PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:            15 August 2000    
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000043456

	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. Wanda L. Waller		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Thomas D. Howard, Jr.		Chairperson	
	Mr. Arthur A. Omartian		Member	
	Ms. Gail J. Wire		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, in effect, correction of his DD Form 214 (Report of Transfer or Discharge) to show award of the Bronze Star Medal with “V” Device, the Valorous Unit Award, the Sharpshooter Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar, the Sharpshooter Qualification Badge with Pistol Bar and an unspecified campaign ribbon.  He also requests that the Recondo Course and his duties on long range reconnaissance patrols be shown on his discharge document.  

3.  The applicant states that these awards are not shown on his DD Form 214.  In support of his application, he submits a copy of his DD Form 214. 

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he was inducted on 5 December 1967.  He served as a combat engineer in Vietnam from 7 May 1968 through 
8 July 1969 and was honorably discharged on 16 January 1970.

5.  The applicant’s DD Form 214, which was authenticated in his own hand, does not show the Bronze Star Medal with “V” Device, the Valorous Unit Award or the Sharpshooter Qualification Badge with Pistol Bar as authorized awards.  Item 
25 (Education and Training Completed) on the DD Form 214 does not show the Recondo Course and his long range reconnaissance patrol duties are not reflected.  His DD Form 214 does show the Sharpshooter Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar.  Therefore, this portion of the applicant’s request for this badge will not be discussed further in these proceedings.

6.  II Field Force Vietnam General Orders Number 1843, dated 5 December 1968, show the applicant was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with “V” Device for heroism on 13 July 1968.

7.  There is no evidence in the available records that the applicant’s unit was cited for the Valorous Unit Award.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-3 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) indicates that the applicant’s unit was not awarded the Valorous Unit Award during the time he was assigned to it. 

8.  There is no evidence in the applicant’s personnel records which shows he qualified for or was awarded the Sharpshooter Qualification Badge with Pistol Bar.
 
9.  There is no evidence in the applicant’s records which shows he completed the Recondo Course. 

10.  Item 38 (Record of Assignments/Principal Duty) on the applicant’s DA Form 20 (Enlisted Qualification Record) shows the entry “LongReconRangePatrol – Air Rifle Plt” [long reconnaissance range patrol – air rifle platoon]. 

11.  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 60, dated 1969.
  
12.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides, in pertinent part, for award of the Valorous Unit Award to units of the Armed Forces of the United States for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy of the United States while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict in which the United States is not a belligerent party for actions occurring on or after 3 August 1963.  This award requires a lesser degree of gallantry, determination, and esprit de corps than required for the Presidential Unit Citation.  Nevertheless, the unit must have performed with marked distinction under difficult and hazardous conditions in accomplishing its mission so as to set it apart from and above other units participating in the same conflict.  The degree of heroism required is the same as that which would warrant award of the Silver Star to an individual.

13.  Army Regulation 600-8-22, in pertinent part, sets forth requirements for award of basic marksmanship qualification badge.  The qualification badge is awarded to indicate the degree in which an individual has qualified in a prescribed record course, and an appropriate bar is furnished to denote each weapon with which the individual has qualified.  The qualification badges are in three classes:  Expert, Sharpshooter, and Marksman.

14.  Recondo, Raider and Jungle Warfare Training Courses are conducted by brigade and division level units throughout the Army as local training courses in combat skills.  The badges awarded upon completion of these courses are awarded in accordance with local policies governing these training courses.  These badges are not governed by the Department of the Army awards regulation and, as a result, they are not annotated on the DD Form 214.  In accordance with Army Regulation 635-5, which governs preparation of separation documents, Recondo, Raider and Jungle Operations Training Courses are not entered under education and training of the DD Form 214 because training course for combat skills are not listed on the DD Form 214.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with “V” Device.  Therefore, he is entitled to correction of his DD Form 214 to show this award.

2.  Evidence of record shows the applicant’s unit was not awarded the Valorous Unit Award while he was assigned to it.  Therefore, he is not entitled to correction of his military records to show this award. 

3.  There is no evidence of record available to the Board, and the applicant has  provided no evidence, which shows he was awarded the Sharpshooter Qualification Badge with Pistol Bar.  Therefore, he is not entitled to correction of his military records to show this badge.

4.  The Board noted the applicant’s request that the Recondo Course be shown on his discharge document.  However, there is no evidence of record available, and the applicant has provided no evidence, which shows he completed this course.  The Board also noted that in accordance with Army Regulation 635-5, Recondo training courses are not entered under education and training of the 
DD Form 214 because training course for combat skills are not listed on the
DD Form 214.   
 
5.  The applicant’s request that his performance of duty on long range reconnaissance patrols be shown on his discharge document was noted by the Board.  However, evidence of record shows that this principal duty assignment is properly shown on the applicant’s DA Form 20.  Also, there are no provisions for entering principal duty assignments on the DD Form 214.  Therefore, the applicant is not entitled to the addition of this information on his DD Form 214 as requested. 

6.  The applicant’s unit was cited for the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation while he was assigned to it.  Therefore, he is entitled to correction of his DD	Form 214 to show this award. 

7.  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 showing that the individual concerned was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with “V” Device and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation.

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

BOARD VOTE:  

TDH____  AAO_____  GJW___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		Thomas D. Howard, Jr._
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000043456	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20000815	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	19700116	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR 635-200 Chapter 2	
DISCHARGE REASON	Expiration term of service	
BOARD DECISION	(GRANT)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.0014	
2.	107.0094	
3.	107.0033	
4.	107.0109	
5.	100.0700	
6.