PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:                              
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AC9810926

	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	
	M .		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. 		Chairperson	
	Mr. 		Member	
	Mr. 		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 to show his correct home of record and place entered active duty and to add the decorations he received for duty in Somalia, his combat patches, expert marksman badges and the Abrams, Bradley NETT and M-900 series A2 courses he attended.

3.  The applicant states he never saw his records after he left Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he enlisted in the Regular Army on 30 November 1990 from the Manchester Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS), Manchester NH.  His enlistment contract shows his home of record as Nashua, NH.  He served an unspecified period of temporary duty in Somalia for which he received the Army Achievement Medal (1st oak leaf cluster).  He was honorably separated on 7 January 1997 due to a disability that existed prior to his entry in the service.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant’s place of entry into active duty and his home of record as shown on his DD Form 214 are incorrect.

2.  The applicant was awarded the Army Achievement Medal (1st oak leaf cluster) for his service in Somalia.  It is already shown on his DD Form 214.  Certificates of achievement are not entered on the DD Form 214.  His Personnel Qualification Record shows he was awarded the expert qualification badges for the rifle M-16 and the hand grenade but no badges for any other weapons.  Combat patches are a uniform item, not listed in the awards and decorations regulation, and so are not listed on the DD Form 214.

3.  Entries in block 14, Military Education, are meant to assist the soldier in job placement and counseling; therefore, training courses for combat skills will not be listed.  The three courses claimed by the applicant are combat-related skills and not applicable to civilian jobs.

4.  In view of the foregoing, it would be proper to correct the applicant’s records as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That all of the Department of the Army records pertaining to the applicant be corrected to show:

     a.  he entered active duty from Manchester, NH and his home of record at that time was 50 Forge Drive, Nashua, NH 03060; and 

     b.  he was awarded the expert badge (not the sharpshooter badge) w/rifle bar M-16  and the expert badge w/grenade bar.

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

BOARD VOTE:  

________  ________  ________  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON