RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS

         AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER: 00-03214
                 INDEX CODE 107.00 131.09
                 COUNSEL:  None

                 HEARING DESIRED:  No
_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

The date of his Recommendation for Decoration Printout (RDP)  for  the
Air Force Commendation Medal (AFCM), First Oak  Leaf  Cluster  (1OLC),
for the period 28 Jul 93-15 Nov 99, be changed [to a date prior to  31
May 00] and the award  be  considered  in  promotion  cycle  00E6  for
technical sergeant (TSgt).
_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

The original RDP was signed and the AFCM 1OLC decoration  package  was
placed in official channels prior to his permanent change  of  station
(PCS) from Whiteman AFB to Elmendorf AFB in Nov 99.  However,  in  Feb
00, he discovered the decoration was  lost.   The  military  personnel
flight (MPF) at Elmendorf recommended that his current commander order
a new RDP and forward it to his former commander. The second  RDP  was
received at Whiteman AFB in Apr 00; however, it too was  lost  despite
follow-up efforts.  It was finally found and  signed  on  19  Jun  00,
exactly 7 months from the date the original package had been placed in
official channels.  As a result, he lost promotion to TSgt by a little
more than one point.

In support, he provides statements from the award  package’s  original
author and the former commander, as well as an email  from  a  support
staff member, asserting that the system failed the applicant and  cost
him a promotion.

A copy of applicant's complete submission is at Exhibit A.

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant is currently serving in  the  grade  of  staff  sergeant
(date of rank: 1 Oct 92).  During the award period, he was assigned to
Whiteman AFB, Missouri. He was reassigned to Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, on
24 Nov 99.

Current Air Force policy (AFI 36-2502) dictates that in  order  to  be
credited for a specific promotion  cycle,  the  close-out  date  of  a
decoration must be on or before the promotion eligibility cutoff  date
(PECD) and the award must be placed in official channels [date the RDP
is signed] before the selections for that cycle are made.

The RDP for the AFCM 1OLC (28 Jul 93-15 Nov 99) was  dated  21 Apr  00
and signed on 19 Jun 00.  The decoration was  awarded  on  11 Aug  00.
The PECD for cycle 00E6 was 31 Dec 99. Therefore, the award’s closeout
date met the criteria for inclusion in the 00E6 cycle.  However, since
promotions for the cycle were made on 31 May 00, the date of  the  RDP
was placed into official channels did not meet the criteria.

The cutoff score needed for  selection  to  TSgt  in  cycle  00E6  was
318.78. The applicant was not selected because his score was 317.72.

The applicant’s request to have the decoration included  in  the  00E6
cycle as an exception to  policy  was  disapproved  by  the  Promotion
Management Section at HQ AFPC on 26 Oct 00.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The Chief, Recognition Programs Branch, HQ AFPC/DPPPR, advises that an
RDP is not considered “in official channels” until it has been  signed
by the recommending official and endorsed by the next higher  official
in the chain of command. The applicant  has  not  provided  sufficient
evidence to show that an original RDP was placed in official  channels
prior to 19 Jun 00. Nor have any other individuals  in  the  chain  of
command  verified  that  this  was  accomplished  until  19  Jun   00.
Therefore, denial is recommended.

A copy of the complete evaluation is at Exhibit B.

The Chief, Inquiries/AFBCMR Section, HQ AFPC/DPPPWB, advises  that  if
the decoration is counted in the applicant’s  total  score  for  cycle
00E6, he would become a selectee pending a favorable data verification
check and the recommendation of his commander.  There is  no  tangible
evidence the decoration was placed into official channels prior to the
date promotion selections were made.   There  is  no  indication  this
package was accomplished until after promotions were made  on  31  May
00.  To approve this request would not be fair or  equitable  to  many
others in the same situation who also miss promotion  selection  by  a
narrow margin.

A copy of the complete evaluation, with attachment, is at Exhibit C.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The applicant provides another supporting statement  from  his  former
commander.  The commander asserts he signed the  RDP  and  started  it
through official channels at Whiteman AFB well before  the  [selection
date] of 31 Mar 00.  Further, this was not the only package lost.   As
a result, operational procedures  were  rewritten.   He  believes  not
promoting the applicant for the actions of others is wrong and  should
be corrected.

The applicant’s complete response, with attachment, 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.

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  having  the
award in question included for consideration in promotion cycle  00E6.
We acknowledge the Air Force’s valid position that an award should not
be  made  retroactive  simply  to  facilitate  a  member’s  promotion.
However, in view of the  strong  support  given  to  this  applicant’s
appeal, we are persuaded that the award had, in fact, been  placed  in
official channels well before the promotion selections for cycle  00E6
were made. The applicant appears to have exercised a reasonable degree
of personal responsibility in tracking the award. The  author  of  the
award and the applicant’s former commander assert  that  the  RDP  was
placed in official channels in time but,  due  to  the  organization’s
flawed processing system, the award was lost.  They both  believe  the
applicant  should  not  forfeit  a  deserved  promotion   because   of
administrative inadequacies, and we agree.   Therefore,  we  recommend
the award be credited to cycle 00E6  and  the  applicant  be  afforded
supplemental promotion consideration for TSgt.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:

The pertinent military records of the  Department  of  the  Air  Force
relating to APPLICANT, be corrected to show  that  the  Recommendation
for Decoration Printout for the Air Force  commendation  Medal,  First
Oak Leaf Cluster, for the period 28 Jul 93-15 Nov 99, was signed on 24
Nov 99, and the decoration was awarded on 30 Dec 99.

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 00E6.

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 individual  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 22 March 2001, under the provisions  of  AFI  36-
2603:

            Mr. Patrick R. Wheeler, Panel Chair
            Ms. Barbara J. White-Olson, Member
            Mr. Albert F. Lowas Jr., Member

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

   Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 28 Nov 00, w/atchs.
   Exhibit B.  Letter, HQ AFPC/DPPPR, dated 23 Dec 00.
   Exhibit C.  Letter, HQ AFPC/DPPPWB, dated 2 Jan 01, w/atch.
   Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MIBR, dated 19 Jan 01.
   Exhibit E.  Letter, Applicant, dated 29 Jan 01, w/atch.




                                   PATRICK R. WHEELER
                                   Panel Chair




AFBCMR 00-03214




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 the
Recommendation for Decoration Printout for the Air Force commendation
Medal, First Oak Leaf Cluster, for the period 28 July 1993 -
15 November 1999, was signed on 24 November 1999, and the decoration
was awarded on 30 December 1999.

      It is further directed that he be provided supplemental
consideration for promotion to the grade of technical sergeant for all
appropriate cycles beginning with cycle 00E6.

      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 individual 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.





   JOE G. LINEBERGER

   Director

   Air Force Review Boards Agency