PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF: 

	BOARD DATE:            25 July 2000                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000043717

	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. Deborah L. Brantley		Senior Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Ted s. Kanamine		Chairperson	
	Mr. Stanley Kelley		Member	
	Mr. John H. Kern		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 his service in Southwest Asia between 20 January 1991 and 22 April 1991 be recorded in block 18 (remarks) on his 1991 DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty).  In support of his request he submits copies of orders confirming his deployment to Southwest Asia as well as copies of his Leave and Earnings Statements (LES) confirming receipt of “danger pay” while deployed overseas.

3.  Records available to the Board indicate the applicant was called to active duty on 6 December 1990 in support of Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm.  Orders provided by the applicant confirm he was in Southwest Asia in February and March 1991.  His February 1991 LES indicates he was authorized overseas pay commencing on 21 January 1991 and that he commenced a period of temporary duty on 20 January 1991.  There is no indication of his actual date of return to the United States following his overseas deployment.

4.  Orders issued on 26 April 1991 releasing the applicant from active duty effective 12 May 1991 indicate he was assigned to Hamilton Army Air Field, Novato, California at the time those orders were issued.  On 12 May 1991 the applicant was released from active duty.  His DD Form 214 does not reflect entitlement to the Southwest Asia Service Medal nor is his deployment to the area reflected in block 18 (remarks).

5.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides that service in the Persian Gulf War is to be recognized by award of the Southwest Asia Service Medal (SWASM) to Army members who participated in Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm in the designated area on or after 2 August 1990.  A bronze service star is authorized for the Defense of Saudi Arabia (2 August 1990 to 16 January 1991), the Liberation and Defense of Kuwait (17 January to 11 April 1991 and the Cease-fire Campaign begun on 12 April 1991.

6.  Army Regulation 635-5, which establishes the policies and provisions for the completion of the DD Form 214, states that block 18 (remarks) will be used for entries required by Headquarters Department of the Army for which a separate block is not available and for completing entries that are too long for their blocks.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  There is sufficient evidence to conclude the applicant was deployed to Southwest Asia beginning on 20 January 1991 as he contends.  While there is no specific evidence which confirms he departed Southwest Asia on 22 April 1991 the Board has no reason to dispute the applicant’s statement.  In view of that fact the applicant is entitled to the Southwest Asia Service Medal with two bronze service stars denoting participation in two designated campaign periods.

2.  While there are no specific provisions for entering soldier’s overseas deployment periods in block 18 (remarks) of the DD Form 214 the Board notes there may be several state and local programs which provide benefits for soldiers deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Operations Desert Shield/Storm.  As such, and in the interest of justice, the Board feels that it would be appropriate to annotate the applicant’s DD Form 214 to reflect his 20 January through 22 April 1991 service in Southwest Asia.

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:

a.  by showing that the individual concerned was awarded the Southwest Asia Service Medal with two bronze service stars; and

b.  by correcting block 18 (remarks) on his DD Form 214 to show that he was deployed to Southwest Asia from 20 January 1991 through 22 April 1991.

BOARD VOTE:  

____tsk_  __sk____  __jhk___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000043717	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20000725	
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.	107.00	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.