Opinion ID: 787298
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Ramstein AFB Decoration

Text: 72 Mr. Roth also did not receive an end-of-tour decoration upon his separation from Ramstein AFB. Major Roth's commander at the time of his separation, Lieutenant Colonel Walter Harris, stated that had an OER been prepared for Mr. Roth, it would have reflected honorable and competent success oriented service. (Board R. 133) Moreover, had Mr. Roth's departure been due to causes other than separation, Lieutenant Colonel Harris would have considered him for an end-of-tour medal commensurate with [his] evaluation of [Mr. Roth's] accomplishments.... (Board R. 133) General O'Lear, the approval authority for the medal at the time, explained to the Board that he would have approved a recommendation for the medal had it been submitted by Mr. Roth's commanding officers, and that he supported a correction of Mr. Roth's record to that effect. (Board R. 135) These views were shared by Colonel Richard L'Heureux, Director, Plans and Systems for USAFE/IN at the time of Mr. Roth's separation and a member of his immediate supervisory chain. (Board R. 134) 73 The lack of an end-of-tour medal from Ramstein AFB flowed directly from the violation committed on Mr. Roth's March 1984 OER, which infected his January and June 1985 OERs. The evidence establishes that the downgraded indorsement levels resulted in his separation, which in turn resulted in his not receiving an end-of-tour decoration for his service at Ramstein AFB. The Court of Federal Claims properly found this military decision to be justiciable in light of the statements by members of Mr. Roth's former chain of command. 74 The AFMPC concluded, based on these statements from members of Mr. Roth's chain of command, that the Board could order the decoration to be awarded. Memorandum from the AFMPC to the Board at 5. The court directed the Board to award Mr. Roth the medal. We agree, and we affirm the trial court's order that Mr. Roth's record be corrected to reflect the award of an end-of-tour decoration upon his departure from Ramstein AFB. 75