PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           29 October 2002
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2002068912

	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	
	Mrs. Joyce A. Hall		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Karol A. Kennedy		Chairperson	
	Mr. Thomas A. Pagan		Member	
	Ms. Barbara J. Lutz		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 award of the Army Good Conduct Medal.

3.  The applicant states, no other contention.

4.  The applicant’s military records show that she enlisted in the Regular Army on 4 January 1989 for 4 years as an E-3 after having prior reserve service.  Her military occupational specialty was 31K10 (combat signaler).  The highest pay grade she achieved was E-4.

5.  The applicant's DA Form 2-1 (Personnel Qualification Record) item 
5 (Oversea Service) shows that she served in Germany from 8 February 
1989 to 7 February 1991.

6.  On 22 April 1991, the applicant was released from active duty and transferred to the U. S. Army Reserve.

7.  The applicant's DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) shows as authorized awards the Army Service Ribbon, the National Defense Service Medal, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Sharpshooter Badge With Rifle Bar (M-16), and the Marksmanship Badge (Grenade).  It does not show the award of the Army Good Conduct Medal as an authorized award.

8.  There is no indication in the applicant’s personnel record that shows she was awarded the Army Good Conduct Medal nor is there any evidence to show that she was disqualified by her unit commander for award of the Army Good Conduct Medal.

9.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides that the Good Conduct Medal is awarded to individuals who distinguish themselves by their conduct, efficiency and fidelity during a qualifying period of active duty enlisted service.  This period is 3 years except in those cases when the period for the first award ends with the termination of a period of Federal military service.  Although there is no automatic entitlement to the Good Conduct Medal, disqualification must be justified.  

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  There is no evidence the applicant was disqualified for award of the Army Good Conduct Medal by her chain of command.

2  The applicant's records do not contain any evidence of indiscipline.

3.  Based on the foregoing, the Board determined that the applicant was entitled to the first award of the Army Good Conduct Medal for the period 4 January
1989 through 22 April 1991 based on completion of a period of qualifying service of less than three years, but more than one year, ending with the termination of a period of Federal military service.  

4.  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 the applicant the Army Good Conduct Medal and correcting her records to show the award of the Army Good Conduct Medal.

BOARD VOTE:  

__KAK__  __TAP___  __BJL___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		_Karol A. Kennedy____
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2002068912	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	2002/10/29	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(NC, GRANT , DENY, GRANT PLUS)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.0056	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.