PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:           

	BOARD DATE:                 11 May 2000
	DOCKET NUMBER:        AR2000035569

	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. Carl W.S. Chun		Director	
	Ms. Joyce A. Wright		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr.		Chairperson	
	Mr. James M. Alward		Member	
	Mr. Christopher J. Prosser		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 award of the Good Conduct Medal.

3.  The applicant states that he was on active duty from June 1966 to June 1969, was not awarded the Good Conduct Medal and that there were no incidents of declining performance or efficiency during his period of service.  In support of his application he submits a copy of his DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge).

4.  The applicant’s military records show he entered active duty on 28 June 1966 as an engineer equipment repairman.  He served in Vietnam from 22 November 1968 to 20 June 1969 and was honorably discharged on 21 June 1969.

5.  His discharge document does not show the Good Conduct Medal as an authorized award.

6.  There is no indication in the applicant’s personnel records that he was awarded the Good Conduct Medal.  There also is no evidence that the applicant was disqualified by his unit commander for award of the Good Conduct Medal.
His records show that he received excellent conduct and efficiency ratings during his entire period of service.  There is no evidence of derogatory information contained in the available records.

7.  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.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  Evidence of record shows that he is entitled to the first award of the Good Conduct Medal for the period 28 June 1966 to 21 June 1969 based on completion of a period of qualifying service ending with the termination of a period of Federal military service.  Therefore, he is entitled to correction of his records to show this award.

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 showing that the individual concerned was awarded the
first award of the Good Conduct Medal for the period 28 June 1966 
21 June 1969.

BOARD VOTE:  

RVO____  JMA_____  CJP____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		_RAYMOND V. O’CONNOR, JR.  
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000035569	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20000511	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	HD	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	19690621	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR 635-200	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.  102		
2.  		
3.  		
4.		
5.		
6.