Search Decisions

Decision Text

AF | BCMR | CY1998 | 9703252
Original file (9703252.pdf) Auto-classification: Approved
AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY-RECORDS &N 

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

IN THE  MATTER OF: 

DOCKET NUMBER:  97-03252 
COUNSEL:  NONE 
HEARING DESIRED:  YES 

I I 

?@ 

PIrIC&!JT REOUESTS THAT : 

He be entered into the Return to Duty Program  (RTDP). 

CANT  CONTENDS T W :  

Due to circumstances beyond his control, his RTDP application was 
not submitted in a timely manner. 
The  applicant  states that  he  applied  for entry  into the RTDP; 
however,  his  Area  Defense  Counsel  (ADC)  moved  to  a  new 
assignment, and his request was not forwarded to the appropriate 
agency until after the required time-frame. 
In support of the appeal, applicant submits a statement from the 
ADC  indicating that it was entirely her fault. 
The applicant's complete submission is attached at Exhibit A .  

4 

STATEMENT OF FACTS: 
On  11 October  1995, the  applicant  enlisted  in  the  Regular Air 
Force for a period of 4  years. 
On 1 June 1997, the applicant pled guilty to 5 specifications of 
larceny.  He  was  convicted  by  a  military  judge  sitting  as  a 
special court-martial and  sentenced to a Bad  Conduct Discharge 
(BCD), 4  months confinement, forfeiture of  $637 per month for 6 
months, and reduction to the grade of airman basic. 
On 21 July 1997, applicant's military defense attorney petitioned 
for clemency requesting that either applicant be entered into the 
RTDP or the BCD be suspended for a period of one year. 
On  22  July  1997, the  request  for clemency  was  denied  by  the 
convening authority, and the findings and sentence were approved. 

The  Associate  Chief,  Military  Justice  Division,. AFLSA/JAJM, 
reviewed  this  application  and  states  the  military  defense 
attorney's  failure to assist the applicant process his appeal in 
a timely manner constitutes material error.  Therefore, the Board 
is within its authority to look at the substance of his request, 
and, if appropriate, take whatever action it deems necessary to 
place him  into the RTDP.  The question becomes whether placing 
him  into the  RTDP  is appropriate.  According  to  the governing 
regulation,  RTDP  offers  selected  court-martialed  enlisted 
personnel  with  exceptional  potential  the  opportunity  to  be 
returned  to  active  duty  and  have  their  punitive  discharges 
remitted.  Although they concede the case is a prime candidate 
for review by the Board, they do not concede that applicant is a 
prime candidate for the RTDP.  In this respect, they note that he 
committed numerous separate and distinct acts of larceny against 
many victims, over several months.  The crimes were not a result 
of spontaneous poor judgment or easy opportunity, but rather were 
pre-conceived and consciously executed.  While they regeet that 
applicant's RTDP request was mishandled, they believe it would be 
a further mistake to grant his request without regard to normal 
RTDP admission standards.  Therefore, they strongly recommend his 
case  be  presented  to  the  RTDP  Screening  Board  for  further 
evaluation before final action is taken. 
A  complete  copy  of  the  Air  Force  evaluation  is  attached  at 
Exhibit C. 

A complete copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to the 
applicant on 9 February 1998, for review and response within 30 
days.  However, as of this date, no response has been received by 
this office. 

The applicant has exhausted all remedies provided by existing 

1. 
law or regulations. 
2.  The application was timely filed. 
3 .   Sufficient  relevant  evidence  has  been  presented  to 
demonstrate the existence of probable error or injustice. We note 
that  Return  to  Duty  Program  (RTDP)  offers  selected  court- 
martialed  enlisted  personnel  with  exceptional  potential  the 
opportunity to be returned to active duty and have their punitive 
discharges  remitted. 
The  applicant  submitted  a  request  for 
participation in the RTDP as part of his clemency package to the 

