PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF: 

	BOARD DATE:            24 October 2000   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000044538

	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:

	Ms. Margaret Patterson		Chairperson	
	Mr. Edwin S. Castle		Member	
	Mr. John T. Meixell		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 award of the Army Good Conduct Medal.  He states, in effect, that he never received the award and never received any UCMJ (Uniform Code of Military Justice) [his] entire active duty time of 3 years."

3.  Information available to the Board indicates that the applicant enlisted and entered active duty on 4 June 1997.  He was trained as an infantryman and served his entire enlistment contract within the Continental United States (CONUS).  He was awarded an Army Commendation Medal and was promoted to pay grade E-4 on 4 August 1999.  There is no evidence of lost time or that any adverse actions occurred during his period of enlistment.

4.  The applicant was honorably discharged on 3 June 2000 at the conclusion of his enlistment contract.  He was issued a reenlistment code of "1" indicating that he was fully qualified for immediate reenlistment.  He is currently a member of the Army National Guard.

5.  Army Regulation 672-5-1 provides that the Good Conduct Medal is awarded to individuals who distinguish themselves by their conduct, efficiency and fidelity during a qualifying period of active duty enlisted service.  This period is 3 years except in those cases when the period for the first award ends with the termination of a period of Federal military service.  Although there is no automatic entitlement to the Good Conduct Medal, disqualification must be justified.  Current practice requires that the commander provide written notice of nonfavorable consideration and permits the individual to respond. 

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant completed a qualifying period of service for award of the Army Good Conduct Medal on 3 June 2000 when he was honorably discharged from active duty at the conclusion of his enlistment contract.  

2.  There is no evidence that the applicant's commander ever disqualified him for award of the Good Conduct Medal and no evidence which would now serve as a basis to deny him the award.

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 awarding the individual concerned the Army Good Conduct Medal for the period 4 June 1997 through 3 June 2000.

BOARD VOTE:  

___mp___  __esc___  ___jtm__  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000044538	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20001024	
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.