RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2012-00266 
COUNSEL: Veteran of Foreign Wars 
HEARING DESIRED:  NO 

         AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 
 
 
IN THE MATTER OF: 
 
     
 
   
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 
 
1.  His  records  be  corrected  to  reflect  award  of  the 
Bronze Star Medal (BSM). 
 
2.  His  records  be  corrected  to  reflect  award  of  the  Combat 
Readiness Medal (CRM). 
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 
 
1.  He was recommended for award of the BSM and while others were 
approved  for  the  award  his  recommendation  was  arbitrarily  and 
unjustly disapproved.  No lower medal was considered or awarded 
in place of the BSM, which substantiates his claim that he was 
unjustly denied recognition for his heroic efforts. 
 
2.  He  met  the  criteria  for  award  of  the  CRM,  but  was  not 
recommended or submitted for the medal. 
 
In  support  of  the  appeal,  the  applicant  provides  copies  of  two 
personal  statements,  Minutes  of  Command  Awards  and  Decorations 
Board Meeting, dated 5 Nov 69, Bronze Star Medal Citation, Bronze 
Star Medal disapproval letter, Authorization to Wear the Combat 
Crew  Members  Badge,  CRM  criteria,  AF  Form  1042,  Medical 
Recommendation for Flying Duty and a Non-Rated Individual Flight 
printout. 
 
The  applicant’s  complete  submission,  with  attachments,  is  at 
Exhibit A. 
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
STATEMENT OF FACTS: 
 
The  applicant,  while  serving  at  Cam  Ranh  AB,  Republic  of  North 
Vietnam, was recommended for the BSM.  On 17 Nov 69, the Command 
awards  and  Decorations  Board  disapproved  the  recommendation  and 
no award was awarded in lieu of the BSM.   
 

 
 

On 11 May 11, AFPC/DPAPP informed the applicant they were able to 
confirm that he was assigned at DaNang, Vietnam from 29 Sep 65 to 
4 Aug 66, and also verified that he was assigned in Japan from 
5 Oct 64 to 28 Sep 65. 
 
On 27 Sep 11, AFPC/DPSIDR notified the applicant that his records 
will be administratively corrected to reflect award of the Good 
Conduct Medal with three Bronze Loops (GCM w/3 BL) and the Korean 
War Service Medal (KWSM). 
 
The  BSM  is  awarded  to  any  person  who,  after  6  Dec  41,  while 
serving  in  any  capacity  with  the  Armed  Forces  of  the  United 
States, distinguishes himself or herself by heroism performed in 
ground combat if they are of lesser degree than that required for 
the  Silver  Star.    It  also  recognizes  single  acts  of  merit  and 
meritorious service if the achievement or service is of a lesser 
degree than that deemed worthy of the Legion of Merit, but such 
service must have been accomplished with distinction. 
 
The  CRM  was  created  as  a  personal  decoration  ranking  above  the 
Commendation Medals, Lifesaving Medals and the Purple Heart, its 
current status has been changed to an achievement/service medal.  
It is awarded to members of the Regular Air Force and Air Force 
Reserve  and  to  members  of  other  services  since  1  Aug  60,  for 
sustained individual combat or mission readiness or preparedness 
for  direct  weapon-system  employment.    Specifically,  a  service 
member must meet the following criteria: complete an aggregate 24 
months  of  sustained  professional  performance  as  a  member  of  an 
Air  Force  combat  or  mission-ready  unit  subject  to  combat 
readiness reporting, or be individually certified as a combat or 
mission ready and have maintained individual readiness the entire 
period  according  to  a  major  headquarters,  or  be  subject  to  an 
individual  positional  and  evaluation  program  according  to  a 
higher headquarters standard.  The term “Combat Ready” is defined 
as being professionally and technically qualified in an aircraft 
crew position in an aircraft that can be used in combat. 
 
The remaining relevant facts pertaining to this application are 
contained in the letter prepared by the appropriate office of the 
Air Force, which is attached at Exhibit C. 
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 
 
AFPC/DPSIDR  recommends  denial  regarding  the  applicant’s  request 
for award of the BSM and the CRM.  The recommendation to award 
the  BSM  to  the  applicant  was  disapproved  on  5  Nov  69  and  no 
lesser  award  was  recommended  for  approval  in  lieu  of  the  BSM 
according to the disapproval letter.   
 
The applicant provided no new evidence to support reconsideration 
for award of the BSM.  Additionally, no recommendation for a one-

 

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time  reconsideration  from  the  original  approval  authority  was 
provided  or  located.    The  applicant  must  follow  certain 
processing procedures to request reconsideration of the BSM.   
 
In  view  of  disapproval  by  the  Command  Awards  and  Decorations 
Board  (CADB)  and  without  a  recommendation  for  reconsideration 
from  the  original  approval  authority,  they  must  recommend 
disapproval of the request for the BSM. 
 
