RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2004-01028
                       INDEX CODE:  131.00
                       COUNSEL:  None

                       HEARING DESIRED:  No

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

Special Order G-065 dated 17 February 2004, awarding him the Air Force
Commendation Medal (AFCM) be corrected to  reflect  the  date  of  the
original Recommendation for Decoration Printout (DÉCOR 6) requested in
October 2002.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

His supervisor requested a  DÉCOR  6  and  prepared  and  submitted  a
decoration based on it in October  2002.   The  applicant’s  unit  was
undergoing a reorganization  and  the  decoration  package  was  lost.
After more than year of searching his supervisor requested a new DÉCOR
6 and resubmitted the package.  The delay  cost  him  a  promotion  to
master sergeant (MSgt) in the 2003 cycle (he missed promotion by  1.67
points).  He believes he should not be penalized for the errors of the
orderly room.

Applicant's complete submission,  with  attachments,  is  attached  at
Exhibit A.

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant is currently serving in the Regular  Air  Force  in  the
grade of technical sergeant.

Promotion selections  for  the  fiscal  year  (FY)  2003  (03)  master
sergeant (E7) cycle were made on 17 June 2003 with a public release on
23 June  2003.   The  total  weighted  promotion  score  required  for
selection in the applicant’s  Air  Force  Specialty  Code  (AFSC)  was
320.33.  The applicant’s total weighted promotion was 318.66.

On 26 November 2003, a Recommendation for  Decoration  Printout  (RDP)
was prepared on the applicant for the purpose of
recommending him for a Air Force Commendation Medal  (AFCM)  with  one
Oak Leaf Cluster (1 OLC).

Per Special Order G-065, dated 17 February  2004,  the  applicant  was
awarded the AFCM/1 OLC for the period  22  June  1998  through  1 July
2002.  Special Order G-126 dated 18 May 2004, amended Special Order G-
065 to read 980622-020617 and 8.  The AFAM/1 OLC is worth three points
in the computation of a servicemember’s total promotion score.

The decoration was not considered in the promotion process  for  cycle
03E7.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR STAFF EVALUATION:

HQ AFPC/DPPPR indicates upon reviewing the facts and circumstances  of
the applicant’s request and records, there was no documentation  found
to verify the applicant’s supervisor initially requested DÉCOR 6  with
the order date of October 2002.

HQ AFPC/DPPPWB states that before  a  decoration  is  credited  for  a
specific promotion cycle, the closeout date of the decoration must  be
on or before the promotion eligibility cutoff date (PECD).   The  date
of the DÉCOR-6 Recommendation for Decoration Printout  (RDP)  must  be
before the date of selections for the cycle in question.  The PECD  is
established for each promotion cycle  to  determine  which  Air  Force
Specialty Code (AFSC) or Chief Enlisted Manager (CEM) code the  member
will be considered for, as  well  as  which  performance  reports  and
decorations are to be used in the promotion consideration process.   A
decoration must be verified and documented that  it  was  placed  into
official channels prior to the selection date.

Furthermore, the special order awarding the applicant’s AFCM does  not
meet the criteria for promotion credit during the 03E7  cycle  because
the request for decoration printout (RDP) date was 26 November  2003--
after selections were  made  on  17 June  2003.   Policy  specifically
precludes personnel from subsequently  (after  promotions  selections)
submitting someone for a  decoration  with  a  retroactive  decoration
effective date (closeout) so as to put them over the selection  cutoff
score.  Exceptions to this policy are only considered when the  airman
can support a previous submission  with  documentation  or  statements
including conclusive evidence that the recommendation  was  officially
placed into military channels within the  prescribed  time  limit  and
conclusive evidence the recommendation was not acted upon through loss
or inadvertence.  In accordance with AFI 36-2803, paragraph
3.1, a decoration is considered to  have  been  placed  into  official
channels  when  the  decoration  recommendation  is  signed   by   the
initiating official and indorsed by a higher official in the chain  of
command.  Again, decorations that  are  resubmitted  (because  initial
decoration was downgraded, lost, etc.) must be  placed  into  official
channels  prior  to  the  promotion  selection  date.   There  is   no
indication his package was reaccomplished  and  placed  into  official
channels until 26 November 2003, which was after  the  promotions  for
the 03E7 cycle were announced and he became aware he missed  promotion
by less than two points.  Although the applicant believes his RDP date
should be changed to an earlier date,  this  change  would  still  not
entitle him to supplemental promotion consideration for the 03E7 cycle
as the change would be done after the fact--after the  date  promotion
selections were accomplished.

After  an  extensive  review  of  the  circumstances  of  this   case,
AFPC/DPPPW states there is no conclusive evidence that the applicant’s
decoration was  placed  into  official  channels  prior  to  the  date
promotions were announced for cycle 03E7.  While AFPC/DPPW is aware of
the impact this recommendation has had on the applicant’s career,  the
fact  remains  the  lost  decoration  was  not  resubmitted  prior  to
selections for this cycle  were  made.  Furthermore,  to  approve  the
applicant’s request would not be fair or equitable to  others  in  the
same situation that missed promotion selection by a narrow margin  and
are not entitled to have an “after the fact” decoration count  in  the
promotion process.  Based on the  rationale  provided  they  recommend
denying the requested relief.

