AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

 
DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2012-01320 
COUNSEL:  NONE 
HEARING DESIRED:  NO 

IN THE MATTER OF: 
   
   
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 
 
His  Meritorious  Service  Medal  (MSM)  awarded  for  meritorious 
service for the period 27 Oct 05 to 15 Mar 06 be upgraded to a 
Bronze Star Medal (BSM).  
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 
 
1. His  first  deployment  as  a  senior  noncommissioned  officer 
(SNCO) was to an actual conflict versus his previous deployments 
in support of the Operation SOUTHERN WATCH cease-fire.   
 
2. AFI  36-2803,  The  Air  Force  Awards  and  Decorations  Program, 
table  2.1,  note  2,  clearly  supports  a  BSM  for  the  citation 
written; whereas, note 1.4 clearly states “noncombat” for a MSM.    
 
3. He can only surmise why the award was not originally a BSM.  
It  could  have  been  that  his  immediate  commander  was  an  Air 
National Guard (ANG) lieutenant colonel (Lt Col) with no combat 
award  experience.    He  hopes  this  was  not  done  intentionally  to 
prevent him from receiving the appropriate recognition. 
 
4. It  was  an  unknown  common  practice  for  deployed  SNCOs  to 
receive  BSMs  for  deployment  to  combat  area  of  responsibilities 
(AORs).  It was not until he heard of similar situations where 
BSMs  were  awarded  that  made  him  question  the  recognition  he 
received.   
 
In  support  of  his  request,  the  applicant  provides  a  personal 
statement,  copies  of  his  MSM  citation,  and  an  excerpt  from  AFI 
36-2803.  
 
The  applicant's  complete  submission,  with  attachments,  is  at 
Exhibit A. 
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
STATEMENT OF FACTS: 
 
The  applicant  is  currently  serving  on  active  duty  in  the  grade 
of chief master sergeant.  
 

The MSM was established by Executive Order 11448 on 16 Jan 69.  
This award may be awarded to any member of the Armed Forces of 
the  United  States  who  distinguished  themselves  by  either 
outstanding  achievement  or  meritorious  service  to  the  United 
States.  The level of achievement or service is less than that 
required for the Legion of Merit (LOM). 
 
AFI  36-2803,  note  14,  table  2.1  states  the  MSM  is  awarded  for 
outstanding noncombat meritorious achievement or service. 
 
The BSM recognizes acts of 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 LOM; but such service must have been 
accomplished with distinction. 
 
AFI  36-2803,  note  2,  table  2.1  states  the  BSM  is  awarded  for 
service  while  engaged  in  military  operations  involving  conflict 
with an opposing foreign force.   
 
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 states the Board needs to consider the merits of the 
applicant’s  request  for  upgrade  of  the  MSM  to  BSM.    DPSIDR 
states  the  applicant  has  not  exhausted  his  administrative 
channels  for  relief  in  accordance  with  (IAW)  Title  10,  United 
States  Code  1130.    Service  members  may  make  a  case  for  award 
consideration  not  previously  eligible  because  of  time  limits 
prescribed by law or policy, by submitting a recommendation made 
by  someone  other  than  the  member  themselves,  in  the  member’s 
chain of command at the time of the incident, who has firsthand 
knowledge  of  the  acts  or  achievements,  and  referred  through  a 
congressional member.  The recommendation should be accompanied 
by  eyewitness  statements,  attesting  to  the  act(s),  sworn 
affidavits, certificates, and any other related documentation.  
 
The complete DPSIDR evaluation is at Exhibit C. 
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 
 
The  applicant  states  the  Air  Force  advisory  opinion  contains  a 
misleading fact which may negatively influence the opinion: “The 
applicant  has  not  exhausted  his  administrative  channels  for 
relief  IAW  Title  10,  USC  1130.”    First,  when  he  discussed  the 
situation  with  the  802  Force  Support  Squadron,  he  was  informed 

 

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that  it  had  been  more  than  three  years  since  the  achievement; 
therefore, he needed to request a correction to his records.   
 
Secondly, he did not see any reference to this in AFI 36-2603, 
Air  Force  Board  for  Correction  of  Military  Records,  other  than 
the  broad  statement  of:  “Exhaust  all  other  available 
administrative  remedies  (otherwise  the  Board  may  return  the 
request  without  considering  it).”    He  admits  that  he  did  not 
review Title 10 nor did he attempt to contact his leadership for 
the period of the deployment.  Lastly, to go outside of the Air 
Force  process  seems  counter  intuitive  since  he  is  still  on 
active duty. 
 
The applicant’s complete submission is at Exhibit E. 
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
ADDITIONAL AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 
 
SAF/MRBP  recommends  that  the  decision  not  be  overturned.    MRBP 
states  the  MSM  was  the  more  appropriate  decoration  for  the 
applicant’s period of service.   
 
The  Air  Force  Decorations  Board  contacted  the  USCENTAF 
Decorations  Board  to  determine  which  decoration  the  applicant 
had been submitted for the period in question.  Based on their 
official decorations board records, the applicant was submitted 
for  the  BSM  and  the  USCENTAF  Decorations  Board  downgraded  the 
decoration to the MSM as it did not meet the criteria for award 
of the BSM. 
 
The  applicant  was  appropriately  awarded  the  MSM  by  a  properly 
constituted USCENTAF decorations board.  He did not provide any 
compelling  evidence  that  the  USCENTAF  Decorations  Board  was 
unaware  of  the  criteria  for  the  BSM  when  it  downgraded  the 
submission.   
 
The complete MRBP evaluation is at Exhibit F. 
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
 APPLICANT’S REVIEW OF ADDITIONAL AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 
 
A  copy  of  the  Air  Force  evaluation  was  forwarded  to  the 
applicant  on  16  Aug  12  for  review  and  comment  within  30  days 
(Exhibit  G).    As  of  this  date,  this  office  has  not  received  a 
response.  
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT: 
 

 

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1.  The  applicant  has  exhausted  all  remedies  provided  by 
existing law or regulations. 
 
2.  The application was timely filed. 
 
3.  Insufficient  relevant  evidence  has  been  presented  to 
demonstrate the existence of error or injustice.  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  SAF/MRBP  and  adopt  its  rationale  as  the  basis  for  our 
conclusion  that  the  applicant  has  not  been  the  victim  of  an 
error  or  injustice.    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  Docket  Number    
BC-2012-01320  in  Executive  Session  on  23  Sep  12,  under  the 
provisions of AFI 36-2603: 
 
Panel Chair 
 
 
Member 
 
Member 
 
The following documentary evidence was considered: 
 
    Exhibit A.  DD Forms 149, dated 5 Apr 12, w/atchs. 
    Exhibit B.  Applicant’s Master Personnel Records. 
    Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPSIDR, dated 9 May 12. 
    Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 18 May 12. 
    Exhibit E.  Letter, Applicant, dated 30 May 12.  
    Exhibit F.  Letter, SAF/MRBP, dated 14 Aug 12. 
    Exhibit G.  Letter, SAF/MRBC, Letter, dated 16 Aug 12. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Panel Chair 

  
  
  

  
  

 
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 

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