MEMORANDUM OF CONSIDERATION

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:  27 March 2001
	DOCKET NUMBER:  AR2000050707

	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	
	Ms. Joyce A. Wright		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Roger W. Able		Chairperson	
	Ms. Gail J. Wire		Member	
	Mr. Allen L. Raub		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:  Award of the Combat Medical Badge (CMB).

APPLICANT STATES:  That he served as a medic in Vietnam from June 1967 to June 1968 and was under fire from mortar and rocket fire during the Tet Offensives.  In support of his application he submits a copy of his DD Form 214 (Report of Transfer or Discharge).

EVIDENCE OF RECORD:  The applicant's military records show he entered active duty on 5 January 1967 as a medical specialist (91B).  He served in Vietnam from 8 June 1967 to 5 June 1968 and honorably discharged on 19 December 1969.  

His discharge document does not show the Combat Medical Badge as an authorized award. 

There is no indication in the applicant’s personnel records which shows he was awarded the Combat Medical Badge.

The applicant’s personnel records show that, while serving in Vietnam he served as a medical corpsman with the Advisory Team 85, IV Corps Advisory Group, United States Military Assistance Command Vietnam (USMACV).

Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, that the Combat Medical Badge is awarded to medical department personnel (colonel and below) who are assigned or attached to a medical unit of company or smaller size that is organic to an infantry unit of brigade, regimental or smaller size which is engaged in active ground combat.  Battle participation credit is not sufficient; the infantry unit must have been in contact with the enemy.

Headquarters, USMACV Directive Number 672-4, dated 18 January 1968, implements MACV Directive 672-1 which prescribes policies and procedures for the submission and processing of recommendations for awards to personnel of all services assigned to the staff and field elements of the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam.  It states, in pertinent part, that the Combat Medical Badge is authorized to members of the Army Medical Services who; (1) Have been assigned or attached by appropriate orders for a minimum of 30 days (unless medically evacuated due to hostile action) to serve with either a Republic of Vietnam unit engaged in actual ground combat or as a member of a US Army unit serving with a Republic of Vietnam unit engaged in actual ground combat.  The Republic of Vietnam unit must be an infantry-type unit of regimental size or 

smaller.  This will include sectors, airborne task forces or battalions, ranger battalions and/or ranger companies, M113 and M114 troops, and infantry-type units of the Regional Forces/Popular Forces or irregular forces.  The 30-day requirement may be cumulative as well as consecutive, (2) Who have been physically present and under fire while performing medical duties subsequent to 1 March 1961, and (3) Personnel are not eligible to receive both the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) and the CMB.  Unit senior advisors will submit recommendations for award of the CMB for personnel present in the command who meet the criteria to the appropriate senior advisor through command channels.  Senior advisors will verify that individuals recommended meet the criteria and forward the recommendation to Headquarters, Military Assistance Command Adjutant General (MACAG) – Personnel Division (PD), for final determination.  The Adjutant General, MACV, is responsible for verification of entitlement, publication of authoring orders, and issuance of appropriate badges to eligible recipients.

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.  The evidence of record shows that he served as a medical corpsman with the Advisory Team 85, IV Corps Advisory Group, USMACV in Vietnam.  However, there is no evidence in the available records, and the applicant has provided no evidence, to show that was considered or recommended for the award of the CMB by his unit senior advisor through channels in accordance with USMACV Directive Number 672-4 for final determination.  

2.  There also is no evidence that he met the eligibility for the cited criteria or to show that he served with a unit that was organic to an infantry unit engaged in actual ground combat.  Therefore, he is not entitled to the CMB for his service with Advisory Team 85, IV Corps Advisory Group, USMACV and is not entitled to correction of his service to show this award.

3.  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.

4.  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:

________  ________  __ar____  GRANT

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

__ra___  ___gw__  ________  DENY APPLICATION

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

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000050707	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20010327	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	HD	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR 635-2000 .  .  .  .  .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	DENY	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.  159		
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.