AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

 
 
DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2012-00589 
COUNSEL:   
HEARING DESIRED:  NO 

IN THE MATTER OF: 
   
   
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 
 
1.  His DD Form 214, Armed Forces of the United States Report of 
Transfer or Discharge, be amended to reflect the following awards 
and decorations: 
 
    a.  Air  Force  Good Conduct Medal (AFGCM) – administratively 
corrected. 
 
    b.  Vietnam Service Medal with two Bronze Service Stars (VSM 
w/2BSS). 
 
    c.  Republic  of  Vietnam  Gallantry  Cross  with  Palm  (RVNGC 
w/P). 
 
    d.  The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal (RVCM). 
 
    e.  The Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Medal. 
 
    f.  Any unit awards for time served in Vietnam. 
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 
 
He has been diagnosed with a disease caused by exposure to Agent 
Orange in Vietnam and needs to prove boots on ground in Vietnam. 
 
In  support  of  the  applicant’s  appeal,  he  provides  documents 
extracted from his military personnel records. 
 
The  applicant's  complete  submission,  with  attachments,  is  at 
Exhibit A. 
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
STATEMENT OF FACTS: 
 
The  applicant  enlisted  in  the  Regular  Air  Force  on  12  November 
1965. 
 
The  applicant  was  honorably  released  on  12  March  1969  and 
transferred  to  the  Air  Force  Reserve  under  the  provisions  of 
AFM 39-10.  He served 3 years, 4 months and 1 day on active duty. 
 
 

 
 
The  VSM  is  awarded  to  all  members  of  the  Armed  Forces  of  the 
United  States  serving  at  any  time  between  4  July  1963  and 
28 March  1973,  in  Vietnam,  Thailand,  Laos,  or  Cambodia,  or  the 
airspaces,  thereof,  and  in  direct  support  of  operations  in 
Vietnam  and  if  on  temporary  duty  (TDY)  in  the  area  of 
responsibility (AOR) for 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive 
days.  Service members must actually participate as a crew member 
in  one  or  more  aerial  flights  directly  supporting  military 
operations, be attached to or regularly serving for one, or more, 
days with an organization participating in or directly supporting 
ground (military) operations or be attached or regularly serving 
for one, or more, days aboard a naval vessel directly supporting 
military operations. 
 
The RVNGC w/P is awarded by the Republic of Vietnam to units for 
valorous combat achievements. 
 
The RVCM is awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United 
States who between 1 March 1961 and 28 March 1973, served for six 
months  in  South  Vietnam  during  the  period  indicated  in  the 
Department of Defense Manual (DoDM) 1348.33, Volume III.  Served 
outside the geographical limits of South Vietnam and contributed 
direct combat support to the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces for 
an aggregate of six months.  Only members of the Armed Forces of 
the United States who meet the criteria established for the Armed 
Forces Expeditionary Medal (Vietnam) or the VSM during the period 
of  service  required  are  considered  to  have  contributed  direct 
combat support to the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces. 
 
The  Republic  of  Vietnam  Civil  Actions  Medal  is  a  decoration  of 
South Vietnam, first established in 1964.  It was awarded to any 
member of the Vietnamese military who performed outstanding civic 
service to the state or who participated in civil service actions 
of  significant  benefit.    The  Republic  of  Vietnam  Civil  Actions 
Medal  was  awarded  in  two  classes,  the  first  class  intended  for 
commissioned officers and the second for enlisted personnel.  It 
was  awarded  most  often  to  United  States  Marine  Corps  which  had 
participated in local police actions to suppress civil unrest in 
certain areas of South Vietnam. 
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 
 
AFPC/DPAPP  recommends  denial  of  the  applicant’s  request  to 
correct his records to show time served in Vietnam.  DPAPP states 
a  review  of  the  applicant’s  Master  Personnel  Records  and 
documentation  submitted  failed  to  provide  any  documents  that 
substantiate foreign service time in Vietnam. 
 
The DPAPP complete evaluation is at Exhibit C. 

 

2 
 

 
AFPC/DPSIDRA  was  able  to  verify  the  applicant’s  entitlement  to 
the  AFGCM.    The  applicant’s  record  will  be  updated  by  the 
appropriate office.   
 
According  to  the  Directorate  of  Assignments  (DPAPP)  memorandum 
dated  24  April  2012,  the  applicant’s  official  military  record 
failed to provide any documents that substantiate foreign service 
time  in  Vietnam.    Therefore,  DPSIDRA  is  unable  to  verify 
entitlement  to  the  VSM  w/2BSS,  RVNGC  w/P,  RVCM,  any  other  unit 
awards  as  DPAPP  is  unable  to  substantiate  boots  on  ground  in 
Vietnam. 
 
The Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Medal is not a decoration 
authorized  or  issued  by  the  United  States  Air  Force  –  it  is  a 
decoration of a foreign government. 
 
The DPSIDRA complete evaluation is at Exhibit D. 
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 
 
On  8  June  2012,  copies  of  the  Air  Force  evaluations  were 
forwarded to the applicant for review and response within 30 days 
(Exhibit E).  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 error or injustice.  The applicant’s 
contentions are duly noted; however, after reviewing the evidence 
of  record,  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 the applicant has not 
provided  sufficient  evidence  to  substantiate  time  served  in 
Vietnam and his entitlement to the VSM w/2BSS, RVNGC w/P, RVCM, 
the Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Medal and any unit awards 
for  time  served  in  Vietnam.    Therefore,  other  than  the 
administrative correction (AFGCM) made to his records, we find no 
basis to recommend granting the remaining relief sought in this 
application. 
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 

 

3 

THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT: 
 
The  applicant  be  notified  the  evidence  presented  did  not 
demonstrate  the  existence  of  an  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-2012-00589 in Executive Session on 9 August 2012, under 
the provisions of AFI 36-2603: 
 
 
The  following  documentary  evidence  pertaining  to  AFBCMR  Docket 
Number BC-2012-00589 was considered: 
 
  Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 2 February 2012, w/atchs. 
  Exhibit B.  Applicant’s Master Personnel Records. 
  Exhibit C.  AFPC/DPAPP, dated 24 April 2012. 
  Exhibit D.  Letter, AFPC/DPSIDRA, dated 10 May 2012 w/atch. 
  Exhibit E.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 8 June 2012. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

4