RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2007-01619
            INDEX CODE:  131.01

            COUNSEL:  NONE
            HEARING DESIRED:  NO

MANDATORY CASE COMPLETION DATE:  21 November 2008

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

He receive supplemental  promotion  consideration  for  the  07E8  cycle  to
senior master sergeant (E-8), with the Air Force Commendation  Medal  (AFCM)
3rd Oak Leaf Cluster (3OLC) citation included in his  Senior  NCO  Selection
Folder.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

His AFCM (3OLC) was listed on his promotion brief but the citation  was  not
physically present in his Senior NCO Selection Folder when his  records  met
the 07E8 Central Evaluation Board.  He also states that  several  copies  of
the narrative citation were faxed to AFPC,  but  never  filed  in  his  SNCO
selection folder prior to the Board.

In  support  of  his  request,  applicant  provides  a  personal  statement,
Enlisted WAPS Score Notice, AFCM (3OLC) citation, SNCO Evaluation Brief  and
official records, 07E8 Promotion  Board  Discrepancy  List  e-mail  traffic;
certified   excerpt,   Letter   to   AFPC/DPPPWM   requesting   Supplemental
Consideration, AFPC/DPPPWM disapproval  letter,  and  additional  supporting
documentation including a letter from his commander indicating  his  support
for supplemental consideration.

The applicant's complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A.

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant is currently serving on active duty in  the  grade  of  master
sergeant (E-7), with an effective date and date of rank of 1 Jul 04.

Information extracted from applicant’s submission  reveals  he  was  awarded
the AFCM (3OLC) by Special Order G-0313, dated 30 Oct  06,  for  outstanding
achievement as Superintendent, Traffic Management Flight from 22 May  06  to
16 Sep 06.

The Senior NCO Evaluation Board for the 07E8 promotion cycle  convened  5-23
Feb  07  and  promotion  selections  were  completed  on  5 Mar   07.    The
applicant’s board score was 367.50, his  total  score  was  610.11  and  the
score required for selection in his Air  Force  Specialty  Code  (AFSC)  was
616.61.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

HQ  AFPC/DPPPWB  recommends  denial.   DPPPWB  states  a   review   of   the
applicant’s selection folder reflects that the AFCM (3OLC)  was  updated  on
the  SNCO  Evaluation  Brief  and  reviewed  by  the  evaluation  board   (a
decoration is not considered missing if the citation or order  is  filed  in
the folder, or if the decoration  was  listed  on  the  brief  used  by  the
board).  The evaluation board, which convened 5 Feb 07, reviewed his  record
and assigned  the  board  score  with  full  knowledge  of  the  decoration.
Consequently, no further consideration by  an  evaluation  board  is  either
appropriate or authorized.

The reasons for SNCO supplemental promotion board consideration  are  listed
in Table 2.5 of AFI 36-2502, Airman Promotion Program, 6 Aug 02.   Prior  to
determining   what   factors   would    warrant    supplemental    promotion
consideration, several evaluation board members were  queried  in  order  to
determine what they  felt  were  valid  reasons  to  authorize  supplemental
promotion  consideration.   Based  on  their  recommendations,  the  reasons
outlined in AFI    36-2502 were developed.

The policy outlined in Table 2.5 which states,  “supplemental  consideration
is not authorized if the citation or order was filed or  if  the  decoration
was  listed  on  the  brief  used  by  the  board,”  was  developed  through
consultation with  evaluation  board  members  who  determined  that  either
update of the decoration (as shown on the promotion  brief)  or  the  actual
citation filed in the SNCO selection folder was sufficient  for  a  thorough
evaluation  of  the  record.   Thus  it  was  determined  that  supplemental
consideration for later update or inclusion of  the  citation  in  the  SNCO
selection folder should not warrant supplemental promotion consideration.

