RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS

         AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  02-00253
            INDEX NUMBER:  107.00

      XXXXXXXXXXX      COUNSEL:  None

      XXX-XX-XXXX      HEARING DESIRED:  No

_______________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His Air Force Commendation Medal (AFCM) 1st Oak Leaf Cluster (1OLC), be
entered into official channels prior to 31 May 00 and it be  considered
in the promotion process for  cycle  00E7  to  master  sergeant  (MSgt)
(promotions effective Aug 00-Jul 01).

_______________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

The original decoration package submitted on him was misplaced or  lost
requiring a second package to be accomplished.

There was excessive delay in processing his decoration.

He has statements from those involved in processing his decoration that
indicate that his decoration was delayed due to gross oversight in  the
administrative processes.

The applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A.

_______________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant is serving on active  duty  in  the  grade  of  technical
sergeant.  His Total Active Federal Military Service Date is 29 Nov 85.
 The overall rating on his  last  eight  Enlisted  Performance  Reports
(EPRs) is “5.”

The applicant tested for  promotion  to  MSgt  during  cycle  00E7  and
achieved a total weighted promotion score of 317.30.  A score of 318.59
was required for selection in his  Control  Air  Force  Specialty  Code
(CAFSC).  If the AFCM 1OLC the applicant received were counted  in  his
total weighted promotion score, it would make him a selectee for  cycle
00E7.  For a decoration to be credited for the 00E7 cycle, the closeout
date must be on or before the promotion eligibility cutoff date  (PECD)
of 31 Dec 99 and must have been placed into official channels prior  to
the promotion selection date of 31 May 00.  The closeout  date  of  the
applicant’s AFCM 1OLC is 24 Oct 99, prior  to  the  necessary  closeout
date.  The Décor 6 when  signed  by  the  commander  certifies  when  a
decoration was placed into official channels.   The  Décor  6  for  the
applicant’s AFCM  1  OLC  is  dated  22  Feb  00,  was  signed  by  the
recommending official on 3 Mar 00, and signed by the  commander  on  18
Jun 00, after the promotion selection date of 31 May 00.

_______________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPPPR recommends denial of the applicant’s request.  Although  the
applicant feels the delay in receiving his  decoration  was  excessive,
the decoration was  processed  and  awarded  well  within  time  limits
required by Air Force instructions.

The complete evaluation is at Exhibit C.

AFPC/DPPPWB  recommends  denial  of  the  applicant’s   request.    The
decoration does not meet the criteria for promotion credit  during  the
00E7 cycle because it was not placed into official  channels  until  18
Jun 00, after selections were made on  31  May  00.   This  policy  was
initiated in 1979 to specifically preclude personnel from  subsequently
(after promotion selections) submitting someone for a decoration with a
retroactive decoration effective date (closeout) to put them  over  the
selection cutoff score.  Exceptions to this 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 that the decoration was not acted upon  through
loss  or  inadvertence.   According  to  AFI  36-2803,  The  Air  Force
Decorations and Awards Program, para 3.1, a  decoration  is  considered
placed into official channels when  the  decoration  recommendation  is
signed by the initiating official and indorsed by a higher official  in
the chain of command.

After an extensive review of the circumstances of this case, to include
documentation  provided  by  the  applicant,  there  is  no  conclusive
evidence the  lost  decoration  was  resubmitted  before  the  date  of
selections for the 00E7 cycle.

The complete evaluation, with attachments, is at Exhibit D.

_______________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The applicant responded to the Air Force evaluations by indicating that
he was unable to provide the original decoration package because it was
lost in the routing process.   The  applicant  provides  statements  of
support to verify that his decoration was placed into official channels
prior to 31 May 00.  He also provides a certified copy of the suspense-
tracking log from his unit that shows that the  decoration  was  placed
into channels as early as 10 Feb 00.

The applicant’s complete response, with attachments, 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.  Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate  the
existence of error or injustice.  After reviewing all of the  available
evidence of record, we are persuaded that  the  applicant’s  decoration
was placed into official channels prior to 31 May 2000,  but  was  lost
and then reaccomplished.  Although, the applicant’s commander  did  not
sign  the  recommendation  for  decoration  until  18  June  2000,  the
applicant provided evidence that  shows  the  original  decoration  was
initiated as early as 10  February  2000.   In  addition,  his  section
commander has provided a letter certifying that administrative problems
occurred that delayed the processing of the package.  We  believe  that
the applicant provided compelling  evidence  adequate  to  support  his
assertion that the original promotion package was placed into  official
channels prior to 31  May  2000.   Therefore,  we  recommend  that  the
records be corrected as 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 for  the  Air  Force  Commendation  Medal  (First  Oak  Leaf
Cluster) awarded to him for the period  23 April  1996  to  24  October
1999 was signed by the commander  on  30  May  2000  and  entered  into
official channels on that date.

It is further recommended that he be provided supplemental
consideration for promotion to the grade of master sergeant (E-7)
beginning with cycle 00E7.

If selected for promotion to master sergeant by supplemental
consideration, he be provided any additional supplemental
consideration required as a result of that selection.

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 qualifications 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 Docket Number 02-00253 in
Executive Session on 24 April 2002, under the  provisions  of  AFI  36-
2603:

      Mr. Philip Sheuerman, Panel Chair
      Mr. William H. Anderson, Member
      Ms. Brenda L. Romine, Member

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

     Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 3 Jan 02, w/atchs.
     Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
     Exhibit C.  Memorandum, AFPC/DPPPR, dated 21 Feb 02.
     Exhibit D.  Memorandum, AFPC/DPPPWB, dated 5 Feb 02.
     Exhibit E.  Letter, SAF/MIBR, dated 1 Apr 02.
     Exhibit F.  Memorandum, Applicant, dated 10 Apr 02,
                 w/atchs.




                                   PHILIP SHEUERMAN
                                   Panel Chair


AFBCMR 02-00253




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  XXXXXXXXXX,  XXX-XX-XXXX,  be  corrected  to  show  that  the
recommendation for decoration for  the  Air  Force  Commendation  Medal
(First Oak Leaf Cluster) awarded to him for the period 23 April 1996 to
24 October 1999 was signed by the commander on  30  May  2000  and  was
entered into official channels on that date.

      It is further directed that he be provided supplemental
consideration for promotion to the grade of master sergeant (E-7)
beginning with cycle 00E7.

      If selected for promotion to master sergeant by supplemental
consideration, he be provided any additional supplemental
consideration required as a result of that selection.

      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 qualifications 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