PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:       

	BOARD DATE:           19 NOVEMBER 2002                 
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2002069425

	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. Gale J. Thomas		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. John N. Slone		Chairperson	
	Mr. Sherri V. Ward		Member	
	Mr. Melvin H. Meyer		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 his separation document be corrected to reflect qualification as an expert with the "M1 Rifle" vice sharpshooter.  In support of his request he submits a copy of orders, which indicate he qualified as an expert with the rifle and was awarded the associated badge.

3.  The applicant's records were apparently lost or destroyed during the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center.  Information contained here in was reconstructed entirely from information and documents provided by the applicant.

4.  The applicant entered active duty on 11 September 1946.  According to orders published by the Engineer Training Center at Fort Lewis, Washington on 
8 November 1946, the applicant qualified as an expert with the rifle on 
1 November 1946 and was awarded the associated badge.  However, the applicant's separation document indicates that the applicant qualified as a sharpshooter with the rifle on 3 November 1946.

5.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards), in pertinent part, sets forth requirements for award of basic marksmanship qualification badge.  The qualification badge is awarded to indicate the degree in which an individual has qualified in a prescribed record course, and an appropriate bar is furnished to denote each weapon with which the individual has qualified.  The qualification badges are in three classes:  Expert, Sharpshooter, and Marksman.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  Although the applicant's separation document indicates the applicant qualified as a sharpshooter with the rifle on 3 November 1946, the Board notes that the orders, which indicate the applicant qualified as an expert with the rifle on 
1 November 1946, were published on 8 November 1946.  

2.  The Board accepts the 8 November 1946 orders as sufficient evidence to conclude that in all likelihood and error was made during the preparation of the applicant's separation document and as such, that it would be appropriate, and in the interest of justice to correct the applicant's records to show that he qualified as an expert with the rifle on 1 November 1946 and was awarded the associated badge and component bar.  

3.  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 showing that the individual concerned qualified as an expert with the rifle on 
1 November 1946 and was awarded the associated badge and component bar.

BOARD VOTE:  

__JNS __  __SVW__  __MHM__  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		_____John N. Slone______
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2002069425	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20021119	
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.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.