RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2003-00242
            INDEX CODE:  107.00

            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  NO


_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

He be awarded any badges, medals, and campaign ribbons that  he  might  have
received while on active duty.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

He spent over two years in the Philippine Islands  in  1968  and  1969.   He
made numerous trips to Vietnam as a flight mechanic  on  a  C-118  aircraft.
He indicates that he received no recognition for his two  years  of  service
in Taiwan.

In support of his appeal, the applicant provided AF Form 626 -  Request  and
Authorization For Temporary Duty - Military.

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

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant enlisted in the Regular Air Force on  23  March  1966  in  the
grade of airman basic  for  a  period  of  four  years.   He  was  honorably
released on 20 January 1970.  On 12 January 1971 he reenlisted for a  period
of four years and was honorably discharged on 27 April 1974 in the grade  of
staff sergeant.  He served 7 years, 1 month, and 14  days  of  total  active
service.

According to HQ AFPC/DPPPRA, on 27 October 1997 the applicant was  forwarded
the following awards:  The Air Force Good Conduct Medal,  with  1  Oak  Leaf
Cluster (AFGCM w/1OLC), National Defense Service Medal (NDSM), and  the  Air
Force Longevity Service Award (AFLSA).  They advised him that  there  is  no
indication in his records that he was TDY to Vietnam while he was  stationed
in  Taiwan  or  in  the  Philippines.   The  TDY  order  he   provided   was
insufficient to  verify  his  eligibility  for  the  Vietnam  Service  Medal
because he did not provide the travel voucher showing  he  accomplished  the
trip,  and  he  must  have  been  in  Vietnam  for  30 consecutive   or   60
nonconsecutive days for this award.  His case was held for 30  days  pending
additional documentation pertaining to any  additional  awards.   On  6  May
2003, they notified the applicant  and  indicated  that  since  he  did  not
respond to their 27 February 2003 letter, they presume that he  agreed  that
all of the awards and decorations to which  he  is  entitled  are  correctly
listed on his DD Form 214.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPSFM recommended denial.  They indicated that after a thorough  review
of the applicant’s record, they have  determined  the  applicant  previously
held the Jet Mechanic Specialist Specialty Code from 23  March  1966  to  20
January 1970 and from 12 January 1971 to 31 December  1972.   Applicant  was
in the inactive reserves during the period between 20 January  1970  and  12
January 1971.  The  Aircraft  and  Munitions  Maintenance  Badge  came  into
existence on 8 August 1986 (the  effective  date  of  Air  Force  Regulation
(AFR) 900-66 which governed award of the  badge  for  applicant’s  specialty
code).  Since the badge was created after the applicant’s active  duty  time
in the maintenance career field, he  is  not  entitled  for  award  of  this
badge.  In addition he held the Social  Actions  Technician  Specialty  Code
from 1 January 1973 to 27 April 1974.  During  this  time,  no  occupational
badge had been authorized/established for this career field.  When  the  Air
Force created new occupational badges for all career fields in  1994,  there
were  no  provisions  made  to  award  them  retroactively;  therefore,  the
applicant is not entitled to any Air Force Occupational badges.   Therefore,
the applicant’s DD Form 214 is accurate.

The evaluation, with attachments, is at Exhibit C.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

On 27 June 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.   The  applicant  contends  that  he
spent over two years in the Philippine Islands in 1968 and 1969 and that  he
made numerous trips to Vietnam as a flight mechanic  on  a  C-118  aircraft.
Further, he indicates that he received no recognition for his two  years  of
service in Taiwan.  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.  The applicant’s DD Forms  214  reflects  the  awards  he  earned
during each period of service (Air Force Good Conduct Medal with 1 Oak  Leaf
Cluster, National  Defense  Service  Medal,  and  the  Air  Force  Longevity
Service Award).  Although the applicant contends he was TDY to  Vietnam,  he
has not provided sufficient documentation to support  his  assertion.   With
respect to any badges to which he may be entitled, it appears there were  no
Air Force occupational badges authorized for his specialties  while  he  was
on active duty.  Therefore, he is not entitled  to  any  additional  badges,
medals, and campaign ribbons.  In view of the above and in  the  absence  of
evidence to the contrary, we find no compelling basis to recommend  granting
the relief sought.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT:

The applicant be notified that the evidence presented  did  not  demonstrate
the existence of an error or an 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 21 August 2003, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

                 Ms. Patricia D. Vestal, Panel Chair
                 Ms. Martha J. Evans, Member
                 Mr. E. David Hoard, Member



The following documentary evidence pertaining to AFBCMR  Docket  Number  BC-
2003-00242 was considered:

   Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 18 January 2003, w/atch.
   Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
   Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPSFM, dated 19 June 2003, w/atchs.
   Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 27 June 2003.





                       PATRICIA D. VESTAL
                       Panel Chair