PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:     

	BOARD DATE:           11 July 2002                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2002071657

	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:

	Mr. Ted S. Kanamine		Chairperson	
	Mr. John T. Meixell		Member	
	Mr. Harry B. Oberg		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 she be awarded the Women’s’ Army Corps Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, and the Overseas Service Ribbon.

3.  The applicant states that she served in the Woman’s’ Army Corps for 2 years, 9 months and 7 days, of which she served 10 months and 17 days in Thailand.

4.  In support of her application she submits her DD Form 214, Report of Separation from Active Duty.

5.  The applicant’s military records show that she enlisted in the Regular Army on 26 September 1972, was awarded the military occupational specialty (MOS) of Morse interceptor, served in Thailand, and was promoted to pay grade E-4.

6.  She was honorably released from active duty on 2 July 1975.

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 states that the Woman’s Army Corps Service Medal was awarded for service in the Woman’s Army Corps between 1 September 1943 and 2 September 1945.

8.  This regulation also provides that, effective 1 August 1981, an individual is qualified for the Army Service Ribbon after completion of an MOS producing course.  Officers are normally qualified for the award after completion of their basic/orientation or higher level course.  An individual whose MOS is based on skills acquired in another service or in civilian training is qualified after 4 months active duty.  The award may be granted retroactively to those who qualified prior to 1 August 1981 only if they had an active Army status after that date.

9.  The same regulation also provides that, effective 1 August 1981, all active members of the Army who successfully complete an overseas tour are eligible for the Oversea Service Ribbon.  Completion of an oversea tour must be in accordance with Army Regulation 614-30.  The ribbon may be awarded retroactively to those who qualified prior to 1 August 1981 only if they had an active Army status on or after that date.

10.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 also 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.  

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The Woman’s Army Corps Service Medal was issued to women who served prior to the applicant’s enlistment.  As such, she is not eligible for that award.

2.  The Army Service Ribbon and the Oversea Service Ribbon were both established subsequent to the applicant’s release from active duty.  Therefore, she is not authorized either of these awards.

3.  However, the applicant’s service was meritorious, as evidenced by her promotion to pay grade E-4, and is devoid of any evidence of disciplinary action taken or contemplated against her.  As such, it would appear that the absence of the Good Conduct Medal was an error, not an intentional omission.

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

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by showing that the individual concerned was awarded the Good Conduct Medal for the period 26 September 1972 through 2 July 1975.

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

BOARD VOTE:  

___jtm__  ____tsk__  ____hbo_  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		__________Ted S. Kanamine______
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2002071657	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20020711	
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.