PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:      

	BOARD DATE:           16 August 2001                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2001055143

	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. Edmund P. Mercanti		                       Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. June Hajjar		Chairperson	
	Mr. Thomas F. Baxter		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 that he be awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB).

3.  The applicant states that he was an infantryman serving in an infantry unit during such time as the unit was engaged in active ground combat.  

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he was inducted on 29 July 1966, was awarded the military occupational specialty (MOS) of Infantryman, and was promoted to the rank of sergeant.

5.  He was assigned to Vietnam on 23 December 1966 and served in the 196th Infantry Brigade until he was wounded in action on 23 November 1967, for which he was hospitalized.  He completed his tour in Vietnam and was returned to the United States on 6 January 1968.

6.  On 28 July 1968 the applicant was honorably released from active duty at the expiration of his term of service.  His separation documents show that he was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal with 1960 Device, the Vietnam Service Medal, and the Purple Heart.  He was also awarded qualification badges for rifles and machine guns.

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, that the CIB is awarded to infantry officers and to enlisted and warrant officer persons who have an infantry MOS.  They must have served in active ground combat while assigned or attached to an infantry unit of brigade, regimental or smaller size.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant met all the criteria for award of the CIB, i.e. had an infantryman MOS, served in combat with an infantry unit and was also wounded in action while a member of that infantry unit.  It is evident that his failure to be awarded that badge was an oversight, not a deliberate omission.

2.  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 to the individual concerned the CIB.

BOARD VOTE:  

__jh ____  ____tfb__  ____jtm _  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		__________June Hajjar________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2001055143	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20010816	
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.		
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.