PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           1 August 2002
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2002071603

	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. Nancy L. Amos		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Samuel A. Crumpler		Chairperson	
	Mr. Melvin H. Meyer		Member	
	Ms. Regan K. Smith		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 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD Form 214, be amended to add the Pathfinder Badge, the Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation, and the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB).  It is also noted that he had earlier requested, from the National Personnel Records Center, award of the Air Medal.

3.  The applicant states that he attended Pathfinder Class 1-78, that an earlier DD Form 214 included his CIB, and that other members of his company received the Air Medal but he did not.  He provides no supporting evidence.

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he had prior service from June 1965 to May 1968.  He had been awarded military occupational specialty 11B (Light Weapons Infantryman) and had completed basic airborne training.  His Enlisted Qualification Record, DA Form 20, item 38, Record of Assignments, contained only a consolidated entry for this period of service.  He served in Vietnam from October 1965 – September 1966.  Special Orders 52, Headquarters, 1st Cavalry Division dated 21 February 1966 awarded him the CIB. These orders show he was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3d Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division.  Apparently, he was later assigned to Troop B, 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division.  His DA Form 20, item 17, Civilian Education and Military Schools, shows he completed High Altitude/Low Opening (HALO) training at the U. S. Army Institute for Military Assistance in 1968.

5.  The applicant was released from active duty on 31 May 1968.  His DD Form 214 for this period shows he was awarded the CIB.  

6.  The applicant reenlisted on 28 November 1969.  His Personnel Qualification Record, DA Form 2-1, item 35, Record of Assignments, shows he was attached to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Student Battalion, Fort Benning, GA on 30 October 1977 to attend the Pathfinder Course.  Item 17 of his DA Form 20 does not show that he completed the Pathfinder Course; however, the U. S. Army Infantry School verified that he successfully completed the Pathfinder Course, Class 38-97 on 18 November 1977.

7.  The applicant retired on 1 January 1987.  His DD Form 214 for the period ending 31 December 1986 does not list the CIB, the Air Medal, the Pathfinder Badge, the Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge, or the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation.

8.  Army Regulation 600-8-2 provides for the award of the Air Medal to any person who will have distinguished himself while participating in aerial flight.  It is primarily intended to recognize those personnel who are on current crewmember or noncrewmember flying status which requires them to participate in aerial flight on a regular and frequent basis in the performance of their primary duties.  However, it may also be awarded to personnel whose combat duties require them to fly in the attack elements of units involved in airland assaults against an armed enemy.  Involvement in such activities serves only to establish eligibility for award of the Air Medal; the degree of heroism, meritorious achievement or exemplary service determines who should receive the award.

9.  At the time, U.S. Army Vietnam Regulation 672-1 provided that individuals who traveled by aircraft from point to point for the purpose of participating in combat assaults were eligible for the award of the Air Medal for achievement after completion of 25 assault missions.  For personnel transported by aircraft, a combat assault mission was defined as a mission where friendly troops conducted the initial landings into a hostile area for the purpose of conducting combat or combat support operations.  A passenger may have received credit for one mission for each assault landing completed.

10.  Combat missions were divided into three categories.  A category I mission was defined as a mission performed in an assault role in which a hostile force was engaged and was characterized by delivery of ordnance against the hostile force, or delivery of friendly troops or supplies into the immediate combat operations area.  A category II mission was characterized by support rendered a friendly force immediately before, during or immediately following a combat operation.  A category III mission was characterized by support of friendly forces not connected with an immediate combat operation but which must have been accomplished at altitudes which made the aircraft at times vulnerable to small arms fire, or under hazardous weather or terrain conditions.

11.  To be recommended for award of the Air Medal, an individual must have completed a minimum of 25 category I missions, 50 category II missions or     100 category III missions.  Since various types of missions would have been completed in accumulating flight time toward award of an Air Medal for sustained operations, different computations would have had to be made to combine category I, II and III flight time and adjust it to a common denominator.

12.  Normally, missions flown by personnel assigned to nonaviation units would have been recorded on USARV Form 131 by the individual and signed by the certifying officer.

13.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides for award of the Pathfinder Badge for successful completion of the Pathfinder Course conducted by the U. S. Army Infantry School.  The Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge is a recently approved badge.  It identifies Special Operations Forces personnel who have qualified in one of the military’s most demanding and hazardous skills, military free fall parachuting.  To be eligible for the basic badge, an individual must have either satisfactorily completed a prescribed program of instruction in military free fall approved by the U. S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School or have executed a military free fall combat jump.  Veterans and retirees may request update of their records to show permanent award of the badge by writing to the National Personnel Records Center, ATTN:  Army Reference Branch, 9700 Page Avenue, St. Louis, MO  63132-5100.  Requests should include a copy of their official jump record, Individual Jump Record, DA Form 1307, and any other support documents (that is, graduation or qualification certificates.

14.  Department of the Army General Orders 8, 1974, announced award of the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation to Headquarters,   U. S. Military Assistance Command and its subordinate units during the period    8 February 1962 to 28 March 1973 and to Headquarters, U. S. Army Vietnam and its subordinate units during the period 20 July 1965 to 28 March 1973.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The evidence of record shows the applicant was awarded the CIB and it was erroneously omitted from his DD Form 214 for the period ending 31 December 1986.  The Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation was awarded to all units which served in Vietnam.  This unit award should also be added to his DD Form 214.

2.  The evidence of record confirms that the applicant completed Pathfinder training and so he is eligible for award of the Pathfinder Badge.

3.  There is no evidence of record, no USARV Form 131 on the applicant is available, and he has submitted no evidence to show he was eligible for award of the Air Medal.  If he can obtain sufficient evidence to support his claim, he may submit for reconsideration.  

4.  The applicant’s DA Form 2-1 shows he completed HALO training; however, his DA Form 1307 is not available and he has not submitted a course completion certificate so it cannot be determined conclusively that he is eligible for award of the Military Free Fall Parachute Badge.  If he can obtain sufficient evidence to support his claim, he may submit his request to the National Personnel Records Center.

5.  In view of the foregoing, the applicant’s records should be corrected as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That the applicant’s DD Form 214 for the period ending 31 December 1986, item 14 be amended to show he completed the Pathfinder Course in 1977 for      3 weeks and that item 13 be amended to add the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Pathfinder Badge, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation.

2.  That so much of the application as is in excess of the foregoing be denied.

BOARD VOTE:  

__SAC__  __MHM__  __RKS__  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		___Samuel A. Crumpler___
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2002071603	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	2002/08/01	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	PARTIAL GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	110.04	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.