AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

 
DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2012-01746 
COUNSEL:  NONE 
HEARING DESIRED:  NO 

IN THE MATTER OF: 
   
   
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 
 
His  DD  Form  214,  Armed  Forces  of  the  United  States  Report  of 
Transfer or Discharge be corrected to reflect entitlement to the 
Vietnam Service Medal (VSM). 
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 
 
His DD Form 214 reflects two service medals, the National Defense 
Service  Medal  (NDSM)  and  the  Good  Conduct  Medal  (GCM),  and  it 
should also reflect the VSM.   
 
In  1967,  he  was  reassigned  from  the  99th  Organizational 
Maintenance  Squadron  (99th  OMS),  Westover  AFB,  MA  to  the  82nd 
Strategic  Reconnaissance  Squadron  (82nd  SRS)  at  Yakota  AFB, 
Japan, as a ground crew member on the RC-135.  In 1967, the 82nd 
SRS moved to Kadena AFB, Japan, and he was assigned to the 4252nd 
OMS  as  assistant  crew  chief  on  the  RC-135.    He  flew  combat 
missions  in  support  of  the  Vietnam  conflict  and  observed 
ordnances being detonated. 
 
While  applying  for  Veterans  Affairs  (VA)  benefits,  he  was 
informed  he  should  apply  for  the  VSM  due  to  flying  combat 
missions during his tour of duty from Jun 67 to Jun 68. 
 
In support of his request, the applicant provides a copy of his 
DD Form 214. 
 
The  applicant's  complete  submission,  with  attachment,  is  at 
Exhibit A. 
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
STATEMENT OF FACTS: 
 
The applicant served on active duty in the Air Force from 22 Jun 
64  to  18  Jun  68.    His  DD  Form  214  reflects  a  total  3  years, 
11 months, and 27 days of total active service; with 1 year and 
4 months being Foreign Service.   
 

The  VSM  is  awarded  to  all  members  of  the  Armed  Forces  who, 
between 4 Jul 65 and 28 Mar 73, served in the area of eligibility 
(AOE).  The AOE is defined as: Vietnam, its contiguous waters, or 
the airspaces there over, in Thailand, Laos, or Cambodia, and in 
the  direct  support  of  military  operations  in  Vietnam.    To  be 
eligible,  a  service  member  must  have  served  on  temporary  duty 
(TDY) in the AOE for 30 consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days.  
These  time  limitations  may  be  waived  for  personnel  who 
participated in actual combat operations.  A bronze star denotes 
campaign participation and is awarded for at least one day served 
in each campaign phase. 
 
AFPC/DPSID verified the applicant’s entitlement to the Air Force 
Outstanding Unit Award with two Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters (AFOUA 
w/2BOLCs) and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm 
(RVNGC w/P).  His DD Form 214 will be administratively corrected 
to reflect these awards. 
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 
 
AFPC/DPAPP  recommends  denial.    DPAPP  states  they  were  able  to 
verify and confirm “boots on the ground” in Japan from 15 Jun 67 
to  18  Jun  68;  however,  was  unable  to  verify  any  service  in 
Vietnam. 
 
A review of his master personnel records (MPR) and documentation 
provided  failed  to  provide  documents  substantiating  service  in 
Vietnam. 
 
The complete DPAPP evaluation is at Exhibit B. 
 
AFPC/DPSID recommends denial.  DPSID states there is insufficient 
evidence in the applicant’s MPR to support the applicant served 
in the AOE for award of the VSM.   
 
The applicant served in units during their award periods for the 
RVNGC w/P, which would imply the units provided combat support to 
military operations in the AOE for award of the VSM.  However, no 
documentation could be found to show the applicant served in the 
AOE or that he met the time requirements for award of the VSM. 
 
The complete DPSID evaluation is at Exhibit C. 
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 
 
He contests the Review Board’s finding that he did not serve in 
the AOE.  He was an assistant crew chief on the RC-135M aircraft 
while deployed in Southeast Asia from 1967-1968.  He believes the 

 
 

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aircraft flight manifest was not considered, as he was on flying 
status at the time and his records would indicate this. 
 
The applicant's complete response 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.    After  a 
thorough  review  of  the  evidence  of  record  and  the  applicant’s 
submission, we are not persuaded his record should be corrected 
to  reflect  entitlement  to  the  VSM.    We  note  the  applicant’s 
contention that he flew combat missions in support of the Vietnam 
conflict;  however,  without  documentary  evidence  to  substantiate 
his claim, we agree with the opinions and recommendations of the 
Air  Force  offices  of  primary  responsibility  and  adopt  their 
rationale as the basis for our conclusion the applicant has not 
sustained  his  burden  of  having  suffered  either  an  error  or  an 
injustice.    Should  the  applicant  obtain  any  official  military 
documents that can substantiate his service in Vietnam; we would 
be  willing  to  reconsider  his  request.    We  note  AFPC/DPSID  has 
verified  the  applicant’s  entitlement  to  the  AFOUA  w/2BOLCs  and 
the RVNGC w/P, and will correct the applicant’s record to reflect 
these medals. Therefore, aside from the administrative correction 
noted above, we find no basis to recommend further relief in this 
case. 
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
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-2012-01746  in  Executive  Session  on  15  Nov  12,  under  the 
provisions of AFI 36-2603: 
 

 
 

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, Panel Chair 
, Member 
, Member 

 
 
 
 
The  following  documentary  evidence  pertaining  to  Docket  Number 
BC-2012-01746 was considered: 
 
    Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 15 Apr 12, w/atch. 
    Exhibit B.  Letter, AFPC/DPAPP, dated 2 Jul 12. 
    Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPSID, dated 11 Aug 12. 
    Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 28 Aug 12. 
    Exhibit E.  Letter, Applicant, dated 6 Sep 12. 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Panel Chair 

  
  

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

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