RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

 

IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2009-01166 

 COUNSEL: NONE 

 HEARING DESIRED: NO 

 

___________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 

 

1. His DD Form 214, Certificate of Discharge or Release from Active 
Duty, be updated to reflect the survival school training course. 

 

2. He be awarded the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM). 

 

3. He be awarded the Armed Forces Reserve Medal (AFResM). 

 

___________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 

 

He flew as part of the flight crew with the 50th TAS into the 
Philippines in support of the war operations. He is not surprised 
that the government does not have any documentation to support the 
22 different countries they flew into; however, he has horrible 
memories from each mission’s experience. The mission duration that 
was flown into Saigon lasted minutes or hours as they only had time 
to load, get shot at and fly out as they avoided mortar rounds on 
the runway. He is trying to establish boots on the ground in 
Vietnam. He is also having a problem joining the Veterans of 
Foreign War (VFW); he was a member of an Illinois VFW in 1997. 

 

In support of his request, applicant provides a copy of NA Form 
13059, Transmittal of and/or Entitlement to Awards, a copy of 
AF Form 973, Request and Authorization for Change of Administrative 
Orders, and a personal statement. 

 

His complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A. 

 

___________________________________________________________________ 

 

STATEMENT OF FACTS: 

 

The applicant entered into the Regular Air Force on 28 Jun 73. He 
was progressively promoted to the grade of airman first class (E-
3), having assumed that grade effective and with a date of rank of 
28 Jun 74. He received an honorable discharge on 13 Apr 76 after 
serving on active duty for 2 years, 9 months, and 16 days. 

 

The applicant’s Airman Performance Report (APR) shows he 
participated in a variety of missions, including TDY to South 
America and the Philippines during the reporting period of 29 Jun 
74 thru 28 Jun 75. 


 

In Aug 94, AFMPC/DPMASA acknowledged the applicant as being 
entitled to the National Defense Service Medal. DPMASA also stated 
after further research into the applicant’s official personnel 
records, they were unable to substantiate his entitlement to any 
other medals. The applicant was not on active duty during the 
period for award of the medals requested. 

 

The VSM criterion: The VSM was created by Executive Order 11213, 
8 Jul 65. It is awarded to all service members of the Armed Forces 
who between 4 Jul 65 and 28 Mar 73, served in the following areas 
of Southeast Asia: In Vietnam and contiguous waters and airspace; 
in Thailand, Laos or Cambodia or the airspace thereof and in the 
direct support of military operations in Vietnam. 

 

The AFResM criterion: The AFResM is awarded to any service member 
or former service member of the Reserve components of the U.S. 
Armed Forces who completes or has completed a total of 10 years of 
honorable and satisfactory military service in one or more Reserve 
components of the Armed Forces. 

 

___________________________________________________________________ 

 

AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

AFPC/DPAPP recommends denial of any Vietnam service awards. DPAPP 
states they were unable to prove the applicant had boots on the 
ground in Vietnam. According to the governing AFI, “the applicant 
has the burden of providing sufficient evidence of probable 
material error or injustice.” Based on the lack of evidence, DPAPP 
cannot support his request. 

 

The DPAPP complete evaluation is at Exhibit C. 

 

AFPC/DPSIDR recommends denial of the Vietnam service awards and the 
AFResM. DPSIDR states they were unable to verify the applicant’s 
time in Vietnam. DPSIDR also states they cannot support his 
request for award of the AFResM because he did not serve the 
minimum time necessary to qualify for this award. 

 

The DPSIDR complete evaluation is at Exhibit D. 

 

AFPC/DPSIT recommends denying documenting basic survival training 
school attendance as a part of his training on his DD Form 214. 
DPSIT states they requested additional documentation from the 
applicant to prove he attended and completed this course; however, 
he could not provide such evidence. 

 

The DPSIT complete evaluation is at Exhibit E. 

 

___________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 


A copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to the applicant 
on 20 Nov 09 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 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 with regard to the 
applicant’s requests for award of the VSM and AFResM. The 
applicant has not provided any documentary evidence to 
substantiate his claim that he is entitled to the VSM or AFResM. 
Therefore, we agree with the opinions and recommendations of 
AFPC/DPAPP and AFPC/DPSIDR, and adopt their rationale as the basis 
for our conclusion the applicant has not been the victim of an 
error or injustice. With respect to the applicant’s request that 
he be credited with completing the USAF Survival School (SERE); 
based on the applicant’s assertion and the fact that the SERE 
course is mandatory for all aircrew members, we have no reason to 
doubt his entitlement. Consequently, we believe the benefit of 
the doubt should be made in his favor. Therefore, we recommend 
his records be corrected as 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 effective 
13 April 1976 his DD Form 214, Certifcate of Discharge or Release 
from Active Duty, reflected he completed the S-V80-A Survival, 
Escape, Resistance and Evasion Course. 

 

___________________________________________________________________ 

 

The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number 
BC-2009-01166 in Executive Session on 7 Jan 10, under the 
provisions of AFI 36-2603: 

 

, Panel Chair 

, Member 

, Member 

The following documentary evidence for Docket Number BC-2009-01166 
was considered: 

 

 Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 19 Mar 09, w/atchs. 

 Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records. 


 Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPAPP, dated 11 Sep 09. 

 Exhibit D. Letter, AFPC/DPSIDR, dated 22 Sep 09. 

 Exhibit E. AFPC/DPSIT, dated 19 Nov 09. 

 Exhibit F. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 20 Nov 09. 

 

 

 

 

 

 Panel Chair