RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  01-00964
            INDEX CODE 131.01
            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  NO

_________________________________________________________________


APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

He be considered for promotion to the  grade  of  lieutenant  colonel  by  a
Special Selection Board (SSB) for the Calendar Year 1999B  (CY99B)  (PO599B)
Lieutenant Colonel Selection Board, which convened on 30 November 1999.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

All of his assignments involved highly sensitive  and  classified  programs.
As a result, his supervisors were  unable  to  effectively  communicate  the
levels  of  his  responsibilities,  the  particulars  of  his  duties,   his
accomplishments and the impact on  the  Air  Force  and  the  Department  of
Defense (DoD).  Hence, the promotion  board  did  not  have  access  to  the
“meat” that exhibited his potential for promotion and  leadership  abilities
at the rank of lieutenant colonel.  In many situations,  he  was  handpicked
to perform duties that involved  greater  leadership  skills  and  decision-
making abilities  at  higher  than  current  ranks.   The  results  were  of
national significance that directly impacted  the  operational  forces,  but
these could not be discussed in his Officer Performance Reports (OPRs).

The applicant submitted no supporting  documentation.   However,  he  states
that a package consisting of a classified narrative  of  his  OPRs,  further
explanation of the awards and decorations, and letters from his  supervisors
explaining the exact circumstances and impact of the bullets are on file  at
SAF/AAZ.

The application is at Exhibit A.

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

Information extracted from the Personnel Data System  (PDS)  indicates  that
the applicant is currently serving on active duty in  the  grade  of  major,
having been promoted to that grade  on  1  March  1996.   His  Total  Active
Federal Military Service  Date  (TAFMSD)  is  7 February  1984.   He  has  a
projected date of separation (DOS) of 29 February 2004.

Applicant's OPR profile for  the  10  reporting  periods  prior  to  the  30
November 1999 Lieutenant Colonel Selection Board follows:

      Period Ending    Evaluation Organization

      15 Dec 91        Meets Standards (MS)  CLASSIFIED
      15 Dec 92             MS    CLASSIFIED
      15 Dec 93             MS    CLASSIFIED
      15 Dec 94             MS    CLASSIFIED
       1 Jul 95             MS    CLASSIFIED
       1 Jul 96             MS    CLASSIFIED
       2 Jan 97             MS    CLASSIFIED
      19 Jan 98             MS    Dir of Test & Eval
      19 Jan 99             MS    Dir of Test & Eval
#     16 Apr 99        Training Report  Dir of Test & Eval
                       Defense Systems
                       Management College
                       Advanced Program
                       Management Course

  # Top report in file when considered and not  selected  for  promotion  by
the CY99B Lieutenant Colonel Selection Board, which convened on 30  November
1999.

The applicant was considered and not selected for promotion to the grade  of
lieutenant colonel by  the  CY00A  (28  November  2000)  Lieutenant  Colonel
Selection Board.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPPPO reviewed this application and stated that  AFI  36-2501,  Officer
Promotions and Selective Continuation, Chapter 6, lists the  conditions  for
granting  SSB  consideration:   Administrative  error,  legal  and  material
error,  and  pursuant  to  a  formal  appeal.    The   applicant   has   not
substantiated his contentions in compliance  with  Air  Force  policies  and
guidelines.  Each officer eligible for promotion  consideration  is  advised
of the right  to  communicate  with  the  board  president.   The  applicant
elected not to write a letter to the CY99B board  president  concerning  the
classified nature of  his  duty  assignments.   AFPC/DPPPO  noted  that  the
Office of the Inspector General (DoD) stated, “The overall  allegation  that
Air Force officers working on special access and highly classified  programs
were  at  a  disadvantage  during  the  promotion  process   because   their
performance  reports  could  not  include  classified  information  was  not
substantiated.  Based on the procedures  and  criteria  that  the  promotion
boards use to evaluate records  and  select  officers,  omitting  classified
information from officers’ performance reports did not significantly  affect
their chance of being promoted.  In addition, officers  working  on  special
access programs  have  been  promoted  to  major,  lieutenant  colonel,  and
colonel above the Air Force average promotion rate from 1997 through  1999.”
 AFPC/DPPPO recommended denial.

