RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  99-00364
            INDEX NUMBER:  107.00

            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  NO


APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

The Southwest Asia Service Medal be included on his  DD  Form  214,
Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty.

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

The award of the Southwest  Asia  Service  Medal  is  missing  from
Section 13 of his DD Form 214.

Applicant’s complete submission,  which  includes  a  copy  of  the
citation for the medal for the period 1 Oct 1992 - 8 Jan  1993,  is
at Exhibit A.

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

Applicant entered on active duty on 30 Jul 1991.  He  was  promoted
to the grade of E-5,  effective  1  Jun  1998.   He  was  honorably
discharged  from  active  duty  on  25  Sep  1998,  by  reason   of
“Completion of Required Active Service.”  He had  served  7  years,
1 month and 26 days on active duty.

Applicant’s Master Personnel Record (MPR) contains the award of the
Air Force Achievement Medal for meritorious  service  from  20  Dec
1991 to 25 Jun 1993.  The Accomplishments section notes that  while
deployed to Saudi Arabia, Applicant was commended for  his  efforts
in making the Security Police barracks a  “showcase”  for  visiting
dignitaries.

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The  Recognition  Programs  Branch,   AFPC/DPPPR,   reviewed   this
application and recommended disapproval.  There is no indication on
the applicant’s DD Form 214 that he served in the Persian Gulf Area
of Responsibility.  Although there  are  vague  references  to  his
having been deployed, there is no documentation showing the purpose
of his deployment or the inclusive dates.  DPPPR requested that the
applicant provide a copy of his TDY orders and a copy of his travel
voucher.  However, he did not respond.  The Southwest Asia  Service
Medal is not awarded by itself.  It  is  awarded  with  1-3  bronze
service stars, based on the specific dates an individual was in the
Area of Responsibility.  Unless the applicant was in  the  Area  of
Responsibility for at least 30 days, in direct support of Operation
Desert Storm/Shield, the Recognition Programs Branch cannot  verify
his eligibility  for  any  Persian  Gulf  Awards.   Their  complete
evaluation, with attachments, is at Exhibit C.

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

A copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to  the  applicant
on 24 May 1999, for review and comment within 30 days (Exhibit  D).
The applicant requested and was granted an extension  in  order  to
obtain copies of his TDY orders and travel  vouchers  (Exhibit  E).
In accordance with the applicant’s  request  of  9  Jun  1999,  his
application was withdrawn and his case was administratively closed,
pending receipt of supporting documentation (Exhibit  F).   In  Nov
1999, the  applicant  requested  that  his  case  be  reopened  and
submitted a printout of his travel history from Jul 1997 - Sep 1998
(Exhibit G).

THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT:

1.  The applicant has exhausted all remedies provided  by  existing
law or regulations.

2.  The application was not timely filed; however,  it  is  in  the
interest of justice to excuse the failure to timely file.

3.  Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to  demonstrate
the existence of probable error or injustice  to  warrant  awarding
the applicant the SWASM with one bronze star.  Although he has  not
provided copies of his TDY orders or travel vouchers for the period
in question, the applicant has presented compelling  evidence  that
he was in the area of responsibility during the  period  1  October
1992 through  8  January  1993.   Moreover,  documentation  in  his
records further corroborates he was deployed to  Saudi  Arabia  for
some period of time between 20 December  1991  and  25  June  1993.
While the applicant’s documentation is limited and pay records from
the  Defense  Finance  and  Accounting  Service  have  since   been
destroyed, we believe that any doubt should be resolved in favor of
the applicant and  recommend  that  his  records  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 he was awarded  the
Southwest Asia Service Medal  (SWASM)  with  one  bronze  star  for
service in  support  of  the  Operation  Desert  Storm  Cease  Fire
Campaign from 1 October 1992 through 8 January 1993.

It is further recommended that he be awarded the Kuwait  Liberation
Medal (Saudi Arabia) and/or the Kuwait Liberation  Medal  (Kuwait),
whichever is appropriate, as a result of the  award  of  the  SWASM
with one bronze star for his service in support  of  the  Operation
Desert Storm Cease  Fire  Campaign  from  1  October  1992  through
8 January 1993.

The following members of the Board considered this  application  in
Executive Session on 21 March 2000, under the provisions of AFI 36-
2603:

                 Mr. Richard A. Peterson, Panel Chair
                 Ms. Peggy E. Gordon, Member
                 Mr. Philip Sheuerman, Member

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

   Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 5 Feb 99, w/atch.
   Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
   Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPPPR, dated 11 May 99, w/atch.
   Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MIBR, dated 24 May 99.
   Exhibit E.  Letter, Applicant, dated 24 May 99, w/BCMR response.
   Exhibit F.  Letter, Applicant, dated 9 Jun 99, w/BCMR response.
   Exhibit G.  E-mail and letter, Applicant, dated 16 Nov 99,
               w/atchs.




                                   RICHARD A. PETERSON
                                   Panel Chair


AFBCMR 99-00364




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 APPLICANT, be corrected to show that he was
awarded the Southwest Asia Service Medal (SWASM) with one bronze
star for service in support of the Operation Desert Storm Cease
Fire Campaign from 1 October 1992 through 8 January 1993.

      It is further directed that he be awarded the Kuwait
Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) and/or the Kuwait Liberation Medal
(Kuwait), whichever is appropriate, as a result of the award of the
SWASM with one bronze star for his service in support of the
Operation Desert Storm Cease Fire Campaign from 1 October 1992
through 8 January 1993.







            JOE G. LINEBERGER
            Director
            Air Force Review Boards Agency