RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:	DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2012-02754	

		COUNSEL:  NONE

		HEARING DESIRED:  NOT INDICATED

________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His DD Form 214, Armed Forces of the United States Report of 
Separation from Active Duty, be corrected to reflect entitlement 
to the following awards and decorations:

1.  Air Force Overseas Ribbon - Short Tour.  

2.  Air Force Overseas Ribbon - Long Tour.  

3.  NATO Medal.  

4.  Combat Readiness Medal.  

5.  Air Force Training Ribbon.  

6.  Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation.  

7.  Armed Forces Reserve Medal.  

8.  Meritorious Service Medal.  

9.  Purple Heart.  

________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

His records have been neglected because he moved to 14 bases and 
had many temporary duty (TDY) assignments during his Air Force  
career.  He also went through unit deactivations and base 
closures.  He was never on one base for more than 18 months.  
His duties also took him to Korea and Vietnam.  

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

________________________________________________________________




STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant is a former member of the Regular Air Force who 
served from 15 December 1951 to 31 May 1974.  He was released 
from active duty with an honorable characterization of service 
and was credited with 22 years, 5 months and 16 days of active 
duty service of which 1 year, 3 months and 10 days were credited 
as Foreign Service.  

By letter dated 11 February 2013 (Exhibit C), AFPC/DPSOR advised 
the applicant that in response to his request for review and 
correction of his DD Form 214, his record was partially 
corrected to reflect his entitlement to the Non-Commissioned 
Officer Professional Military Education Graduate Ribbon 
(NCOPMEGR).  A DD Form 215, Correction of DD Form 214, 
Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, was 
completed to correct item 26 of his DD Form 214 to add the 
NCOPMEGR.  They advised the applicant that the remainder of his 
case was forwarded to the Air Force Board for Correction of 
Military Records (AFBCMR) for further adjudication.  

________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

1.  AFPC/DPSID recommends denial.  DPSID states they were unable 
to verify the applicant was in a "combat readiness" status for 
24 months for entitlement to the Combat Readiness Medal (CRM). 
The CRM is awarded for periods of qualifying service in combat 
or mission ready status for direct weapons system employment.  
For the purpose of this award direct weapons system employment 
is defined as:  An aircrew whose wartime mission places them 
into enemy territory or in the threat envelope of ground enemy 
defenses; A missile operation which could employ weapons to 
destroy enemy targets; individuals who directly control in-
flight manned aircraft whose wartime mission is to seek and 
destroy enemy targets.  Additionally, an individual must meet 
all of the following criteria: 

	(a).	Be a member of a unit subject to combat readiness 
reporting under JCS publication 6, volume V (MAJCOMs, DRUs, and 
FOAs designate qualifying duty positions and units); 

	(b).	Complete basic and initial training and be formally 
certified as combat or mission ready in performing the command 
or unit operational mission.  The individual must be subject to 
a continuous individual positional evaluation program; 

	(c).	Have completed 24 months of sustained combat or 
mission readiness with no more than a 120-ca1endar day break. 

2.  The applicant's service dates render him ineligible for 
award of the Air Force Overseas Ribbon-Long Tour (AFOR-LT), Air 
Force Overseas Ribbon-Short Tour (AFOR-LT), and the Air Force 
Training Ribbon (AFTR), as they were established after his 
service.  The AFOR-LT and the AFOR-ST are awarded to Air Force 
and Air Force Reserve members credited with completion of an 
overseas tour on or after 1 September 1980.  Air Force and Air 
Force Reserve members serving as of 6 January 1986 or later are 
entitled to reflect all Air Force overseas tours credited during 
their career.  The AFTR is awarded to United States Air Force 
service members on completion of initial accession training 
after 14 August 1974.  

3.  They were unable to verify any units the applicant served 
with were submitted for, or awarded, the Republic of Korea 
Presidential Unit Citation.  

4.  They were unable to verify the applicant served in a Reserve 
Component of the United States for a total of 10 years, 
rendering him ineligible for award of the Armed Forces Reserves 
Medal (AFRM).  The AFRM is awarded to any service member or 
former service members of the Reserve Components of the United 
States Armed Forces who completes or has completed a total of 10 
years of honorable and satisfactory military service in one or 
more Reserve component of the Armed Forces.  

