RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
         AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2002-03790
            INDEX CODE:  107.00

            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  NO


_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His records be corrected  to  reflect  award  of  the  Southwest  Asia
Service Medal (SWASM), with one oak leaf cluster.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

He was deployed to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia for two tours totaling  180
days.

In support of his request, the applicant provided copies of  a  letter
of appreciation, his DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or  Discharge
from Active Duty, and a Certificate of Appreciation.

Applicant's complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A1.

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

Applicant enlisted in the Regular Air Force on 10 Oct  80.   Prior  to
the matter under review, he was progressively promoted to the grade of
technical sergeant.

A certificate for award of the Air  Force  Achievement  Medal  (AFAM),
Third Oak Leaf Cluster (3OLC), dated 29 Nov  99,  indicates  that  the
applicant was awarded the  AFAM  (3OLC)  for  outstanding  achievement
during the period 8 Jun 98  to  8  Oct  98,  as  Chief,  Environmental
Flight, ----H Civil Engineer Squadron (Provisional), ----th  Air  Base
Group, ----, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in support of Operation SOUTHERN
WATCH.

On 31 Oct 00, the applicant was relieved from active duty and  retired
for length of service, effective 1 Nov 00.  He was  credited  with  20
years and 21 days of active duty service.

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

By application, dated 22 Nov 02,  the  applicant  requested  that  his
place of entry on active duty be changed from Biloxi, Mississippi,  to
Chicago,  Illinois  (Exhibit  A2).   By  letter,  dated  13  Feb   03,
AFPC/DPPRSP (Separations  Branch)  notified  the  applicant  that  his
request had been resolved administratively (Exhibit B).

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPPPR recommended denial noting that the  applicant  provided  an
alleged  letter  of  appreciation  from  the  75th  Services  Squadron
Commander, but it was undated and mentioned no dates for deployment to
Kuwait or reason for deployment.  He also provided a locally  produced
Certificate of Appreciation,  dated  15  Jan  95,  and  signed  by  an
unidentified commander, for assistance to the 75th Fighter Squadron in
Kuwait.   Again,  there  were  no  inclusive  dates.    However,   the
certificate did  mention  Operations  VIGILANT  WARRIOR  and  SOUTHERN
WATCH.  Operation VIGILANT WARRIOR was not a designated operation  for
which a medal was awarded.

According to AFPC/DPPPR, the SWASM was awarded  for  participation  in
Operation DESERT SHIELD, DESERT STORM, and DESERT CALM in the  Persian
Gulf for the period 2 Aug 90 to  30  Nov  95  and,  Operation  PROVIDE
COMFORT for the period 5 Apr 91 to 31 Dec 96 (for Turkey and  Northern
Iraq, only).  The  SWASM  has  bronze  service  stars,  not  oak  leaf
clusters, one for each of the three campaigns  in  the  Persian  Gulf.
Participants in Operation SOUTHERN WATCH  received  the  Armed  Forces
Expeditionary Medal for deployment to the Persian Gulf from 1  Dec  95
to a date to be determined.

AFPC/DPPPR indicated that, on 16 Dec 02,  their  office  informed  the
applicant that additional documentation was necessary to  substantiate
his claim.  He was asked to provide a copy of the temporary duty (TDY)
orders and travel vouchers for his TDYs overseas.  He did not respond.

In AFPC/DPPPR's view,  the  applicant  did  not  provide  any  of  the
necessary official documentation needed  to  substantiate  his  claim.
Without the TDY orders, showing  he  was  deployed  in  support  of  a
designated operation, or his travel vouchers, showing he was in one of
the named locations for 30 days, they could not verify the applicant’s
eligibility for any award.

A complete copy of the AFPC/DPPPR evaluation is at Exhibit C.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

A copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to  applicant  on  21
Feb 03 for review and response.  As of this date, no response has been
received by this office (Exhibit D).

_________________________________________________________________

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.   The  applicant's  complete
submission was thoroughly  reviewed  and  his  contentions  were  duly
noted.  However, we do not find the  applicant’s  assertions  and  the
documentation  submitted  in  support  of  his   appeal   sufficiently
persuasive to override the rationale provided by the Air Force  office
of primary responsibility (OPR).  No evidence has been presented which
has shown to our satisfaction that the applicant met  the  established
criteria for award of the Southwest Asia Service Medal.   In  view  of
the foregoing, and in  the  absence  of  sufficient  evidence  to  the
contrary, we agree with the recommendation of the OPR and adopt  their
rationale as the basis for our decision that the applicant has  failed
to sustain his burden of establishing that he has suffered  either  an
error or an injustice.  Accordingly, we find no  compelling  basis  to
recommend granting the relief sought in this application.

4.  We note the applicant's request that his place of entry on  active
duty be changed from Biloxi, Mississippi, to  Chicago,  Illinois,  has
been corrected administratively.  Therefore, no further action by this
Board is necessary.

_________________________________________________________________

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 AFBCMR Docket Number BC-
2002-03790 in Executive Session on 30 Apr 03, under the provisions  of
AFI 36-2603:

      Mr. Wayne R. Gracie, Panel Chair
      Mr. Frederick R. Beaman III, Member
      Ms. Brenda L. Romine, Member

The following documentary evidence was considered:

    Exhibit A.  DD Forms 149, dated 21 Nov 02 and 22 Nov 02,
                w/atchs.
    Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
    Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPPPR, dated 4 Feb 03, w/atch.
    Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 21 Feb 03.




                                   WAYNE R. GRACIE
                                   Panel Chair