PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF: 

	BOARD DATE:           29 March 2001     
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000048191

	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. John N. Slone		Chairperson	
	Mr. Christopher J. Prosser		Member	
	Mr. Lester Echols		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 reflect that he was separated in pay grade E-5 vice E-4.  He also asks that his award of the Vietnam Service Medal with one bronze service star and his Expert Marksmanship Badge with “rifle” and “automatic rifle” bars be added to his separation report.  The applicant also asked that his award of the Purple Heart be added to his separation document.  However, that action was accomplished administratively in 1999 when a DD Form 215 (Correction to DD form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) was issued reflecting entitlement to that award.  As such, the Board will not address that issue.

3.  The applicant states that he received the awards in question but his discharge was never upgraded.  In support of his request he submits a copy of the DA Form 1577 (Authorization for Issuance of Awards) reflecting issuance of those awards in 1999.  He makes no statement and provides no evidence to support his request that his rank be changed from E-4 to E-5.

4.  Records available to the Board indicate the applicant entered active duty on 14 August 1969.  He was awarded the Expert Marksmanship Badge with “rifle” and “automatic rifle” bars in October 1969 while undergoing basic training.  The U.S. Army Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana, issued orders confirming the badges.

5.  The applicant was assigned to Vietnam in January 1970 where he was assigned to the 21st Artillery of the 1st Cavalry Division.  He was promoted to pay grade E-4 on 4 April 1970.  There is no indication he was ever promoted to pay grade E-5.  He remained in Vietnam until March 1971 when he returned to the United States for the purpose of transition processing.  He was released from active duty on 17 March 1971 with an honorable characterization of service.

6.  A review of Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-3 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) notes the applicant’s unit (21st Artillery) was credited with participating in three designated campaigns (Vietnam Winter Spring – 1970, DA Sanctuary Counteroffensive, Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase VII) during the applicant’s period of assignment.  The unit was also awarded the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm and the Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal Unit Citation during his tenure with the organization.

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 states that bronze service stars are added to the Vietnam Service Medal to denote participation in designated campaign periods.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The evidence confirms the applicant was promoted to pay grade E-4 and appropriately separated in that pay grade on 17 March 1971.  There is no evidence, and the applicant has not provided any, that he was ever promoted beyond that grade.  As such there is no basis to correct the applicant’s records to show he was separated in pay grade E-5.

2.  The evidence also confirms the applicant was awarded the Expert Marksmanship Badge with “rifle” and “automatic rifle” bars, which was omitted from his separation document.

3.  Additionally, the evidence confirms that the applicant participated in three designated campaign periods while in Vietnam and as such is entitled to three bronze service stars on his Vietnam Service Medal and not just the one he was issued in 1999.  He is also entitled to the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm and the Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal Unit Citation.

4.  In view of the foregoing, the applicant’s records should be corrected as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  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 Expert Marksmanship Badge with “rifle” and “automatic rifle” bars; and

b.  by showing that he is entitled to three bronze service stars on his Vietnam Service Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm and the Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal Unit Citation.

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

BOARD VOTE:  

___jns__  ___cjp__  ___le___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000048191	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20010329	
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.	110.00	
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.