RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:                       DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2003-00147
                                             INDEX CODE:  113.00
      XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX                COUNSEL: None

      XXXXXXXXXXXXXX                    HEARING DESIRED: No

___________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His DD Form 214 be corrected to reflect the specific dates he was assigned
to Thailand and Vietnam.
___________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

He was assigned to Royal Thailand Air Force Base,  Thailand,  May  -  June
1972.  He needs to verify time spent in  Vietnam  for  the  Department  of
Veteran Affairs (DVA).

In support of his application, the applicant provides  copies  of  his  DD
Form 214, Certificate of  Release  or  Discharge  From  Active  Duty,  and
medical records  indicating  a  back  injury  and  eye  evaluations.   The
applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A.

___________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

On 4 May 1971, the applicant enlisted in the Regular Air Force  at  the  age
of 18 in the grade of airman basic (E-1) for a period  of  four  years.   He
was progressively promoted to the rank of  staff  sergeant  (E-5)  effective
and with a date of rank of 1 August 1980.
On 5 May 1986, the applicant was demoted to the rank of sergeant (E-4)  with
a date of rank of 4 May 1973 for unsatisfactory performance  in  the  weight
management program.  On 10 November 1986, the applicant  was  notified  that
his noncommissioned officer status was vacated, due to  a  pending  proposed
administrative discharge for failure in the weight management program.   The
applicant  was  honorably  discharged  effective  2  February  1987  with  a
separation  code  GFT  (Exceeding  Air  Force  Weight   Standards)   and   a
reenlistment code 2C (Involuntarily Separated with an Honorable  Discharge).
 He had served 15 years, 8 months and 28 days of  active  duty  service,  of
which 5 years, 10 months, and 4 days was foreign service.

According to the military personnel system  (MILMOD)  the  applicant’s  only
overseas assignments were in Guam and Germany.

The AFBCMR considered a request from the applicant in 1994,  requesting  his
discharge be  changed  to  a  medical  retirement.   The  Board  denied  the
applicant’s application as untimely.

___________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPAPP2 recommends the application be denied.  There  are  no  documents
in the applicant’s Master Personnel Records that show specific locations  or
time of service in Vietnam or Thailand.  The applicant was asked to  provide
verifying documentation for any type of temporary duty (TDY)  or  assignment
to Vietnam or Thailand; however, the applicant did  not  furnish  any.   The
DPAPP2 evaluation is at Exhibit C.

___________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The applicant states he was stationed at  Royal  Takhli  Air  Force  Base,
Thailand.  There were no orders published because the mission was  secret.
He notes that his military medical record is annotated with a 19 May  1972
entry by 27 TAC Hospital.  He was stationed at Luke AFB at  the  time  and
was told that Luke AFB was a detachment of  Hetonan  Air  Force  Base.  He
claims he was paid hazard/combat pay, but has not been  able  to  get  the
records yet.  The applicant also claims he was  exposed  to  Agent  Orange
while working in supply.  The applicant’s rebuttal with attachments 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 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  error  or  injustice.   The  applicant  did  not  provide  any
documentary evidence to substantiate his claim of  time  spent  in  Vietnam.
We note the applicant was awarded the Vietnam Service  Medal  with  one  Oak
Leaf Cluster, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with  Palm,  and  Republic
of Vietnam Campaign Medal; however, assignment in  the  country  of  Vietnam
was not required for award of these decorations.  The  applicant’s  DD  Form
214 completed upon  his  discharge  on  7  January  1975  indicates  he  was
assigned in Thailand  for  45  days;  however,  it  unfortunately  does  not
contain specific  dates  or  locations  of  time  spent  in  Thailand.   The
applicant asserts that he was assigned to Royal  Thailand  Air  Force  Base,
Thailand,  between  May  and  June  1972.   Other   than   the   applicant’s
assertions, we have no evidence to confirm this claim.  Therefore, we  agree
with the opinion and recommendation of  the  Air  Force  office  of  primary
responsibility and adopt their rationale as the  basis  for  our  conclusion
that the applicant has not  been  the  victim  of  an  error  or  injustice.
Accordingly, in the  absence  of  evidence  to  the  contrary,  we  find  no
compelling  basis  to  recommend  granting  the  relief   sought   in   this
application.

_________________________________________________________________

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 11 September 2003, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

      Mr. Richard A. Peterson, Panel Chair
      Ms. Brenda L. Romine, Member
      Ms. Carolyn B. Willis, Member


The following documentary evidence for AFBCMR  Docket  Number  BC-2003-00147
was considered:

      Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 18 Sep 2002.
      Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
      Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPAPP2, dated 1 Apr 2003.
      Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 11 Apr 2003.
      Exhibit E.  Applicant’s Rebuttal, dated 8 Apr 2003.




                                  RICHARD A. PETERSON
                                                   Panel Chair