RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS
IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2013-02562
COUNSEL: NONE
HEARING DESIRED: NO
________________________________________________________________
APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:
His DD Form 214, Armed Forces of the United States Report of
Transfer or Discharge, be corrected to reflect his service in
Vietnam and award of the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM).
________________________________________________________________
APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:
His DD Form 214 does reflect he was awarded the Armed Forces
Expeditionary Medal (AFEM); however, he wishes to receive the
VSM in place of the AFEM. He served on temporary duty (TDY) in
Vietnam for 79 days beginning on 21 September 1964.
In support of his appeal, the applicant provides a copy of an
excerpt of his Air Force Form 7, Airman Military Record; an
Officer Record Brief; and his DD Form 214.
The applicants complete submission, with attachments, is at
Exhibit A.
________________________________________________________________
STATEMENT OF FACTS:
The applicant is a former member of the Regular Air Force who
served on active duty from 3 January 1962 to 24 December 1965.
His DD Form 214 reflects he served 3 years, 11 months, and 22
days on active duty.
The remaining pertinent facts are contained in the evaluations
by the offices of primary responsibility at Exhibits C and D.
________________________________________________________________
AIR FORCE EVALUATION:
AFPC/DPAPP recommends denying the applicants request to correct
his record to show he served in Vietnam. DPAPP indicates that
after a thorough review of the applicants official military
service record, they were unable to verify any evidence that he
served in Vietnam.
The complete DPAPP evaluation is at Exhibit C.
AFPC/DPSID recommends denying the applicants request for award
of the VSM in lieu of the AFEM. DPSID states the VSM is awarded
to all service members of the Armed Forces who between 4 July
1965 and 28 March 1973, served in the following areas of
Southeast Asia: Vietnam and the contiguous waters and airspace;
in Laos, or Cambodia or the airspace thereof and in direct
support of military operations in Vietnam for 30 consecutive
days or 60 non-consecutive days.
DPSID indicates that after a thorough review of the applicants
official military personnel record, they were unable to verify
the applicant served in the area of eligibility for award of the
VSM. Although his record indicates he served TDY in September
1964, no indication as to the specific location is given;
therefore, rendering him ineligible for exchange of the AFEM for
the VSM.
However, their office was able to verify that the Air Force
Medal and/or Ribbon should have been awarded to the applicant
for his service from 3 January 1962 to 24 December 1965. Upon
final Board decision, DPSOR will administratively correct the
applicants record to reflect award of the National Defense
Service Medal (NDSM).
The complete DPSID evaluation is at Exhibit C.
________________________________________________________________
APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:
His Air Force Form 7 shows his 79 days in Vietnam starting
21 September 1964. In addition, he has located and provided a
copy of the drivers license he was issued by the South
Vietnamese government while in South Vietnam in the Mekong
Delta. This drivers license shows his name, rank, and date of
issue as 26 October 1964, which coincides within the 79 days he
spent in country. He needed this drivers license to drive both
on and off the base in Vietnam.
He flew into Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Saigon, Vietnam, under TDY
orders assigning him to the 2nd Air Division. From there he went
to Bac Lieu. However, his TDY orders were stolen amongst other
military documents he had back in the 1990s.
The drivers license, along with his Air Force Form 7 showing 79
days of Foreign Service, should be more than sufficient to
warrant correction of his records and award of the VSM.
The applicants complete rebuttal, with attachments, is at
Exhibit F.
________________________________________________________________
THE BOARD RECOMMENDS 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 evidence has been presented to show an error or
injustice with regard to the Vietnam Service Medal. Based on
the date of the Vietnam issued drivers license of 26 October
1964, and the applicants assertion that the 79 days of an
unknown TDY location starting on 21 September 1964 (as indicated
on his Air Force Form 7) was served in Vietnam, he does not meet
the criteria of the inclusive period for award of the VSM as it
is awarded for the inclusive period of 4 July 1965 to 28 March
1973.
4. Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to
demonstrate an error in regard to the applicants request to
correct his record to show Foreign Service in the Republic of
Vietnam. Based on the applicants submission of his Vietnam
issued drivers license, we concur he has provided sufficient
evidence to show he was in Vietnam. However, the drivers
license cannot be used to substantiate how long the applicant
had Bootson-the-Ground in Vietnam. Therefore, we recommend
the applicants record be corrected as indicated below.
_________________________________________________________________
THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:
The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air
Force relating to APPLICANT be corrected to show that he had
boots-on-the-ground in the Republic of Vietnam on 26 October
1964.
________________________________________________________________
The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket
Number BC-2013-02562 in Executive Session on 27 February 2014,
under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:
All members voted to correct the records, as recommended. The
following documentary evidence for AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2013-
02562 was considered:
Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 24 Dec 65, w/atchs.
Exhibit B. Airman Military Record.
Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPAPP, dated 1 Jul 13.
Exhibit D. Letter, AFPC/DPSID, dated 16 Sep 13.
Exhibit E. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 6 Dec 13.
Exhibit F. Letter, Applicant, dated 18 Dec 13.
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