2 

’ 

convening authority, but  the request was denied.  According  to 
AFI 31-205, prisoners who are denied entry into the RTDP by the 
convening  authority  may  apply  to  the  Air  Force -Clemency  and 
Parole  Board  within  30  days  of  convening 
authority  action. 
However, the applicant‘s military defense attorney was reassigned 
prior to the convening authority action and neglected to follow- 
up on the applicant‘s appeal within 30 days. The Associate Chief, 
Military  Justice  Division, has  indicated  the  military  defense 
attorney’s failure to assist the applicant process his appeal in 
a timely manner constitutes material error.  In view of this, and 
since  through  no  fault  of  the  applicant,  he  was  denied  an 
opportunity to have his appeal of the convening authority action 
considered  by  the  Air  Force  Clemency  and  Parole  Board,  the 
applicant’s request for entry in the RTDP was  forwarded to the 
Return to Duty Screening Board  (RTDSB) .  The RTDSB reviewed the 
applicant’s appeal and indicated that they would have recommended 
approval  of  his  request  for  entry  in  the  RTDP. 
Prior  to 
rendering a recommendation on this application, a statement from 
the applicant was obtained indicating his agreement to voluntary 
return  to  a  confinement  facility  and  that  completion” of  the 
program  requirements  does  not  guarantee  his  return  to  duty 
(Exhibit F).  Therefore, we recommend his records be corrected to 
the extent indicated below. 

BQBRD  RECOMMENDS THAT: 

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force 
relating to APPLICANT, be corrected to show that on 26 June 1998, 
he requested entry in the Return to Duty Program and his request 
was approved by competent authority. 

The following members of the Board considered this application in 
Executive Session on 26 June 1998 and 16 December 1998, under the 
provisions of AFI 36-2603: 

Mrs. Barbara A. Westgate, Panel Chair 
Ms. Rita S. Looney, Member 
Ms. Dorothy P. Loeb, Member 
Mr. Phillip E. Horton, Examiner (without vote) 

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

Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 18 Sep 97, w/atchs. 
Exhibit B.  Applicant’s Master Personnel Records. 
Exhibit C.  Letter, AFLSA/JAJM, dated 27 Jan’98. 

3 

Exhibit D. 
Exhibit E. 
Exhibit F. 

Letter, AFBCMR, dated 9 Feb 98. 
Letter, AFSFC Det 3/CC, dated 24 Jun 98, w/atch. 
Letter, Applicant, dated 15 Dec 98.  - 

BARBARA A. WESTGAT 
Panel Chair 

J 

4 

. 

? 

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 

0 

d 

WASHINGTON, D. C. 

Office of the Assistant Secretary 

AFBCMR 97-03252 

MEMORANDUM FOR THE CHIEF OF STAFF 

Having received and considered the recommendation of the Air Force Board for 

Correction of Military Records and under the authority of Section 1552, Title 10, United States 
Code (70A Stat 116), it is directed that: 

rds of the Department of the Air Force relating to- 
ected to show that on 26 June 1998, he requested entry in the 
quest was approved by competent authority. 

Air Force Review Boards Agency 



Similar Decisions

  • AF | BCMR | CY2003 | BC-2002-00690

    Original file (BC-2002-00690.doc) Auto-classification: Denied

    The investigation was not about his off-duty marijuana use, but his LSD use at a party. After thoroughly reviewing the evidence of record and noting the applicant’s complete submission, we find no evidence of error or injustice. The applicant’s counsel cites a case previously decided by this Board and two cases previously decided by the Air Force Discharge Review Board (AFDRB) asserting, in essence, that similar clemency consideration should be applied to the applicant’s case and the...

  • AF | BCMR | CY2004 | BC-2004-00397

    Original file (BC-2004-00397.DOC) Auto-classification: Approved

    RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2004-00397 INDEX CODE: 133.00 COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NO _________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: His grade of airman first class (E-3) be reinstated, with his original date of rank (DOR) of 9 October 2000, and consideration for promotion to the grade of senior airman (E-4). The applicant is currently serving on active duty in...

