RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2002-03555
            INDEX CODE: 107.00

            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  NO


_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

He be awarded the Air Medal.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

He flew 17 combat missions in Southeast Asia during  the  Vietnam  War.   He
indicates that the rest of the crew received Air Medals.

In support of his appeal, the applicant provided a  personal  statement  and
other documentation.

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

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

During the time period in question, the applicant enlisted  in  the  Regular
Air Force on 19 June 1962 in the grade of airman first class  for  a  period
of four years.

On 17 June 1966, the applicant was honorably  discharged  in  the  grade  of
airman first class, under the provisions of AFR 39-14  (Expiration  of  Term
of Service).  His Total Active  Federal  Military  Service  (TAFMS)  was  14
years, 5 months, and 7 days.

According to the applicant’s DD Form 214, he received the following  awards:
Air Force Good Conduct Medal (AFGCM),  Air  Force  Longevity  Service  Award
with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters (AFLSA w/2  Br  OLCs),  and  the  Air  Force
Outstanding Unit Award (AFOUA).

_________________________________________________________________





AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPPPR recommended denial.  They indicated that the applicant’s AF  Form
7 shows that he was promoted to SSgt on 1 June 1963, but demoted to  A1C  on
12 November 1965, as the result of an Article 15.  It  also  shows  that  he
was TDY for 16 days, starting 28 February 1963; TDY for  38  days,  starting
21 September 1965; and TDY for 29 days, starting 16 March  1966.   There  is
no indication of the location or the reason for any TDY trips.   Page  3  of
the AF Form 7 contains the statement, “Pd of svc fr 14 Jan 64 to 12  Nov  65
NOT CREDITABLE for  award  AFGCM.”   The  applicant’s  Enlisted  Performance
Report states, “Recently, [his] performance and conduct has not measured  up
to standards commensurate with his grade  and  time  in  service”  and  “the
reason for the low rating was his failure to respond  with  his  crew  to  a
higher headquarters exercise and  his  attitude  concerning  participation.”
It should be noted that at the end  of  his  first  enlistment  (10  January
1956, the applicant held the rank of SSgt (E-5), but his rank at the end  of
the next two enlistment periods (18 June 1962 and 17 June 1966) was A1C  (E-
4).  He did not reenlist, even with over 14 years of  active  duty  service.
The applicant has not provided any documentation showing he flew any  combat
or combat support missions; he has not provided  any  documentation  showing
he flew any missions over or into Vietnam;  and  he  has  not  provided  any
documentation showing other crew members received an Air Medal  and  he  did
not, for the same mission(s).  Since the applicant cannot recommend  himself
for an Air Medal, and there is no indication anyone in his chain of  command
recommended him, they cannot verify the applicant’s  eligibility  for  award
of the Air Medal.

The evaluation, with attachments, is at Exhibit C.

_______________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

On 28 March 2003, a copy of the Air Force evaluation was  forwarded  to  the
applicant for review and response within 30  days.   As  of  this  date,  no
response has been received by this office.

_________________________________________________________________










THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT:

1.    The applicant has exhausted all remedies provided by existing  law  or
regulations.

2.    The application was not timely filed; however, it is in  the  interest
of justice to excuse the failure to timely file.

3. Insufficient relevant evidence has  been  presented  to  demonstrate  the
existence of an error or an injustice warranting  award of  the  Air  Medal.
We took notice of the applicant's complete submission in judging the  merits
of the case; however, we agree with the opinion and  recommendation  of  the
Air Force and adopt their rationale as the basis  for  our  conclusion  that
the applicant has not been the victim of an error or  injustice.   According
to the applicant’s military personnel records there is  no  indication  that
he was recommended for, or awarded the Air Medal or that he flew any  combat
or combat support missions over or into Vietnam.  Furthermore, we note  that
a decoration cannot be recommended or awarded if a  member’s  entire  period
of service is not honorable and it appears  the  applicant  was  given  non-
judicial  punishment  during  the  contested  time   period.    Lastly,   on
2 December 2002 AFPC/DPPPRA requested the applicant provide a  copy  of  the
TDY  order  showing  he  was  deployed  to  Vietnam  in  direct  support  of
operations,  a  travel  voucher,   individual   flight   records,   or   the
recommendation package for award of the Air Medal.   He  responded  that  he
was providing the only  documents  he  had,  but  would  request  additional
documents from NPRC.  He failed to provide the referenced documentation  and
was advised  to  withdraw  his  application  until  he  could  provide  that
support, but did not respond.  We find  no  compelling  basis  to  recommend
favorable action on his request.

_________________________________________________________________

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 this application in  Executive
Session on 1 May 2003, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

                  Mr. Philip Sheuerman, Panel Chair
                  Ms. Martha J. Evans, Member
                  Mr. Christopher Carey, Member





The following documentary evidence pertaining to AFBCMR  Docket  Number  BC-
2002-03555 was considered:

   Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 2 November 2002, w/atchs.
   Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
   Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPPPR, dated 24 March 2003,
               w/atchs.
   Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 28 March 2003.




                                PHILIP SHEUERMAN
                                Panel Chair