MEMORANDUM OF CONSIDERATION

	IN THE CASE OF:   

	BOARD DATE:           1 August 2002     
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2002071901

	I certify that hereinafter is recorded the record of consideration of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in the case of the above-named individual.

	Mr. Carl W. S. Chun		Director	
	Ms. Wanda L. Waller		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Samuel A. Crumpler		Chairperson	
	Mr. Melvin H. Meyer		Member	
	Ms. Regan K. Smith		Member	

	The Board, established pursuant to authority contained in 10 U.S.C. 1552, convened at the call of the Chairperson on the above date.  In accordance with Army Regulation 15-185, the application and the available military records pertinent to the corrective action requested were reviewed to determine whether to authorize a formal hearing, recommend that the records be corrected without a formal hearing, or to deny the application without a formal hearing if it is determined that insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of probable material error or injustice.

	The applicant requests correction of military records as stated in the application to the Board and as restated herein.

	The Board considered the following evidence:

	Exhibit A - Application for correction of military 
                records
	Exhibit B - Military Personnel Records (including
	            advisory opinion, if any)

APPLICANT REQUESTS:  Correction of his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to show award of the Expert Infantryman Badge and completion of the Jungle Expert School and Recondo School.

APPLICANT STATES:  That these items were omitted from his DD Form 214 upon his release from active duty.  In support of his application, he submits a copy of his DD Form 214; an award certificate for completion of the standard Jungle Operations Training Course, dated 16 June 1973; clinical records, dated 15 March 1977 and 8 December 1981; and two pages of his DA Form 2-1 (Personnel Qualification Record). 

EVIDENCE OF RECORD:  The applicant's military records show:

The applicant enlisted on 9 August 1972 and remained on active duty through continuous reenlistments.  He served as an infantryman in Panama, Korea and Germany and was honorably discharged on 17 March 1982.

The applicant’s DD Form 214, which was authenticated in his own hand, does not show the Expert Infantryman Badge as an authorized award.  Item 
14 (Military Education) on his DD Form 214 shows the entry, “NONE.”  

There are no orders for the Expert Infantryman Badge in the available records.  Item 9 (Awards, Decorations & Campaigns) on the applicant’s DA Form 2-1 (Personnel Qualification Record) does not show entitlement to the Expert Infantryman Badge.

The applicant provided an award certificate, dated 16 June 1973, which shows he completed the standard Jungle Operations Training Course. 

There is no evidence in the applicant’s service personnel records which shows that he completed Recondo School.

Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) prescribes Army policy and procedures for awards, and paragraph 8-8 provides for award of the Expert Infantryman Badge.  Award of the Expert Infantryman Badge requires that an individual must have satisfactorily completed the prescribed proficiency tests while assigned or attached to an infantry unit of at least battalion size.  To be eligible for testing and award of the Expert Infantryman Badge, a soldier must be in an active Army status and must have an infantry or special forces specialty.

Recondo, Raider and Jungle Warfare Training Courses are conducted by brigade and division level units throughout the Army as local training courses in combat skills.  The badges awarded upon completion of these courses are awarded in 

accordance with local policies governing these training courses.   These badges are not governed by the Department of the Army awards regulation and, as a result, they are not annotated on the DD Form 214.  In accordance with Army Regulation 635-5, which governs preparation of separation documents, Recondo, Raider and Jungle Operations Training Courses are not entered under education and training of the DD Form 214 because training course for combat skills are not listed on the DD Form 214.

DISCUSSION:  Considering all the evidence, allegations, and information presented by the applicant, together with the evidence of record, applicable law and regulations, it is concluded:

1.  The Board considered the applicant’s contention that he is entitled to award of the Expert Infantryman Badge.  However, there is no evidence of record available to the Board, and the applicant has provided no evidence, which shows that he was awarded the Expert Infantryman Badge or that he met the qualifications for this badge.  Therefore, the Board determined that there is insufficient evidence on which to base award of the Expert Infantryman Badge in this case.

2.  The Board also considered the applicant’s request that the Expert Jungle School be shown on his DD Form 214.  However, the governing regulation states that Jungle Operations Training Courses are not entered under education and training of the DD Form 214 because training courses for combat skills are not listed on the DD Form 214.  Therefore, there is no basis for granting the applicant’s request.

3.  The applicant’s contention that he completed the Recondo School is not supported by the evidence of record.  There is no evidence of record available to the Board, and the applicant has provided no evidence, which shows that he completed the Recondo Course.    

4.  In order to justify correction of a military record the applicant must show to the satisfaction of the Board, or it must otherwise satisfactorily appear, that the record is in error or unjust.  The applicant has failed to submit evidence that would satisfy this requirement.

5.  In view of the foregoing, there is no basis for granting the applicant's request.

DETERMINATION:  The applicant has failed to submit sufficient relevant evidence to demonstrate the existence of probable error or injustice.

BOARD VOTE:

________  ________  ________  GRANT

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

SAC____  MHM____  RKS_____  DENY APPLICATION

		    Carl W. S. Chun
		    Director, Army Board for Correction
    of Military Records

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2002071901	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20020801	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	 	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(DENY)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.0112	
2.	100.0700	
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.