PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:            5 April 2000                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1999028865

	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.  

	Ms. Wanda L. Waller		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr.		Chairperson	
	Mr. Stanley Kelley		Member	
	Mr. Lester Echols		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 DD Form 214 (Report of Separation from Active Duty) be corrected to show the medals to which he is entitled and the service schools/courses from which he graduated.

3.  The applicant states there are no medals or schools listed on his discharge.

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he enlisted on 5 April 1976 for a period of 3 years.  He trained as an ADA [Air Defense Artillery] Short Range Gunnery Crewman and was honorably discharged on 4 April 1979.

5.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 shows the “Sharpshooter (Rifle)” (correctly known as the Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar) and the “Expert (Grenade)” (correctly known as the Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Grenade Bar) as authorized awards.  Item 9 (Awards, Decorations & Campaigns) of the applicant’s DA Form 2-1 (Personnel Qualification Record) shows only these two marksmanship badges. 

6.  Item 27 (Remarks) of the applicant’s DD Form 214 shows he completed the “USAADS [United States Army Air Defense School] – IH [Improved Hawk] Firing Sec [Section] Mech [Mechanic]” and the USAADS “ADA [Air Defense Artillery] Short Range Gunnery Crewman” courses.  Item 17 (Civilian Education and Military Schools) of the applicant’s DA Form 2-1 also shows these two courses.  There are no other military schools shown on this form.  

7.  There is no evidence in the applicant’s personnel records that he was considered for the first award of the Good Conduct Medal.  There also is no evidence of record that his chain of command took any action to disqualify him from receiving the Good Conduct Medal.

8.  The applicant’s personnel records contain a DA Form 1059 (Service School Academic Evaluation Report), dated 8 September 1978, which shows the applicant completed the U.S. Army NCO Academy III Corps.  He attended the service school from 14 August 1978 through 8 September 1978. 

9.  Review of the applicant’s records and Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) does not reveal entitlement to any additional awards.

10.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides that the 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.  

11.  Army Regulation 635-5 establishes the policies and procedures for completion and distribution of the DD Form 214.  In pertinent part it states that item 27 (Remarks) will list formal in service training courses successfully completed during the period of service covered by title, length in weeks, and month and year completed.  This information is to assist the soldier after separation in job placement and counseling; therefore, training courses for combat skills are not listed.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant is entitled to the first award of the Good Conduct Medal based on completion of three-years of qualifying Federal military service from 5 April 1976 through 4 April 1979.  Therefore, he is entitled to correction of his DD Form 214 to show this award.

2.  The applicant successfully completed the U.S. Army NCO Academy III Corps course; thus, he is entitled to correction of his DD Form 214 to show this course.

3.  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: 

a.  by showing that the individual concerned was awarded the first award of the Good Conduct Medal for the period 5 April 1976 through 4 April 1979; and 

b.  by showing the entry “U.S. Army NCO Academy III Corps 4 Weeks September 1978” in item 27 (Remarks) of his DD Form 214.

BOARD VOTE:  

RVO____  SK_____  LE______  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr.___
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999028865	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20000405	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	19790404	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR 635-200 Chapter 2	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(GRANT)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.0056	
2.	100.0700	
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.