PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           8 September 1999                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1999024149

	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	
	Mrs. Nancy Amos		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Fred K. McCoy		Chairperson	
	Ms. Karen L. Wolff		Member	
	Mr. Orville W. Troesch, Jr.		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 he be awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge.

3.  The applicant states that he served as an infantryman in Vietnam for 1 month and 27 days before he went on emergency leave.  He did not return but he did serve in combat while he was there.

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he was inducted into the Army on 11 December 1967.  He completed basic combat training and advanced individual training and was awarded military occupational specialty 11B (Light Weapons Infantryman).

5.  The applicant was assigned to the 2d Battalion 8th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division, Vietnam on 4 June 1968 where he served as a rifleman.  He departed Vietnam on emergency leave on or about 21 July 1968.  He separated on           6 December 1968 with a hardship discharge.

6.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 prescribes Army policy and criteria concerning individual military awards.  It provides for the award of the Combat Infantryman Badge to a soldier who is an infantryman satisfactorily performing infantry duties, who is 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.  Campaign or battle credit alone is not sufficient for award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The Board concludes that an injustice occurred in this case.

2.  The applicant was an infantryman serving in an infantry unit.  The Board concludes that at the time he served in Vietnam, in 1968, even though it was for a short period of time, he most likely was involved in active ground combat with his unit.  

3.  In view of the foregoing, it would be in the interest of justice to correct the applicant’s records as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by showing the applicant was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge.

BOARD VOTE:  

__fkm___  __klw___  __owt___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

			Fred K. McCoy
		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999024149	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	19990908	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(GRANT)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.0111	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.