Concerning the CRM, the applicant provided a personal statement 
attesting to his belief that he has met the criteria for the CRM, 
an  order  entitling  him  to  wear  the  Combat  Crew  Members  Badge 
(CCMB),  a  print-out  from  Wikipedia  stating  the  CCMB  was 
authorized  to  personnel  accruing  creditable  service  toward  the 
CRM,  a  copy  of  the  criteria  for  the  CRM,  AF  Form  1042,  dated 
23 Jul 69, removing him from flying status and a copy of flight 
records  dated  30  Apr  69.    They  were  unable  to  locate  official 
documentation  in  the  applicant’s  military  personnel  records  and 
none was provided, to substantiate that award of the CRM can be 
based  on  possession  of  the  CCMB.    Because  of  its  open  editing 
policy,  Wikipedia  cannot  be  used  in  place  of  official 
documentation. 
 
The  applicant  does  not  allege  and  they  were  unable  to  locate 
official  documentation  that  he  was  trained  and  in  position  to 
employ a direct weapons system.  The applicant did not supply a 
copy of a commander’s certification that he was serving in a unit 
subject to combat readiness reporting and subject to continuous 
individual  positional  evaluation  program.    USAF  memorandum 
031630Z,  dated  November  1983,  defines  continuous  positional 
evaluations  as  evaluations  that  require  the  individual  to  meet 
the performance standards specified by major commands or higher 
headquarters, subject to daily, no-notice evaluations that could 
result in downgrading of the individual to non-mission/non-combat 
ready status. 
 
The complete AFPC/DPSIDR evaluation is at Exhibit C. 
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 
 
Regarding  the  BSM,  he  objects  to  the  phrase  “contends  he  was 
recommended  for  the  BSM,”  as  the  term  appears  to  be  used  as  a 
negative force and introduces the possibility of an assertion on 
his part.  The fact is he was recommended for award of the BSM 
and believes the advisory opinion is one that favors dismissal of 
his request. 
 
He makes no claim of heroic acts in ground combat and does not 
mention the Silver Star or Legion of Merit.  He is not sure why 
the advisory opinion addresses these medals but believes it is an 
attempt  to  downplay  his  application.    He  emphasizes  the  many 

 

 
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negative terms used in the advisory opinion as tools to reinforce 
the rejection of his application in the minds of the Air Force 
Board for Correction of Military Records Board members. 
 
He has provided the Board all of the evidence in his possession 
to support his request. 
 
Regarding the CRM, he describes the units, missions and training 
he completed to qualify for the CRM.  He completed more than the 
required  24-months  of  combat/mission  readiness  as  evidenced  by 
the award of the Combat Crew Members Badge (CCMB) in Mar 66 and 
the time of his physical disqualification for flying in Jul 69.  
He was awarded the Senior Aircrew Member wings as well as the Air 
Medal  with  four  Oak  Leaf  Clusters  and  believes  this  should 
indicate combat readiness. 
 
As  indicated  by  the  advisory  opinion,  he  provided  a  copy  of 
AF Form  1042,  Medical  Recommendation  for  Flying  Duty.    He 
provided this evidence to note item #12, which identified him as 
a  combat  crew  member,  with  a  date  of  Jul  69.    This  form  was 
intended  to  show  the  end-point  of  his  combat  readiness  status 
while  the  start-point  was  Mar  66,  a  period  of  well  over  three 
years. 
 
Please  note  Item  6  of  the  AF  Form  1712,  Uniform  Military 
Personnel  Record,  where  someone  has  circled  CRM.    He  finds 
comments  referencing  Wikipedia  not  being  fit  to  use  because  of 
its open editing policy distasteful.  Such an observation might 
well be important in matters of National Security or other high-
level affairs, but this is not the case.   
 
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  error  or  injustice  regarding  the 
applicant’s  request  that  his  records  be  corrected  to  reflect 
award of the BSM and the CRM.  We took notice of the applicant's 
complete  submission,  including  his  rebuttal  to  the  advisory 
opinion,  in  judging  the  merits  of  the  case;  however,  we  agree 
with the opinion and recommendations 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 

 

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error  or  injustice.    We  note  the  applicant’s  record  will  be 
administratively corrected to reflect award of the Good Conduct 
Medal  with  three  Bronze  Loops  (GCM  w/3  BL)  and  the  Korean  War 
Service Medal (KWSM).  Therefore, in the absence of evidence to 
the contrary, we find no basis to recommend granting any relief 
beyond that rendered administratively. 
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT: 
 
The  applicant  be  notified  the  evidence  presented  did  not 
demonstrate the existence of a material error or injustice; the 
application  was  denied  without  a  personal  appearance;  and  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-2012-00266 in Executive Session on 4 Dec 12, under the 
provisions of AFI 36-2603: 
 
 
 
 
 
The following documentary evidence was considered: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Exhibit A. DD Forms 149, dated 5 Jan 12, w/atchs. 
Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records. 
Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPSIDR, dated 14 Mar 12. 
Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 26 Mar 12. 
Exhibit E. Letter, Applicant, dated 6 Apr 12, w/atchs. 

  Panel Chair 
  Member 
  Member 

  
Panel Chair 

 

 
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