The DPPPWB evaluation is at Exhibit B.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

Applicant responds  stating  AFI  36-2502,  Table  2.5,  Rule  4,  does  not
coincide with today’s deployment operations tempo.   The  rule,  based  upon
board member recommendations, was implemented well before the  beginning  of
the  Iraqi  war  and  does  not  support  the   present   day   warfighter’s
achievements.   Furthermore,  the  only   vehicle   available   to   capture
deployment specifics not identified in an EPR is  the  decoration  citation.
Without the benefit of the actual citation, it  was  not  possible  for  the
board members  to  evaluate  his  front  line  breadth  of  experience,  job
responsibility,  professional  competence   and   significant   achievements
captured in the citation.  The missing citation  includes  active  war  zone
leadership details and  also  addresses  his  redeployment  activities  with
multinational forces.  Distinct successes are absolute  key  elements  board
members utilize to equitably score records against peers;  however,  due  to
the outdated rule in Table 2.5, the 07E8 board  members  did  not  have  any
knowledge of his deployment or accomplishments.

Applicant's complete response is at 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 an error or injustice.  The applicant is requesting he  receive
supplemental  promotion  consideration  for  promotion   cycle   07E8   with
inclusion of the citation for the  AFCM  (3OLC)  in  his  selection  folder.
Notwithstanding the Air Force's policy that  supplemental  consideration  is
not authorized as long as a particular medal is annotated on  the  selection
brief, we believe an injustice exists in this case warranting  an  exception
to the policy.  In this respect, it is a well known fact that the Air  Force
holds each member responsible for ensuring  his/her  own  selection  records
being  considered  for  promotion  are   current   and   up-to-date.    Data
verification briefs are made available to enlisted members  120  days  prior
to the start of each promotion cycle.  In this  particular  case,  the  AFCM
(3OLC) was approved subsequent to the date  data  verification  briefs  were
made available and since he had not been officially  awarded  the  medal  he
was not aware of its existence.  Consequently, we believe he was  placed  at
a disadvantage and was denied  an  opportunity  to  ensure  his  record  was
correct prior to the convening of the  board.   According  to  the  evidence
presented, on 6 Dec 06, the Air Force Personnel Center sent notification  to
the applicant's unit indicating that the citation for the  AFCM  (3OLC)  was
missing from his selection folder.  The unit  responded  the  following  day
and faxed a copy of the citation for inclusion in his records.   Apparently,
for unknown reasons, the citation did not make it into his selection  folder
and he was considered and not selected for  promotion  with  the  incomplete
record.  In our opinion, the applicant makes a  compelling  argument  as  to
the significance of  the  information  contained  in  the  citation  and  we
believe whether or not this information is significant enough to  alter  his
selection  status  is  a  matter  which  should  be  placed  before  a  duly
constituted  supplemental  selection  board.   In  view  of  the  above,  we
recommend his records be corrected to the extent indicated below.
_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air  Force  relating
to APPLICANT, be corrected to show that  the  citation  for  the  Air  Force
Commendation Medal (AFCM), Third Oak Leaf Cluster (3OLC), for the period  22
May 2006 through 16 September 2006, was accepted for file in his Senior  NCO
Selection Folder on 7 December 2006.

It is further recommended that he  be  provided  supplemental  consideration
for promotion to the grade of senior master  sergeant  for  promotion  cycle
07E8 with the corrected record.

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.

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.

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number  BC-2007-
01619 in Executive Session on 1 August 2007, under the provisions of AFI 36-
2603:

      Ms. Kathleen F. Graham, Panel Chair
      Mr. Don H. Kendrick, Member
      Ms. Renee M. Collier, Member

All members voted to correct the records,  as  recommended.   The  following
documentary  evidence  pertaining  to  Docket   Number   BC-2007-01619   was
considered:

    Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 16 May 07, w/atchs.
    Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
    Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPPPWB, dated 31 May 07.
    Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 15 Jun 07.
    Exhibit E.  Letter, Applicant, dated 21 Jun 07.




                                   KATHLEEN F. GRAHAM
                                   Panel Chair