RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS

             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS



IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  99-00099

            INDEX NUMBER:  111.01; 131.01


            COUNSEL:  NONE


            HEARING DESIRED: NO

___________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His records be  corrected  to  show  that  his  Primary  Air  Force
Specialty Code (PAFSC) is 46PX and  that  he  be  reconsidered  for
continuation by the Selective Continuation Board which convened  in
Dec 98.

___________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

He has been a certified mental health nurse since  X  Sep  94,  but
AFSC 46PX was never added to his record.  He was told that  because
his unit  did  not  have  a  mental  health  service,  it  was  not
necessary.  He is  a  twice-deferred  captain  and  discovered  his
specialty is a mission-critical skill, requiring maximum  retention
efforts.

In support of his appeal, the applicant provided a letter  from  HQ
Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) requesting  award  of  AFSC  46PX,
dated XX Nov 98; his certification  as  a  psychiatric  and  mental
health nurse by the American Nurses Credentialing Center from X Sep
94 to XX Aug  99;  and  a  message  from  AFRC,  dated  XX  Oct  98
(Exhibit A).

___________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant was  appointed  a  second  lieutenant,  Nurse  Corps,
Reserve of the Air Force, on XX Dec 89.  He  was  promoted  to  the
Reserve grade of captain, effective 18  Sep  91.   The  applicant’s
duty title on all of his Officer  Performance  Reports  (OPR)  from
XX Dec 89 through XX Jan 99, was that of clinical  nurse.   He  was
relieved from his assignment on  XX  Aug  98,  and  transferred  to
NARS/NA status, effective XX Sep 98.  As of Retirement Year  Ending
(RYE) XX Dec 98, he was credited with 12 years, 11  months  and  29
days of satisfactory Federal service.  Information  extracted  from
the Personnel Data System (PDS) indicates that the applicant’s duty
and primary AFSC was 46N3,  clinical  nurse.   On  XX  Feb  99,  he
enlisted in the Air Force Reserve in the grade of SSgt.   His  duty
AFSC is 4N051, medical service journeyman,  and  he  is  an  active
Reserve participant.

Applicant's OPR profile follows:

      PERIOD ENDING    EVALUATION

       5 May 91  Meets Standards
       5 May 92  Meets Standards
       5 May 93  Meets Standards
       5 May 94  Meets Standards
       5 May 95  Meets Standards
       5 May 96  Meets Standards
       5 May 97  Meets Standards
       5 May 98  Meets Standards
      30 Jan 99  Meets Standards

___________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The Director of Personnel  Program  Management,  ARPC/DP,  reviewed
this application and recommended denial.  While the  applicant  may
have performed duties as a mental health nurse, he never  possessed
that AFSC during any of the promotion boards that  considered  him.
His officer selection folder (OSF) contains no information that  he
ever performed duties as a mental health nurse, and  there  are  no
authorized positions for a mental  health  nurse  at  his  assigned
unit.

The FY99 Reserve of the Air Force Major Promotion  Selection  Board
was announced on  X  Aug  98,  at  which  time  the  applicant  was
identified as being twice deferred for promotion to  major  in  his
only AFSC, 46N3--clinical nurse.  On 22 Oct 98,  the  Secretary  of
the Air Force approved a Selective  Continuation  Board  for  twice
deferred captains and majors within the Selected Reserve.

On 26 Oct 98, ARPC sent a message to all active and Reserve flights
notifying them of the criteria for a Selective Continuation  Board.
One of the criteria was that the member must possess a primary AFSC
identified as mission critical.  On 27 Oct 98, all  eligibles  were
sent a letter notifying them that the board’s  convening  date  was
2 Dec 98, and  that  they  had  until  15 Nov  98  to  apply.   The
applicant was not notified of eligibility for continuation  because
he did not posses the primary AFSC  of  mental  health  nurse.   On
17 Nov  98,  after  the  continuation  board  was  announced,   the
Classification  and  Retraining  Program  Manager  for   the   AFRC
requested award of AFSC 46PX to the applicant based on his civilian
experience.  While his records now reflect the mental health  nurse
AFSC, it is only as a secondary AFSC and still would not afford him
the opportunity for continuation.

