(a) The Assistant Secretary of Defense (Force Management and Personnel) (ASD(FM&P)) shall:

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(1) Appoint a primary and an alternate member in the grade of O-6 or GM-15 or higher to the DoD Civilian/Military Service Review Board.

(2) Exercise oversight over the Military Departments and the U.S. Coast Guard for compliance with this Directive and in the issuance of discharge documents and casualty reports to members of recognized groups.

(b) The Secretary of the Air Force, as the designated Executive Agent of the Secretary of Defense for the administration of Public Law 95-202 shall:

(1) Establish the DoD Civilian/Military Service Review Board and the Advisory Panel.

(2) Appoint as board president a member or employee of the Air Force in grade O-6 or GM-15 or higher.

(3) Request the Secretary of Transportation to appoint an additional voting member from the U.S. Coast Guard when the board is considering the application of a group claiming active Coast Guard service.

(4) Provide a recorder and an assistant to maintain the records of the board and administer the functions of this part.

(5) Provide nonvoting legal advisors and historians.

(6) Publish notices of group applications and other Public Law 95-202 announcements in the Federal Register.

(7) Consider the rationale and recommendations of the DoD Civilian/Military Service Review Board.

(8) Determine whether the service rendered by a civilian or contractual group shall be considered AD service to the U.S. Armed Forces for all laws administered by the VA. The decision of the Secretary of the Air Force is final. There is no appeal.

(9) Notify the following persons in writing when a group determination is made (if the Secretary of the Air Force disagrees with the rationale or recommendations of the board, the Secretary of the Air Force shall provide the decision and reasons for it in writing to these persons):

(i) The applicant(s) for the group.

(ii) The Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(iii) The Secretary of the Army.

(iv) The Secretary of the Navy.

(v) The ASD (FM&P).

(vi) The Secretary of Transportation (when a group claims active Coast Guard service).

(c) The Secretary of the Army, Secretary of the Navy, Secretary of the Air Force, and Commandant of the Coast Guard shall:

(1) Appoint to the board a primary and an alternate member in the grades of O-6 or GM-15 or higher from their respective Military Services.

(2) Process applications for discharge documents from individuals claiming membership in a recognized group in accordance with applicable laws, Directives, the Secretary of the Air Force rationale and instrument effecting a group determination, and any other instructions of the board.

(3) Determine whether the applicant was a member of a recognized group after considering the individual’s evidence of membership and verifying the service against available Government records.

(4) Issue a DD Form 214, “Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty,” and a DD Form 256, “Honorable Discharge Certificate,” or a DD Form 257, “General Discharge Certificate,” as appropriate, consistent with DoD Instruction 1336.1 1 and DoD Directive 1332.14 2 and the implementing documents of the appropriate statutes of the Military Department concerned or the DoT and the instructions of the DoD Civilian/Military Service Review Board.

1 Copies may be obtained, if needed, from the U.S. Naval Publications and Forms Center, Attn: 1053, 5801 Tabor Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19120.

2 See footnote 1 to § 47.5(c)(4).

(5) Issue a DD Form 1300, “Report of Casualty,” in accordance with DoD Instruction 1300.9 3 if a verified member was killed during the period of AD service.

3 See footnote 1 to § 47.5(c)(4).

(6) Ensure that each DD Form 214, “Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty,” and each DD Form 1300, “Report of Casualty,” have the following statement entered in the “Remarks” section:

This document, issued under Public Law 95-202 (38 U.S.C. § 106 Note), administratively establishes active duty service for the purposes of Department of Veterans Affairs benefits.

(7) Determine the equivalent military pay grade, when required by the Department of Veterans Affairs. For VA benefits, a pay grade is needed only in cases when an individual was killed or received service-connected injuries or disease during the recognized period of AD service. A DD Form 1300 shall be issued with the equivalent pay grade annotated for a member who died during the recognized period of service. A DD Form 214 shall not include pay grade, unless the Department of Veterans Affairs requests that a grade determination be given. Determinations of equivalent grade shall be based on the following criteria in order of importance:

(i) Officially recognized organizational grade or equivalent rank.

(ii) The corresponding rank for civilian pay grade.

(iii) If neither of the criteria in paragraphs (c)(7) (i) and (ii) of this section, and applies, only one of three grades may be issued; i.e., O-1, E-4, or E-1. Selection depends on the nature of the job performed, the level of supervision exercised, and the military privileges to which the individual was entitled.

(8) Adjudicate applicant challenges to the period of AD service, characterization of service, or other administrative aspects of the discharge documents issued.