RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

 

IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBERS: BC-2010-03697 

COUNSEL: NONE 

 HEARING DESIRED: NO 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 

 

His DD Form 214, Armed Forces of the United States Report of 
Transfer or Discharge, be corrected to reflect award of: 

 

1. The Presidential Unit Citation (PUC). 

 

2. The Air Force Combat Action Medal (AFCAM). 

 

3. The Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat “V” Device 
(AFOUA w/V). (Administratively corrected – plus one Bronze Oak 
Leaf Cluster (OLC)) 

 

4. The Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm and two 
Bronze Service Stars (RVNGC w/P & 2BSS). (Partially 
administratively corrected) 

 

In addition, his record be corrected to reflect any other 
decorations, medals, commendations, citations, or campaign 
ribbons he is authorized. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 

 

He was informed by other military personnel that he is entitled 
to the requested awards based on his service in Phan Tang Air 
Base (AB), Republic of Vietnam. He is 64 years old now and these 
awards are very important to him to pass on to his children and 
grandchildren. 

 

In support of his appeal, the applicant provides a copy of an 
information sheet on the 35th Security Police Squadron (SPS). 

 

The applicant’s complete submission, with attachment, is at 
Exhibit A. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

STATEMENT OF FACTS: 

 

The applicant is a former member of the Regular Air Force, who 
served on active duty from 15 March 1966 to 19 December 1969 and 
was progressively promoted to the grade of staff sergeant (E-5) 
with a date of rank of 1 July 1969. He served 3 years, 9 months, 


and 5 days on active duty of which 11 months and 29 days was 
foreign service. 

 

On 8 December 2010, AFPC/DPSIDR notified the applicant that they 
were able to verify his entitlement to the AFOUA w/V & 1OLC, the 
Vietnam Service Medal with one Silver Service Star (VSM w/1SSS), 
and the RVNGC w/P for his service with the 35th SPS, Phan Rang 
AB, Vietnam, from 26 December 1967 to 19 December 1968, and that 
his record will be corrected to reflect these awards. 

 

In regard to the applicant’s request for two BSS for his RVNGC, 
DPSIDR indicates that only one emblem (with Palm) can be worn 
regardless of the number of times a unit was awarded the RVNGC. 
Therefore, they were unable to recommend approval for his request 
for two BSS for his RVNGC w/P. 

 

In addition, DPSIDR indicated the AFCAM was approved on 15 March 
2007 by the Secretary of the Air Force, to recognize any military 
member of the Air Force (Airman Basic thru Colonel) , who 
actively participated in either air or ground combat on or after 
11 September 2001. Since the applicant served on active duty 
prior to the introduction of the AFCAM, he is not entitled to 
this award. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

AFPC/DPSIDRA recommends denial of the applicant’s request for the 
PUC. DPSIDR states that after a thorough review of the 
applicant’s military service records and Air Force Pamphlet 900-
2, Unit Decorations, Awards and Campaign Participation Credits, 
they were unable to verify his entitlement for award of the PUC. 
The 35th SPS did receive the PUC for the timeframe of 10 October 
1966 to 10 April 1967, but it was prior to the applicant’s 
assignment. 

 

The complete DPSIDRA evaluation is at Exhibit C. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

He requests more investigation in regards to the PUC for the 
period 10 October 1966 to 10 April 1967. According to the 
information he has received, this PUC covers all bases except 
Phan Rang AB, South Vietnam, which was revised. The dates were 
10 October 1966 thru 31 July 1971. These facts are taken from 
the 35th SPS unit history. He was also awarded the PUC w/1 OLC, 
while stationed with the 6th Combat Defense Squadron, Walker Air 
Force Base, Roswell, New Mexico, in late 1966 or mid-1967. In 
addition, he feels there certainly must have been some sort of 
combat action medal on or before 15 March 2007 for veterans of 


World War I, World War II, and Vietnam. He feels his request for 
relief should be granted. 

 

The applicant’s complete response, with attachments, is at 
Exhibit E. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

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 an error or an injustice in regard 
to the applicant’s request for award of the PUC, AFCAM, and two 
Bronze Service Stars for his RVNGC. Based on the Air Force 
office of primary responsibility’s administrative correction of 
his record to reflect the AFOUA w/V & 1 OLC, and the RVNGC w/P, 
the PUC, AFCAM, and two Bronze Service Stars for his RVNGC are 
the only requests considered by this Board. In that regard, we 
took notice of the applicant's complete submission in judging the 
merits of this request; however, 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. The 
personal sacrifice the applicant endured for our country is 
noted; however, based on the evidence before us, we must 
recommend that the requested relief be denied. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

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-2010-03697 in Executive Session on 7 July 2011, under 
the provisions of AFI 36-2603: 

 

 , Panel Chair 

 , Member 

 , Member 

 


The following documentary evidence was considered in connection 
with AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2010-03697: 

 

 Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 4 Oct 10, w/atch. 

 Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records. 

 Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPSIDR, dated 8 Dec 10. 

 Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 25 Mar 11. 

 Exhibit E. Letter, Applicant, dated 30 Mar 11, w/atchs. 

 

 

 

 

Panel Chair