RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  02-04075
            INDEX CODE:  131.01

            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  NO


_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His Air Force Commendation Medal (AFCM), 4th Oak  Leaf  Cluster  (OLC),  for
the period 1 January 1997 through 30 November  2000  be  considered  in  the
promotion process for cycle 02E7 to the grade of Master Sergeant.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

He received a permanent change of assignment (PCA) from TACC to  HQ  AMC  in
November 2000.  Numerous attempts were made to check on the  status  of  his
decoration once he moved offices.  Each time he inquired about  the  status,
he was told, “We’re working on it.”  The testing cycle  passed  and  finally
the medal came through with the correct inclusive dates and correct  request
for decoration printout (RDP).  However, since much  time  had  passed,  the
sitting TACC/CC signed and dated the decoration and used the  date  it  came
across his desk.  This date is what the supplemental board used as  entering
into official  channels  instead  of  the  date  of  the  original  DÉCOR  6
(November 2000).  He states that he aggressively pursued the  processing  of
the order.

In support of his appeal, the applicant provided  a  letter  from  the  Vice
Commander of the ---th Airlift Wing, dated  19  December  2002,  an  undated
letter from HQ AMC/DOOM, letter from HQ  AMC  TACC/XOPM,  dated  29  October
2002, letter from HQ AMC/DOOA, dated 20 November  2002,  an  undated  letter
from HQ AMC TACC/CCQ, and other documentation.

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

_________________________________________________________________



STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant is currently serving in the Regular Air Force in the grade  of
technical sergeant.

Special Order ---, dated 22 July 2002, awarded the applicant the  Air  Force
Commendation Medal (AFCM, 4OLC) for the period  1 January  1997  through  30
November 2000.

The applicant’s total weighted  promotion  score  for  the  02E7  cycle  was
344.01 and the score required for selection in his Air Force Specialty  Code
(AFSC) was 345.80.  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  17  June  2002
with a public release date of 27 June 2002.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPPPWB recommended denial.  They indicated that 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, 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  DÉCOR-6,  Request  for  Decoration
Printout (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  December  2001.   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.

As evidenced by the  special  order  awarding  the  applicant’s  AFCM,  this
decoration does not meet the criteria for promotion credit during  the  02E7
cycle because the date the  commander  signed  the  request  for  decoration
printout (RDP) is 16 July 2002--after selections were made on 17  June  2002
for the  02E7  cycle.   This  policy  was  initialed  28  February  1979  to
specifically  preclude  personnel   from   subsequently   (after   promotion
selections)  submitting  someone  for  a  decoration  with   a   retroactive
decoration effective date (close out) so as to  put  him  or  her  over  the
selection cutoff score.  Exceptions to the above 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 the recommendation was not acted upon  through  loss  or
inadvertence.  IAW AFI 36-2803, paragraph 3.1, a  decoration  is  considered
to  have  been  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.   There  is  no  indication  this
package was accomplished and placed into official  channels  until  16  July
2002 (RDP Date),  which  was  after  promotions  for  the  02E7  cycle  were
announced (27 June 2002) and the applicant became aware he missed  promotion
by less than three points.  Although the applicant  believes  the  RDP  date
should be changed to a date earlier than 17 June  2002,  this  change  would
still not entitle him to supplemental promotion consideration for  the  02E7
cycle as the change would be done after the fact-after  17  June  2002,  the
date promotion selections were accomplished.

After an extensive review of the  circumstances  of  this  case  to  include
documentation the applicant has provided, there is  no  conclusive  evidence
the decoration was submitted before the date  of  selections  for  the  02E7
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.  The applicant’s request to have the  decoration  included  in  the
promotion process for cycle 02E7 as an exception to policy  was  disapproved
by the Director, Personnel Program Management at  the  Air  Force  Personnel
Center (AFPC) on 3 October 2002.  They concur with this decision.

The evaluation, with attachment, is at Exhibit C.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

On 24 January 2003, a copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to  the
applicant for review and response within  thirty  (30)  days.   As  of  this
date, no response has been received by this office.

On 7 March 2003, the applicant provided additional documentation,  which  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 probable error or injustice.  After
thoroughly reviewing the evidence of records, it  appears  that  through  no
fault of the applicant’s, the contested award was not properly processed  in
time for it to be considered by promotion cycle 02E7.  In this  respect,  we
note the statement from the applicant’s supervisor who indicates that  after
submitting the DÉCOR 6 in November 2001,  he  failed  to  follow-up  on  the
progress of the award through the chain of command.  The applicant’s  former
commander indicates that it was his intent that the applicant  be  given  an
award upon his permanent change of assignment.   Further,  it  also  appears
that the applicant’s  new  command  made  several  inquiries  regarding  the
whereabouts of the award.  It is apparent that this was  not  an  after-the-
fact award based upon his nonselection for promotion.  Clearly, it  was  the
intent of the applicant’s chain  of  command  to  have  this  award  in  his
records  during  the  next  promotion  cycle,  however,  due   to   numerous
administrative shortfalls, coupled with the events of  September  11,  2001,
the award “fell through the cracks.”  In view of the  foregoing,  the  Board
is persuaded that the applicant should not have to bear the  burden  of  his
command not  processing  the  award  in  a  timely  manner.   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 (RDP)(Décor-6), for the award of the Air Force  Commendation  Medal
(AFCM), Fourth Oak Leaf Cluster (4OLC), covering the period 1  January  1997
through 30 November 2000, was signed by the commander on  13  January  2001,
rather than 16 July 2002.

It is further recommended that he  be  provided  supplemental  consideration
for promotion to the grade of master sergeant  for  all  appropriate  cycles
beginning with cycle 02E7, with the AFCM 4OLC included in his 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
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 applicant was promoted to the  higher  grade
on the date of rank established  by  the  supplemental  promotion  and  that
applicant is entitled to all pay, allowances, and benefits of such grade  as
of that date.

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board considered this application in  Executive
Session on 6 March 2003, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

            Ms. Cathlynn B. Sparks, Panel Chair
            Ms. Nancy Wells Drury, Member
            Mr. Robert H. Altman, Member

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

   Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 26 November 2002.
   Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
   Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPPPWB, dated 7 January 2003, w/atch.
   Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated February 2003.
   Exhibit E.  Letter, Applicant, with attachments, undated.




                 CATHLYNN B. SPARKS
                 Panel Chair


AFBCMR 02-04075





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 (RDP) (Décor-6), for the award of the Air Force
Commendation Medal (AFCM), Fourth Oak Leaf Cluster (4OLC), covering the
period 1 January 1997 through 30 November 2000, was signed by the commander
on 13 January 2001, rather than 16 July 2002.

      It is further directed that he be provided supplemental consideration
for promotion to the grade of master sergeant for all appropriate cycles
beginning with cycle 02E7, with the AFCM 4OLC included in his 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
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 applicant was promoted to the higher grade
on the date of rank established by the supplemental promotion and that
applicant is entitled to all pay, allowances, and benefits of such grade as
of that date.








            JOE G. LINEBERGER
            Director
            Air Force Review Boards Agency