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AF | BCMR | CY2005 | BC-2004-01097
Original file (BC-2004-01097.DOC) Auto-classification: Denied

                            RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2004-01097
            INDEX CODE:  108.07
            COUNSEL:  NONE
            HEARING DESIRED:  NO

Mandatory Case Completion Date:  8 Oct 05

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His service-connected medical condition, heart  condition,  be  assessed  as
combat related in  order  to  qualify  for  compensation  under  the  Combat
Related Special Compensation (CRSC) Act.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

His position at the impact area of the  bombing  range  was  simulating  war
conditions.  During the eight years at this billet  he  was  concerned  that
near misses would be hazardous and contributed to the stress that  initiated
his heart condition.

In support of his request, applicant provided documentation associated  with
his CRSC application and documents extracted from his medical records.   His
complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A.

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

Applicant served various assignments in the Army National Guard,  on  active
duty and in the Air National Guard.  He was progressively  promoted  to  the
grade of master sergeant, having assumed that grade  effective  and  with  a
date of rank of 6 Oct 77.

An MEB was convened on 18 Mar 86  and  referred  his  case  to  an  Informal
Physical Evaluation  Board  (IPEB)  with  a  diagnosis  of  coronary  artery
disease.  On 30 Apr  86,the  IPEB  found  him  unfit  for  further  military
service and recommended he be placed on  the  Temporary  Disability  Retired
List (TDRL) with a combined compensable rating of 30%.   He  was  placed  on
the TDRL on 15 Jul 86.  On 30 Sep 89, he  was  removed  from  the  TDRL  and
retired in the grade of master sergeant with a compensable  rating  of  30%.
He served 12 years, 2 months, and 7 days on active  duty  and  completed  31
years and 6 months of service for basic pay.

Current Department of Veterans Affairs  (DVA)  records  reflect  a  combined
compensable rating of 100% for his unfitting conditions.

His CRSC application was disapproved on 24 Feb 04 based upon the  fact  that
his service-connected medical condition was determined  not  to  be  combat-
related.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPPD recommends denial.  DPPD states his service medical  records  show
that his heart condition is not combat related.  Although stress  can  be  a
contributing factor, heart disease cannot  be  approved  as  combat  related
based on stress alone, as it is  difficult  to  objectively  determine  this
factor as the definitive cause of the condition rather than routine  causes.
 For heart condition to qualify for CRSC, it  must  be  secondary  to  Agent
Orange contracted diabetes or presumptive to POW internment  and  so  stated
in the DVA rating decision.

The DPPD evaluation is at Exhibit C.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

A copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to the applicant on 25  Jun
04 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.  Insufficient relevant evidence has been  presented  to  demonstrate  the
existence of error or injustice.  After a thorough review of  the  available
evidence of record, it is our opinion  that  the  service-connected  medical
condition the applicant believes is combat-related was not incurred  as  the
direct result of armed conflict, while engaged in hazardous service, in  the
performance  of  duty  under  conditions  simulating  war,  or  through   an
instrumentality of war, and therefore, does  not  qualify  for  compensation
under the CRSC Act.  We agree with the opinion  and  recommendation  of  the
Air Force office of primary responsibility and adopt its  rationale  as  the
basis for our conclusion that the applicant has not been the  victim  of  an
error or injustice.  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 AFBCMR Docket Number  BC-2004-
01097 in Executive Session on 6 Apr 05, under  the  provisions  of  AFI  36-
2603:

      Mr. Thomas S. Markiewicz, Chair
      Mr. James W. Russell III, Member
      Mr. Christopher Carey, Member

The following documentary evidence was considered:

    Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 30 Mar 04, w/atchs.
    Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
    Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPPD, dated 17 Jun 04.
    Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 25 Jun 04.




                                   THOMAS S. MARKIEWICZ
                                   Chair

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