A complete copy of the evaluation is at Exhibit C.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The applicant reviewed the evaluation and provided a reaccomplished PRF.

The applicant’s 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.

3.  Insufficient relevant evidence has been  presented  to  demonstrate  the
existence of probable error or injustice to warrant  his  promotion  to  the
grade of lieutenant colonel by the  CY99B  lieutenant  colonel  board.   The
applicant contends that all of his  assignments  involved  highly  sensitive
and classified programs, and as a result, his  supervisors  were  unable  to
effectively communicate the levels of his responsibilities, the  particulars
of his duties, his accomplishments, and the impact on the Air Force and  the
Department of Defense (DoD).  The Board has  thoroughly  reviewed  both  the
unclassified  and  classified   submissions   and   while   the   additional
explanations clarified with some specificity those  projects  the  applicant
was involved in, they did  not  necessarily  add  to  the  strength  of  his
official record.  Therefore, in the absence of evidence to the contrary,  we
find no basis upon which to recommend his direct promotion to the  grade  of
lieutenant colonel.

4.  Notwithstanding the above, the breadth  and  depth  of  the  applicant’s
experience may not have been adequately reflected in the  PRF  prepared  for
the  CY99B  selection  board.    Furthermore,   based   on   some   apparent
discrepancies between his Officer Performance Reports (OPRs)  and  the  PRF,
in the interest of justice, the applicant  was  contacted  and  provided  an
opportunity to have the senior  rater  reaccomplish  the  PRF.   The  senior
rater has reviewed the applicant’s  record  and  provided  a  reaccomplished
PRF.  Therefore, we recommend the applicant’s 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:

      a.    The Promotion Recommendation Form (PRF), AF Form  709,  prepared
for the Calendar Year 1999B (CY99B)  Central  Lieutenant  Colonel  Selection
Board be declared void and removed from his records.

      b.     The  attached  PRF  prepared  for  the  CY99B  selection  board
reflecting the last sentence “SSS is  a  must!”  in  Section  IV,  Promotion
Recommendation, be filed in his records.

It is further recommended that his  record,  to  include  the  attached  PRF
prepared for the CY99B selection board, be considered for promotion  to  the
grade of lieutenant colonel by a  Special  Selection  Board  for  the  CY99B
Central Lieutenant Colonel Selection Board.

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board  considered  Docket  Number  01-00964  in
Executive  Session  on  24  October  2001  and  9  August  2002,  under  the
provisions of AFI 36-2603:

                       Mrs. Barbara A. Westgate, Chair
                       Mr. John B. Hennessey, Member
                       Mr. John J. Nethery, Member

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

    Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 2 Apr 01.
    Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
    Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPPPO, dated 10 May 01.
    Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MIBR, dated 25 May 01.
      Exhibit E.  Letter, Applicant, dated 1 Aug 02, w/atch.




                                   BARBARA A. WESTGATE
                                             Chair
AFBCMR 01-00964




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:

            a.   The Promotion Recommendation Form (PRF), AF Form 709,
prepared for the Calendar Year 1999B (CY99B) Central Lieutenant Colonel
Selection Board be, and hereby is, declared void and removed from his
records.

            b.   The attached PRF prepared for the CY99B selection board,
reflecting the last sentence “SSS is a must!” in Section IV, Promotion
Recommendation, be filed in his records.

      It is further directed that his record, to include the attached PRF
prepared for the CY99B selection board, be considered for promotion to the
grade of lieutenant colonel by a Special Selection Board for the CY99B
Central Lieutenant Colonel Selection Board.








JOE G. LINEBERGER

Director

Air Force Review Boards Agency

Attachment:
AF Form 709, PRF