AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

SEP  1 0  a 

IN THE MATTER OF: 

DOCKET NUMBER:  97-03374 
COUNSEL:  NONE 

4. 

1. 

HEARING DESIRED:  NO 

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 

He be  considered for promotion to the grade of  lieutenant colonel 
by  Special Selection Board  (SSB) for the Calendar Year  (CY) 1997C 
Lieutenant Colonel Board, with the Meritorious Service Medal  (First 
Leaf  Cluster)  (MSM(1OLC))  for  the  period  16  March 
O a k  
1993-28 February  1995,  included  in  his  Officer  Selection  Record 
(OSR) . 

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 

His  official  records  currently  identify  only  one  MSM,  which  may 
have  had  a  bearing  on  his  nonselection  for  lieutenant  colonel 
during the CY97C board.  This discrepancy apparently existed at the 
time of the CY97C board despite his efforts to correct the records 
prior to the board. 

The  MSM  for  the  period  9  August  1989-15 March  1993  was  awarded 
after  the  second  MSM  -  resulting  in  both  being  issued  as  basic 
medals.  He  recognized  the  impact  of  the  oak  leaf  cluster  (OLC) 
error on his preselection Report on Individual Personnel  (RIP) and 
immediately  contacted  his  military  personnel  flight  (MPF)  and 
provided copies of all citations and special orders.  Based on the 
MPF's  aggressive response to this problem, he  felt certain that his 
records were correct at the time of the beam. 

Applicant's  request and  documentation associated with  this  appeal 
are at Exhibit A. 

STATEMENT OF FACTS: 
On  14  April  1981,  applicant  was  appointed  as  second  lieutenant, 
Reserve of the Air Force, and was ordered to extended active -duty. 
He  served  on  continuous  active  duty,  was  integrated  into  the 
Regular  component on  26  February  1985, and progressively promoted 
to the grade of major. 

A  resume  of  applicant's  OERs/OPRs  subsequent  to  his  promotion  t o -  
captain follows. 

PERIOD CLOSING 

15 Feb 86 
15 Feb 87 
15 Feb 88 
15 Feb 89 
8 Aug 89 
8 Aug  90 
8 Aug 91 
8 Aug 92 
28 Oct 93 
28 Oct 94 
29 Nov 95 
31 Dec 96 

* 

..  >. 

OVERALL EVALUATION 
1-1-1 (w/LOE) 
1-1-1 
1-1-1 
Meets Standards (MS) 
MS 
MS 
MS 
MS 
MS 
MS 
MS 
MS 

*  Top report in file when considered and not selected for promotion 
by the CY97C Lt Col Board, which convened on 21 July 1997. 

Applicant was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for outstanding 
noncombat  meritorious  service  during  the  period  9  August  1989  - 
15 March 1993, per Special Order GB-45, dated 14 March 1995. 

He  was  awarded  the  MSM  (First Oak  Leaf  Cluster)  (MSM(1OLC)) for 
outstanding  noncombat  meritorious  service  during  the  period 
16 March  1993  -  28  February  1995, per  Special Order  GB-49,  dated 
23 January  1995, as amended by  Special Order GB-225, dated  9 June 
1997. 

Both  the  basic  MSM  and  the  MSM(1OLC)  are  currently  in  the 
applicant's  Officer Selection Record. 

- 

~~ 

AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 
The  BCMR  Appeals  and  SSB  Section,  AFPC/DPPPA,  reviewed  this 
application  and  did  not  support  SSB  consideration,  stating  the 
applicant  has  not  demonstrated  that  he  exercised  reasonable 
diligence  in  ensuring  his  record was  complete prior  to  promotion 
consideration. 
In  reviewing  applicant's  OSR,  DPPPA  noted  the  MSM(1OLC)  was, 
indeed, not annotated on his officer selection brief  ( O S B ) ,   and the 
citation  itself  does  not  have  a  file  date  stamp  on  the  reverse 
side,  but  the  front  side  reflects  the  applicant's  board  arecord 
number in the upper right hand corner.  (This number is written on 
documents  that  arrive  after  all  eligible  officers'  records  have 
been frozen for board consideration.)  Since there is no file date 
stamp, DPPPA cannot verify whether it was considered by the board. 

AFBCMR 97-03374 

The  officer  preselection  brief  (OPB) is  sent  to  each  eligible 
officer several months prior to a selection board and contains data 
that  will  appear  on  the  OSB  at  the  central  selection  board. 
Written instructions attached to the OPB  and given to the officer 
before the central selection board specifically instruct him/her to 
carefully examine the brief for completeness and accuracy.  If any 
errors are  found, he/she must  take corrective action prior to the 
selection  board,  not  after. 
DPPPA  noted  applicant  was  also 
considered by the CY96C Board  (below the promotion zone  (BPZ)), and 
the OSB for that board only included the basic MSM.  The applicant 
has not shown that he made any attempt to correct this discrepancy 
prior to the CY96C  (BPZ) board.  They do not believe the applicant 
exercised  “reasonable  diligence”  in  his  attempts  to  get  this 
discrepancy corrected prior to the CY97C board. 

