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AF | BCMR | CY2001 | 0101643
Original file (0101643.doc) Auto-classification: Approved

                            RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER: 01-01643
            INDEX CODE 131.01
            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  NO


_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His record, to include an  Officer  Selection  Brief  (OSB)  reflecting  his
Master’s Degree in Computer Science, rather  than  his  Master’s  Degree  in
Business Administration and Management, be considered  for  promotion  by  a
Special Selection  Board  (SSB)  for  the  Calendar  Year  2000A  Lieutenant
Colonel Central Selection Board.

_________________________________________________________________

THE APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

The omission of his  Master’s  Degree  in  Computer  Science  from  his  OSB
resulted in an  inaccurate  representation  of  his  depth  and  breadth  of
knowledge and experience.

The applicant states that the omission prevented the  selection  board  from
understanding his versatility and ability to  successfully  and  efficiently
work some of the most complex and tenacious  issues  facing  the  Air  Force
today and in the future.

In support of the appeal, applicant submits a  letter  from  the  Air  Force
Institute of Technology (AFIT) and a copy of his OSB.

Applicant’s complete submission is attached at Exhibit A.

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant is currently serving on active duty in the grade of major.

The applicant was considered and not selected for promotion to the grade  of
lieutenant colonel by the CY00A Lt Col board.





Applicant’s academic history follows:

  Degree      Specialty                      School          Year

 Bachelor   Economics                     Univ of Maryland   1981
 Master     Computer Science              Univ of Maryland   1985
 Master     Business Admn & Mgmt          Oklahoma City Univ 1989
 Master     Policy Analysis               RAND Grad School   1998
 Doctorate  Business Admn/Mgmt & Finance  RAND Grad School   1999

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The Chief, Officer Promotion and Appointment Branch,  AFPC/DPPPOO,  reviewed
the  application  and  states   that   officers   eligible   for   promotion
consideration are provided  an  Officer  Preselection  Brief  (OPB)  and  an
instruction sheet approximately 100 days prior to the board convening  date.
 In the applicant’s case, he would have received an OPB the  end  of  August
and  the  education  data  would  have  reflected  his  Ph.D.  in   Business
Administration/Management, Finance completed in 1999, and a Master’s  Degree
in Business Administration and Management.  The  instruction  sheet  advised
him that this area only holds two occurrences.  In addition, it also  covers
instances where degrees may have been displaced or dropped from an  OSB  and
advises officers to contact AFIT  to  obtain  a  letter  detailing  academic
history/credentials, which can be used as an attachment to a letter  to  the
board president.  The applicant could have  followed  the  same  procedures.
The applicant has not provided any documentation  to  show  what  action  he
took or who he contacted to correct this  discrepancy.   Furthermore,  there
is no clear evidence that  the  lack  of  his  degree  in  computer  science
negatively impacted his promotion opportunity.   If  the  applicant  believe
his advanced degree was relevant to the  process,  he  could  have  provided
this information by letter to the board.  They have verified  the  applicant
elected not to exercise this entitlement.  Therefore, they recommend  denial
of his request.

