9900188
                                                           INDEX CODE 107.00
                            RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  99-00188

            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  NO



APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

He  be  provided  supplemental  promotion  consideration  to  the  grade  of
technical sergeant for cycle  98E6  with  inclusion  of  the  Joint  Service
Commendation Medal (JSCM).


APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

He has worked hard to achieve  his  position  and  feels  strongly  that  he
should not be denied the rank of technical sergeant  due  to  administrative
delays in the processing of the JSCM.

He states the original recommendation package was submitted  in  April  1997
covering the period 31 July 1995 to 31 March 1997.  However, due  to  delays
in processing the recommendations, returns  for  numerous  corrections,  and
the  fact  the  recommendation  was  lost  during  a   reorganization,   the
recommendation was not approved until August 1998.  In  addition,  when  the
recommendation was approved the period of the award was changed  to  1  June
1996  to  30 September  1997.   Because  a  DECOR  6   [Recommendation   for
Decoration Printout (RDP)] is not required for joint  awards,  there  is  no
proof in the personnel system the decoration was ever submitted.

In support of the appeal,  applicant  submits  statements  from  the  Deputy
Assistant  Secretary  (Clinical  and  Program  Policy)  and  his  supervisor
indicating the recommendation was originally submitted  in  April  1997  and
the applicant should not be penalized  for  the  delays  in  processing  the
recommendation.

The applicant’s complete submission is attached at Exhibit A.


STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant is currently serving in the Regular Air Force in the grade  of
staff sergeant (E-5).

Promotion selections for cycle 98E6 were made on 20 May 1998  and  announced
on 4 June 1998.  The total weighted promotion score required  for  selection
in the  applicant's  Air  Force  Specialty  Code  (AFSC)  was  338.45.   The
applicant's total  weighted  promotion  score  was  338.47.   The  Promotion
Eligibility Cutoff Date (PECD) was 31 December 1997.

On 31 August 1998, the applicant was awarded the Joint Service  Commendation
Medal (JSCM) based on meritorious achievement during the period 1 June  1996
to 30 September 1997 .  The JSCM  is worth 3 points in the computation of  a
members total weighted 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  PECD,  and  the
date of the RDP must be before the date  of  selections  for  the  cycle  in
question.  In the case of  decorations  initiated  by  agencies  other  than
normal Air Force channels, the date the decoration is initiated is  used  in
lieu of the RDP.

A similar request was denied by the Promotion Management Section  since  the
recommendation for decoration was submitted on 1 June 1998.


AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The Chief, Inquiries/AFBCMR Section, AFPC/DPPPWB, reviewed this  application
and states the following:

      a.    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,
Request for Decoration Printout (RDP) must be before the date of  selections
for the cycle in question. In the case of decorations initiated by  agencies
other than normal Air Force channels, the date the decoration  is  initiated
is used in lieu of the RDP.  In addition, a decoration that a member  claims
was lost, downgraded, etc., must be fully documented and  verified  that  it
was placed into official channels prior to the selection  date.   This  also
includes a  decoration  that  was  disapproved  initially  but  subsequently
resubmitted and approved.

      b.    The decoration does not meet the criteria for  promotion  credit
during cycle 98E6 because there is no tangible evidence the  decoration  was
placed into official channels prior to  selections  for  cycle  98E6.   This
policy was initiated 28 February 1979  to  specifically  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.  Therefore, they recommend denial of his request.

A complete copy of the Air Force evaluation is attached at Exhibit C.


APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

A complete copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to  the  applicant
on 15 February 1999, for review and response within 30  days.   However,  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.  In this  respect,  we  note  that
applicant has  provided  statements  from  the  Deputy  Assistant  Secretary
(Clinical  and  Program  Policy)  and  his  supervisor.   These   statements
indicate the original recommendation package was  submitted  in  April  1997
covering the period 31 July 1995 to 31 March 1997.  However, due  to  delays
in processing the recommendations, returns  for  numerous  corrections,  and
the  fact  the  recommendation  was  lost  during  a   reorganization,   the
recommendation was not approved until August 1998.   It  also  appears  that
when the recommendation was approved the period of the award was changed  to
1 June 1996 to 30 September 1997. In view of  these  statements,  and  since
the delay in the processing of  the  award  was  through  no  fault  of  the
applicant, we believe the  award  should  be  considered  in  the  promotion
process for cycle 98E6.  Therefore, we recommend his  records  be  corrected
to the extent 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 on 19 May 1998,  appropriate  action
was initiated to award him  the  Joint  Service  Commendation  Medal  (JSCM)
awarded for the period 1 June 1996 to 30 September 1997.

It is further recommended that he  be  provided  supplemental  consideration
for promotion to the grade of technical sergeant for all appropriate  cycles
beginning with cycle 98E6.

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  on  the
date of rank 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 14 September 1999, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

                  Mr. Thomas S. Markiewicz, Panel Chair
                  Mr. Walter J. Hosey, Member
                  Mr. Patrick R. Wheeler, 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 15 Jan 99, w/atchs.
      Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
      Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPPPWB, dated 2 Feb 99, w/atchs.
      Exhibit D.  Letter, AFBCMR, dated 15 Feb 99.




                                  THOMAS S. MARKIEWICZ
                                  Panel Chair