PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:            3 August 2000
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000040726

	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	
	Mr. Hubert S. Shaw, Jr.		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. John N. Slone		Chairperson	
	Mr. Calvin M. Fowler		Member	
	Mr. Edwin S. Castle		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 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge) to show advanced individual training (AIT) in a personnel specialist military occupational specialty (MOS), transfer to the 1st Battalion of the 16th “Rangers”, assignment to the 1st Supply and Transport Battalion, assignment as a “permanent guard”, “reversion” to MOS 11B20, and award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.

3.  The applicant states that his DD Form 214 contains very little information regarding his assignments in the 1st Infantry Division or campaign ribbons and citations.  He also states that he never trained for the stevedore MOS. 

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he entered active duty on 9 February 1966.  He served in Vietnam from 21 March 1967 until 8 March 1968 when he returned to the United States.  The applicant was honorably discharged on 27 February 1969.

5.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 shows in item 25 that he completed the Basic Army Administration Course in MOS 71A10 at Fort Dix, New Jersey in 1966.  There is no evidence the applicant attended AIT in a military personnel MOS.  The applicant’s DA Form 20 (Enlisted Qualification Record) shows in item 38 (Record of Assignments) that he served in duty MOS 71L with an entry showing his principal duty as a “personnel administrative specialist”; however, there is no evidence of formal schooling as a personnel specialist or orders officially awarding him the MOS of personnel specialist.

6.  The applicant’s DA Form 20 (Enlisted Qualification Record) shows that, upon arrival in Vietnam, he was assigned to the 285th Transportation Company (Terminal Service) of the U.S. Army Support Command, Qui Nhon, as a clerk typist effective 21 March 1967.  Effective 21 April 1967 he was assigned in MOS 57A (Duty Soldier) to the 854th Transportation Company (Terminal Service) of the U.S. Army Support Command, Qui Nhon, from 21 April 1967 to 19 February 1968.  This same DA Form 20 shows that on 20 February 1968 he was assigned to Company A, 1st Supply and Transport Battalion, of the 1st Infantry Division in MOS 64A (light truck driver).  The applicant’s DA Form 20 and orders show that he departed Company A, 1st Supply and Transport Battalion, on or about 7 March to return to the United States. 

7.  There is no evidence in the applicant’s personnel records which shows that he requested or was ever transferred to the 1st Battalion, 16th “Rangers”.  This unit is correctly known as the 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry, of the 1st Infantry Division.  The history of the 16th Infantry Regiment shows it is nick-named “Rangers”.  The 1st Battalion 16th Infantry was not at the time in question and is not now an Army Ranger Battalion.

8.  There is no evidence in the applicant’s personnel records which shows that he was assigned as a “permanent guard.”

9.  Special Orders Number 134, published by the 159th Transportation Battalion (Terminal) and dated 10 June 1967, awarded the applicant a secondary MOS of 11B10 (light weapons infantryman).  However, there is no evidence that it was ever his primary MOS or that he served in an infantry duty position in an infantry unit.

10.  There are no orders in the applicant’s personnel records which show that he was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge.  There also is no evidence that he served in an infantry duty position in an infantry unit during his assignment in Vietnam.

11.  Headquarters, U.S. Army Support Command, Qui Nhon, Special Orders Number 294, dated 21 October 1967, awarded the applicant a Primary MOS of 57H20 (cargo handler).  Item 22 (Military Occupational Specialties) of the applicant’s DA Form 20 shows the entry “PMOS [primary MOS] 57H20 Cargo Handler 21Oct67.

12. The Board noted that the applicant’s DD Form 214 does not show any unit awards.  Review of unit award authorities revealed entitlement to two awards of the Meritorious Unit Commendation, award of the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation, and award of the Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal First Class Unit Citation.

13.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-3 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) lists the unit awards received by units serving in Vietnam.  This document shows the 285th Transportation Company, to which the applicant was assigned, was cited for award of the Meritorious Unit Commendation for actions during the period 21 March to 21 April 1967 by Department of the Army General Orders Number 43, dated 1970.  The 1st Supply and Transport Battalion was also cited for the Meritorious Unit Commendation, while the applicant was assigned, for actions during the period 1 July 1967 to 31 December 1968 by Department of the Army General Orders Number 56, dated 1969.  The bronze oak leaf cluster is awarded to denote the second and succeeding awards of certain decorations, among which is the Meritorious Unit Commendation.

