PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           11 January 2001
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000046548

	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. Ernest M. Willcher		Chairperson	
	Ms. Ann M. Campbell		Member	
	Mr. Donald P. Hupman		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, that his records be corrected to show award of the Army Commendation Medal and the Kuwait Liberation Medal awarded by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

3.  The applicant states that these awards were not placed on his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) when he was discharged from active duty.

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he entered active duty on 5 August 1988 and completed training as a chemical operations specialist.  He served in Southwest Asia in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm from 25 September 1990 to 13 April 1991.  The applicant was honorably separated from active duty on 4 August 1991 and transferred to the Wisconsin Army National Guard.

5.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 does not show the Army Commendation Medal or the Kuwait Liberation Medal as authorized awards; however, his DD Form 214 shows the Southwest Asia Service Medal with two bronze service stars as an authorized award.

6.  The applicant provided an award certificate which shows that he received the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service as a chemical operations specialist during the period 26 September 1990 to 1 April 1991 in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.  The certificate is authenticated by an infantry colonel in command of a brigade.

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides that the Army Commendation Medal may be awarded to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who, while serving in any capacity with the Army after 6 December 1941, distinguished himself or herself by heroism, meritorious achievement or meritorious service.  As with all personal decorations, formal recommendations, approval through the chain of command, and announcement in orders are required.

8.  The Kuwait Liberation Medal awarded by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KLM-SA) was approved on 3 January 1992 and is awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who participated in the Persian Gulf War between 17 January 1991 and 28 February 1991.

9.  The Kuwait Liberation Medal awarded by the Government of Kuwait (KLM-K) was approved on 9 November 1995 and is awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who participated in the Persian Gulf War between 2 August 1990 and 31 August 1993.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  There are no orders available to the Board which show the applicant was awarded the Army Commendation Medal.  However, the applicant has provided a certificate for award of the Army Commendation Medal which is properly authenticated by a brigade commander.  Based on these facts, the Board has determined that, as an exception to regulation, the award certificate presented by the applicant is sufficient in the absence of orders as a basis for amending his records to show award of the Army Commendation Medal.

2.  Based on the applicant’s service in Southwest Asia in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, he is entitled to award of the Kuwait Liberation Medal awarded by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KLM-SA) and the Kuwait Liberation Medal awarded by the Government of Kuwait (KLM-K).

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 showing the individual concerned was awarded the Army Commendation Medal, the Kuwait Liberation Medal awarded by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KLM-SA) and the Kuwait Liberation Medal awarded by the Government of Kuwait (KLM-K).

BOARD VOTE:  

__EMW__  __AMC__  __DPH__  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		__Mr. Ernest M. Willcher__
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000046548	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20010111	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT PLUS	
REVIEW AUTHORITY	MR CHUN 	
ISSUES         1.	107.0020.0000	
2.	107.0089.0000	
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.