PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF: 

	BOARD DATE:           4 November 1998    
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AC98-10283

	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. Wanda L. Waller		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. James E. Vick		Chairperson	
	Mr. Luther L. Santiful		Member	
	Mr. Thomas N. Kuhn		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 correction of his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to show award of the Southwest Asia Service Medal (SWASM) and his dates of service in Southwest Asia.

3.  The applicant states, in effect, he is entitled to the SWASM and his DD Form 214 does not show this award or his dates of service in Southwest Asia. 

4.  The applicant’s military records show he entered active duty on 31 July 1992.  He trained as a petroleum supply specialist and was separated with an under honorable conditions (general) discharge on 4 November 1994.  

5.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 does not show the SWASM as an authorized award or his dates of service in Southwest Asia.

6.  The Defense Manpower Desert Shield/Desert Storm Data Base shows the applicant served in Southwest Asia from 1 October 1993 through 31 December 1993. 

7.  The Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) compiled the Desert Shield/Storm Data Base.  The primary Desert Shield/Storm file contains one record for each active duty member who participated in-theater between 2 August 1990 and 31 July 1991 and one record for each Reservist, National Guard member or retiree who was activated or federalized in response to Desert Shield/Desert Storm.  For Reservists and Guard members the file includes those persons activated or federalized from 2 August 1990 through 31 December 1991.  A Phase II file lists active duty personnel who served in-theater between 1 August 1991 and 31 December 1993.  There are also separate files covering calendar years 1994 and 1995.

8.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides that service in the Persian Gulf War is to be recognized by award of the Southwest Asia Service Medal (SWASM) to Army members who participated in Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm in the designated area on or after 2 August 1990.  A bronze service star is authorized for the Defense of Saudi Arabia (2 August 1990 to 16 January 1991) and the Liberation and Defense of Kuwait (17 January to 11 April 1991) and the Cease-fire Campaign (12 April 1991 to 30 October 1995).

9.  Army Regulation 635-5 establishes the policies and procedures for completion and distribution of the DD Form 214.  In pertinent part, it states that item 18 (Remarks) is used for entries required by Headquarters Department of the Army for which a separate block is not available and for completing entries that are too long for their blocks.  Department of the Army issued guidance to report service in Southwest Asia in item 18 (Remarks) of the DD Form 214.
CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant served in Southwest Asia from 1 October 1993 through 
31 December 1993.  Therefore, he is entitled to correction of his DD Form 214 to show award of the SWASM with one bronze service star and to show his dates of service in Southwest Asia in item 18 (Remarks).

2.  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:

     a.   by showing that the individual concerned was awarded the SWASM with one bronze service star; and

     b.  by adding “SERVICE IN SWA 1 OCT 93 - 31 DEC 93” in item 18 (Remarks) of the DD Form 214 with a separation date of 4 November 1994.

BOARD VOTE:  

JEV_____  LLS_____  TNK____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON