PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:           

	BOARD DATE:                 17 August 2000
	DOCKET NUMBER:        AR2000038127

	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. Beverly A. Young		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Sherri V. Ward		Chairperson	
	Mr. Melvin H. Meyer		Member	
	Ms. Linda D. Simmons		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 DD Form 214 (Report of Separation from the Armed Forces of the United States) to show all the awards to which he is entitled and to show the schools and courses he has completed.  He also requests correction of his records to show his blood group as “B+” instead of “O”.

3.  The applicant states that he was not given credit for the courses and schools he had completed.  He contends that he was not given credit for the ribbons he earned from 1948 to 1951.  He also states that he carried blood group “O” on his tags which could have been fatal.  In support of his application, he submits photocopies of his DD Form 214, his General Educational Development (GED) diploma, three certificates of course completions, his Honorable Discharge Certificate, and a Letter of Appreciation.

4.  The applicant’s military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.  Records available to the Board were obtained from alternate sources and show that he enlisted in the Regular Army on 8 September 1948.  He completed training as a heavy weapons infantryman and served in Alaska.  The applicant was honorably discharged in the rank of sergeant (SGT) on 5 September 1951.

5.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 shows the entry “None” in item 27 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Commendations, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized).

6.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 shows he completed 3 years of high school in item 46 (Non-Service Education).  He provided a copy of his GED diploma, dated 2 June 1950, which shows he successfully completed standard GED testing.

7.  The applicant provided a copy of a certificate from the Army Arctic Training Center which shows he completed the Arctic Indoctrination Course during the period 21 November 1949 to 3 December 1949.  He also completed the Weapons and Tactics, Heavy Weapons Course in February 1949, as evidenced by the certificate of completion he provided with his application.

8. The applicant’s DD Form 214 shows his blood group as “O” in item 38 (Remarks).  There is no evidence of record to show his blood group as “B+”.

9.  Army Regulation 635-5 provides that item 27 of the DD Form 214 will reflect decorations, medals, badges, citations and campaign ribbons awarded or authorized for all periods of service.  Certificates of Achievement, Letters of Appreciation, and similar documents are not recorded on the DD Form 214.

10.  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 31 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.

11.  Army Regulation 635-5 establishes the standardized policy for preparing and distributing the DD Form 214.  The version of this regulation in effect at the time in question directs that the service member’s “blood group” from the immunization record or the DA Form 20 (Enlisted Qualification Record) will be entered in item 38 (Remarks) of the DD Form 214.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  Evidence of record shows that the applicant completed the prescribed testing for award of his GED diploma in June 1950.  Therefore, he is entitled to correction of his DD Form 214 to show he completed high school based on General Educational Development (GED) testing.

2.  Evidence of record shows the applicant completed the Arctic Indoctrination Course during the period 21 November 1949 to 3 December 1949; therefore, he is entitled to correction of item 31 on his DD Form 214 to show this course.

3.  The applicant completed the Weapons and Tactics, Heavy Weapons Course in February 1949; however, the Weapons and Tactics, Heavy Weapons Course is a training course for combat skills and is not listed on the DD Form 214.  Therefore, he is not entitled to correction of item 31 of his DD Form 214 to show this course.

4.  The Board noted that the applicant submitted a Letter of Appreciation, dated 15 October 1951.  In accordance with the governing Army regulation, Letters and Certificates of Appreciation are not recorded on the DD Form 214.  Therefore, he is not entitled to correction of his DD Form 214 to show this document.

5.  There is no evidence of record available to the Board which shows that the applicant’s blood group is “B+”.  Therefore, his DD Form 214 is correct as currently constituted and he is not entitled to correction of his records to show his blood group as “B+”.

6.  In view of the foregoing findings and conclusions, it would be appropriate to correct the applicant’s records, but only as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected:

	a.  by showing that the individual concerned completed high school based on General Educational Development (GED); and 

	b.  by showing the entry “Arctic Indoctrination Course, 2 Weeks, December 1949” in item 31 of his DD Form 214.

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

BOARD VOTE:  

SVW____  MHM____  LDS____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		Sherri V. Ward________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000038127	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20000817  	
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.	107.0000	
2.	100.0000	
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.