RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:	DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2012-05812	

			COUNSEL:  NONE

			HEARING DESIRED:  NO

________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active 
Duty, be corrected to reflect his Temporary Duty (TDY) 
assignment to Thailand and his entitlement to any award or 
ribbon.  

________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

His TDY to Takhli Thailand from June through August 1968 is not 
reflected by any ribbons or medals on his DD Form 214.  

The applicant did not provide any supporting documents with his 
request.  

The applicant’s complete submission is at Exhibit A. 

________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant is a former member of the Regular Air Force who 
served from 7 June 1965 to 31 October 1985.  He was retired from 
active duty with an honorable characterization of service and 
was credited with 20 years, 4 months and 24 days of active duty 
service of which 11 years, and 21 days were credited as Foreign 
Service.  

The applicant’s DD Form 214 does not reflect service in 
Thailand.  

Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 1336.1, Certificate of 
Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD Form 214/5 Series) 
dated 20 August 2009, which establishes and implements policy 
for the preparation and distribution of the DD Form 214, does 
not include a provision for update of TDY assignments/locations 
on the DD Form 214.  AFI 36-2110, Assignments, dated 
22 September 2009, paragraph 3.4.4.3, states; use a combination 
of the following documents to verify completed TDY assignments: 
travel vouchers, PCS orders, decoration citations, enlisted or 
officer performance reports and records review Report on 
Individual Personnel (RIP).  

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AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPAPP recommends denial.  DPAPP states a thorough review of 
the applicant’s Master Personnel Record (MPR), medical and 
dental records failed to substantiate his claim of foreign 
service in Thailand.  

The complete AFPC/DPAPP evaluation is at Exhibit C. 

1.  AFPC/DPSID recommends denial.  DPSID states that based on 
AFPC Directorate of Assignments being unable to verify the 
applicant served in Thailand, they are unable to verify the 
applicant is eligible for any awards issued in support of the 
Vietnam Conflict to include the Vietnam Service Medal and the 
Vietnam Campaign Medal.  

	a.  The Vietnam Service Medal is awarded to all service 
members of the Armed Services 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 Thailand, 
Laos, or Cambodia or the airspace thereof and in the direct 
support of military operations in Vietnam as a crew member in 
one or more aerial flights directly supporting military 
operations, or, for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive 
days.  These time limitations may be waived for personnel 
participating in actual combat operations.  

	b.  The Vietnam Campaign Medal was awarded to members of 
the Armed Forces of the United States who between 1 March 1961 
and 28 March 1973, served for 6 months in South Vietnam during 
this period; served outside the geographical limits of South 
Vietnam and contributed direct combat support to the Republic of 
Vietnam Armed Forces for an aggregate of 6 months.  Only members 
of the Armed Forces of the United States who meet the criteria 
established for the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Vietnam) 
or the Vietnam Service Medal during the period of service 
required are considered to have contributed direct combat 
support to the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces.  

2.  Based on their review of the applicant's official military 
personnel record, they were able to determine that the Air Force 
Outstanding Unit Award (AFOUA) should have been awarded during 
the applicant's service from 7 June 1965 to 31 October 1985 and 
was not reflected in his records.  Upon the Board’s decision, 
administrative correction of the applicant's official military 
personnel record will be completed by AFPC/DPSOR.  

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

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APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

In his response, the applicant states that he is requesting 
recognition of his tour of service in Thailand and emphasizes 
that he is not looking for awards or medals.  He further states 
when he retired in 1985 he did not notice the omission of the 
TDY in his records.  He spent 89 days in a hot, bug, snake and 
disease infested place and has no records to show for his 
presence there.  He cannot get proper treatment from the 
Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) without that 
acknowledgment.  

The applicant’s complete response is Exhibit F.  

________________________________________________________________

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, due to the absence of official documentation 
that verifies his foreign service in Thailand we agree with the 
opinion and recommendation of the Air Force offices of primary 
responsibility and adopt their 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.

________________________________________________________________

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 15 October 2013, under the provisions of 
AFI 36-2603:

			, Panel Chair
			, Member
			, Member

The following documentary evidence was considered in AFBCMR 
Docket Number BC-2012-05812:

    Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 17 December 2012.
    Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
    Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPAPP, dated 17 January 2013.
    Exhibit D.  Letter, AFPC/DPSID, dated 25 March 2013, w/atch.
    Exhibit E.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 1 April 2013.
    Exhibit F.  Letter, Applicant, dated 29 April 2013.