RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

 

 

IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2011-02637 

 COUNSEL: NONE 

 HEARING DESIRED: NO 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 

 

1. He be entitled to the Air Medal (AM). 

 

2. He be entitled to the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC). (Administratively Corrected) 

 

3. He be entitled to the Air Force Combat Action Medal (AFCAM). (Ineligible per AFPC/DPSIDRA letter, dated 28 Dec 2011) 

 

4. He be entitled to the Combat Readiness Medal (CRM). 

 

5. He be entitled to the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal 
(AFEM). 

 

6. He be entitled to the Air Force Expeditionary Service Award 
(AFESR). (Ineligible per AFPC/DPSIDRA letter, dated 28 Dec 
2011) 

 

7. He be entitled to the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross 
with Palm (RVNGC w/P. (Administratively Corrected) 

 

8. He be entitled to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
(NATO) Medal. (Ineligible per AFPC/DPSIDRA letter, dated 28 Dec 
2011) 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 

 

He was assigned to the 483rd Tactical Airlift Wing, 20th Special 
Operations Squadron (AFSOC) "Green Hornets,” Cam Ranh Bay, AB, 
Vietnam, from 22 Sep 1970 through 16 Apr 1976. 

 

He was a crew member on the UH-1 Helicopter and was trained in 
special combat operations. 

 

In support of his request the applicant provides a copy of his 
DD Form 214, Report of Separation from Active Duty, numerous Air 
Force Historical Research Agency Fact Sheets, and various 
documents in support of his application. 

 

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

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

STATEMENT OF FACTS: 

 

The applicant served on Active Duty from 22 Sep 1970 to 16 Apr 
1974, and is credited with 3 months and 12 days of Foreign 
Service. 

 

According to the Directorate of Assignments memorandum dated 
13 Dec 2011, DPAPP verified the applicant's entire Foreign 
Service was spent in Vietnam from 26 Feb 1972 to 21 Apr 1972. 

 

In a letter to the applicant dated 28 Dec 2011, AFPC/DPSIDRA 
advised the applicant he was not eligible for the AFCAM, AFESR, 
and NATO Medal. 

 

The AM is awarded to any person who, while serving in any 
capacity with the Armed Forces of the United States, subsequent 
to 8 Sep 1939, distinguishes himself or herself by heroic or 
meritorious achievement while participating in an aerial flight. 

 

Under the Fiscal Year 1996 National Defense Authorization Act 
(NDAA), Section 526, which was enacted into law on 10 Feb 1996, 
the original or reconstructed written award recommendation, is 
required for the recommended individual. The recommendation 
must be made by someone, other than the member himself, 
preferably the commander or supervisor at the time of the act of 
achievement, with firsthand knowledge of the member's 
accomplishments. If someone has firsthand knowledge of the 
applicant's accomplishments and achievements, he may act as the 
recommending official. The recommendation must include the name 
of the decoration (i.e., AM), reason for recognition (heroism, 
achievement, or meritorious service), inclusive dates of the 
act, and a narrative description of the act. The recommending 
official must sign the recommendation. Moreover, a proposed 
citation is required and any chain of command endorsements are 
encouraged. Any statements from fellow comrades, eyewitness 
statements attesting to the act, sworn affidavits, and other 
documentation substantiating the recommendation should be 
included with the package. The request must also be submitted 
through a congressional member who can ask a military service to 
review a proposal for a decoration based on the merits of the 
proposal and the award criteria in existence when the event 
occurred. 

 

In accordance with the 1996 NDAA Rules, the applicant has not 
provided a signed recommendation made by someone within his 
chain of command who possesses firsthand knowledge, eyewitness 


statements, chain of command endorsements, or a proposed 
citation. 

 

On 15 Mar 2007, the Secretary of the Air Force approved 
establishment of the AFCAM to recognize any military member of 
the Air Force (Airman Basic through Colonel) who actively 
participated in combat (ground to air). The principal 
eligibility criterion is that the individual must have been 
under direct and hostile fire while operating in unsecured space 
(outside the defended perimeter), or physically engaging hostile 
forces with direct and lethal fire. The AFCAM may be awarded 
for qualifying service from 11 Sep 2001 to a date to be 
determined. Retroactive awards prior to 11 Sep 2001 are not 
authorized. 

 

The CRM is awarded to U.S. Air Force, U.S. Air Force Reserve 
Service members, and Service members of other Services after 
1 Aug 1960, for sustained individual combat or mission readiness 
or preparedness for direct weapon-system employment. 
Specifically, a Service member must meet all the following 
criteria: 

 

 Member of a unit subject to combat readiness reporting. 

 

 Individually certified as combat and/or mission ready and 
been subjected to a continuous individual positional evaluation 
program, according to a major command or higher headquarters 
standards. 

 

 Complete 24 months of sustained combat and/or mission 
readiness with no more than a 120 calendar-day break. 

 

No official documentation was provided by the applicant or 
located within his official military record verifying he served 
in a combat ready position for 24 months and was awarded or 
recommended for the CRM by his assigned base. The applicant's 
assigned base/MAJCOM is responsible for verification of assigned 
members who are considered combat ready. 

