Evidence

Order and weighting of evidence used in decision-making process for F-111 Tier Classification applications

The evidence used in the decision-making process (order of weighting is from highest to lowest) includes:

1. Primary evidence – sourced from official Air Force (or other employer) records:
   1. individual service and personnel records;
   2. the Airman's Trade Progress Sheet;
   3. Air Force Record of Training and Employment;
   4. Defence pay records where they show evidence of tank entry;
   5. Fuel Tank Entry Permits (from 1993-2000).
2. Secondary evidence – sourced from:
   1. statements made to the Air Force Board of Inquiry (BOI) or in support of an individual's compensation claim;
   2. the individual's application for inclusion in the Interim or SHOAMP Health Care Schemes.
3. Tertiary evidence:
   1. statutory declaration corroborated by primary or secondary evidence;
   2. information in a statutory declaration by the claimant, along with a second supporting statutory declaration made by an authorised person;
   3. personal photographs;
   4. personal copies of service records which are not available in official individual personnel records.

In the absence of any Primary or Secondary evidence Tertiary evidence can be used as the sole source of evidence upon which to base a decision.

Where tertiary evidence conflicts with other evidence the claimant should be given the opportunity to resolve the conflict with further evidence.

Gathering evidence

The delegate must consider all of the following evidence (if available) before making a decision:

• Official Defence records;
• if insufficient primary or secondary evidence is available, request statutory declarations and request corroborating statutory declaration.  If claimant only provides statutory declaration and no supporting primary or secondary evidence, or provides conflicting information, attempt to verify information provided;
• Board of Inquiry evidence.

If the above listed evidence is not available, record that a search was made for that evidence but no evidence of that type was able to be found.

File records

Individual files must contain:

• technical assessment;
• decision letter;
• evidence used in assessment and weighting given to each piece of assessment;
• reasons for rejecting evidence including statutory declarations;
• where no evidence is found, a record must be made which outlines efforts taken to find evidence; and
• file notes recording details of all phone conversations with the claimant or 3 — rd parties regarding the application.

Information sources must always be referenced and dated.

Reconsiderations should follow the same process as outlined above, with the decision documented and put on file. Any material supplied as the basis for the reconsideration request should be filed.

Files must be folioed.