A complete copy of the evaluation is at Exhibit C.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT’S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The  applicant  reviewed  the  Air  Force   evaluation   and   states   that
AFPC/DPPPOO’s discussion regarding the instructions provided  with  his  OPB
are misleading  and  incomplete.   The  instructions  recommending  officers
contact   AFIT   to   obtain   a    letter    detailing    their    academic
history/credentials were specifically aimed at officers who  were  currently
enrolled in an AFIT program.  At the time, he was not.  In addition,  AFIT’s
restrictive policies prevented implementation of a reasonable solution.   He
did make reasonable efforts to ensure his records were correct prior to  the
board.  Upon reviewing his OPB, he contacted AFIT many times to explore  the
possibility of adding a third entry to the Academic Education  selection  to
reflect his Master’s Degree in computer science, substituting  the  Master’s
Degree  in  computer  science  for   his   Master’s   Degree   in   business
administration, or  getting  a  letter  from  AFIT  detailing  his  academic
history/credentials.  He considered sending a letter to  the  board  stating
the omission; however, it was  the  opinion  of  his  rating  official  that
sending a letter without corroboration by AFIT probably would not carry  the
weight intended, so he decided against it.  The fact that his  OSB  was  not
modified and that he did not send a letter to the board does not  mean  that
reasonable diligence was not exercised.  The repeated phone  calls  to  AFIT
exploring alternative solutions to inform the board of  the  omitted  degree
was reasonable diligence.  Furthermore,  the  fact  that  his  efforts  were
unsuccessful due to AFIT’s restrictive policies should  not  be  interpreted
as a lack of reasonable diligence.  While it  is  not  definitive  that  the
lack  of  the  computer  science  degree  caused  his  nonselection,  it  is
certainly reasonable to think that, just as  multiple  Air  Force  Specialty
Codes (AFSCs) in a consideree’s record is viewed favorably, a  diversity  in
a consideree’s education would also be viewed favorably,  especially  if  it
includes degrees in difficult fields of technical  expertise  that  the  Air
Force desperately  needs.   In  addition,  an  advanced  degree  in  a  high
technical field sorely needed by the  Air  Force,  rather  than  a  Master’s
Degree in the same field as his Ph.D.,  could  have  altered  the  selection
board’s decision.

The applicant’s complete response is attached 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.    Sufficient relevant evidence has been  presented  to  demonstrate  the
existence of probable error or injustice.  At the  time  the  applicant  was
considered for promotion by the CY00A Lt Col board,  his  Officer  Selection
Brief    (OSB)    listed    his     Doctorate     Degree     in     Business
Administration/Management and Finance and his Master’s  Degree  in  Business
Administration and Management.  It appears that the applicant  attempted  to
have the Air Force Institute of Technology  (AFIT)  update  his  records  to
reflect his Master’s Degree in Computer Science;  however,  AFIT  apparently
would not add his computer science degree because  it  is  their  policy  to
only list the two most recently earned degrees and the degree  was  not  one
of his two most recently earned degrees.  In view of  the  above  and  since
Air Force policy does not prevent  the  requested  relief,  we  believe  the
applicant  should  be  granted  the  relief  requested.   In  addition,   we
recommend his corrected record be considered for promotion to the  grade  of
lieutenant colonel by Special Selection Board for the CY00A Lt Col board.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air  Force  relating
to APPLICANT, to include an Officer Selection  Brief  (OSB)  reflecting  his
Master’s Degree in Computer Science from the University of Maryland,  rather
than his Master’s Degree in  Business  Administration  and  Management  from
Oklahoma State University, be considered  for  promotion  to  the  grade  of
lieutenant colonel by Special Selection Board (SSB) for  the  Calendar  Year
2000A Lieutenant Colonel Central Selection Board.

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board considered this application in  Executive
Session on 2 November 2001, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

                  Mr. David C. Van Gasbeck, Panel Chair
                  Mr. Wayne R. Gracie, Member
                  Mr. Patrick R. Wheeler, Member

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

      Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 11 Jun 01, w/atchs.
      Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
      Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPPPOO, dated 24 Jul 01.
      Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MIBR, dated 10 Aug 01.
      Exhibit E.  Letter, Applicant, undated, w/atchs.




             DAVID C. VAN GASBECK
                                  Panel Chair











AFBCMR 01-01643




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 APPLICANT, to include an Officer Selection Brief (OSB) reflecting
his Master’s Degree in Computer Science from the University of Maryland,
rather than his Master’s Degree in Business Administration and Management
from Oklahoma State University, be considered for promotion to the grade of
lieutenant colonel by Special Selection Board (SSB) for the Calendar Year
2000A Lieutenant Colonel Central Selection Board.





                                        JOE G. LINEBERGER
                                        Director
                                        Air Force Review Boards Agency

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