Each officer eligible for promotion consideration is advised of the 
entitlement to communicate with the board president.  The applicant 
could have used  this means  to inform the CY97C board president of 
the missing  MSM (1OLC) citation  and  its  contents.  However,  DPPPA 
verified applicant elected not to exercise this entitlement. 
The complete 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 15 December 1997 for review and comment within 30 days.  As of 
this date, no response has been received by this office. 

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 probable error or injustice warranting corrective 
action.  After  careful  consideration of  the  applicant‘s  complete 
submission,  we  believe  some  doubt  exists  as  to  whether  the 
applicant’s  records  were  properly  constituted  when  he  was 
considered for promotion by the CY97C Lieutenant Colonel Board.  In 
this  regard,  the  Officer  Selection  Brief  prepared  for  the  CY97C 
board did not reflect applicant’s receipt of the MSM(1OLC) for the 
period  16 March  1993 to  28  February  1995.  In  addition, the Air 
Force  office  of  primary  responsibility  advised  that  while  the 
citation for the MSM(1OLC) does not have a file date on the reverse 
side, the  front  side reflects the applicant’s board  record number 
in  the  upper  right  hand  corner. 
However,  they  cannot  verify 
whether the citation was considered by the selection board.  It is 

3, 

AFBCMR 97-03374 

not  certain what  impact  the  absence  of  information pertaining  to 
the MSM(1OLC) may have had on the applicant's  chances for promotion 
to the grade of lieutenant colonel.  However, with the award now a 
matter  of  record,  we  believe  any  doubt  should  be  resolved  in 
Therefore,  we  recommend  that  appri'cant' s 
applicant's  favor. 
records be  corrected as indicated below  and that he  be  considered 
for  promotion  to  the  grade  of  lieutenant  colonel  by  Special 
Selection Board with the corrected record. 

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT: 

~~~~ 

~ 

~ 

~ 

The pertinent military  records of  the Department of the Air  Force 
relating to APPLICANT, be corrected to show that: 

a.  The  citation  to  accompany  the  award  of  the  Meritorious 
Service Medal  (First Oak Leaf Cluster) for the period 16 March 1993 
to 28 February 1995, was accepted for file in his Officer Selection 
Record on or before 1 July 1997. 

b.  The Officer Selection Brief viewed by  the CY97C Lieutenant 
Colonel Board be amended under the "Decorations" section to include 
the  Meritorious  Service  Medal  (First Oak  Leaf  Cluster)  for  the 
period 16 March 1993 to 28 February 1995. 

It  is  further  recommended  that  he  be  considered for promotion  to 
the grade of lieutenant colonel by  Special Selection Board for the 
CY97C  (21 July  1997) Lieutenant Colonel Board,  with  the  corrected 
record. 

The  following members of  the Board  considered this application in 
Executive  Session  on  18  June  1998,  under  the  provisions  of  AFI 
36-2603: 

Mr. Charles E. Bennett, Panel Chair 
Mr. Steven A.  Shaw, Member 
Mr. John T. Dorsett, Member 

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

Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 10 Nov 97, w/atchs. 
Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records. 
Exhibit C .   Letter, AFPC/DPPPA, dated 5 Dec 97. 
Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MIBR, dated 15 Dec 97. 

&E-- 

ARLES E. BENNETT 

Panel Chair 

4 

AFBCMR 97-03374 

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 

WASHINGTON DC 

SEP  1 0  

., >.. 

Office of the Assistant Secretary 

AFBCMR 97-03374 

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: 

nent military records of the Department of the Air Force relat 
corrected to show that: 

a.  The citation to accompany the award of the Meritorious Service Medal (First Oak 

Leaf Cluster) for the period 16 March 1993 to 28 February 1995, was accepted for file in his Officer 
Selection Record on or before 1 July 1997. 

b.  The Officer Selection Brief viewed by the CY97C Lieutenant Colonel Board be, and 
hereby is, amended under the “Decorations” section to include the Meritorious Service Medal (First 
Oak Leaf Cluster) for the period 16 March 1993 to 28 February 1995. 

It is M e r  directed that he be considered for promotion to the grade of lieutenant colonel by 
Special Selection Board for the CY97C (21 July 1997) Lieutenant Colonel Board, with the corrected 
record. 

- 

U 

(/Director 

Air Force Review Boards Agency