14.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-3 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) shows the applicant is entitled to award of the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation based on Department of the Army General Orders Number 21, dated 1969.

15.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-3 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) also shows the applicant is entitled to award of the Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal First Class Unit Citation based on Department of the Army General Orders Number 50, dated 1973.

16.  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 14 (military education) 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.

17.  Army Regulation 635-5 establishes the standardized policy for preparing and distributing the DD Form 214.  This regulation does not provide for entry on the DD Form 214 to show assignments or transfers between units.  Army Regulation 600-200 governs preparation of the DA Form 20 (Enlisted Qualification Record) and provides that a chronological record of assignments will be entered in item 38 of the DA Form 20. 

18.  Army Regulation 635-5 establishes the standardized policy for preparing and distributing the DD Form 214.  This regulation provided that the service member’s specialty number (military occupational specialty) and title will be entered in item 23a.  

19.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, that the Combat Infantryman Badge is awarded to infantry officers and to enlisted and warrant officer persons who have an infantry MOS.  They must have served in active ground combat while assigned or attached to an infantry unit of brigade, regimental or smaller size.  The Awards Branch of the Total Army Personnel Command has advised, in similar cases, that during the Vietnam era the Combat Infantryman Badge was awarded only to enlisted individuals who held and served in MOS 11B, 11C, 11F, 11G, or 11H.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  There is no evidence, and the applicant has provided no evidence, that he completed Army training as a personnel specialist or was officially awarded the MOS of personnel specialist.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 correctly shows he completed AIT as an administrative specialist in MOS 71A and served in that MOS.  Therefore, there is no basis to amend the applicant’s DD Form 214 to show his MOS as a personnel specialist.

2.  There is no evidence, and the applicant has provided no evidence, that he was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry, during his tour of duty in Vietnam.  The applicant’s DA Form 20 shows that he served in the Company A of the 1st Supply and Transport Battalion in Vietnam from 20 February 1968 to 8 March 1968.  However, there is no provision to show assignments on the DD Form 214; therefore, the applicant is not entitled to amendment of his DD Form 214 to show assignment to the 1st Supply and Transport Battalion. 

3.  There is no evidence, and the applicant has provided no evidence, that shows he was assigned as a “permanent guard.”  Therefore, there is no basis for correction of the applicant’s records to show he was a permanent guard.

4.  Orders show the applicant was awarded MOS 11B as a secondary MOS.  That information is correctly shown on his DA Form 20, but there is no provision of regulation to show a secondary MOS on the DD Form 214 in use at the time in question.  Therefore, there is no basis to amend the applicant’s DD Form 214 to show that he once held 11B as a secondary MOS.

5.  There is no evidence the applicant was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge.  There is no evidence, and the applicant has provided no evidence, which shows that he served in an infantry duty position in an infantry unit in ground combat.  Therefore, he is not eligible for award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.

6.  The applicant is correct that there is no evidence that he was trained in the MOS of a stevedore.  However, he was awarded MOS 57H (cargo handler) by official military orders, but this MOS was withdrawn effective 12 August 1968 when his primary MOS reverted to 71B (clerk typist).  Therefore, item 23a of the applicant’s DD Form 214 is correctly constituted in that it shows the applicant’s specialty and number is “71B30 Clerk-typist”.

7.  Orders show the applicant is entitled to two awards of the Meritorious Unit Commendation, correctly known as the Meritorious Unit Commendation with One Oak Leaf Cluster.  Therefore, he is entitled to correction of his DD Form 214 to show these awards.

8.  Orders show the applicant is entitled to award of the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation and the Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal First Class Unit Citation.  Therefore, he is entitled to correction of his DD Form 214 to show these awards.

9.  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 by sowing that he was awarded the Meritorious Unit Award with One Oak Leaf Cluster, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation and the Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal First Class Unit Citation.

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

BOARD VOTE:  

________  ________  ________  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		_____John N. Slone_____
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000040726	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	200000803	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	HD	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	19690227	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR 635-200. . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON	ETS	
BOARD DECISION	GRANT 	
REVIEW AUTHORITY	MR SCHNEIDER	
ISSUES         1.	100.000	
2.	107.000	
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.