5.  The NATO Medal was not approved for operations in the 
Netherlands; therefore, the applicant is ineligible for this 
medal. The NATO Medal was approved for U. S. military personnel 
who serve under NATO command or operational control in direct 
support of NATO operations in the former Republic of Yugoslavia, 
or as designated by the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, from 
1 July 1992 through a future date to be determined.  

6.  No documentation could be located in the applicant's 
military personnel record verifying award of the Purple Heart 
(PH).  The PH is awarded to members of the United States Armed 
Forces who have been wounded, killed, or who have died or may 
hereafter die of wounds received in action against an enemy of 
the United States or opposing force as a result of an act of any 
such enemy or opposing armed force, an international terrorist 
attack or during military operations while serving as part of a 
peacekeeping force.  A wound for which the award is made must 
have required treatment, not merely examination,  by a medical 
officer.  Additionally, treatment of the wound shall be 
documented in the member's medical and/or health record.  Award 
of the PH may be made for wounds treated by a medical 
professional other than a medical officer, provided a medical 
officer includes a statement in the members' medical record that 
the extent of the wounds were such that they would have required 
treatment by a medical officer if one had been available to 
treat them.  

7.  They were unable to justify the applicant's request to be 
awarded the Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) based solely on his 
previous awards of the Air Force Commendation Medal.  The MSM is 
governed by Executive Order 11448, 16 January 1969, which 
authorizes the Secretary of a Military Department to award the 
MSM to any member of the United States Armed Forces, or to any 
member of the armed forces of a friendly foreign nation, who has 
distinguished himself or herself by outstanding meritorious 
achievement or service.  The MSM may be awarded for outstanding 
achievement or service while serving in a designated combat 
zone.  

8.  After a thorough review of the applicant's official military 
personnel record, they were able to verify award of the Non-
Commissioned Officer Professional Military Education Graduate 
Ribbon (NCOPMEGR).  The NCOPMEGR should have been awarded during 
the applicant's service and was not reflected in his records.  
Upon final board decision, administrative correction of the 
applicant's official military personnel record will be completed 
by AFPC/DPSOY.

The complete AFPC/DPSID evaluation, with attachment, is at 
Exhibit D.

________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

A copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to the 
applicant on 19 November 2012 for review and comment within 30 
days (Exhibit E).  To date, this office has not received a 
response.  

________________________________________________________________

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.  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 relief beyond 
that already granted administratively is not warranted.  
Therefore, we find no basis to favorably consider the remaining 
portion of the application.

4.  The applicant's case is adequately documented and it has not 
been shown that a personal appearance with or without counsel 
will materially add to our understanding of the issues involved.  
Therefore, the request for a hearing is not favorably 
considered.

________________________________________________________________

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 this application 
in Executive Session on 26 March 2013, under the provisions of 
AFI 36-2603:

			, Panel Chair
      , Member
			, Member

The following documentary evidence was considered in AFBCMR 
Docket Number BC-2012-02754:

    Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 25 June 2012, w/atchs.
    Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
    Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPSOR, dated 11 Feb 2013, w/atchs.
    Exhibit D.  Letter, AFPC/DPSID, dated 3 November 2012, 
w/atchs.
    Exhibit E.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 19 November 2012.




                                   
                                   Panel Chair



AFBCMR
1500 West Perimeter Road, Suite 3700
Joint Base Andrews NAF Washington, MD 20762



Dear:

	Reference your application submitted under the provisions of AFI 36-2603 (Section 
1552, 10 USC), AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2012-02754. 

	After careful consideration of your application and military records, the Board 
determined that the evidence you presented did not demonstrate the existence of material error or 
injustice.  Accordingly, the Board denied your application.

	You have the right to submit newly discovered relevant evidence for consideration by the 
Board.  In the absence of such additional evidence, a further review of your application is not 
possible.

	BY DIRECTION OF THE PANEL CHAIR




				                                   
				                                   Chief Examiner
				                                   Air Force Board for Correction
				                                   of Military Records

Attachment:
Record of Board Proceedings




5






 
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