A complete copy of the Air Force evaluation is attached at Exhibit B.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR STAFF EVALUATION:

The applicant reviewed the Air Force evaluations and states  he  tried
every avenue to ensure his promotion package was completed in time for
it to be counted for the 03E7 promotion cycle.  Furthermore, they were
informed it was inappropriate to request a DÉCOR 6 before the original
was determined to be lost.  This is why  his  medal  package  was  not
resubmitted prior to the PECD (Exhibit D).

_________________________________________________________________

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.    After   reviewing   the
documentation provided, we are convinced the  AFCM  should  have  been
considered in the selection process for cycle  03E7  promotion  cycle.
It appears the DÉCOR 6  for  the  Air  Force  Commendation  Medal  the
applicant’s rater prepared in October 2002 was inadvertently lost  due
to the reorganization of the unit.  Apparently during the time  period
in question, the computer system used to  generate  the  DÉCOR  6  was
experiencing  some  problems  and  there  was  no  way  to  track  the
processing of the award  during  the  reorganization.   After  several
attempts of trying to  track  his  award,  the  applicant’s  commander
resubmitted another DÉCOR 6 for the AFCM.  The applicant has  provided
statements from his commander and the administrative  clerk  attesting
to the fact the DÉCOR 6 was lost and the unsuccessful attempts of  the
applicant and his unit in trying to locate the award package.  In  the
opinion of the Board, the applicant exhibited due diligence to  ensure
his promotion record was complete before being considered  during  the
promotion cycle.  In view of the foregoing, we believe  the  applicant
suffered an injustice as a result of the award package being lost  and
which prevented the AFCM from being factored into his score during the
promotion cycle.  Therefore, the Board  recommends  the  applicant  be
afforded supplemental promotion consideration by cycle 03E7.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:

The pertinent military records of the  Department  of  the  Air  Force
relating to APPLICANT, be corrected to show  that  the  Recommendation
for Decoration  Printout  (DÉCOR  6),  for  award  of  the  Air  Force
Commendation Medal (AFCM), First Oak Leaf Cluster (1OLC), covering the
period 22 June 1998 to 17 June 2002, was signed by the commander on  6
October 2002, rather than 31 December 2003.

It is further recommended he be  provided  supplemental  consideration
for promotion to the grade of  master  sergeant  for  all  appropriate
cycles beginning with cycle 03E7 with inclusion of the AFCM,  1OLC  in
his record.

If  AFPC  discovers  any  adverse  factors  during  or  subsequent  to
supplemental consideration that are separate and apart, and  unrelated
to the issues involved in this application, that would  have  rendered
the applicant ineligible for the promotion, such
information will be documented and presented to the board for a  final
determination on the individual's qualification for the promotion.

If supplemental promotion consideration results in the  selection  for
promotion to the higher grade, immediately after  such  promotion  the
records shall be corrected to show that applicant was promoted to  the
higher grade on the date  of  rank  established  by  the  supplemental
promotion and that applicant is entitled to all pay,  allowances,  and
benefits of such grade as of that date.

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number BC-
2004-01028 in  Executive  Session  on  18  November  2004,  under  the
provisions of AFI 36-2603:

                 Mr. Richard A. Peterson, Panel Chair
                 Ms. Dorothy P. Loeb, Member
                 Ms. Jan Mulligan, Member

All members  voted  to  correct  the  records,  as  recommended.   The
following documentary evidence was considered:

      Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 13 Jul 04, w/atchs.
      Exhibit B. Letter, HQ AFPC/DPPPR&DPPPW, dated 3 Sep 04.
      Exhibit C. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 24 Sep 04.
      Exhibit D. Letter, Applicant, undated, w/atch.




                             RICHARD A. PETERSON
                             Panel Chair






AFBCMR BC-2004-01028



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   the
Recommendation for Decoration Printout (DÉCOR 6), for award of the Air
Force Commendation  Medal  (AFCM),  First  Oak  Leaf  Cluster  (1OLC),
covering the period 22 June 1998 to 17 June 2002, was  signed  by  the
commander on 6 October 2002, rather than 31 December 2003.

      It is further directed he be provided supplemental consideration
for promotion to the grade of  master  sergeant  for  all  appropriate
cycles beginning with cycle 03E7 with inclusion of the AFCM,  1OLC  in
his record.

      If AFPC discovers any adverse factors during  or  subsequent  to
supplemental consideration that are separate and apart, and  unrelated
to the issues involved in this application, that would  have  rendered
the applicant ineligible for the promotion, such information  will  be
documented and presented to the board for a final determination on the
individual's qualification for the promotion.

      If supplemental promotion consideration results in the selection
for promotion to the higher grade, immediately  after  such  promotion
the records shall be corrected to show that applicant was promoted  to
the higher grade on the date of rank established by  the  supplemental
promotion and that applicant is entitled to all pay,  allowances,  and
benefits of such grade as of that date.






                             JOE G. LINEBERGER
                             Director
                             Air Force Review Boards Agency