[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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