RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
         AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  02-00743
            INDEX CODE:  131.00

            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  NO


_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

The date the Recommendation for Decoration Printout (RDP) for the  Air
Force Commendation  Medal  (AFCM),  First  Oak  Leaf  Cluster  (1OLC),
awarded for the period 28 Apr  98  to  11  Sep  00,  was  placed  into
official channels be changed from 13 Jun 01  to  either  11 Sep 00  or
prior to 31 Dec 00.

He be provided supplemental consideration for promotion to  the  grade
of technical sergeant for cycle 01E6.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

The AFCM (1OLC) not being considered in the promotion  process  during
cycle 01E6 was an injustice.   His  supporting  documentation  clearly
documents  his  chain  of  command’s  intent  that  he  receive   this
decoration.   Numerous  administrative  errors  outside  his   control
prevented the decoration from being considered during cycle 01E6.   He
should not have to pay the price for  errors  that  were  outside  his
control.

In  support  of  his  appeal,  the  applicant  provided  an   expanded
statement, supportive  statements,  including  a  statement  from  his
commander, documentation pertaining to  the  AFCM  (1OLC),  and  other
documents associated with the matter under review.

Applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, 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
staff  sergeant, having been promoted to that grade on 1 Apr 97.   His
Total Active Federal Military Service Date (TAFMSD) is 13 Oct 89.

Special Order G-066, dated 13 Jun 01, reflects that the applicant  was
awarded the AFCM (1OLC) for meritorious service during the  period  28
Apr 98 to 11 Sep 00.  The RDP date was 8 Mar 01.

The remaining  relevant  facts  pertaining  to  this  application  are
contained in the letters prepared by the appropriate  offices  of  the
Air Force.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPPPR recommended denial.  AFPC/DPPPR noted  that  the  applicant
was assigned to the Air Force Legal Services Agency (AFLSA) at Keesler
Air Force Base (AFB) during the period 28 Apr 98 to 11  Sep  00.   His
next assignment was at Elmendorf AFB where he is  now  stationed.   He
was recommended for, and awarded, the Air Force Commendation Medal for
his assignment at Keesler AFB.

AFPC/DPPPR indicated that  the  applicant  was  recommended  for,  and
awarded, the AFCM (1OLC), as  his  supervisor  and  superior  officers
intended.  However, administrative delays and errors, which are to  be
expected, caused award of the decoration to be delayed until after the
selection date of 29 May 01.  However, the endorsing official did  not
see the final package (minus the RDP) until 9 May 01, when  he  signed
the certificate/citation.  Prior to that date, the decoration  package
was still in draft format.  Therefore, the RDP could not  be  endorsed
before 9 May 01.

A complete copy of the AFPC/DPPPR evaluation, with attachment,  is  at
Exhibit B.

AFPC/DPPPWB  recommended   denial.    AFPC/DPPPWB   noted   that   the
applicant’s total weighted promotion score  for  the  01E6  cycle  was
326.94 and the score required for selection in his Control  Air  Force
Specialty Code (CAFSC) was 329.13.  If  the  decoration  (worth  three
points) is counted in the applicant’s total score, he would  become  a
selectee for promotion pending a favorable data verification check and
the recommendation of his commander.  Promotion  selections  for  this
cycle were made on 29 May 01 with a public release date of 7 Jun 01.

The policies regarding the approval of a decoration and the credit  of
a decoration for promotion purposes  are  two  separate  and  distinct
policies.  Current Air Force promotion  policy  (AFI  36-2502,  Airman
Promotion Program, Table 2.2, Rule 5, Note 2) 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 Promotion  Eligibility
Cutoff Date (PECD), and the date of the RDP must be before the date of
selections for the cycle in question.  Each  promotion  cycle  has  an
established PECD which is used to determine what Air  Force  Specialty
Code (AFSC) or Chief Enlisted Manager (CEM) Code the  member  will  be
considered, as well as which performance reports and decorations  will
be used in the promotion consideration.  The PECD  for  the  cycle  in
question was 31 Dec 00.  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.

After an extensive review of the circumstances of this case to include
documentation the applicant  has  provided,  AFPC/DPPPWB  stated  that
there was no conclusive evidence the decoration was  submitted  before
the date of selections for the 01E6 cycle.   While  they  are  acutely
aware of the impact this recommendation has on the applicant’s career,
the fact is the  lost  decoration  was  not  resubmitted  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.

A complete copy of the AFPC/DPPPWB evaluation, with attachment, is  at
Exhibit C.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

Applicant indicated that he has presented credible evidence to support
an exception to policy.  He believes he is a victim of an organization
with poor processes and who admittedly lack  accountability.   In  his
view, he should not be burdened with the punishment by denying him the
stripe that he has earned and deserves.

Applicant’s complete response 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.  Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the
existence of error or injustice.   We  note  that  the  applicant  was
awarded the AFCM (1 OLC), for the  period  28 Apr 98  to  11  Sep  00.
Although the close-out date of the decoration was before the PECD, and
the date of the RDP was prior to the  date  of  selections  for  cycle
01E6, the decoration  recommendation  was  not  placed  into  official
channels  until  after  selections.   The  applicant’s  commander  has
provided a statement indicating that due to administrative oversights,
he did not receive the document used by the personnel system to  track
award recommendations until  13  Jun  01.   However,  other  documents
reflect his approval of the medal prior to  selections  on  29 May 01.
He further indicated that their internal  tracking  ledger  for  these
actions showed that he sent the award to the commander’s support staff
for final preparation of the citation on 1 May 01.  Since  it  appears
that 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  01E6.   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  Commendation  Medal,  First
Oak Leaf Cluster, awarded for the period 28 April 1998 to 11 September
2000, was placed into official channels on 9 May 2001, rather than  13
June 2001.

It  is  further  recommended  that   he   be   provided   supplemental
consideration for promotion to the grade of technical sergeant for all
appropriate cycles beginning with cycle 01E6.

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 AFBCMR Docket Number 02-
00743 in Executive Session on 4 Jun 02, under the provisions of AFI 36-
2603:

      Mr. Vaughn E. Schlunz, Panel Chair
      Mr. Michael V. Barbino, Member
      Mr. Christopher Carey, Member

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

     Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 25 Feb 02, w/atchs.
     Exhibit B.  Letter, AFPC/DPPPR, dated 26 Mar 02, w/atch.
     Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPPPWB, dated 28 Mar 02, w/atch.
     Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 12 Apr 02.
     Exhibit E.  Letter, applicant, undated.




                                   VAUGHN E. SCHLUNZ
                                   Panel Chair



AFBCMR 02-00743




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 , be corrected to show that the Recommendation for
Decoration Printout for the Air Force Commendation Medal, First Oak
Leaf Cluster, awarded for the period 28 April 1998 to 11 September
2000, was placed into official channels on 9 May 2001, rather than 13
June 2001.

      It is further directed that he be provided supplemental
consideration for promotion to the grade of technical sergeant for all
appropriate cycles beginning with cycle 01E6.

      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