AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

OCT 2 7 1998 

IN THE MATTER OF: 

DOCKET NUMBER:  98-00057 
COUNSEL:  None 
HEARING DESIRED:  NO 

APPLICANT REOUESTS THAT: 

~~ 

-~ 

He receive supplemental promotion consideration for promotion to 
the grade of senior master sergeant for cycles 9638 and 9738. 

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 
His  Meritorious  Service  Medal  (MSM),  First  Oak  Leaf  Cluster 
(loLC), covering  the period  14 Sep  92 to  14 Sep  95, should be 
considered in the promotion process for cycles 9638 and 9738 due 
to  an  oversight  by  his  superiors. 
The  decoration  was  not 
submitted until sometime in Feb 96.  After submission, there was 
a  long  delay  until  the  decoration  was  finally  approved.  The 
delay was primarily due to a grievance initiated by a subordinate 
which was resolved in Oct  96.  Also, contributing to the delay 
was a total change in senior leadership.  He does not know the 
specific reasons for their delay but as a result, it was not part 
of his promotion folder for the cycles indicated. 
In support of his appeal, the applicant provided a statement from 
his former commander. 
Applicant’s complete submission is attached at Exhibit A. 

STATEMENT OF FACTS: 
Promotion selections for the cycle 9638 were made on 23 Feb 96. 
The total weighted promotion score required f o r   selection in the 
applicant’s Air  Force  Specialty  Code  (AFSC) was  687.01.  The 
applicant‘s total weighted promotion score was 667.25.  Promotion 

AFBCMR 98-00057 

selections for the cycle 97E8 were made on 6  Mar 97.  His total 
promotion score for the 9738 cycle was 662.59 with a cutoff score 
of 672.89. 

On 18 Sep 97, a Recommendation for Decoration Printout (RDP) was 
prepared on the applicant f o r   the purpose of recommending him for 
the MSM, 1OLC. 
Applicant was awarded the MSM, loLC, for the period 14 Sep 92 to 
14 Sep 95.  The MSM, loLC, is worth 5 points in the computation 
of a member’s total promotion score. 
For a decoration to be eligible for consideration in a promotion 
cycle, the close-out date of the decoration must be on or before 
the Promotion Eligibility Cutoff Date (PECD), and the date of the 
RDP  must  be  before  the  date  of  selections  for  the  cycles  in 
question. 
Since the RDP was prepared after selections for the cycles were 
announced, the  decoration  was  not  considered  in  the  promotion 
process for cycles 96E8 and 9738. 
On  31 Jan 98, the  applicant was  relieved  from  active  duty  and 
retired, effective 1 Feb 98, in the grade of master sergeant.  He 
was  credited  with  23  years,  10  months,  and  3  days  of  active 
service. 

AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 
The  Chief,  Inquiries/BCMR  Section, AFPC/DPPPWB,  reviewed  this 
application and  indicated  that  the  applicant’s total promotion 
score for the  96E8 cycle was  667.25 and  the score required for 
selection in  his  Control  AFSC  (CAFSC) was  687-01.  He  missed 
promotion  selection by  19.76 points- 
Promotions  for  the  9638 
cycle were  made  on 23 Feb  96 and announced on  13 Mar  96.  His 
total promotion score for the 9738 cycle was 662.59 with a cutoff 
score  of  672.89. 
He  missed  promotion  by  10.30  points. 
Promotions for the 9738 cycle were made on 6  Mar 97 and announced 
on 19 Mar 97.  An  MSM is worth 5 weighted promotion points. 
DPPPWB further states that the policies regarding the approval of 
a  decoration  and  the  credit  of  a  decoration  for  promotion 
purposes  are  two  separate  and  distinct  policies.  Current  Air 
Force promotion policy  (AFI 36-2502, Table 2.2, Rule 5, Note  2) 
dictates  that  before  a  decoration  is  credited  for  a  specific 
promotion cycle, the close-out date of the decoration must be on 
or before the promotion eligibility cutoff date  (PECD) ,  and the 
date of the DECOR-6, RDP,  must be before the date of selections 
for  the  cycle  in  question. 
Each  promotion  cycle  has  an 
established  PECD  which  is  used  to  determine  in  which  AFSC  or 
Chief Enlisted Manager  (CEM) code the member will be considered, 

2 

AFBCMR 98-00057 

as well as which performance reports and decorations will be used 
in the promotion consideration.  The PECD for the 9638 cycle was 
30 Sep  95 and the  PECD  for the  9738  cycle was  30 Sep 96.  In 
addition, a decoration that a member claims was lost, downgraded, 
etc., must  be verified and fully documented  that it was placed 
into official channels prior  to the  selection date.  This also 
includes  decorations  that  were  disapproved  initially  but 
subsequently  resubmitted  and  approved. 
The  decoration  in 
question does not meet  the criteria for promotion credit during 
the 9638 and 9738  cycles because the DECOR 6 was not signed by 
the  indorsing official  until  18 Sep  97,  after  selections were 
made  for both  cycles.  This policy was  initiated on 28 Feb  79 
specifically  to  preclude  personnel  from  subsequently  (after 
promotion selections) submitting someone for a decoration with a 
retroactive decoration effective date  (close-out) so as to put 
them over the selection cutoff score.  Exceptions to the above 
policy are only considered when the airman can support a previous 
submission with documentation or statements including conclusive 
evidence  that  the  recommendation  was  officially  placed  in 
military channels within the prescribed time limit and conclusive 
evidence the  recommendation was not acted upon through loss  or 
inadvertence.  In accordance with AFI  36-2803, paragraph 3-1,  a 
decoration is considered to have been placed in official channels 
when  the  decoration recommendation is signed by  the  initiating 
official  and  indorsed  by  a  higher  official  in  the  chain  of 
command. 
Documentation included in the applicant's  case file reflects the 
decoration was not officially placed into military channels until 
after selections for the 96E8 and 9738 cycles were accomplished. 
The  orders are  dated  2 Oct  97, with  an  official  signature of 
18 Sep 97, which was after promotions for the cycles in question 
were completed and announced.  While DPPPWB is acutely aware of 
the  impact  this  recommendation has  on  the  applicant's  career, 
there  is no  tangible  evidence  the  decoration  was  placed  into 
official channels before selections for the cycles were made.  To 
approve his request would not be fair or equitable to many others 
in  the  same  situation who  also  miss  promotion  selection by  a 
narrow margin and are not permitted to have an "after the fact" 
decoration  count  in  the  promotion  process. 
Based  on  the 
rationale  provide,  DPPPWB  recommends  denial  of  applicant's 
request. 
A complete copy of the Air Force evaluation, with attachment, is 
attached at Exhibit C. 