Currently, there are no provisions in law for a  special  selection
board (SSB) for continuation.  If the  AFBCMR  disagrees  with  the
recommendation, the  applicant’s  request  for  SSB  for  the  FY99
Reserve Selective Continuation Board will be held on file,  pending
legislative authorization.  A complete copy of ARPC/DP’s evaluation
is at Exhibit C.

___________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The applicant states that the primary AFSCs for doctors and  nurses
reflect the AFSC in which they are most qualified even though there
may be no authorized positions at their  assigned  units.   He  was
unaware until Nov 98, that mental health nurse is  a  specific  Air
Force specialty that has a critical mission shortage.  He is  fully
qualified to perform  the  duties  of  mental  health  nurse.   The
applicant submitted a statement from his  commander  indicating  he
performed duties as a mental health nurse while on annual tours and
two statements from the Chief, Personnel Employment,  Grissom  AFB.
Applicant’s complete response is 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.   On  reaching  this
conclusion,  we  noted  the  efforts  of  the  applicant  and   his
supervisor to update his records to  reflect  46P3  (Mental  Health
Nurse) as his primary AFSC.  However, due to an inordinate delay in
the processing of the request and the  failure  of  the  Personnnel
Employment Section at his base of assignment  to  ensure  that  the
update was properly reflected  in  a  timely  manner,  he  was  not
identified as an officer who was eligible for consideration by  the
Reserve  Selective  Continuation  Board.   Because   he   was   not
identified as an eligible,  he  did  not  receive  notification  of
eligibility and was not  afforded  the  opportunity  to  apply  for
continuation.   Inasmuch  as  the  Air  Force  identified  the  46P
specialty as a mission-critical skill requiring  maximum  retention
efforts, and the applicant is certified as a psychiatric and mental
health nurse, it is in the  best  interest  of  the  Air  Force  to
reconsider him for continuation.  Therefore, provided the applicant
meets  all  other  criteria  for  consideration  by   a   Selective
Continuation Board, we recommend that his record  be  corrected  as
indicated below.

___________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:

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

      a.    He was awarded Air Force Specialty  Code  (AFSC)  46P3,
effective 4 November 1998.

      b.    On 15 November 1999, he applied for  consideration  for
continuation by the Reserve  Selective  Continuation  Board,  which
convened on 2-3 December 1998, and his application was approved  by
competent authority;

It is further recommended that the applicant’s corrected record  be
considered for continuation by a Special Selection  Board  for  the
December 1998 Reserve Selective Continuation Board, and  if  he  is
selected for continuation by the Special Selection Board,  the  Air
Force Board for Correction of Military Records be notified  at  the
earliest practicable date so that  all  necessary  and  appropriate
actions may be completed.

___________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board considered this  application  in
Executive Session on 16 November 1999, 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 Jan 99, w/atchs.
     Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
     Exhibit C.  Letter, HQ ARPC/DP, dated 17 Mar 99.
     Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MIBR, dated 5 Apr 99.
     Exhibit E.  Letter, Applicant, dated 11 Apr 99, w/atchs.





                                   Panel Chair



AFBCMR 99-00099




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:

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

      a.    He was awarded Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) 46P3,
effective 4 November 1998.

      b.    On 15 November 1999, he applied for consideration for
continuation by the Reserve Selective Continuation Board, which
convened on 2-3 December 1998, and his application was approved by
competent authority;

      It is further directed that the applicant’s corrected record
be considered for continuation by a Special Selection Board for the
December 1998 Reserve Selective Continuation Board, and if he is
selected for continuation by the Special Selection Board, the Air
Force Board for Correction of Military Records be notified at the
earliest practicable date so that all necessary and appropriate
actions may be completed.





            JOE G. LINEBERGER

            Director

            Air Force Review Boards Agency