  • AF | BCMR | CY2002 | 0200040

    Original file (0200040.doc) Auto-classification: Approved

    His reduction to the grade of E-1 be remitted and he be reinstated to the grade of staff sergeant. _________________________________________________________________ AIR FORCE EVALUATION: AFLSA/JAJM reviewed applicant's request and recommends denial. If the Board feels it is in the best interest of the Air Force to retain the member, it should restore his grade to staff sergeant or grant a HYT waiver to extend him until December 2005.

  • AF | BCMR | CY1998 | 9602123

    Original file (9602123.pdf) Auto-classification: Denied

    On 18 December 1987, the general court-martial approving authority approved only so much of the adjudged sentence which provided for a bad conduct discharge, 14 months of confinement, reduction to airman basic, and forfeiture of $438 per month for 14 months. On 23 February 1988, the Air Force Court of Military Review found the approved findings of guilty and the sentence to be correct in law and fact and, on the basis of the entire record, affirmed the 2 AFBCMR 96-02123 same. On 29...

  • AF | BCMR | CY1999 | 9900581

    Original file (9900581.doc) Auto-classification: Approved

    A complete copy of the evaluation is attached at Exhibit C. The Chief, Inquiries/AFBCMR Section, AFPC/DPPPWB, also reviewed this application and states that the applicant has been advised through his servicing Military Personnel Flight (MPF) that he was not eligible to be promoted to airman until 11 February 1999, the day following the suspended discharge and will not be eligible for promotion to A1C until 11 December 1999 upon completion of the required 10 months (TIG) provided he...

  • AF | BCMR | CY1998 | 9600185

    Original file (9600185.pdf) Auto-classification: Denied

    AIR FORCE EVALUATION: The Chief, Relief and Inquiries Branch, AFLSA/JAJM, reviewed the appeal and recommended that applicant's requests be denied. Once a military member is in military confinement and his term of service has expired, it cannot be extended. On appeal the US Air Force Court of Military Review upheld applicant's sentence after dismissing two (2) specifications.

  • AF | BCMR | CY1998 | 9301958

    Original file (9301958.pdf) Auto-classification: Denied

    On 17 November 1994, the Board considered and denied applicant's request that he be returned to active duty in the grade of master sergeant, with service credit for the period following his dischaxge up to his return to active duty (Exhibits A through H). The complete statement is at Exhibit N. APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF ADDITIONAL AIR FORCE EVALUATION: By letter, dated 12 September 1997, Major General B---, USAFR, Retired, responded in applicant's behalf to the additional advisory opinion,...

  • AF | BCMR | CY2002 | 0103031

    Original file (0103031.doc) Auto-classification: Denied

    The Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the findings and sentence on 24 November 1999. _________________________________________________________________ AIR FORCE EVALUATION: AFLSA/JAJM recommends the application be denied. At trial, the judge asked the applicant, “So none of this was a result of your wife writing checks you didn’t know about causing you to have a negative balance?” The applicant’s answer was “No, your honor.” The AFLSA/JAJM evaluation is at Exhibit...

  • AF | BCMR | CY1999 | 9802130

    Original file (9802130.doc) Auto-classification: Denied

    However, if the Board voids the Article 15 as requested or removes the reduction as part of the punishment, the effective date and date of rank would revert to the original date of 1 July 1992. _________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: On 21 December 1998, copies of the Air Force evaluations were forwarded to applicant for review and response within 30 days. ...

  • AF | BCMR | CY1998 | 9700392

    Original file (9700392.pdf) Auto-classification: Approved

    AIR FORCE EVALUATION: The Office of Personnel Program Management, HQ AFPC/DPPAES reviewed this appeal and states that applicant should have been extended from 9 April 1996 to 30 January 1998. Instead, he should be extended beginning 10 April 1996 and ending on 30 January 1998, compensated as discussed in the advisory opinion (with no pay for the period 7 June to 11 July 1996) , and allowed to extend for one promotion cycle beyond his projected HYT date. He received no pay and allowances...