MEMORANDUM OF CONSIDERATION

	IN THE CASE OF:       

	BOARD DATE:            13 February 2001
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000048599

	I certify that hereinafter is recorded the record of consideration of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in the case of the above-named individual.

	Mr. Carl W. S. Chun		Director	
	Mr. Joseph A. Adriance 		Analyst	

The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. June Hajjar		Chairperson	
	Ms. Shirley L. Powell		Member	
	Mr. Harry B. Oberg		Member	

	The Board, established pursuant to authority contained in 10 U.S.C. 1552, convened at the call of the Chairperson on the above date.  In accordance with Army Regulation 15-185, the application and the available military records pertinent to the corrective action requested were reviewed to determine whether to authorize a formal hearing, recommend that the records be corrected without a formal hearing, or to deny the application without a formal hearing if it is determined that insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of probable material error or injustice.

	The applicant requests correction of military records as stated in the application to the Board and as restated herein.

	The Board considered the following evidence:

	Exhibit A -  Application for correction of military 
                              records
	Exhibit B -  Military Personnel Records (including
	                  advisory opinion, if any)

APPLICANT REQUESTS:  In effect, that he be awarded the Combat Medical Badge (CMB).  

APPLICANT STATES:  In effect, that he served as a combat medic for fourteen months during the Korean Conflict.  

EVIDENCE OF RECORD:  The applicant’s military records were not available to the Board for review.  A fire destroyed approximately 18 million service members’ records at the National Personnel Records Center in 1973.  It is believed that the applicant’s records were lost in that fire.  

The available evidence, does includes a Department of Defense (DD) Form 214 
(Report of Separation from the Armed Forces of the United States) which was issued to and authenticated by the applicant with his signature on the date of his separation from active duty.

This separation document shows that on 20 February 1954, the applicant was honorably separated from active duty after completing 3 years and 10 days of active military service.  It also indicates that he served overseas for 11 months and 5 days and that he was awarded the Korean Service Medal with one bronze service star, United Nations Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and Army of Occupation Medal-Japan.  

The DD Form 214 does show that the applicant was a member of the Army Medical Service Corps and it lists the Medical Detachment of the 553rd Field Artillery Battalion, Fort Sill, Oklahoma as his most significant unit assignment.  However, this form makes no reference to the applicant serving as a combat medic in Korea.

Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) prescribes Army policy, criteria, and administrative instructions concerning individual military awards.  Chapter 8, Section-II (Combat and Special Skill Badges) contains guidance on the award of combat badges.  Paragraph 8-7 contains the policy and procedure pertaining to the award of the Combat Medical Badge (CMB).  

Paragraph 8-7c contains the specific eligibility criteria for earning the CMB.  It states, in effect, that to be eligible for the CMB medical personnel must be assigned or attached to an infantry unit of brigade, regimental, or smaller size, or to a medical unit of company or smaller size, organic to an infantry unit of brigade or smaller size, during any period the infantry unit is engaged in actual ground combat, provided they are personally present and under fire during such ground combat. 

DISCUSSION:  Considering all the evidence, allegations, and information presented by the applicant, together with the evidence of record, applicable law and regulations, it is concluded:

1.  Notwithstanding the contentions of the applicant, after carefully examining the available evidence, the Board finds an insufficient evidentiary basis on which to grant the requested relief.

2.  By regulation, a medic must be assigned or attached to an infantry unit, or to a medical unit of company or smaller size organic to an infantry unit, during any period that unit was engaged in actual ground combat and must be personally present and under fire during such ground combat in order to earn a CMB.

3.  Lacking any evidence of record or independent evidence to confirm the applicant served as a combat medic, assigned to an infantry unit, and was personally present with that infantry unit while it was engaged in ground combat, the Board finds no evidentiary basis on which to support awarding the applicant the CMB.

4.  In order to justify correction of a military record the applicant must show to the satisfaction of the Board, or it must otherwise satisfactorily appear, that the record is in error or unjust.  The applicant has failed to submit evidence that would satisfy this requirement.

5.  In view of the foregoing, there is no basis for granting the applicant's request.

DETERMINATION:  The applicant has failed to submit sufficient relevant evidence to demonstrate the existence of probable error or injustice.

BOARD VOTE:

________  ________  ________  GRANT

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

___hbo__  ___slp___  ___jh ___  DENY APPLICATION

		    Carl W. S. Chun
		    Director, Army Board for Correction
    of Military Records

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000048599	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	2001/02/13	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	HD	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	1954/02/20	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR 615-360	
DISCHARGE REASON	ETS	
BOARD DECISION	DENY	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.  159	107.0113	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.