[Federal Register: March 7, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 45)]
[Notices]
[Page 11068-11069]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07mr03-52]
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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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