3 

AFBCMR 98-00057 

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 
Applicant reviewed the Air Force evaluation and provided a three- 
page  rebuttal statement, with attachments, which is attached at 
Exhibit E. 

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.  After 
reviewing the evidence of record and applicant' s  submission, we 
believe  that  circumstances  beyond  the  applicant's  control 
prevented the award of the MSM, loLC, from being awarded in time 
to meet  the 9638 and 9738 promotion cycles for promotion to the 
grade of senior master sergeant.  While we are aware of the Air 
Force policies regarding approval of a decoration and credit of a 
decoration for promotion purposes, we  feel that the award of the 
MSM, loLC, was delayed for an inordinate amount of time.  In this 
respect,  we  note  the  applicant's  commander  states  that  the 
contested decoration was placed  in official channels in Feb 96; 
however, the wing commander put a hold on the award pending the 
outcome of a social actions grievance filed against applicant by 
a  subordinate.  This grievance was  finally resolved in Oct  96. 
In view  of  these  unusual  circumstances, and  with  no  reason to 
question the  commander's  veracity  regarding when  the award  was 
placed in official channels, we believe this situation should be 
resolved in favor of the applicant.  Therefore, we recommend that 
the RDP  date be changed in order for the award to be considered 
by the 9638 promotion cycle.  It is further recommended that he 
be provided supplemental promotion consideration to the grade of 
senior  master  sergeant,  for  all  cycles  commencing  with  cycle 
9638. 

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT: 
The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force 
relating  to  APPLICANT,  be  corrected  to  show  that  the  RDP  for 
award of  the MSM, loLC, for the period  14 Sep  92 to  14 Sep  95, 
was prepared on 22 Feb 96. 
It  is  further  recommended  that  he  be  provided  supplemental 
consideration  for  promotion  to  the  grade  of  senior  master 
sergeant for all appropriate cycles beginning with cycle 9638. 

4 

If AFPC  discovers any  adverse  factors  during  or  subsequent  to 
supplemental  consideration  that  are  separate  and  apart,  and 
unrelated to the issues involved in this application, that would 
have  rendered  the  applicant ineligible for  the promotion,  such 
information will be documented and presented to the Board for a 
final  determination  on  the  individual's qualification  for  the 
promotion. 

If supplemental promotion consideration results in the selection 
for  promotion  to  the  higher  grade,  immediately  after  such 
promotion  the  records  shall  be  corrected  to  show  that  he  was 
promoted to the higher grade effective and with a date of rank as 
established by the supplemental promotion and that he is entitled 
to all pay, allowances, and  benefits of such grade as of  that 
date. 

The following members of the Board considered this application in 
Executive Session on 17 September 1998,  under the provisions of 
AFI 36-2603: 

Ms. Martha Maust, Panel Chair 
Mr. Loren S. Perlstein, Member 
Ms. Ann L. Heidig, Member 
Mrs. Joyce Earley, Examiner (without vote) 

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

Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 2 Jan 98, w/atch. 
Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records. 
Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPPPWB, dated 16 Jan 98, w/atch. 
Exhibit D.  Letter, AFBCMR, dated 27 Jan 98. 
Exhibit E.  Letter fr applicant, dated 30 Jan 98, w/atchs. 

W T H A  MAUSTI 
Panel Chair 

5 

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 

WASHINGTON, DC 

Office of the Assistant Secretary 
AFBCMR 98-00057 

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: 

military records of the Department of the Air Force relating to 
e corrected to show that the  Recommendation for Decor 

(RDP) for award of the Meritorious Service Medal (MSM), First Oak Leaf Cluster (loLC), for 
the period  14 September 1992 to 14 September 1995, was prepared on 22 February 1996. 

It is further directed that he be provided supplemental consideration for promotion to the 

grade of senior master sergeant for all appropriate cycles beginning with cycle 96E8. 

If AFPC discovers any adverse factors during or subsequent to supplemental consideration 
that are separate and apart, and unrelated to the issues involved in  this application, that would 
have rendered the applicant ineligible for the promotion, such information will  be  documented 
and  presented to  the  Board  for  a  final  determination on the  individual's qualification for the 
promotion. 

If supplemental promotion consideration results in the selection for promotion to the higher 
grade,  immediately  after  such  promotion the  records  shall be  corrected to  show that  he  was 
promoted  to  the  higher  grade  effective  and  with  a  date  of  rank  as  established  by  the 
supplemental promotion and that he is entitled to all pay, allowances, and bel  ifits of such grade 
as of that date. 

Director 
Air Force Review Boards 

:ncy