RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBERS:  BC-2003-03376
            INDEX CODE 107.00  131.01
            COUNSEL:  None

            HEARING DESIRED:  No

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

He be afforded consideration for promotion to the grade of  lieutenant
colonel (LTC) by Special Selection Board (SSB) for the  Calendar  Year
2003A (CY03A) LTC Central Selection Board with the Air Medal (AM)  for
the period 27 Apr to 4 Jun 00 in his records.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

Disagreement between the USAF and the US  Navy  (USN)  on  determining
awarding authority of the AM prevented its inclusion  in  his  officer
selection records (OSR) and its consideration by the promotion  board.
After reconciliation on awarding authority,  USCENTAF  took  over  one
year to approve the AM. This is a continual problem with USAF aircrews
assigned to joint-manned USN squadrons. He believes the AM would  have
been a significant factor in his selection.

Supporting statements from a squadron commander and a group operations
officer indicate the original  paperwork  for  the  AM  was  submitted
through the USN, eventually  rejected  and  forgotten.  They  add  its
delayed processing and omission from the applicant’s records adversely
impacted  his  promotion  opportunities.  The   applicant’s   complete
submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A.

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

From approximately 17 May 99 through 19  May  02,  the  applicant  was
assigned to Detachment 1, 366th Operations Group (DET  1  366  OG)  at
Whidbey Island Naval Air Station, WA. His raters and additional  rater
were Navy officers. Around 20 May 02, the applicant  was  assigned  to
the 7th Operations Support Squadron (7 OSS) at Dyess AFB, TX.

On 22 Apr 03, the DET 1 366 OG commander requested a  late  submission
for an AM  for  the  applicant  because  the  original  package  being
coordinated through the Navy chain of command in Jun 00  was  returned
without being processed. A recommendation for the AM for the period 27
Apr to 4 Jun 00 in support of Operations Northern/Southern  Watch  was
endorsed on 26 Apr 03.

The applicant was considered but not selected  for  promotion  by  the
CY03A LTC board, which convened 8 Jul 03. His Officer Selection  Brief
(OSB) reflected receipt of the  Meritorious  Service  Medal,  two  Air
Achievement Medals, two Air Force Commendation Medals, the  Air  Force
Achievement Medal, and the Navy Achievement Medal.

On 28 Aug 03, the AM was awarded to the applicant by Special Order  G-
3426.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

HQ  AFPC/DPPPO  does  not  support  the  applicant’s  contention  that
disagreements between the USAF and USN  on  determining  the  awarding
authority for the AM resulted in the award not being included  in  his
OSR. With a 28 Aug 03 order date, the citation  would  not  have  been
included in his OSR nor would  it  be  reflected  in  AFPC’s  official
personnel data systems (PDS) when the board convened.  The  award  did
not exist when the board convened on 8 Jul 03. Denial is recommended.

A complete copy of the evaluation is at Exhibit C.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

A complete copy of the Air  Force  evaluation  was  forwarded  to  the
applicant on 21 Nov 03 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 error or injustice to warrant granting the  applicant
SSB consideration with the AM in his records. Based on the  supporting
statements from the squadron commander and group  operations  officer,
the original paperwork for the AM was submitted through the USN, where
it was rejected, misplaced, and not processed.  By  the  time  it  was
resubmitted and awarded, the CY03A board  had  already  concluded.  We
cannot determine with certainty whether the award’s omission from  the
applicant’s   records   was   instrumental   in   his    nonselection.
Nevertheless, we are persuaded that its delayed  processing  may  have
prevented him from  receiving  full  and  fair  consideration  by  the
promotion board. Therefore, in order to offset any possibility  of  an
injustice, we recommend the award date be changed so that  it  may  be
eligible for consideration for the CY03A board and  the  applicant  be
afforded SSB consideration for that board.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:

The pertinent military records of the  Department  of  the  Air  Force
relating to APPLICANT, be corrected to show  the  Air  Medal  for  the
period 27 April 2000 to 4 June 2000 was awarded on 1 May 2003,  rather
than on 28 August 2003, was accepted to file on or before 1 July 2003,
and was reflected on the Officer Selection Brief for the Calendar Year
2003A (CY03A) Lieutenant Colonel Central Selection Board.

It is further recommended the corrected record, to include  the  above
referenced Air Medal, be considered for  promotion  to  the  grade  of
lieutenant  colonel  by  a  Special  Selection  Board  for  the  CY03A
Lieutenant Colonel Central Selection Board.

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the  Board  considered  this  application  in
Executive Session on 23 March 2004 under the  provisions  of  AFI  36-
2603:

                 Mr. Richard A. Peterson, Panel Chair
                 Ms. Jean A. Reynolds, Member
                 Ms. Cheryl V. Jacobson, Member

All members  voted  to  correct  the  records,  as  recommended.   The
following documentary evidence relating to AFBCMR  Docket  Number  BC-
2003-03376 was considered:

   Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 3 Mar 03 (received 8 Oct 03),
                   w/atchs.
   Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
   Exhibit C.  Letter, HQ AFPC/DPPPO, dated 7 Nov 03.
   Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 21 Nov 03.





                                   RICHARD A. PETERSON
                                   Panel Chair



AFBCMR BC-2003-03376




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 the Air Medal for the
period 27 April 2000 to 4 June 2000 was awarded on 1 May 2003, rather
than on 28 August 2003, was accepted to file on or before 1 July 2003,
and was reflected on the Officer Selection Brief for the Calendar Year
2003A (CY03A) Lieutenant Colonel Central Selection Board.

      It is further directed that the corrected record, to include the
above referenced Air Medal, be considered for promotion to the grade
of lieutenant colonel by a Special Selection Board for the CY03A
Lieutenant Colonel Central Selection Board





   JOE G. LINEBERGER

   Director

   Air Force Review Boards Agency