded to members who serve or have 
served in Afghanistan (or its contiguous air space) in support of 
OEF from 24 October 2001 to a date to be determined. Members 
must serve in the area of eligibility for at least 30 consecutive 
days or 60 non-consecutive days. While participating as a 
regularly assigned aircrew member flying sorties into, out of, 
within, or over Afghanistan in direct support of OEF; each day 
that one or more sorties are flown in accordance with these 
criteria shall count as one day towards the 30 consecutive or 60 
non-consecutive day requirement. 

 

DPSIDR states the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) 
verified the applicant served in Iraq on 28 February 2003 and in 
Pakistan from 1 March 2003 to 30 April 2003. According to the 
flight records submitted by the applicant, DPSIDR was able to 
determine the applicant acquired 12 non-consecutive flying days 
into the area of eligibility, which does not meet the minimum 
number of days required for award of the ACM. 

 

The complete DPSIDR 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 4 February 2011, for review and comment within 30 days 
(Exhibit D). As of this date, this office has received no 
response. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT: 

 

1. The applicant has not exhausted all remedies provided by 
existing law or regulations. In that regard, we note that the 
applicant has not exhausted his administrative remedies for award 
of the AFCAM. AFPC/DPSIDR has forwarded the applicant’s request 
for award of the AFCAM to AFCENT, the award approval authority. 

 

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 injustice in regard to 
the applicant’s request for award of the ACM. After a thorough 
review of the Master Personnel Records and the submitted 
documentation, we agree with the opinion and recommendation of 


the Air Force office of primary responsibility and adopt its 
rationale as the basis for our conclusion that the applicant has 
not been the victim of an error or injustice. In regard to his 
request for award of the AFCAM, as noted above, he has not 
exhausted his administrative remedies and consideration of this 
request would be premature. Therefore, in the absence of 
evidence to the contrary, we find no basis to recommend granting 
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 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-2010-04346 in Executive Session on 28 July 2011, under 
the provisions of AFI 36-2603: 

 

 , Chair 

 , Member 

 , Member 

 

The following documentary evidence was considered in connection 
with AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2010-04346: 

 

 Exhibit A. DD Forms 149, dated 29 Oct 10, w/atchs. 

 Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records. 

 Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPSIDR, dated 10 Jan 11. 

 Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 4 Feb 11. 

 

 

 

 

 

 Chair