RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

 

 

IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2012-02942 

 

 COUNSEL: NONE 

 

 HEARING DESIRED: NO 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 

 

His records be corrected to reflect that he received the Vietnam 
Service Medal (VSM) for his service in Vietnam and Thailand. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 

 

He spent over six months at Nha Trang and Cam Rahn Bay in 
Vietnam, but declined the combat ribbon during his out-
processing because he just wanted to get home. He also spent 
time in Thailand supporting the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency 
(CIA) on a top secret assignment. On paper he was assigned to 
the 450th Field Maintenance Squadron (FMS) at Minot, ND, but he 
was actually in Thailand and Nha Trang, Vietnam. He had a 
broken nose straightened in the Cam Rahn Bay base medical unit, 
and he was treated for “jungle rot” in Nha Trang. He spent over 
20 total months in Thailand, Vietnam, and Okinawa in 1967, 1968, 
and 1969. 

 

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

 

_________________ ______________________________________________ 

 

STATEMENT OF FACTS: 

 

The applicant entered the Air Force on 8 Feb 65. 

 

The applicant’s official military records indicate he served on 
temporary duty (TDY) in Southeast Asia (SEA) from 20 Jan 27 to 
22 Mar 27 (67 days), 2 Nov 67 to 6 Jan 68 (65 days), and 28 Oct 
68 to 3 Dec 68 (36 days) for a total of 168 days TDY to SEA. 

 

The applicant’s medical records reflect that on 15 Oct 68, he 
sustained a “broken nose—Cam Rahn Bay,” and suffered a 
“fractured nose 1967 in fight.” 

 

On 9 Jan 69, was Honorably discharged and was credited with 
3 years, 11 months, a 2 days of total active service, which 
included 1 year, 4 months, and 15 days of foreign service. 


 

On 13 Aug 12, AFPC/DPAPP notified the applicant that they could 
partially resolve his request through an administrative 
correction. They were able to verify the applicant had boots on 
the ground at Naha Air Base, Okinawa, Japan from 25 Aug 67 to 
4 Jan 69 for 1 year, 4 months, and 11 days; and, TDY to SEA from 
20 Jan 67 to 4 Jan 69, 2 Nov 67 to 6 Jan 68; and, 18 Oct 68 to 
3 Dec 68 for a combined foreign total service of 1 year, 
6 months, and 14 days. DPAPP provided the applicant a Boots on 
the Ground letter confirming his service in Okinawa and 
Southeast Asia at unconfirmed locations, and are 
administratively correcting his DD Form 214. 

 

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/DPSID recommends denial, indicating there is no evidence of 
an error or injustice. After a thorough review of the 
applicant’s official record, no official documentation was 
located verifying the applicant served in Vietnam, Thailand, 
Laos, or Cambodia. The AFPC Directorate of Assignments (DPA) 
has verified the applicant served on temporary duty in Southeast 
Asia for a total of 5 months and 27 days, but were unable to 
verify service in either Vietnam or Thailand. 

 

The VSM is awarded to all service members of the Armed Services 
who between 4 Jul 65 and 28 Mar 73, served in the following 
areas of Southeast Asia: Vietnam and the contiguous waters and 
airspace; in Thailand, Laos, or Cambodia or the airspace thereof 
while attached to or directly serving for one or more days with 
an organization directly supporting military operations; 
actually participate as a crew member on one or more aerial 
flights directly supporting military operations; or serve on 
temporary duty (TDY) for 30 consecutive or 60 nonconsecutive 
days, which may be waived for personnel participating in actual 
combat operations. 

 

A complete copy of the AFPC/DPSID evaluation is at Exhibit C. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

A copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to the 
applicant on 23 Oct 12 for review and comment within 30 days. 
As of this date, no response has been received by this office 
(Exhibit D). 

 

________________________________________________________________ 


 

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 an error or an injustice. After 
thoroughly reviewing the evidence of record and noting the 
applicant’s complete submission, we are not persuaded that he 
has met his burden of establishing an error or an injustice in 
his record. In this respect, we note that while the applicant’s 
medical records indicate that he was treated at Cam Rahn Bay, 
Republic of Vietnam for a fractured nose, we find no evidence to 
establish that he meets any of the prerequisite criteria for 
entitlement to the Vietnam Service Medal, i.e., attached to or 
directly serving for one or more days with an organization 
directly supporting military operations, actually participated 
as a crew member on one or more aerial flights directly 
supporting military operations, or assigned TDY for 
30 consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days in the required 
locations. In addition, we note the Air Force OPR determined 
the applicant qualifies for, and furnished him with, a Boots-on-
the-Ground letter for his time served in Southeast Asia. 
Therefore, in view of the above and 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 the evidence presented did not 
demonstrate the existence of 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-2012-02942 in Executive Session on 28 Feb 13, under 
the provisions of AFI 36-2603: 

 

 Panel Chair 

 Member 

 Member 

 


The following documentary evidence pertaining to AFBCMR Docket 
Number BC-2012-02942 was considered: 

 

 Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 18 Jun 12, w/atch. 

 Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records. 

 Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPSID, dated 9 Oct 12. 

 Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 23 Oct 12. 

 

 

 

 

 

 Panel Chair