PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:      

	BOARD DATE:            8 July 1999       
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1999019057

	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:

	Ms. June Hajjar		Chairperson	
	Mr. Raymond V. O'Connor, Jr.		Member	
	Mr. Roger W. Able		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.  (Note:  The applicant also requests assistance in obtaining a DA Form 1059 (academic evaluation report) associated with completion of a transportation training course at Fort Jackson, South Carolina in 1989 while he was a member of the Michigan National Guard.  Unfortunately, the Board is unable to assist the applicant in this request but suggests that he may wish to contact the Transportation Center at Fort Jackson for assistance in verifying details associated with that training course, and information concerning the possibility of obtaining a duplicate evaluation report.)

3.  The applicant states he received the Army Good Conduct Medal at a ceremony in June 1987 but the award was never recorded in his records nor reflected on his separation document.

4.  Information reconstructed from documents provided by the applicant’s National Guard unit indicates the applicant entered active duty on 9 February 1984.  He was promoted to pay grade E-4 on 1 January 1985 and awarded two awards of the Army Achievement Medal prior to being released from active duty at the completion of his four-year enlistment contract on 8 February 1988.  He was released from active duty with an honorable characterization of service and transferred to the Michigan Army National Guard

5.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 states that the Army Good Conduct Medal is awarded to individuals who distinguish themselves by their conduct, efficiency and fidelity during a qualifying period of active duty enlisted service.  This period is 3 years except in those cases when the period for the first award ends with the termination of a period of Federal military service.  Although there is no automatic entitlement to the Good Conduct Medal, disqualification must be justified.  Current practice requires that the commander provide written notice of nonfavorable consideration and permits the individual to respond.  There is no evidence the applicant’s commander ever disqualified him for award of the Good Conduct Medal.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant completed a qualifying period of service for award of the Army Good Conduct on 8 February 1987 when he completed three years of continuous active duty.  The Board finds no evidence or reason to believe, the applicant was ever denied award of the decoration and as such, in the interest of justice, it would be appropriate to award him the Good Conduct Medal for the period 
9 February 1984 through 8 February 1987.

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 by awarding the individual concerned the Army Good Conduct Medal for the period 9 February 1984 through 8 February 1987.

BOARD VOTE:  

__jh____  __rvo___  ___rwa__  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999019057	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	19990708	
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.