RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  00-01971
            INDEX CODE:  107.00, 131.04,131.05
            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  YES

___________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

The closeout date for his  Air  Force  Commendation  Medal  (AFCM)  for  the
period 25 Jan 95 through 1 Oct 98 be changed to 31 Dec 97 and the points  be
applied to his test scores for promotion cycle 98E6 to technical sergeant.

___________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

The wing commander returned the decoration with a note to  change  the  date
to 1 Oct 98 because he did  not  want  to  affect  anyone’s  promotion.   No
additional information was  added  to  the  decoration  to  warrant  such  a
drastic change in the closeout dates.  The commander  changed  the  closeout
date to prevent a controversy  and  it  was  a  decoration  that  was  being
backdated after the promotion selection just to get someone promoted.

In support of his submission,  the  applicant  submits  a  personal  letter,
copies of pertinent regulations, copy of  the  AFCM  citation,  DECOR-6  and
other documents relevant to the issue under review. (Exhibit A).

___________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant is currently serving on active duty in the grade of  technical
sergeant with a total active federal military service date  (TAFMSD)  of  10
May 88.

The applicant was not selected for promotion by the 98E6 cycle.   His  total
score was 332.40, and the score required for selection in  his  Control  Air
Force Specialty Code (CAFSC) was 333.08.  He was selected for  promotion  to
technical sergeant in the  next  cycle,  99E6,  with  a  date  of  rank  and
effective date of 1 May 00.

The relevant facts  pertaining  to  this  application,  extracted  from  the
applicant’s military records, are contained in the letter  prepared  by  the
appropriate office of the Air Force.   Accordingly,  there  is  no  need  to
recite these facts in this Record of Proceedings.

___________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The Awards  and  Decorations  Section,  AFPC/DPPPR,  states  that  the  wing
commander’s note that he did not want to affect anyone’s promotion has  been
lost and, in fact, did affect the  applicant’s  promotion  by  changing  the
closeout date.  The decoration was awarded for an extended tour of  service,
not an end of tour.  Therefore, the closeout date could be in  1997.   DPPPR
believes an injustice occurred in awarding the applicant a second  AFCM  and
recommends the closeout date be changed from 1  Oct  98  to  31  Dec  97  as
originally recommended (Exhibit C).

The Chief, Inquiries/AFBCMR Section, AFPC/DPPPWB, reviewed  the  application
and recommended denial.  The documentation included in the applicant’s  case
file reflects the closeout date of his decoration  was  1  Oct  98  and  the
Promotion  Eligibility  Cutoff  Date  (PECD)  for  the  promotion  cycle  in
question was 31 Dec 97.  A  Recommendation  for  Decoration  Printout  (RDP)
date of 26 Mar 98 is documented on Special Order G-047,  dated  12  Sep  98.
The recommendation for the subject AFCM was placed  into  official  channels
when endorsed by a higher official  on  26  Aug  98,  which  was  after  the
promotion selections for the 98E6 cycle which were made  on  21 May  98  and
announced on 4 Jun 98.  AFPC/DPPPRA has  reviewed  the  applicant’s  request
and recommended the closeout date of his second AFCM be changed  to  31  Dec
97.  However, even if the closeout date is changed,  it  would  not  entitle
the applicant to an automatic supplemental promotion consideration  for  the
98E6 cycle since the decoration was not placed into official channels  until
after  selection  for  this  cycle  were  made.   Therefore,  based  on  the
rationale provided, DPPPWB recommends  the  applicant’s  request  be  denied
(Exhibit D).

___________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The applicant reviewed  the  Air  Force  evaluations  and  states  that  the
advisory failed to mention that there was a previous DECOR-6 before the  one
that is currently in question.  This DECOR-6 was signed  and  endorsed,  but
was discovered missing after  the  decoration  did  not  meet  an  in-flight
suspense date.  The applicant indicates that his case is clearly not a  case
of an “after the fact” decoration for the purpose of  promotion.   It  is  a
case of unfortunate circumstances that has directly affected his  promotion.
To further support his position on this  issue  the  applicant  submitted  a
statement from his past squadron commander (Exhibit F).

___________________________________________________________________

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 injustice.  After reviewing the  complete  case  file,
we believe that the intent of the applicant's  immediate  chain  of  command
was to have the award placed into proper channels in sufficient time  to  be
considered in the 98E6 promotion cycle.  We are also  of  the  opinion  that
the  wing  commander's  decision  to  change  the  closeout  date   on   the
applicant's (AFCM) to 1 Oct 98 was inappropriate since  it  did  affect  his
promotion consideration.  Accordingly, in order to resolve any injustice  to
the applicant, we recommend that his records be corrected in  the  following
manner.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air  Force  relating
to APPLICANT be corrected to show that the period of service honored by  his
award of the Air Force Commendation Medal (AFCM) was 25 Jan  95  through  31
Dec 97 and the Recommendation for Decoration Printout (RDP)  for  the  award
of the AFCM was endorsed by his commander on 30 Mar 98.

It is further recommended that he  be  provided  supplemental  consideration
for promotion to the grade of technical sergeant for promotion 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 this promotion,  such  information  will  be  documented  and
presented to the  Board  for  a  final  determination  on  the  individual's
qualifications for the promotion.

If  supplemental  promotion  consideration  results  in  the  selection  for
promotion to any 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 22 November 2000, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

      Mr. Terry A. Yonkers, Panel Chair
      Ms. Marcia J. Bachman, Member
      Ms. Margaret A. Zook, Member

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

     Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 18 Jul 00 w/atchs.
     Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
     Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPPPR, dated 21 Aug 00, w/atchs.
     Exhibit D.  Letter, AFPC/DPPPWB, dated 31 Aug 00, w/atchs.
     Exhibit E.  Letter, SAF/MIBR, dated 15 Sep 00.
     Exhibit F.  Applicant's Rebuttal, dated 12 Oct 00 w/atchs.



                                  TERRY A. YONKERS
                                  Panel Chair
AFBCMR 00-01971




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 XXXX, , be corrected to show that he was awarded the  Air  Force
Commendation Medal (AFCM) for the period  25  Jan  95  through  31  Dec  97,
rather than  through  1  Oct  98;  and  the  Recommendation  for  Decoration
Printout (RDP) for the award of the AFCM was signed  by  the  commander  and
placed into official channels on 30 Mar 98.

      It is further recommended that he be provided supplemental
consideration for promotion to the grade of technical sergeant for
promotion 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 this promotion, such information will be
documented and presented to the Board for a final determination on the
individual's qualifications for the promotion.

      If supplemental promotion consideration results in the selection
for promotion to any 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








  JOE G. LINEBERGER

  Director

  Air Force Review Boards Agency