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AF | BCMR | CY2002 | 0101938
Original file (0101938.doc) Auto-classification: Denied

                      RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
         AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  01-01938
                       INDEX CODE 126.04
                       COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  NO
_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

The Article 15 imposed on 15 November 2000 for violation of Articles 92  and
107, (disobeying a lawful order and making  false  official  statements)  of
the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) be expunged from his record.
_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

The basis for the case was that he had violated  a  lawful  order  and  made
false official statements on two occasions.  He presented a rebuttal and  an
appeal, which invalidated these charges however, his commander went  forward
with the nonjudical proceedings.  There is a lack  of  evidence  to  support
the case as presented in the appeal.

In support of his request, the applicant  submitted  a  personal  statement,
copy of the appeal of his Article  15,  a  copy  of  AFFM  3070,  Record  of
Nonjudicial Proceedings, and other documents relating  to  the  issue.   The
applicant's complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A.
_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

Applicant is currently serving in the Regular Air  Force  in  the  grade  of
technical sergeant.

On 15 November  2000,  his  commander  offered  him  nonjudicial  punishment
proceedings for violating Article 92 and 107, UCMJ, for disobeying a  lawful
order and making false statements.  On 21 November  2000,  after  consulting
with counsel, he waived his right to demand  a  court-martial  and  accepted
nonjudicial punishment. On 29 November 2000, his commander  determined  that
he had committed the alleged offenses and imposed punishment  consisting  of
a suspended reduction to Staff Sergeant, forfeiture of $250.00  of  his  pay
per month for two months, a reprimand and  14  days  extra  duty.   However,
that portion of the punishment, which called for a reduction  to  the  grade
of  staff  sergeant  was  suspended.   The  Article  15  was  filed  in  the
applicant's Unfavorable Information File (UIF).

________________________________________________________________
AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFLSA/JAJM  stated  the  applicant's  contentions  are  without  merit   and
constitute neither error nor injustice.  Therefore, they recommend that  the
Board deny the applicant relief.

The applicant, then a Technical Sergeant assigned to the 374 MXS, at  Yokota
AB, Japan, was offered nonjudicial punishment on 15 Nov  00  for  disobeying
the lawful order of Staff Sergeant Haselden not to  engage  in  an  unlawful
and unauthorized commercial enterprise on base, in violation of Article  92,
Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ); and, on two occasions, with  intent
to deceive, signing an official record asserting that he was not bringing  a
vehicle on base for the purpose of selling it for himself or  someone  else,
or for the vehicle to be sold by someone else, which  statement  was  false,
and which he knew to be false, in violation of Article 107 , UCMJ.

The Article 15 punishment was imposed  on  the  applicant  29  Nov  00,  for
engaging in an unlawful/unauthorized commercial enterprise on base, and  for
signing two official records with intent to deceive, regarding the  sale  of
motor vehicles on base. The applicant provided a rebuttal to the Article  15
on 3 Dec 00.

By electing to  resolve  the  allegations  in  the  nonjudicial  forum,  the
applicant vested his commander with the responsibility to decide whether  he
had committed the offenses.  The commander had to weigh  all  the  evidence,
including the credibility of the various witnesses, and makes his  decision.
 In this case the commander concluded the applicant had disobeyed the  order
and made false official statements.  There was sufficient evidence  for  the
commander to determine the offenses had  been  committed.   The  applicant's
arguments failed to convince either the commander who imposed punishment  or
the appellate authority.

JAJM indicates that a set aside should only be  granted  when  the  evidence
demonstrates an error or a clear injustice.  The evidence presented  by  the
applicant is insufficient to warrant setting aside the  Article  15  action,
and does not demonstrate an equitable basis for relief.

The AFLSA/JAJM evaluation is attached at Exhibit C.

AFPC/DPSF recommended  denial.   The  commander  correctly  adhered  to  all
polices and procedures which govern nonjudicial  punishment.  The  applicant
failed to provide any significant documentation to warrant  removal  of  his
Article 15/UIF.  The applicant exercised his right to rebut the Article  15,
and his commander subsequently elected to  change  the  imposed  punishment.
However, the commander was not persuaded  to  forgo  the  Article  15.   The
AFPC/DPSF evaluation is at Exhibit D.

_________________________________________________________________
APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The applicant reviewed the Air Force evaluations  and  stated  that  when  a
member breaks the rules, they should be judged on what is contained  in  the
regulation covering the violation.  If after the  regulation  covering  this
offense were utilized, it would then establish that the person breaking  the
rules would be  issued  a  ticket,  license  suspended,  etc.   Having  this
information, the Security Forces investigators along with Capt S__  and  the
SJA would be able to provide indisputable evidence of the  violation.   This
was not the case as there was no basis to substantiate violation of  the  4-
car limit or false official statement being made.  The applicant’s  complete
submission is 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.    Insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to  demonstrate  the
existence of error or injustice.  After a thorough review  of  the  evidence
of  record  and  the  applicant’s  submission,  we  are  not  persuaded  the
contested Article 15 should be voided.  The Article 15 appears to have  been
properly accomplished and the  applicant  afforded  all  rights  granted  by
statute and regulation.  We have not  been  convinced,  by  his  submission,
that his commander abused his discretionary authority when  he  imposed  the
nonjudicial punishment, and since we find no abuse  of  that  authority,  we
find no reason to overturn the commander’s decision.   The  Board  therefore
agrees with the recommendations of the Air Force and  adopts  the  rationale
expressed as the basis for our decision that the  applicant  has  failed  to
sustain his burden that he has suffered either an error or an injustice.  In
view of the above and absent persuasive evidence to the contrary, the  Board
finds no compelling basis to recommend granting the relief sought.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT:

The applicant be notified that the evidence presented  did  not  demonstrate
the existence of material error  or  injustice;  that  the  application  was
denied without a personal
appearance; and that the application will  only  be  reconsidered  upon  the
submission of newly discovered relevant evidence not  considered  with  this
application.

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board  considered  Docket  Number  01-01938  in
Executive Session on 8 May 2002, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

            Mr. Terry A. Yonkers, Panel Chair
            Mr. Clarence D. Long, III, Member
            Ms. Dorothy P. Loeb, Member

The following documentary evidence was considered:

   Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 28 Jun 01, w/atchs.
   Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
   Exhibit C.  Letter, AFLSA/JAJM, dated 31 Dec 01.
   Exhibit D.  Letter, AFPC/DPSF, dated 12 Mar 02.
   Exhibit E.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 22 Mar 02.
   Exhibit F.  Letter, Applicant, dated 15 Apr 02.





      DOROTHY P. LOEB
      Acting Panel Chair


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