RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS
IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2006-02907
INDEX CODE: 107.00
COUNSEL: NONE
HEARING DESIRED: NO
MANDATORY CASE COMPLETION DATE: 27 March 2008
_________________________________________________________________
APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:
He be awarded the Airman’s Medal (AmnM) and the Purple Heart (PH).
_________________________________________________________________
APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:
He was awarded the Airman’s Medal for Heroism and the Purple Heart for
injuries, therefore, they should be added to his DD Form 214.
In support of the appeal, applicant submits a copy of his DD Form 214
and a copy of a newspaper article.
Applicant's complete submission, with attachment, is at Exhibit A.
_________________________________________________________________
STATEMENT OF FACTS:
Applicant is a former enlisted member of the Regular Air Force who
served on active duty from 12 Apr 67 to 9 Apr 71. He was assigned to
Phan Rang AFB, Vietnam.
The PH is awarded for wounds received as a direct result of enemy
actions (i.e., gunshot or shrapnel wounds, hand-to-hand combat wounds,
forced aircraft bail out injuries, etc.). In addition, it is
necessary that the wound have required or received treatment by
medical personnel. Indirect injuries do not meet the criteria for
award of the PH.
_________________________________________________________________
AIR FORCE EVALUATION:
AFPC/DPPPR recommends the applicant’s request for award of the PH be
denied and states, in part, to be awarded the PH, a member must
provide a detailed personal account, certified eyewitness statements,
and medical documentation to show the wound received treatment by
medical personnel and occurred as a direct result of enemy action.
Applicant has not provided a detailed account of the incident, the
date of the injury, nor a witness statement to help validate his
claim. Furthermore, there is no official military documentation that
states he was injured by enemy action.
A complete copy of the evaluation is at Exhibit C.
On 6 Oct 06, applicant was informed that his case has been partially
resolved administratively. DPPPR verified his entitlement to the
Airman’s Medal from Special Order G-902. A DD Form 215, Correction to
DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, has
been provided to show that the Airman’s Medal has been
administratively added to the applicant’s DD Form 214. He was further
informed that they were unable to verify his entitlement to the PH.
A copy the letter and DD Form 215 are at Exhibit D.
_________________________________________________________________
APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:
Applicant provided a statement dated 25 Sep 06, explaining the
accident that occurred the night in Oct 68.
Applicant's complete response, with attachments, is attached at
Exhibit F.
_________________________________________________________________
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 to warrant awarding the PH. The
office of primary responsibility has determined the applicant’s
eligibility for the Airman’s Medal (AmnM), and has administratively
corrected his records accordingly. As such, the only issue before
this Board is his request for the PH. In order to be eligible for the
PH, a member must have been wounded as a direct result of enemy
action, and the wound required treatment by medical personnel. While
the applicant contends he was awarded for injuries, he has not
provided a detailed account of the incident, the date of the injury,
nor a witness statement to help validate his claim. Furthermore,
there is no official military documentation that states he was injured
by enemy action. The personal sacrifice he endured for his country is
duly noted and our decision in no way diminishes the high regard we
have for his service; however, in the absence of evidence that he was
injured as a direct result of enemy action, we find no basis upon
which to recommend that he be awarded the PH.
_________________________________________________________________
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-
2006-02907 in Executive Session on 30 November 2006, under the
provisions of AFI 36-2603:
Mr. Wayne R. Gracie, Panel Chair
Ms. LeLoy W. Cottrell, Member
Mr. Alan A. Blomgren, Member
The following documentary evidence was considered:
Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 6 Sep 06, w/atchs.
Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPPPR, dated 6 Oct 06.
Exhibit D. Letter, AFPC/DPPPR, dated 6 Oct 06.
Exhibit E. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 20 Oct 06.
Exhibit F. Applicant’s Letter, dated 25 Sep 06.
WAYNE R. GRACIE
Panel Chair
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