RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  01-00195

            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  NO

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

The Air Force Achievement Medal,  First  Oak  Leaf  Cluster  (AFAM,  1  OLC)
awarded for the  period  10  December  1996  through  10  December  1999  be
considered in the promotion process for cycle 00E5.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

The decoration was submitted long before the  Promotion  Eligibility  Cutoff
Date (PECD) and date of selections for  cycle  00E5  and  should  have  been
considered to have been placed into official channels on 19 February 2000.

The applicant states that his decoration package was misplaced during a  DoD
directed mission downsizing of the detachment.  Due to the  sudden  loss  of
personnel there  was  a  400%  increase  in  decoration  processing  at  the
detachment.   At  the  same  time,  the  squadron  was  implementing  a  new
automated tracking system.  Although the RDP date was corrected  to  reflect
19 February 2000, he has been denied  supplemental  promotion  consideration
because the recommendation was  not  placed  into  official  channels  until
after selections for cycle 00E5.

In support of the appeal, applicant submits statements from the wing,  group
and squadron commanders, a copy of the  RDP,  and  AFPC’s  response  to  his
supplemental promotion request.

The wing commander states that the unit intended to award the applicant  the
decoration prior to staff sergeant selections; however, the  unit  commander
inadvertently did not sign the RDP until 26  July  2000  due  to  the  large
number of decorations processed as a result of the detachment’s downsizing.

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
senior airman (E-4).

On 19 February 2000, an RDP was prepared for  the  purpose  of  recommending
the applicant for award of an AFAM based on completion of an extended  tour.
 The RDP was initiated on 22 February 2000.

Promotion selections for cycle 00E5 were made on 10 July 2000 and  announced
on 19 July 2000.  The total weighted promotion score required for  selection
in the  applicant's  Air  Force  Specialty  Code  (AFSC)  was  243.91.   The
applicant's total  weighted  promotion  score  was  243.57.   The  Promotion
Eligibility Cutoff Date (PECD) was 31 March 2000.

On 26 July 2000, the RDP was signed by the  squadron  commander  and  placed
into official channels.

55th Mission Support  Squadron,  Special  Order  GB-00279,  dated  28 August
2000, awarded the applicant the AFAM, 1 OLC,  for  the  period  10  December
1996 through 10 December  1999.   The  AFAM   is  worth  one  point  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.

On 25 September 2000, the Promotion Management Section at  AFPC  denied  the
applicant’s request for supplemental promotion consideration for cycle  00E5
because the decoration recommendation was not placed into official  channels
until after selections for cycle 00E5.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATIONS:

The  Chief,  Recognition  Programs   Branch,   AFPC/DPPPR,   reviewed   this
application and states that the RDP was signed by the recommending  official
on 26 July 2000 and the order published on 28 August 2000.  This shows  that
the package took at least one month to be processed  through  administrative
channels.  A recommendation is considered to have been  placed  in  official
channels when the recommending official signs the RDP and  the  next  higher
official in the chain of command endorses it.  If the RDP was  requested  on
19 February 2000, it is not feasible that the entire recommendation  package
could be typed, assembled, signed by the recommending offical  and  endorsed
by the next higher official on the same day.  Therefore, they believe  that,
had the package not been misplaced, the  RDP  would  have  been  signed  and
endorsed on or about 1 April 2000.  Administrative delays  are  normal,  and
are considered  part  of  the  process  in  awarding  a  decoration.   They,
therefore, recommend  denial  of  applicant’s  request,  but  if  the  Board
decides to grant the request they recommend the RDP be  considered  to  have
been signed and endorsed on 1 April 2000.

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

The Chief, Inquiries/AFBCMR Section, AFPC/DPPPWB, reviewed this  application
and  states  that  Air  Force  promotion  policy  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 PECD, and the RDP must be  before
the  date  of  selections  for  the  cycle  in  question.   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.   The  decoration  does  not  meet  the  criteria  for
promotion credit  during  the  00E5  cycle  because  there  is  no  tangible
evidence the decoration was placed into official channels prior to the  date
selections for the 00E5 cycle were made.  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.
Documentation included in the applicant’s case file reflects the  decoration
was not officially placed into military channels until after selections  for
the 00E5 cycle were accomplished.  While  they  are  acutely  aware  of  the
impact this recommendation has on the applicant's career, the  fact  is  the
decoration was not submitted until after  selections  for  this  cycle  were
made.  To approve the applicant's request would not be fair or equitable  to
many others in the same situation who miss promotion selection by  a  narrow
margin and are not entitled to have an "after the fact" decoration count  in
the promotion process. Therefore, they recommend denial of his request.

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

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATIONS:

In further support of the appeal applicant’s wing and group commanders  have
provided additional statements which are attached at 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 error or injustice.  In this  respect,  we  note  that
the applicant was awarded the AFAM, 1 OLC, for the period 10  December  1996
through 10 December 1999.  Although the close-out date of the decoration  is
before the PECD, and the date of the RDP is prior to the date of  selections
for cycle  00E5,  the  Promotion  Management  Section  at  AFPC  denied  the
applicant’s request for supplemental  promotion  consideration  because  the
decoration recommendation was not placed into official channels until  after
selections.   The  applicant’s  wing  commander  has  provided  a  statement
indicating that the unit intended to  award  him  the  decoration  prior  to
selections and requested an RDP on  19  February  2000;  however,  the  unit
commander inadvertently did not sign the RDP until 26 July 2000 due  to  the
large number of decorations  processed  as  a  result  of  the  detachment’s
downsizing.  Since the delay in the processing of the award was  through  no
fault of the applicant, and the actions performed were  completed  prior  to
selections, we believe the award  should  be  considered  in  the  promotion
process for cycle 00E5.  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 the  Recommendation  for  Decoration
Printout for the  Air  Force  Achievement  Medal,  First  Oak  Leaf  Cluster
awarded for the period 10  December  1996  through  10  December  1999,  was
placed into official channels on 1 April 2000, rather than 24 August 2000.

It is further recommended that he  be  provided  supplemental  consideration
for promotion to the grade of staff  sergeant  for  all  appropriate  cycles
beginning with cycle 00E5.



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

                       Mr. Richard A. Peterson, Panel Chair
                       Mr. Roscoe Hinton, Jr.,Member
                       Mr. Jay H. Jordan, 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 31 Jan 01, w/atchs.
      Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
      Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPPPR, dated 27 Mar 01, w/atchs.
      Exhibit D.  Letter, AFPC/DPPPWB, dated 28 Mar 01, w/atchs.
      Exhibit E.  Letter, SAF/MIBR, dated 20 Apr 01.
      Exhibit E.  Letter, 55th CG/CC, dated 4 May 01, w/atch.




                                  RICHARD A. PETERSON
                                  Panel Chair



AFBCMR 01-00195




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 Achievement Medal, First Oak Leaf
Cluster awarded for the period 10 December 1996 through 10 December 1999,
was placed into official channels on 1 April 2000, rather than 24 August
2000.

      It is further directed that he be provided supplemental consideration
for promotion to the grade of staff sergeant for all appropriate cycles
beginning with cycle 00E5.

      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.






                                        JOE G. LINEBERGER
                                        Director
                                        Air Force Review Boards Agency