RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2002-01576
            INDEX CODE:  107.00

            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  NO

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His records be corrected to reflect that:

        a.  His Air Force Commendation Medal (AFCM) be upgraded  to  a
Airman’s Medal (AmnM) for action performed on 13 November 1982.

        b.  He receive supplemental promotion consideration  beginning
with cycle 84B5 and an adjustment to his retirement actions  from  the
date of the initial award, October 1984, until  his  retirement  on  1
November 2002.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

On 1 October 1984, he was  awarded  an  Air  Force  Achievement  Medal
(AFAM) for Heroism for his actions on 13 November 1982.   He  believes
he should have been  awarded  the  Airman’s  Medal  (AmnM)  and  tried
through administrative channels to have his AFAM upgraded to an  AmnM.
On 8 July 2003, his AFAM was  upgraded  to  an  AFCM  for  an  act  of
courage.

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

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The  applicant  served  on  active  duty  from  21  May  1979  through
21 October 2002.

The applicant’s DD Form 214 reflects he was  awarded  the  Meritorious
Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters (MSM 3 OLCs), the Air Force
Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters (AFCM 2 OLCs), Air Force
Achievement Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster (AFAM 1  OLC),  the  Joint
Meritorious Unit Award, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with five
Oak Leaf Clusters (AFOUA 5 OLCs), the Air  Force  Good  Conduct  Medal
with six Oak Leaf Clusters (AFGCM 6 OLCs),  National  Defense  Service
Medal with one Bronze Service Star (NDSM  1  BSS),  the  Armed  Forces
Expeditionary Medal (AFEM), the Air Force Overseas Short Tour  Ribbon,
the Air Force Overseas Long  Tour  Ribbon,  the  Air  Force  Longevity
Service Award with four Oak Leaf  Clusters  (4  OLCs),  the  USAF  NCO
Professional Military Education Graduate  Ribbon  with  one  Oak  Leaf
Cluster (1 OLC), the Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon/Rifle,  and
the Air Force Training Ribbon.

The applicant submitted an application dated 30 April 2002 to have his
AFAM upgraded to an AmnM.  The application was returned without action
because the applicant had not exhausted his  administrative  channels.
The applicant applied to the final approval authority at Langley  AFB.
On 8 July 2003, the AFAM was upgraded to an AFCM for an act of courage
performed on 13 November 1982.

He retired in the grade of master sergeant on  1  November  2002.   He
served 23 years, 5 months and 10 days of active service.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPPPR states the applicant has  not  provided  any  documentation
showing he was recommended for the AmnM.   The  applicant  provided  a
copy of a DÉCOR 6 that was printed on 15 August 2002 and  only  signed
by one individual on 5 September 2002.  Since  the  DÉCOR  6  was  not
signed by a recommending official and  endorsed  by  the  next  higher
official  in  the  chain  of  command,  this  recommendation  is   not
considered to have been placed in official  channels.   The  applicant
has not provided any of the documentation that was  presented  to  the
decoration board at Langley AFB.  They believe the applicant has  been
sufficiently recognized for his actions on  13  November  1982.   They
recommend his request to have his AFCM upgraded to an AmnM be denied.

A complete copy of the evaluation, with attachments,  is  attached  at
Exhibit C.

AFPC/DPPPWB concurs with the findings of AFPC/DPPPR and recommends the
applicant’s  request  for  supplemental  promotion  consideration   be
denied.  If the  Board  granted  the  appeal,  supplemental  promotion
consideration would begin with cycle 84B5.

A complete copy of the evaluation, with attachments,  is  attached  at
Exhibit D.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

Copies of the Air Force evaluations were forwarded to the applicant on
17 October 2003, 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 timely filed.

       3.  Sufficient  relevant  evidence  has   been   presented   to
demonstrate the existence of an error or injustice.   After  reviewing
all the evidence presented, we believe favorable consideration of  the
applicant’s request is warranted.  On 13 November 1982, without regard
for his own safety, the applicant rescued a aircraft operator  from  a
burning aircraft and extinguished the fire.  The  applicant  indicates
he was informed by his supervisor that he was being recommended for an
AmnM for his actions on 13 November 1982.  However,  two  years  later
the applicant received the AFAM.  He inquired as to  why  he  received
the AFAM vice the AmnM and was told the package was lost twice  so  in
frustration a request was submitted for the AFAM.  The applicant  then
requested through administrative channels an upgrade of the AFAM to an
AmnM.  The AFAM was upgraded to an AFCM for an act  of  courage  on  8
July 2003.  The applicant has now requested his AFCM be upgraded to an
AmnM because he believes his actions warranted  this  decoration.   In
view of the totality of circumstances and the regulations in effect at
that time, it is the opinion of the Board that the applicant did place
his life in  jeopardy  while  engaged  in  rendering  aid  to  another
individual who very possibly would not have survived had he  not  done
so.  We strongly believe  that,  by  his  actions  on  that  day,  the
applicant should be recognized by award of the AmnM.  Accordingly,  in
view of all the above, 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  competent  authority
awarded him the Airman’s Medal for  heroism  for  his  actions  on  13
November 1982, rather than the Air Force Commendation Medal.

It  is  further  recommended  that   he   be   provided   supplemental
consideration for promotion beginning with  cycle  84B5  and  for  all
cycles for which the Airman’s Medal was not a matter of record.

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 AFBCMR Docket Number BC-
2002-01576 in  Executive  Session  on  18  November  2003,  under  the
provisions of AFI 36-2603:

            Ms. Brenda L. Romine, Panel Chair
            Mr. Christopher Carey, Member
            Mr. Michael J. Maglio, Member

The following documentary evidence was considered:

      Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 5 Aug 03, w/atchs.
      Exhibit B. Master Personnel Records.
      Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPPPR dated 18 Sep 03,w/atchs.
      Exhibit D. Letter, AFPC/DPPPWB dated 30 Sep 03.
      Exhibit E. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 17 Oct 03.





                 BRENDA L. ROMINE
                 Panel Chair





AFBCMR BC- BC-2002-01576
INDEX CODE:  107.00


MEMORANDUM FOR THE CHIEF OF STAFF

      Having received and considered the recommendation of the Air
Force Board for Correction for 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  competent
authority awarded him the Airman’s Medal for heroism for  his  actions
on 13 November 1982, rather than the Air Force Commendation Medal.

       It  is  further  directed  that  he  be  provided  supplemental
consideration for promotion beginning with  cycle  84B5  and  for  all
cycles for which the Airman’s Medal was not a matter of record.

      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.




                             JOE G. LINEBERGER
                             Director
                             Air Force Review Boards Agency