[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 45 (Friday, March 7, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11068-11069]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-5440]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Air Force


Active Duty Service Determinations for Civilian or Contractual 
Groups Pursers of Transcontinental and Western Air, Inc. (WWII); 
Application Instructions for an Armed Forces Discharge Certificate

    On February 21, 2003, the Secretary of the Air Force, acting as 
Executive Agent of the Secretary of Defense, amended the 1992 
Secretarial determination concerning the group known as: ``U.S. 
Civilian Flight Crew and Aviation Ground Support Employees of 
Transcontinental and Western Air (TWA), Inc., Who Served Overseas as a 
Result of TWA's Contract with the Air Transport Command During the 
Periods February 26, 1942 through August 14, 1945.'' The amendment 
determined that the service of ``pursers,'' who were part of these 
flight crews, shall be considered ``active duty'' for purposes of all 
laws administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
    To be eligible for VA benefits, ``pursers,'' who were part of the 
flight crews recognized by the Secretary in 1992, must establish each 
of the following:
    1. He or she was employed by Transcontinental and Western Air, 
Inc., as part of its flight crew personnel (which now includes 
pursers); and
    2. He or she served outside the continental United States in direct 
support of the Air Transport Command-directed flight operations during 
the period December 14, 1941, through August 14, 1945.
    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 
and sending it to the U.S. Air Force Personnel Center at the following 
address:
    AFPC/DPPRP, 550 C St. 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 TWA and flight/log books. 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 as part of 
the TWA-ATC contract flights overseas, Army Air Force (AAF) 
Identification Forms 133, any personal employment records such as 
commendations regarding performance, employee expense reports of 
charges to ATC contracts, medical certifications prior to departure 
from the U.S., Army Air Force (AAF) passes to leave the limits of an 
overseas base, miscellaneous AAF papers, etc.
    Applicants having difficulty establishing all of the eligibility 
criteria

[[Page 11069]]

mentioned above should recognize the nature and character of documents 
addressing each criterion need not be the same. For example, an 
applicant may establish employment with TWA through official employment 
records, but find that proving assignment to an ATC contract crew 
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, 3d Fl., 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'' (Sec. 106, 38 U.S.C.). 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 veteran's benefits varies and is 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.

Pamela D. Fitzgerald,
Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-5440 Filed 3-6-03; 8:45 am]
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