PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:      

	BOARD DATE:           5 August 1999     
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1998013900

	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	
	Ms. Deborah L. Brantley		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Mark D. Manning		Chairperson	
	Mr. Arthur A. Omartian		Member	
	Mr. Ernest W. Lutz, Jr.		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 that his military records be corrected to reflect award of the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge and an Expert Marksmanship Badge.  He states, in effect, that the awards were omitted from his separation report.  He submits no evidence in support of his request.

3.  Records available to the Board indicate the applicant entered active duty on 3 September 1964.  He was trained, and served, in the communications field throughout the duration of his active military service.  Item 41 (awards and decorations) notes that he was awarded a “sharpshooter” qualification badge for the “rifle” in October 1964 which was confirmed in orders issued at Fort Polk, Louisiana.  

4.  While in Vietnam, between December 1965 and December 1966, he served as a “commo chief” with the 11th Aviation Group.

5.  The 5th Battalion, 42nd Artillery at Fort Bragg, North Caroline, issued orders confirming award of the Army Good Conduct Medal on 21 August 1967.  When the applicant was released from active duty on 1 September 1967 neither his Good Conduct Medal or sharpshooter badge were recorded on his separation document.

6.  There are basically three requirements for award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.  The soldier must be an infantryman (11 series specialty), assigned to an infantry unit during such time as the unit is engaged in active ground combat, and must have actively participated in such ground combat.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The evidence confirms the applicant qualified as a “sharpshooter” on the rifle and was awarded a sharpshooter badge.  They also confirm he was awarded a Good Conduct Medal.  However, both awards were apparently omitted from his separation document.

2.  The applicant was neither an infantryman nor did he serve in an infantry unit while in Vietnam.  As such the applicant would not have been eligible for award of the Combat Infantryman Badge and there continues to be no basis to award him that decoration.

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

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by showing that he was awarded the Army Good Conduct Medal and the a sharpshooter badge with “rifle” bar.

2.  That so much of the application as is in excess of the foregoing be denied 

BOARD VOTE:  

__mdm__  __aao___  __ewl___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1998013900	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	19990805	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(GRANT)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1. 107.00		
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.