RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:                       DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2003-03009
                                       INDEX CODE:  107.00
      XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX             COUNSEL: NO

      XXXXXXXXXXXXX                     HEARING DESIRED:  NO

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His records be corrected to reflect medals he deserves.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

He was not awarded medals he deserves due to  his  supervisor’s  negligence.
He was recommended for the  Joint  Service  Commendation  Medal,  Air  Force
Meritorious Service Medal, and Air  Force  Achievement  Medal;  however,  he
never received them.

In support of  his  application,  the  applicant  has  provided  a  personal
statement;  copies  of  training  certificates;  letters  of   appreciation;
performance reports; letters and certificates of  recognition,  achievement,
and recommendation; and miscellaneous other  military  personnel  documents.
His complete submission with attachments is at Exhibit A.

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

On 31 March 1981, the applicant enlisted in the Regular  Air  Force  at  the
age of 24 in the grade of airman basic (E-1) for a period of six years.   He
was progressively promoted to the rank of  staff  sergeant  (E-5)  effective
and with a date of rank of 1 November 1984.   The  applicant  was  honorably
discharged on 1 April 1987 under  the  Early  Separation  Program  (Strength
Reduction).  He was credited with six years and  one  day  of  active  duty.
His DD Form 214, Certificate of  Release  or  Discharge  From  Active  Duty,
identified his decorations as the Air Force Training Ribbon, Air Force  Good
Conduct Medal with one bronze  oak  leaf  cluster,  Noncommissioned  Officer
Professional Military  Education  Ribbon,  Small  Arms  Expert  Marksmanship
Ribbon with bronze service star, Air Force Commendation  Medal  (AFCM),  Air
Force Overseas Service Long Tour Ribbon, Air Force Outstanding  Unit  Award,
and the Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon.

On 17 April 1987, the applicant enlisted in the  Connecticut  Air  National
Guard (CTANG) and as Reserve of the Air Force in the rank of staff sergeant
(E-5) for a period of three years.  He was progressively  promoted  to  the
rank of master sergeant effective and with a date of rank of 15 April 1993.
 The applicant was honorably discharged from the CTANG effective 1  October
1997, because of his resignation request, and from the  United  States  Air
Force Reserve on 16 April 1999.  While in  the  CTANG,  the  applicant  was
awarded one oak leaf cluster to his AFCM.  As of the period ending 16 April
1997, he was credited with a total of 15 years and 1  day  of  satisfactory
Federal service.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPPPR recommends disapproval.  DPPPR states that  while  the  applicant
was on active duty, he received an  AFCM  for  rendering  assistance  to  an
accident victim on 25 November 1982, while assigned  to  Edwards  Air  Force
Base (AFB),  CA.   He  did  not  receive  an  end-of-tour  decoration.   The
applicant stated his supervisor told him he  was  being  submitted  for  the
award of the Air Force  Meritorious  Service  Medal;  however,  he  did  not
provide any documentation to substantiate this claim.   The  applicant  also
stated he saw paperwork recommending him for the Joint  Meritorious  Service
Medal prior to his departure from  Germany,  but  he  did  not  provide  any
documentation to show that a decoration was placed  into  official  channels
(signed by the  recommending  official  and  endorsed  by  the  next  higher
official in the chain of command).  The applicant stated that  he  was  told
he was not going to receive a decoration for his tour at Holloman  AFB,  NM,
because he  had  not  been  there  long  enough  to  receive  a  decoration.
Decorations are not automatically awarded at the end of a tour;  it  is  the
supervisor’s  decision  as  to  whether  or  not  an  individual   will   be
recommended for a decoration at  any  time.   Individuals  cannot  recommend
themselves  for  a  decoration.   Without  any  official  documentation   or
statements from individuals in his  chain  of  command,  we  are  unable  to
verify the applicant’s eligibility  for  any  additional  decorations.   The
DPPPR evaluation is at Exhibit C.

ANG/DPPI recommends denial.  DPPI states that after  a  thorough  review  of
the applicant’s records, there was no documentation to indicate that he  had
been awarded the Air Force  Meritorious  Service  Medal  or  the  Air  Force
Achievement Medal.   DPPI  was  able  to  confirm  that  the  applicant  was
recommended for awards; however, higher CTANG authority never  approved  the
awards.  The DPPI 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  19
December 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 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.  After a thorough review of  the  available
records, we found no evidence that the individual is eligible for the  award
of the Joint Service  Commendation  Medal,  Air  Force  Meritorious  Service
Medal, the Air Force Achievement Medal, or any other award  that  he  claims
he did not receive.  We note the award citations the applicant submitted  as
evidence; however, there is no indication in his records that  these  awards
were ever signed by the  recommending  official  or  endorsed  by  the  next
higher official in his chain of command.  In regard  to  the  Joint  Service
Commendation Medal, we note that the Board  lacks  authority  to  award  him
this medal since it is a Department of Defense  award.   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 this application in  Executive
Session on 11 March 2004, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

      Mr. Michael K. Gallogly, Panel Chair
      Mr. Joseph D. Yount, Member
      Ms. Renee M. Collier, Member

The following documentary evidence was considered in connection with  AFBCMR
Docket Number BC-2003-03009:

      Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 29 Aug 03, with attachments.
      Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
      Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/ DPPPR, dated 10 Dec 03.
      Exhibit D.  Letter, ANG/DPP1, dated 4 Nov 03.
      Exhibit E.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 19 Dec 03.




                                                   MICHAEL K. GALLOGLY
                                                   Panel Chair