[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 190 (Friday, October 1, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53364-53365]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-25482]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Air Force
Active Duty Service Determinations for Civilian or Contractual
Groups
On August 27, 1999, the Secretary of the Air Force, acting as
Executive Agent of the Secretary of Defense, determined that the
service of the group known as ``The Operational Analysis Group of the
Office of Scientific Research and Development, Office of Emergency
Management, which served overseas with the U.S. Army Air Corps from
December 7, 1941 through August 15, 1945'' shall be considered ``active
duty'' under the provisions of Public Law 95-202 for the purposes of
all laws administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
To be eligible for VA benefits, members of the group must establish
each of the following:
1. He or she was employed as a civilian employee of the Office of
Scientific Research and Development for a period of time during the
period December 7, 1941 to August 15, 1945; and
2. He or she was assigned as a civilian operations analyst or
scientific consultant to duty with an operations analysis section or
operational research section at a headquarters of an Army Air Force
field force or command outside the continental limits of the United
States; and
3. He or she served for a period of time outside the continental
limits of the United States as a civilian operations analyst or
scientific consultant at that field force or command between December
7, 1941 and August 15, 1945; and
4. He or she completed honorably the period for which the applicant
contracted with the Office of Scientific Research and Development and
completed honorably his or her obligations to the Army Air Force unit
to which he or she was assigned outside the continental limits of the
United States.
Qualifying periods of time are computed from the date of departure
from the continental United States to the date of return to the
continental United States.
Application Procedures
Before an individual can receive any VA benefits, the person must
first apply for an Armed Forces Discharge Certificate (Department of
Defense Form 214) by filling out a Department of Defense (DD) Form
2168, Application for Discharge of Member or Survivor of
[[Page 53365]]
Member of Group Certified to Have Performed Active Duty With the Armed
Forces of the United States, and sending it to the U.S. Air Force
Personnel Center at the following address: AFPC/DPPRP, 550 C Street
West, Suite 11, Randolph AFB, TX 78150-4713.
Important: Applicants must attach supporting documents to their DD
Form 2168 application. Of primary importance will be any employment
records from the Operational Analysis Group of the Office of Scientific
Research and Development, Office of Emergency Management. Other
supporting documentation might include copies of passports with
appropriate entries, military or civilian orders posting the applicant
to an overseas assignment, reports signed by or mentioning the work of
the applicant at the Operational Analysis unit overseas, Army Air Force
(AAF) Identification Forms 133, any personal employment records such as
commendations regarding performance, employee expense reports of
charges to AAF contracts, medical certifications prior to departure
from the U.S., AAF passes to leave the limits of an overseas base,
miscellaneous AAF papers, etc. Additionally, the overseas Operational
Analysis unit chief may provide written confirmation for the service of
other members in his unit.
Applicants having difficulty establishing all of the eligibility
criteria mentioned above, should recognize the nature and character of
documents addressing each criteria need not be the same. For example,
an applicant may establish employment with the Operational Analysis
Group of the Office of Scientific Research and Development through
official employment records, but find that proving assignment to an
Army Air Force field force or command outside the continental United
States more difficult. In such a case, an applicant may be able to
prove assignment and service at that location through other evidence,
such as, dated, postmarked (or other sign of authenticity)
correspondence (official or personal) to or from the applicant at that
assignment outside the United States.
Upon confirmation of an applicant's eligibility, the DD Form 214
will be passed from AFPC/DPPRP to the Awards and Decorations office to
determine which ribbons the applicant is eligible to receive (campaign
ribbons, theater ribbons, victory medal, etc.). Specific awards (i.e.,
Silver Star, Purple Heart, etc.) need separate justification detailing
the act, achievement, or service believed to warrant the appropriate
medal/ribbon. DD Forms 2168 are available from VA offices or from the
U.S. Air Force offices in this notice. An electronic version is also
available in Adobe Acrobat (the reader is free) on the Internet at
``DefenseLINK, publications.''
For further information contact Mr. James D. Johnston at the
Secretary of the Air Force Personnel Council (SAFPC), 1535 Command
Drive, EE Wing, 3rd Floor, Andrews AFB, MD 20762-7002.
Benefit Information
A determination of ``active duty'' under Public Law 95-202 is ``for
the purposes of all laws administered by the Department of Veterans
Affairs'' (38 U.S.C. 106). Benefits are not retroactive and do not
include such things as increased military or Federal Civil Service
retirement pay, or a military burial detail, for example. Entitlement
to state veterans benefits vary and are governed by each state.
Therefore, for specific benefits information, contact your nearest
Veterans Affairs Office and your state veterans service office after
you have received your Armed Forces discharge documents.
Janet A. Long,
Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 99-25482 Filed 9-30-99; 8:45 am]
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