MEMORANDUM OF CONSIDERATION

	IN THE CASE OF:   

	BOARD DATE:           13 October 1999                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1999016062

	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	
	Mrs. Nancy Amos		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Edward Williamson		Chairperson	
	Mr. Thomas B. Redfern, III		Member	
	Mr. Ernest W. Lutz, Jr.		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:  That he be awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB).

APPLICANT STATES:  That he was in combat as an infantryman for 6 ½ months.  Even though he was in the communications section of the battalion, he was a Browning Automatic Rifle man.  Wherever the regiment was, in combat or otherwise, the 1st Battalion Headquarters was right there.  He had several military occupational specialties (MOS) during his 5 years in the Army.  Men in the regimental headquarters received the CIB, he should, too.  (In a 17 December 1996 statement to his Congressman, he noted that he “…was a lineman stringing wire to Division, Regimental Hdqts to the outposts and to every C.P.  I was in the zones at times that (sic) beyond our lines, so we carried our arms as any other Infantryman…”

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

He enlisted in the Army on 20 September 1940.  He attended the Infantry Wire and Lineman course.  He arrived in the European and Middle Eastern Theater on 22 June 1943 and departed on 10 July 1944.  He separated on 5 October 1945.  His Report of Separation shows his MOS as 931, Heavy Truck Driver.  The evidence of record shows he was awarded the Combat Medical Badge and, based on that badge, the Bronze Star Medal.

Army Regulation 600-8-22 prescribes Army policy and criteria concerning individual military awards.  In pertinent part, it states that the CIB was established during World War II to provide special recognition of the unique role of the Army infantryman, the only soldier whose daily mission is to close with and destroy the enemy and to seize and hold terrain.  The badge was intended as an inducement for individuals to join the infantry while serving as a morale booster for infantrymen.  In developing the CIB, the War Department did not dismiss or ignore the contributions of other branches.  Their vital contributions to the overall war effort were noted, but it was decided that other awards and decorations were sufficient to recognize their contributions.  From the beginning, Army leadership have taken care to retain the badge for the unique purpose for which it was established.  There are basically three requirements for award of the CIB.  The soldier must be an infantryman satisfactorily performing infantry duties, must be assigned to an infantry unit during such time as the unit is engaged in active ground combat, and must actively participate in such ground combat.  

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

1.  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.

2.  The applicant states in his 17 December 1996 letter to his Congressman that he was a lineman and, because he strung wire beyond the (front) lines, he carried arms as any other infantryman.   However, it was not his daily mission to close with and destroy the enemy and to seize and hold terrain as is the mission of the infantryman; therefore, he did not perform infantryman duties.

3.  The Board cannot address his contention that soldiers in his regimental headquarters inappropriately received the CIB, but he did not meet the eligibility requirements to receive it.

4.  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

__ew____  __tbr___  __ewl___  DENY APPLICATION

						Loren G. Harrell
						Director

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999016062	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	19991013	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(DENY)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.0111	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.