RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

 

IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2012-02690 

 COUNSEL: NONE 

 HEARING DESIRED: NO 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 

 

His records be corrected to reflect award of the Korean Defense 
Service Medal (KDSM). 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 

 

While assigned to Clark Air Base, Philippines, he was deployed to 
the 2078th Communications Squadron (2078 CS), Taegu Air Base 
(AB), Korea, and served more than three months. 

 

Due to inefficient paperwork and record keeping his AF Form 626, Request and Authorization for Temporary Duty, authenticating his 
service in Korea, was never placed in his official military 
personnel record (MPR). 

 

In support of his request, the applicant provides copies of his 
DD Form 214, Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer 
or Discharge; and AF Form 626. 

 

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

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

STATEMENT OF FACTS: 

 

The applicant served on active duty from 31 Jul 68 to 28 Jul 72, 
and was credited with 9 months of Foreign Service. 

 

The Department of Defense (DoD) approved the KDSM for award to 
members of the United States Armed Forces as recognition for 
military service in the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the 
surrounding waters from 28 Jul 54 to a date to be determined by 
the Secretary of Defense. Individuals must have been assigned, 
attached, or mobilized to units operating or serving in the ROK, 
and the contiguous waters out to 12 nautical miles, and all 
airspace above. To be eligible for the KDSM, personnel must have 
been physically present in the area for 30 consecutive days or 
60 nonconsecutive days 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

 

AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 


 

AFPC/DPSID recommends disapproval. DPSID states, while the 
applicant’s records do reflect he performed temporary duty (TDY) 
in Korea, they could find no evidence he served in Korea for the 
required period of time for award of the KDSM. 

 

DPSID states the applicant’s official MPR reflects he was 
deployed to the 2078th Communications Squadron, Taegu AB, Korea, 
on or about 27 Jul 70, as annotated on his AF Form 626. In 
addition, the applicant’s Airman Performance Report (APR), 
closing 20 Oct 70, states the applicant was deployed to Camp 
Walker, Korea; however, no timeframe was provided. 

 

The complete DPSID evaluation is at Exhibit B. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

The applicant states his AF Form 626 shows the approximate number 
of days he served in Korea, which includes travel time, and that 
Line 7, clearly shows 90 days. The actual time according to his 
best recollection was 3.5 months or roughly 105 days. This meets 
and exceeds the 30 consecutive day service medal requirement. 

 

He has no additional paperwork for this deployment; paperwork 
during the Vietnam War sometimes took a back seat. 

 

The applicant's complete response is at Exhibit D. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

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. Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to 
demonstrate the existence of error or injustice regarding the 
applicant’s request for the KDSM. After thoroughly reviewing the 
evidence of record, we find it sufficient to conclude the 
applicant was in Korea for 30 consecutive days and is eligible 
for the KDSM. In this respect, although the exact number of days 
he served in Korea cannot be confirmed, based on his Airman 
Performance Report and TDY orders it appears that more likely 
than not he did serve at least 30 days in the Republic of Korea. 
Therefore, we recommend the applicant’s records be corrected as 
set forth below. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT: 

 


The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force 
relating to APPLICANT, be corrected to show that the DD Form 214, Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or 
Discharge, issued in conjunction with his 28 July 1972 discharge, 
be amended in Block 24, Decorations, Medals, Badges, 
Commendations, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or 
Authorized, to reflect the Korean Defense Service Medal (KDSM). 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket 
Number BC-2012-02690 in Executive Session on 20 Dec 12, under the 
provisions of AFI 36-2603: 

 

, Panel Chair 

, Member 

, Member 

 

All members voted to correct the records, as recommended. The 
following documentary evidence was considered: 

 

 Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 8 Jun 12, w/atchs. 

 Exhibit B. Letter, AFPC/DPSID, dated 24 Jun 12. 

 Exhibit C. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 10 Sep 12. 

 Exhibit D. Letter, Applicant, dated 14 Sep 12, w/atchs. 

 

 

 

 

 Panel Chair