PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:        

	BOARD DATE:            26 August 1999
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1998012852

	I certify that hereinafter is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in the case of the above-named individual.  

	Mr. Loren G. Harrell		Director	
	Mr. Joseph A. Adriance		Analyst	

The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Shirley L. Powell		Chairperson	
	Mr. Samuel Calderon		Member	
	Ms. Barbara J. Ellis		Member	

	The applicant and counsel if any, did not appear before the Board.

	The Board considered the following evidence:

	Exhibit A -  Application for correction of military 
                   records
	Exhibit B -  Military Personnel Records (including
	                  advisory opinion, if any)

FINDINGS:

1.  The applicant has exhausted or the Board has waived the requirement for exhaustion of all administrative remedies afforded by existing law or regulations.

2.  The applicant requests, in effect, that his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) be corrected.

3.  The applicant states, in effect, that he would like his DD Form 214 corrected to include his time served in Haiti while participating in Operation Uphold Democracy, and that he be awarded all medals associated with that service. 

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he initially entered the Regular Army on 5 September 1989 for 4 years, and that he reenlisted on 13 May 1995 for an additional 4 years.  The applicant completed a total of 7 years, 8 months, and 8 days of honorable active service; the highest rank he attained while on active duty was specialist/E-4; and he held military occupational specialty (MOS) 11B (Infantryman).

5.  The record shows that the applicant served in Haiti, as a participant in Operation Uphold Democracy, from 21 October 1995 through 4 March 1996 
(4 months and 14 days).  However, while the DD Form 214 issued the applicant lists an Army Achievement Medal (AAM) and a Joint Meritorious Unit Award (JMUA) both of which the applicant received as a result of his service in Haiti, it does not make reference to his Haiti service in block 18 (Remarks) nor does it include this service in the foreign service total contained in block 12h (Foreign Service) of the DD Form 214.  In addition, there is no reference to the United Nations Medal (UNM) on the DD Form 214 issued the applicant at his discharge.

6.  On 10 October 1995 the Secretary of Defense approved acceptance of the UNM for members of the Armed Forces of the United States who participated in the United Nations Mission in Haiti (UNMIH).  The evidence of record shows that the applicant was included on a list of members awarded the UNM on 8 January 1996, by the force commander of the UNMIH.  

7.  On 12 May 1997, the applicant was issued a DD Form 214 which documented that he had completed 1 year, 6 months, and 22 days of foreign service, of which 6 months and 25 days were served in Southwest Asia during Operation Desert Storm.  The DD Form 214 also listed the following awards, decorations, and badges:  3 AAM’s; the Army Lapel Button (ALB); the Army Commendation Medal (ARCOM); the JMUA; two Army Good Conduct Medals (GCMDL); the National Defense Service Medal (NDSM); the Southwest Asia Service Medal (SWASM)/w two bronze service stars; the Noncommissioned Officer’s Professional Development Ribbon (NCOPDR); the Army Service Ribbon (ASR); the Overseas Service Ribbon (OSR); the Saudi/Kuwait Liberation Medal (S/KLM); the Kuwait Liberation Medal (KLM); the Combat Infantryman’s Badge (CIB); and the Air Assault Badge (AAB).

8.  Subsequent to the applicant’s discharge, on 4 October 1997, a Military Personnel (MILPER) Message (Msg) issued by the Commander of the Army’s Personnel Command (PERSCOM) authorized the award of the Armed Forces Service Medal (AFSM) to members who served as a member of the UNMIH between 1 April 1995 and 15 April 1996; who served as a member of U.S. Forces Haiti between 16 April 1996 and 29 February 1996; or as a member of U.S. Support Group Haiti from 1 March 1996 to a date to be determined.  

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The evidence of record clearly shows that the DD Form 214 issued the applicant excluded the time he served in Haiti from block 12f (Foreign Service); and that block 18 (Remarks) did not list his service in Haiti while participating in Operation Uphold Democracy from 21 October 1995 to 4 March 1996.

2.  The record includes evidence that the applicant was awarded the UNM for his service in support of the UNMIH on 8 January 1996 and that this award was excluded from the DD Form 214 issued the applicant at his discharge.  Further, based on his service in Haiti, the applicant clearly qualifies for the AFSM which was authorized subsequent to his discharge. 

3.  In view of the foregoing, the applicant’s records should be corrected as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by:

a.  by showing that the individual concerned had a total of 1 year, 
11 months, and 6 days of foreign service in block 12f (Foreign Service) of the 
DD Form 214;

b.  by adding the following entry in block 18 of the DD Form 214:  “Service in Haiti-19951021-19960304”;

c.  by adding the United Nations Medal and the Armed Forces Service Medal to block 13 of the DD Form 214; and 

d.  by issuing the individual concerned a new DD Form 214 which includes the corrections outlined above.

BOARD VOTE:  

__sc ____  ___be___  ___slp __  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		____Shirley L. Powell_____
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1998012852	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	1999/08/26	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	HD	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	1997/05/12	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR 635-200, C4	
DISCHARGE REASON	N/A	
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.  46	107.00	
2.  132	107.0086	
3.  189	110.000	
4.		
5.		
6.