PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:     

	BOARD DATE:           21 December 2000                
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000040799

	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. Walter Avery, Jr. .		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Karol A. Kennedy		Chairperson	
	Ms. Gail J. Wire		Member	
	Mr. Ernest W. Lutz, Jr.		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 he be awarded the Combat Medical Badge (CMB).

3.  The applicant states that he earned the CMB while serving as a “medic” in Vietnam.  He further states that he was awarded the CMB, but his records only reflect a medical badge.

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he was inducted and entered active duty in the Regular Army on 21 December 1959.  He served as a medical specialist in Vietnam and was assigned to Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion 18th Infantry from approximately 25 June 1965 through November 1965.  He was separated with an honorable discharge on 15 December 1965.

5.  The applicant’s records reflect that he was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Sharpshooter Badge with Carbine bar, the Marksman Badge with rifle bar, and the Medical Badge.

6.  The applicant’s DA Form 24 (Service Record) reflects in section 9 (Medals, Decorations, and Citations) the award of the medical badge with the acronym CMB lined through.

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides, in pertinent part, that the CMB is awarded to medical department personnel (colonel and below) who are assigned or attached to a medical unit of company or smaller size that is organic to an infantry unit of brigade, regimental or smaller size which is engaged in active ground combat.  Battle participation credit is not sufficient; the infantry unit must have been in contact with the enemy.  The regulation also states, in pertinent part, the CMB was designed to provide recognition to the field medical personnel who accompanies the infantryman into battle and shares with him the experiences unique to the infantry in combat.  There was never any intention to award the CMB to all medical personnel who serve in a combat zone or imminent danger area, that is, a division-level medical company supporting a maneuver brigade.

8.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-3 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) reflects that the 2nd Battalion 18th Infantry was awarded the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm and the Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal Unit Citation First Class.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant's separation document confirms he was assigned as a medical specialist to an infantry unit in the combat theater.  His records reflect an award of the medical badge.  A review of Army Regulation 600-8-22 reveals that there is no badge known as the medical badge authorized.  There is either the CMB or the expert field medical badge.  The Board concludes that the entries referring to a medical badge on the DD Form 214 and the DA Form 24 indicate that the applicant was awarded the CMB.  Accordingly, he is entitled to have his DD Form 214 reflect the award of the CMB.

2.  In the processing of the case it was noted that through assignment the applicant is authorized the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm and the Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal Unit Citation First Class.

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 by:

	a.  showing that the individual concerned was awarded the CMB, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm, and the Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal Unit Citation First Class;

	b.  issuing to him all of the awards mentioned above; and

c.  issuing to him a correction to his DD Form 214 reflecting all of his awards. 

BOARD VOTE:  

___kka__  ____gjw _  ___ewl__  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		__________Karol A. Kennedy______
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000040799	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20001221	
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		
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.