RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2008-00772
            INDEX CODE:  107.00
            COUNSEL:  NONE
            HEARING DESIRED:  NO

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

He be awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with one  Bronze  Service
Star (AFEM w/1BSS), the Air Force Enlisted Aircrew Badge, and the Air  Force
Aircraft Maintenance Occupational Badge.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

His service records do not reflect the requested awards.

In support of his request, the applicant provided a personal  statement  and
documents extracted from his military personnel records.

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

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant was honorably discharged from the Air Force on  18 April  1963
in the grade of technical sergeant.  He served as  an  Aircraft  Maintenance
Technician.

The applicant was  issued  a  DD  Form  215,  Correction  to  DD  Form  214,
Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty,  reflecting  award  of
the Korean Defense Service  Medal  (KDSM)  and  the  USAF  Enlisted  Aircrew
Member Badge.

The AFEM is awarded to members of the service who, after 1 July  1958,  have
participated in United States military operations  and  encountered  foreign
armed opposition, or were in danger  of  hostile  action  by  foreign  Armed
Forces.

_________________________________________________________________




AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPSIDR recommends denial of his request for the  AFEM  w/1BSS.   DPSIDR
states they verified  the  applicant’s  entitlement  to  the  KDSM  for  his
assignment in Korea after 1954.  His military record will be updated.

DPSIDR was unable to  verify  the  applicant’s  unit  of  assignment  having
participated in a United States military operation and  encountered  foreign
armed opposition, or were in danger  of  hostile  action  by  foreign  Armed
Forces.  The applicant’s military record does not reflect any  participation
in any such military operation; therefore, DPSIDR was unable to  verify  his
entitlement to the AFEM w/1BSS.

The complete DPSIDR evaluation is at Exhibit C.

AFPC/DPSIMC recommends denial of his request for  the  Aircraft  Maintenance
Badge.  DPSIMC states the applicant was an Aircraft  Maintenance  Technician
awarded the 7 skill level prior to  separating  from  the  Air  Force.   The
Aircraft and Munitions Maintenance Badge currently  titled  the  Maintenance
Badge was not approved until 1986.  Based on this  fact,  the  applicant  is
not eligible for award of the Aircraft Maintenance Badge.

The complete DPSIMC evaluation is at Exhibit D.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

On 23 June 2008, the evaluation was forwarded to the  applicant  for  review
and comment within 30 days (Exhibit E).  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 not timely filed; however, it is in the interest  of
justice to excuse the failure to timely file.

3.  Sufficient relevant evidence  has  been  presented  to  demonstrate  the
existence of an error or an  injustice  warranting  some  relief.   After  a
thorough review of the applicant's submission and the available evidence  of
record, we are persuaded  that  he  should  be  awarded  the  AFEM  for  his
participation in support of the Cuban Crisis in 1962.  We note the  evidence
of record reflects that he served as  an  aircraft  maintenance  technician,
and he was assigned as  a  flight  chief  to  types  of  aircraft  that  are
believed to have performed missions in support  of  the  Cuban  Crisis.   In
view of the above, and  to  offset  the  possibility  of  an  injustice,  we
recommend that his records be corrected to the extent indicated below.

4.  Notwithstanding the above, after reviewing the  evidence  of  record  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 with respect to his request for award of the  Air  Force  Aircraft
Maintenance Occupational Badge.  In regard to the  applicant's  request  for
the AFEM for his service  in  Quemoy  and  Matsu  Islands,  the  applicant's
records reflect that he was in Korea from 7 July 1956 to 17  June  1957,  we
note that the AFEM was approved for operations between 23  August  1958  and
1 June 1963.  Therefore, the applicant is not entitled to the AFEM  for  his
service in Quemoy and the Matsu  Islands.   Other  than  the  administrative
corrections awarding the USAF Enlisted Aircrew Member Badge and the KDSM  we
find no  compelling  basis  to  recommend  granting  the  additional  relief
sought.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT:

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air  Force  relating
to APPLICANT be corrected to show that  he  was  awarded  the  Armed  Forces
Expeditionary Medal for his participating during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number  BC-2008-
00772 in Executive Session on 16 September 2008,  under  the  provisions  of
AFI 36-2603:

                 Mr. Joseph D. Yount, Panel Chair
                 Mr. Grover L. Dunn, Member
                 Mr. Richard K. Hartley, Member

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

   Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 18 February 2008, w/atchs.
   Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Record.
   Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPSIDR, dated 11 April 2008.
   Exhibit D.  Letter, AFPC/DPSIMC, dated 28 May 2008.
   Exhibit E.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 23 June 2008.




                 JOSEPH D. YOUNT
                 Panel Chair



AFBCMR BC-2008-00772




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 XXX, be corrected to show that he was awarded the Armed Forces
Expeditionary Medal for his participating during the Cuban Missile Crisis.





      JOE G. LINEBERGER
      Director
      Air Force Review Boards Agency