 

The AFEM may be awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the 
United States who after 1 Jul 1958 participate, or have 
participated as members of the U.S. military units in a U.S. 
military operation in which Service members of any Military 
Department participate, in the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of 
Staff, in significant numbers. Encounter during such 
participation foreign armed opposition, or are otherwise placed, 
or have been placed, in such position that, in the opinion of 
the Joint Chiefs of Staff, hostile action by foreign armed 
forces was imminent even though it did not materialize. Be 
engaged in direct support for 30 consecutive days in the area of 
operations (or for the full period when an operation is less 
than 30 days duration) or for 60 nonconsecutive days provided 


this support involves entering the area of operations. Service 
members must have specifically deployed for the direct support 
of the designated military operation. 

 

Service members who earned the AFEM for service in Vietnam 
between 1 Jul 1958 and 3 Jul 1965 may elect to receive the 
Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) instead of the AFEM. However, no 
service member may be issued both medals for service in Vietnam. 

 

The AFEM is authorized for service in Vietnam between 1 Jul 
1958 and 3 Jul 1965 and 29 Apr 1975 to 30 Apr 1975. For service 
in Vietnam between 4 Jul 1965 and 28 Mar 1973, the VSM is 
authorized. According to the applicant's official military 
record, he was awarded the VSM with two Bronze Service Stars 
(w/2 BSS) for his service in Vietnam from 26 Feb 1972 to 21 Apr 
1972. 

 

Established on 18 June 2003, the AFESR is awarded to Air Force 
Active Duty, Reserve, and Guard personnel credited with 
completion of contingency deployment after 1 Oct 1999. To 
qualify for the AFESR, individuals' must have deployed for a 
minimum of 45 consecutive days or must accumulate 
90 nonconsecutive days of deployment. Permanent part overseas 
personnel are not eligible for the AFESR unless they are forward 
deployed on a contingency deployment. The applicant separated 
from Active Duty on 16 Apr 1974, several years before the AFESR 
was authorized; therefore, he is ineligible for entitlement. 

 

The Secretary of Defense, with the concurrence of the Secretary 
of State, may approve the acceptance and wear of NATO medals 
authorized by the Secretary General of NATO and offered to the 
U.S. Representative to NATO to recognize U.S. Service members 
who meet the eligibility criteria specified by NATO. The very 
first NATO Medal was authorized for military personnel who 
served under NATO command or operation control in direct support 
of NATO operations in the former Republic of Yugoslavia, from 
1 Jul 1992 to 12 Oct 1998. The applicant is ineligible for the 
NATO Medal as the NATO Medal was not approved for operation in 
Denmark. 

 

The remaining relevant facts pertaining to this application are 
described in the letter prepared by the Air Force office of 
primary responsibility at Exhibit C. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

HQ AFPC/DPSIDRA recommends denial of the applicant’s request for 
entitlement to the AM, the CRM and the AFEM. In a letter to 
the applicant, dated 28 Dec 2011, DPSIDRA advised him 
that he is ineligible for entitlement to the AFCAM, the AFESR, 


and the NATO Medal. The applicant has not provided a basis for 
which he is requesting entitlement to the AFEM; however, DPSIDRA 
believes he is requesting it for his time served in Vietnam as 
the applicant is not credited with any other Foreign Service. 

 

DPSIDRA was able to verify the applicant's entitlement to the 
PUC, VSM w/2 BSS, and the RVNGC w/P. The applicant's record has 
been updated by the appropriate office. 

 

The complete DPSIDRA evaluation is at Exhibit C. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

On 19 Jan 2012, the applicant requested additional time to 
provide supplementary evidence in support of his request and his 
case was administratively closed. On 10 Apr 2012 the applicant, 
requested his application be reopened. He states he served on a 
UH-1F Helicopter at Minot AFB, ND which included the requirement 
for alert status and “ride alongs.” He also served on the UH-1N 
Helicopter in Vietnam and Eglin AFB, FL in Special Operations 
Squadrons, which included combat readiness games. In addition 
he was on Temporary Duty (TDY) to Denmark in support of 
Flintlock V in 1972. 

 

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

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

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. We note the 
OPR has administratively corrected the applicant’s request for 
the PUC and the RVNGC w/P. However, in regards to the 
applicant’s request for entitlement to the AM, AFCAM, CRM, AFEM, 
AFESR, and the NATO Medal, we agree with the opinion and 
recommendation of the Air Force office of primary responsibility 
(OPR) and adopt its rationale as the basis for our conclusion 
the applicant has not been the victim of an error or injustice. 
While the applicant’s comments in response to the Air Force 
evaluation are duly noted, we do not find his assertions 
sufficiently persuasive to override the rational provided by the 
Air Force OPR. Therefore, in the absence of evidence to the 


contrary, we find no basis to recommend granting the relief 
sought in this application. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

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 this application 
in Executive Session on 18 Oct 2012, under the provisions of AFI 
36-2603: 

 

 , Chair 

, Member 

 , Member 

 

The following documentary evidence was considered in AFBCMR BC-
2011-02637: 

 

 Exhibit A. DD Forms 149, dated 4 May 2011, w/atchs. 

 Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records. 

 Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPSIDRA, dated 28 Dec 2011, w/atch. 

 Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 10 Feb 2012. 

 Exhibit E. Letter, Applicant, dated 19 Jan 2012. 

 Exhibit F. Letter, AFBCMR, dated 9 Feb 2012. 

 Exhibit G. Letter, Applicant, dated 10 Apr 2012, w/atchs. 

 

 

 

 

 

 Chair