PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           28 October 1999                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1999024426

	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. Thomas D. Howard, Jr.		Chairperson	
	Mr. Thomas N. Kuhn		Member	
	Mr. James P. Steuve		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 DA Form 2-1, Personnel Qualification Record to add 22 entries not now listed.

3.  The applicant states that the following entries are not listed on his DA Form  2-1:  1.  hand grenade qualification badge; 2.  Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support Examination scores; 3.  correspondence course scores; 4.  Army Institute for Professional Development Course scores; 5.  basic training diploma; 6.  AAA Driver Improvement Program completion certificate;    7.  Operator Maintenance M977 Series Vehicles (HEMTT) certificate of training; 8.  letter of appreciation;  9.  Vehicle Operators Training on M109 certificate of training; 10.  Non-Commissioned Officer Education School/Basic Skills Education Program certificate of completion; 11.  Vehicle Operators Training on M109 certificate of award; 12.  AAA Driver Improvement Program Recognition of Course Completion Certificate; 13.  German Headstart; 14.  certificate of achievement; 15.  letter of appreciation; 16.  honorable discharge; 17.  Army Service Ribbon; 18.  skill qualification test score; 19.  general test (GT) score;  20. high school (diploma); 21.  Overseas Service Ribbon; and 22.  Army Good Conduct Medal.  He provides supporting evidence in the form of the above certificates, diplomas or letters, his prior service DD Form 214, a copy of his DA Form 2A, Personnel Qualification Record (automated) and one page of his DA Form  2-1. 

4.  The applicant's military records show that after having had prior service in the U. S. Army Reserve, he enlisted in the Regular Army on 1 December 1986.  He was discharged under the provisions of Army Regulation 635-200, Chapter 14 for misconduct on 6 February 1991, with a general discharge under honorable conditions, while stationed in Germany.  

5.  The available original DA Form 2-1 on the applicant is a temporary document. A xerox copy of his DA Form 2-1 is filed with his separation paperwork but one page, which includes the item on civilian/military education, is missing.  From the pages available ( item 4) it appears the applicant was barred from reenlisting on 30 September 1987 and the bar removed on 9 August 1988.  Item 27 shows he was disqualified for the Army Good Conduct Medal on 30 September 1987 and a new qualification period began 9 August 1988.

6.  The applicant provides a copy of one page of his DA Form 2-1, the page that contains item 27.  The left edge of this page was cut off by the xerox machine and does not show the “dis” in “disqualified.”

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-104 prescribes instructions for preparing and maintaining for the DA Forms 2-1 and 2A.  In pertinent part, it states that the DA Forms 2-1 and 2A are the basic record for enlisted personnel and will be prepared and maintained for Active Army and U. S. Army Reserve enlisted personnel.
8.  Army Regulation 635-5 prescribes the separation documents prepared for soldiers upon retirement, discharge, or release from active military service or control of the Army.  It establishes standardized policy for the preparation of the DD Form 214.  It provides that in-service training course of at least one week duration will be entered in item 14.  These entries are meant to aid the member after separation in job placement and counseling; therefore, training courses for combat skills will not be listed.  Item 13 will contain decorations and medals from all periods of service.

9.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 prescribes Army policy and criteria concerning individual military awards.  It states that the Overseas Service Ribbon is awarded to members for successful completion of overseas tours.  It also states that an individual for whom a bar to reenlistment has been approved is not eligible for award of the Army Good Conduct Medal.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The DA Form 2-1 is prepared and maintained for Active Army and U. S. Army Reserve enlisted personnel.  As the applicant no longer has a military status, the Board will not direct that any changes be made to his DA Form 2-1.  If he should reenlist, he should take his supporting evidence to his personnel office so the appropriate information can be transferred to his newly-created DA Form 2-1.

2.  Most of the information provided by the applicant is not appropriate for entry on his DD Form 214.  Test scores (above items 2, 3, 4, 18 and 19); basic training (item 5), which was cannon crewman, a combat skill; AAA Driver Improvement Courses (items 6 and 12) and operator maintenance completion certificates (items 7 and 11), which were under 40 hours in length; letters of appreciation or certificates of achievement (items 8, 14 and 15); the certificate of training for vehicle operators training on M109 (item 9), because even though this course was 1 week long, it was given by Central Texas College and was not an in-service training course; basic skills education program certificate of completion (item 10), because this course is not military education – it is designed to increase civilian knowledge so as to enable a graduate to increase his/her aptitude area scores; or an honorable discharge (item 16), which is reflected in the remarks block of his DD Form 214.  

3.  The applicant’s Army Service Ribbon (item 17) and his high school graduate status (item 20) are already listed on his DD Form 214.

4.  The applicant is not eligible for award of the Overseas Service Ribbon (item 21) as he did not complete his overseas tour.  He is not eligible for award of the Army Good Conduct Medal (item 22) since his qualification period restarted on   9 August 1988 and he separated less that 3 years later under other than fully honorable conditions.
5.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 should be corrected to show award of the expert hand grenade qualification badge (item 1).  He does not ask for correction of his DD Form 214 to show award of the expert M-16 rifle qualification badge.  Soldiers are required to qualify in their basic weapon (the rifle M-16) on a yearly basis.  There is no evidence of record to show and the applicant provides no evidence to show he qualified with the rifle M-16 prior to his discharge and the Board concludes that at the time of his discharge he was not qualified with this weapon.

6.  German Headstart (item 13) should be added to item 14.  It was a one-week in-service training course and is not a combat skill.

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

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by adding the expert hand grenade qualification badge and German Headstart, 1 week to the applicant’s DD Form 214.

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

BOARD VOTE:  

__tdh___  __tnk___  __jps___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

			Thomas D. Howard, Jr.
		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999024426	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	19991028	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(GRANT)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	100.00	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.