RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
         AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2003-02832
            INDEX CODE:  110.00

            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  NO

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His undesirable discharge be upgraded to a  general  (under  honorable
conditions).

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

There was not enough counseling and motivation to change his  drinking
habits and also very high interest rates bestowed  on  him  by  fellow
servicemen.

In support of the appeal, applicant submits two  personal  statements.
Applicant's complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A.

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

Applicant enlisted in the Regular Air Force on 26 August 1954, in  the
grade of airman basic for a period of four years.  He was promoted  to
the grade of airman first class on 5 November 1954.  His character was
rated excellent on 26 August 1954 and  15 December  1954;  good  on  1
October 1955; and poor on 16 January 1957.  His efficiency  was  rated
excellent on 26 August 1954, 15 December 1954, and 1 October 1955; and
unknown on 16 January 1957.

On 26 March 1957, the applicant’s commander notified him that  he  was
recommending he meet a Board of Officers to determine his fitness  for
further retention in the military service.  The basis for  the  action
was applicant demonstrated misconduct and  traits  of  character  that
rendered him unsuitable for retention.  He  had  been  instructed  and
reprimanded for the condition of his living quarters, his clothing and
appearance, without improvement.  His use of alcohol led  to  behavior
problems  both  at  his  duty  station  and  off  base.   He  received
nonjudicial punishment under Article 15, dated  24  August  1956,  for
public drunkenness and punishment included extra duty for  two  weeks;
nonjudicial punishment under Article 15 dated 15  November  1956,  for
failure to repair and punishment included extra duty; he was convicted
by Summary Court-Martial, on 29 November 1956, for failure  to  report
on 17 and 18 November 1956, and he was confined to hard labor  for  30
days and forfeited $65; he was convicted by a Summary Court Martial on
22 January 1957, for being absent from his organization from 13 to  15
January 1957, and punishment included confinement at  hard  labor  for
seven days, restriction to base for 30 days and forfeiture of $25; and
conviction by a Summary Court-Martial on  22  March  1957,  for  being
absent from his organization from 14 to 21 March 1957,  for  which  he
was confined at hard labor for 30 days and was ordered to forfeit $65.
 After consulting with legal counsel, he waived his right  to  present
matters to  a  board  and  requested  discharge.   Rehabilitation  and
probation were not recommended.  The Discharge Authority approved  his
request for discharge and ordered an undesirable discharge on 9  April
1957.

The applicant, while  serving  in  the  grade  of  airman  basic,  was
separated from the Air Force on 29 April 1957, under the provisions of
AFR 39-17 (Unfitness) with  an  Under  Other  Than  Honorable  (UOTHC)
discharge.  He served two years and six months of total active service
with 65 days of lost time.

Pursuant to the Board's request, the Federal Bureau of  Investigation,
Clarksburg, WV, indicated on the basis of the data furnished they were
unable to locate an arrest record which is attached at Exhibit C.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPPRS states that they believe the discharge was consistent  with
the  procedural  and  substantive  requirements   of   the   discharge
regulation.   Additionally,  the  discharge  was  within   the   sound
discretion of the  discharge  authority.   Therefore,  they  recommend
denial of applicant’s request.

A complete copy of the evaluation is attached at Exhibit D.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The applicant states that, while on his tour in  Japan,  he  was  okay
until he got involved  with  bad  company.   He  became  homesick  and
thought that he would never see home or his family again.  He  started
drinking heavily and borrowing money and items from fellow servicemen.
 It seems the more trouble he got into, the worse his drinking problem
became; causing him not to take care of his  personal  appearance  and
hygiene.  All the things that were happening made him not  care  about
attending formation and leaving the base without being authorized.  He
now realizes  this  was  very  irresponsible.   He  did  receive  some
counseling, but there was not enough motivation in it to  get  him  to
change.

He is now 68 years old and asking with sincere hope for clemency, that
his undesirable discharge will be changed to a general under honorable
conditions.

Applicant's complete response, with attachments, is at Exhibit F.

_________________________________________________________________

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.     While  no  evidence  has  been  provided  showing   that   the
applicant’s discharge was erroneous, there is evidence that,  in  our
view, warrants some relief based  on  clemency.   The  applicant  was
young and, apparently, immature at the time he entered  the  service.
There is some indication that at least some  of  his  misconduct  may
have been alcohol related.  The record reveals  that  for  more  than
half of his  period  of  service  he  was  well  thought  of  by  his
superiors.  It also appears that  at  some  time  subsequent  to  his
separation, he became a useful and productive member of his community
and has remained so for an extended period of  time.   Based  on  the
foregoing clemency considerations,  we  believe  that  his  discharge
should be upgraded to “under honorable conditions.”

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:

The pertinent military records of the  Department  of  the  Air  Force
relating to APPLICANT be corrected to show that on 29 April  1957,  he
was discharged with service characterized as general (under  honorable
conditions).

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the  Board  considered  this  application  in
Executive Session on 19 November 2003, under the provisions of AFI 36-
2603:

                       Mr. Thomas S. Markiewicz, Chair
                       Ms. Martha Maust, Member
                       Ms. Carolyn B. Willis, Member

The following documentary evidence was considered:

      Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 2 Sep 03, w/atchs.
      Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
      Exhibit C. FBI Report.
      Exhibit D. Letter, AFPC/DPPRS, dated 24 Sep 03.
      Exhibit E. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 3 Oct 03.
      Exhibit F. Applicant’s Response, dated 29 Oct 03, w/atchs.




                                THOMAS S. MARKIEWICZ
                                Chair







AFBCMR BC-2003-02832
INDEX CODE:  110.00




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 on 29 April 1957, he was
discharged with service characterized as general (under honorable
conditions).






                             JOE G. LINEBERGER
                             Director
                             Air Force Review Boards Agency