PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           2 July 2002
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2002071959

	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:

	Ms. Karol A. Kennedy		Chairperson	
	Mr. Arthur O. Omartian		Member	
	Mr. Raymond J. Wagner		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 he be awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge and that his Report of Transfer or Discharge, DD Form 214, be amended to add his Vietnam service era awards and decorations and the National Defense Service Medal.

3.  The applicant states that he served in a combat unit in a combat zone.  He provides his DD Form 214 as supporting evidence.

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he enlisted in the Regular Army on 30 April 1964.  He completed basic combat training and advanced individual training and was awarded military occupational specialty (MOS) 910.00 (later redesignated MOS 91B) (Medical Corpsman).

5.  The applicant was assigned to Korea and assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 32d Infantry on 27 October 1964 and performed duties as a medic.  He was reassigned to Fort Carson, CO and departed Korea on 16 October 1965.  He was released from active duty on        11 May 1967.  His DD Form 214, item 24 indicates he was awarded no awards or decorations.  

6.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides for the award of the Combat Infantryman Badge to a soldier who is an infantryman satisfactorily performing infantry duties, who is assigned to an infantry unit during such time as the unit is engaged in active ground combat, and must actively participate in such ground combat.  The Combat Medical Badge could be awarded to Medical Department personnel assigned or attached to infantry units of brigade or smaller size who satisfactorily perform medical duties while the unit is engaged in actual ground combat, provided they are personally present and under fire.  To date, a separate award of the Combat Medical Badge has been authorized for qualified soldiers who served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam conflict.  Service in Korea on the demilitarized zone subsequent to 4 January 1969 is also qualifying service.  The National Defense Service Medal is awarded for honorable active service for any of four periods, to include the period between 1 January 1961 and 14 August 1974.  

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant was not an infantryman and so was not eligible for award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.  He was a medic assigned to an infantry unit; however, there is no evidence of record nor does he provide any to show he   was assigned to Vietnam.  The evidence of record shows that he served in Korea prior to, not subsequent to, 4 January 1969.  Therefore, he does not meet the eligibility criteria for award of the Combat Medical Badge, either.

2.  The applicant meets the eligibility criteria for award of the National Defense Service Medal.

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

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That the applicant’s DD Form 214, item 24 be amended to show he is authorized the National Defense Service Medal.

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

BOARD VOTE:  

__KAK__  __AOA__  __RJW__  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		___Karol A. Kennedy___
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2002071959	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	2002/07/02	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT (PARTIAL)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	110.04	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.