RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
         AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2003-02076
            INDEX CODE:  107.00

            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED: NO

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

The following medals and citations be included on  his  DD  Form  214,
Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty dated 26  October
1953: Korean Service Medal (KSM) with two bronze stars, the Air  Medal
(AM) with one oak leaf cluster and the combat “V”,  the  Distinguished
Unit Citation, the Republic of Korea Presidential  Unit  Citation  and
the National Defense Service Medal (NDSM).

The following medals and citations be included on  his  DD  Form  214,
Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty dated  1 February
1960: Air Force Longevity Service Award with one oak leaf cluster, and
the Outstanding Unit Award with one oak leaf cluster.

Examiner’s Note: AFPC/DPPPR reviewed this application and  found  that
he is entitled to the Korean  Service  Medal  with  2  bronze  service
stars, Distinguished Unit Citation,  Republic  of  Korea  Presidential
Unit Citation, National Defense Service  Medal,  Air  Force  Longevity
Service Award with one oak leaf cluster, and the AF  Outstanding  unit
Award with “V” device and one oak leaf cluster.

The remaining request by the applicant for the Air Medal  with  combat
“V” and one  oak  leaf  cluster  was  reviewed  by  DPPPR  and,  after
corresponding with the applicant; he withdrew his request for the  one
oak leaf cluster to the Air Medal but refused to withdraw his  request
for the combat “V” device.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

The errors are errors of omission only.

In support of his appeal, applicant has provided a personal statement,
and copies of three flight records,  Internet  pages  displaying  USAF
organizations in Korea in  the  1950’s  and  their  earned  citations,
criteria for the awards, two certificates awarding the AF  Outstanding
Unit  Award,  combat  squadron  histories  of  the  ---th  Bombardment
Squadron, Lineage and Honors  of  the  Operational  Weather  Squadrons
(including the --th Weather Squadron of  which  the  applicant  claims
membership), and a picture of the applicant.

His complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A.

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STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant served in the Regular Air Force from 12 January 1951  to
26 October 1953 and from 18 January 1955  to  1  February  1960.   His
initial enlistment was as a mechanic/gunner and his second  enlistment
as a weather forecaster technician.  He had served  for  seven  years,
nine months and twenty-nine days of which were on Regular Active Duty.
 His final discharge  (Honorable,  Expiration  Term  of  Service)  was
effective 1 February 1960.  He was discharged as a Staff Sergeant  (E-
5) with a DOR of 1 September 1957.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

DPPPR recommends denial.  They  state  that  the  “V”  device  denotes
valor, not combat, and is worn on the Bronze  Star  Medal,  Air  Force
Commendation Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, Air Force Outstanding
Unit  Award,  and  the  Air  Force  Organizational  Excellence  Award.
Consequently the “V” device is not authorized for the Air Medal.

DPPPR’s complete evaluation, with attachments, is at Exhibit C.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

Applicant states that during the Korean War, medals issued by the  Air
Force (AF) were actually Army medals.  In fact,  he  states  that  one
could not tell the difference between AF and Army medals.   He  argues
that when current  boards  consider  awarding  medals  to  Korean  War
veterans that they consider the Army criteria for  use  and  award  of
medals in effect at the time and not current  criteria.   He  contends
the AF did not implement its own award criteria until  sometime  after
the Korean War.  Not using Army criteria and amendments create a gross
injustice for AF Korean war veterans.  An example he cites is that the
Army authorizes use of the  “V”  device  on  the  Air  Medal  and  the
Presidential Unit Citation (Distinguished Unit Citation) while the  AF
does not.  He has attached criteria for the Legion of Merit (LOM)  and
Presidential Unit Citation (PUC) that both authorize the  use  of  the
bronze “V” device to  distinguish  between  a  combat  and  non-combat
award.  He contends SAF/MRBR’s (actually AFPC/DPPPR’s) contention that
the “V” device stands for  valor  and  combat  is  at  odds  with  his
previous statement regarding LOM and PUC.  He  notes  the  LOM  is  an
award for meritorious service and not valor, yet  the  “V”  device  is
authorized for combat service.  He states the “V” device was  withheld
from Bronze Star Medal (non-deployed) awardees of  the  Gulf  War  not
because of a lack of valor or meritorious service but  because  combat
was not involved.  He surmises the “V” device might  stand  for  valor
and meritorious service.  He requests that the “V” device be added  to
his  Distinguished  Unit  Citation  (Presidential  Unit  Citation)  in
addition to any other  SAF/MRBR  (actually  AFPC/DPPPR’s)  recommended
medals.

_________________________________________________________________

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.   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
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.  The “V” device denotes valor, not combat,  and
is not  authorized  for  the  Air  Medal  or  the  Distinguished  Unit
Citation.  Therefore, 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 AFBCMR Docket Number BC-
2003-02076  in  Executive  Session  on  28  October  2003,  under  the
provisions of AFI 36-2603:

      Mr. Richard A. Peterson, Panel Chair
      Ms. Sharon B. Seymour, Member
      Ms. Leslie E. Abbott, Member







The following documentary evidence was considered:

    Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 16 Jun 2003, w/atchs.
    Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
    Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPPPR, dated 15 Sep 03, w/atchs.
    Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 26 Sep 03.
    Exhibit E.  Letter, Applicant, dated 1 Oct 03, w/atchs.




                                   RICHARD A. PETERSON
                                   Panel Chair