RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

 

IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2011-03747 

 

 COUNSEL: NONE 

 

 HEARING DESIRED: NO 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 

 

His DD Form 214, Report of Separation from Active Duty, be 
corrected to reflect: 

 

 a. His service in Vietnam, Guam, and the Philippines (administratively corrected). 

 

 b. Award of the Bronze Star Medal with Valor (BSM w/V), the 
Vietnam Service Medal (VSM), Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal 
(RVCM), and the Philippine Defense Medal (PDM). 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 

 

His DD Form 214 does not reflect all of his awards and service in 
Republic of Vietnam, Guam, and the Philippines. The evidence will 
show that he had boots on ground in Vietnam and was awarded the 
BSM w/V. 

 

In support of his request, the applicant provides an expanded 
statement and copies of documents extracted from his military 
personnel records, which include his DD Form 214, an Airman 
Performance Report, and his BSM w/V certificate and accompanying 
citation. 

 

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

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

STATEMENT OF FACTS: 

 

The applicant’s records reflect he served on active duty from 
4 Jan 72 until his release from active duty on 6 Aug 75. 

 

The BSM w/V is awarded to a person in any branch of the military 
service who, while serving in any capacity with the Armed Forces 
of the United States on or after 7 Dec 41, shall have 
distinguished themselves by heroic or meritorious achievement or 


service, not involving participation in aerial flight, in 
connection with military operations against an enemy. 

The VSM is awarded to service members of the Armed Forces who 
served at any time between 4 Jul 65 and 28 Mar 73, in Vietnam, 
its contiguous waters, or airspace thereover; or in Thailand, 
Laos, or Cambodia, or the airspaces thereover. To be eligible, a 
service member must be: (1) attached or regularly serving for 
one, or more, days with an organization participating in or 
directly supporting ground (military) operations, (2) attached to 
or regularly serving for one, or more, days aboard a naval vessel 
directly supporting military operations, (3) actually participate 
as a crew member in one or more aerial flights directly 
supporting military operations, or (4) serve on temporary duty 
for 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days, time 
limitations which may be waived for personnel participating in 
actual combat operations. 

 

The RVCM is awarded to members of the US armed forces who, during 
the period 1 Mar 61 through 28 Mar 73, served for six months in 
South Vietnam, or served outside the geographical limits of South 
Vietnam and contributed direct combat support to the RVN Armed 
Forces for an aggregate of six months. Only those who meet the 
criteria established for the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal 
(AFEM) (Vietnam) or the VSM during the period of service are 
considered to have contributed direct combat support the RVN Armed 
Forces. 

 

The PDM is awarded for combat service in the defense of the 
Philippines from 8 Dec 41 to 15 Jun 42. 

 

On 10 Nov 11, APFC/DPAPP notified the applicant that his boots on 
ground service in Guam, Philippines, and Vietnam had been verified 
and that his foreign service is accurately reflected on his DD 
Form 214. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

HQ AFPC/DPSIDR recommends denial noting although the applicant 
provided the certificate and citation for the BSM w/V, there were 
no special orders provided or located to verify the applicant was 
submitted for or awarded the BSM w/V. As for his requests related 
to the VSM and the RVCM, while the Directorate of Personnel 
Assignments was able to verify the applicant’s service in Vietnam 
for a total of three days, he is ineligible for award of the VSM 
or RVCM. As for his request related to the PDM, while the 
applicant served at Clark Air Base, Philippines from 12 Sep 74 
though 5 Aug 75, such service was well outside the inclusive dates 
(8 Dec 41 to 15 Jun 42) for the PDM. 

 


The complete AFPC/DPSIDR evaluation is at Exhibit C. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

A copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to the applicant 
on 22 Dec 11, for review and comment within 30 days. As of this 
date, no response has been received by this office. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

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 injustice with respect to 
the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM), Republic of Vietnam Campaign 
Medal (RVCM), and Philippine Defense Medal (PDM). We took notice 
of the applicant's complete submission in judging the merits of 
the case; 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. Notwithstanding the 
above, sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to 
demonstrate the existence of an error or injustice with respect to 
the Bronze Star Medal with Valor (BSM w/V). We note the comments 
of the Air Force OPR indicating that without official special 
orders, they are unable to verify the applicant’s entitlement to 
the BSM w/V. Nevertheless, we are convinced by a preponderance of 
the evidence of the applicant’s entitlement to the requested 
decoration. In this respect, we note the applicant has provided a 
copy of the certificate and accompanying citation with the 
impressed official seal which is an indicator that the medal was 
approved and processed for disposition. Therefore, we believe it 
appropriate to resolve any doubt in his favor and 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 the APPLICANT be corrected to show that he was awarded 


the Bronze Star Medal with “V” Device for heroism for the period 
8 Apr 75 through 10 Apr 75. 

 

__________________________________________________________________ 

 

The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number 
BC-2011-03747 in Executive Session on 15 May 12, under the 
provisions of AFI 36-2603: 

 

 , Panel Chair 

 , Member 

 , Member 

 

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

 

 Exhibit A. DD Forms 149, dated 4 Oct 11, w/atchs. 

 Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records. 

 Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPSIDR, dated 15 Dec 11. 

 Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 22 Dec 11. 

 

 

 

 

 

 Panel Chair