MEMORANDUM OF CONSIDERATION

	IN THE CASE OF:      

	BOARD DATE:           20 January 1999                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AC98-08984
                                              AR1998013984

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

	Mr. Loren G. Harrell		Director	
	Ms. Beverly A. Young		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. June Hajjar		Chairperson	
	Mr. Robert W. Garrett		Member	
	Ms. Deborah S. Jacobs		Member	

	The Board, established pursuant to authority contained in 10 U.S.C. 1552, convened at the call of the Chairperson on the above date.  In accordance with Army Regulation 15-185, the application and the available military records pertinent to the corrective action requested were reviewed to determine whether to authorize a formal hearing, recommend that the records be corrected without a formal hearing, or to deny the application without a formal hearing if it is determined that insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of probable material error or injustice.

	The applicant requests correction of military records as stated in the application to the Board and as restated herein.

	The Board considered the following evidence:

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

APPLICANT REQUESTS:  Correction of his records to show service awards for his service in El Salvador during the period June 1983 to May 1984.

APPLICANT STATES:  That during the time he served in El Salvador, there were no awards given and the Army did not recognize service in El Salvador until 1993.  He states that he is retired and is trying to join the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), but he cannot join without service awards.  In a letter of explanation, the applicant states that he served temporary duty of five to ten days each month in El Salvador coordinating movement of troops and supplies.

EVIDENCE OF RECORD:  The applicant's military records show:

The applicant enlisted in the Army on 22 May 1972 and completed training as an infantryman.  He served in Panama from 21 April 1974 to 2 October 1975 and was retired from active duty in the grade of E-8 on 31 August 1993.

There is no evidence in the applicant’s personnel records that he served in El Salvador.  There are no temporary duty (TDY) orders in the applicant’s records which show his service in El Salvador.

A review of the applicant’s personnel records shows a Noncommissioned (NCO) Enlisted Evaluation Report (EER) for the period in question.  This NCO EER references duty related to Honduras, but not in El Salvador.  Records show no recommendation for award for specific actions in El Salvador.

1st Special Operations Command (SOCOM) Permanent Orders 148-4, dated 27 December 1985 show he received the Meritorious Service Medal for meritorious service during the period 26 October 1981 to 26 August 1985.  This award is shown on his DD Form 214 and encompasses the period the applicant claims he served in a temporary duty status in El Salvador.

Total Army Personnel Command message 191510Z March 1996 authorized award of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) for service in El Salvador.  The period authorized for award of the AFEM was from 1 January 1981 to 1 February 1992.  Qualifying service in accordance with this message specified that a soldier must be bona fide members of a unit engaged in the operation or meet one or more of the following criteria:  1)  Be engaged in direct support for 30 consecutive days in the area of operations;  2)  Be engaged in actual combat, or duty which is equally hazardous as combat, during the operation with armed opposition regardless of time in the area; or  3)  Participate as a regularly assigned crew member of an aircraft flying into, out of, or over the area in support of the military operation.

Paragraph 1-18 of Army Regulation 600-8-22 states that only one decoration will be awarded to an individual for the same act, achievement, or period of meritorious service.

DISCUSSION:  Considering all the evidence, allegations, and information presented by the applicant, together with the evidence of record, and applicable law and regulations, it is concluded:

1.  There is no evidence of record, and the applicant has not provided any evidence, which shows that he served in El Salvador or was awarded or recommended for service awards for actions performed in El Salvador.  Therefore, he is not entitled to award of the AFEM or any other awards authorized for service in El Salvador. 

2.  In order to justify correction of a military record the applicant must show to the satisfaction of the Board, or it must otherwise satisfactorily appear, that the record is in error or unjust.  The applicant has failed to submit evidence that would satisfy the aforementioned requirement.

3.  In view of the foregoing, there is no basis for granting the applicant's request.

DETERMINATION:  The applicant has failed to submit sufficient relevant evidence to demonstrate the existence of probable error or injustice.

BOARD VOTE:

________  ________  ________  GRANT

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

JH______  RWG___  DSJ_____  DENY APPLICATION

						Loren G. Harrell
						Director

INDEX

CASE ID	AC98-08984/AR1998013984	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	19990120	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR .  .  .  .  .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	DENY	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	100.00	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.