RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:                       DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2003-03148
                                       INDEX CODE:  131.03
      XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX                COUNSEL: NONE

      XXXXXXXXXXXXXX                    HEARING DESIRED:  NO

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

She be promoted to the rank of Master Sergeant (MSgt) (E-7) effective 1  May
2003.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

She was told to disenroll from the  Professional  Military  Education  (PME)
course, Non-Commissioned Officer Academy (NCOA), when she transferred  to  a
new unit of attachment.  After attempting to re-enroll in the course at  her
new unit, she was informed that because she chose to  disenroll,  she  would
have to wait one year before she could  repeat  the  course.   She  enrolled
again after waiting a year and was sent course materials.  After  completing
the course and passing the tests, she submitted her  package  for  promotion
to the Air Reserve Personnel Center (ARPC) to be  considered  for  promotion
to MSgt.  ARPC notified her that she  was  not  qualified  because  she  had
mistakenly been  enrolled  in  and  completed  the  Senior  Non-Commissioned
Officer Academy  (SNCOA)  course  instead  of  the  required  NCOA  and  was
referred to the ARPC Promotions Section.  The  Promotion  Section  told  her
that as long as she had completed a higher-level course (SNCOA) she did  not
have to go back to complete NCOA.  She was instructed to  write  a  note  to
the Promotion Board explaining the situation.  Later, when her name did  not
appear on the MSgt promotion list she contacted ARPC again and was told  she
was not selected because her Emergency Medical  Technician  (EMT)  card  had
expired.  She explained she had already submitted  paperwork  to  renew  her
EMT card, so ARPC told her if she could get the renewed card to ARPC  before
1 July 2002, she would be selected for promotion.  She took steps to  ensure
the EMT card was there prior to the deadline.  ARPC then informed  her  that
there was still a problem with her not taking  the  NCOA  course.   She  was
instructed to contact the Education and Training Office and was  told  again
that she could be promoted because she had taken the higher-level PME.   She
contacted ARPC after 4 July 2002 after discovering that  her  paperwork  was
not processed for promotion.  The Education and  Training  Office  told  her
that they had given her the wrong information and  that  she  could  not  be
promoted without the completion of NCOA.  She was told her only  option  was
to apply to the BCMR.

She has been given a lot of bad information concerning her  eligibility  for
promotion.  However, she is not totally blaming everyone else.   She  admits
she failed to notice that the course she completed was the SNCOA instead  of
NCOA.  Taking the course may have been her  mistake;  however,  passing  the
course was not.  She feels she is deserving of promotion to MSgt and  wishes
the BCMR to consider her case.

In support of her application,  she  provides  a  personal  statement.   The
applicant’s complete submission, with attachment, is at Exhibit A.

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant’s military personnel records were not provided.  The  Military
Personnel Database (MilPDS) indicates the applicant is currently serving  in
the rank of technical sergeant (TSgt)  (E-6)  with  a  date  of  rank  of  2
November 1996 and assigned to a MSgt (E-7) authorization  as  an  Individual
Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) Reservist.  MilPDS indicates the applicant  has
13 years of satisfactory federal military service as of 18 March 2003.   She
is serving as a medical services technician.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

ARPC/DPB recommends denial of the applicant’s request.  DPB states that  the
applicant was enrolled in the PME course, SNCOA, in error while  serving  as
a technical sergeant. AFI 36-2502,  Airman  Promotion  Program,  Table  4.2,
Rule 6, states the required level of PME for promotion  to  master  sergeant
is NCOA.  The applicant  has  not  completed  this  course.   The  confusion
concerning promotion with completion of  SNCOA  is  based  on  an  exception
listed in Table 4.2, Note 8, which states:   “Do  not  promote  an  enlisted
member to MSgt  unless  they  complete  NCOA.   EXCEPTION:   If  the  airman
satisfactorily  serves  in  a  higher  grade  and  completes  SNCOA   course
requirement.”  The applicant completed SNCOA; however, it  does  not  appear
that she ever served in a  grade  higher  than  technical  sergeant.   DPB’s
states that while it is commendable that  the  applicant  completed  a  more
senior PME course, she does not meet the  requirements  of  AFI  36-2502  by
completing the appropriate level of PME.  The DPB evaluation is  at  Exhibit
D.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

A copy of the Air Force Evaluation was  forwarded  to  the  applicant  on  3
October 2003, for review and comment within 30 days.  As of this date,  this
office has received no response.

_________________________________________________________________

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 an injustice warranting  corrective  action.   After  reviewing
the evidence  presented,  we  are  of  the  opinion  that  approval  of  the
requested relief is appropriate.  We note the  repeated  misinformation  the
applicant was given  concerning  her  eligibility  for  promotion  to  MSgt.
Through  no  fault  of  her  own,  the  applicant   was   sent   the   SNCOA
Correspondence Course instead of  the  NCOA  Correspondence  Course.   After
completing the course, she was  told  more  than  once  that  she  could  be
promoted because she had completed a higher-level PME.  Through good  faith,
she complied with other promotion requirements, when requested  of  her,  to
complete her eligibility.  In light of the above, we believe  the  applicant
has been the victim of an injustice and recommend that she  be  promoted  as
an exception to policy.  Therefore,  her  records  should  be  corrected  as
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; she  was  promoted  to  the  Reserve
grade of master sergeant, effective and with a date of rank of 1 May 2003.

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board considered this application in  Executive
Session on 20 November 2003, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

            Mr. Richard A. Peterson, Panel Chair
            Ms. Kathleen F. Graham, Member
            Mr. Albert Ellet, Member

All members voted to correct the records,  as  recommended.   The  following
documentary evidence for AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2003-03148 was considered:

     Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 15 Sep 03 w/atch.
     Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
     Exhibit C.  Letter, ARPC/DPB, dated 29 Sep 03.
     Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 3 Oct 03.




                                  RICHARD A. PETERSON
                                  Panel Chair


AFBCMR BC-2003-03148




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 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, be corrected to show that she was
promoted to the Reserve grade of master sergeant (E-7), effective and
with a date of rank of 1 May 2003.





  JOE G. LINEBERGER

  Director

  Air Force Review Boards Agency