PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           10 June 2003
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2003085178

	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. Luis Almodova		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Samuel A. Crumpler		Chairperson	
	Ms. Shirley L. Powell		Member	
	Mr. John T. Meixell		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, in effect, correction of her DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to add the Army Commendation Medal and the Good Conduct Medal (2nd Award), and that she be provided a copy of the completion certificate for the Personnel Records Specialist Course she was awarded at Fort Jackson in 1975.

3.  The applicant states, in effect, that she was awarded the Army Commendation Medal but it was omitted from her DD Form 214.  The applicant questions if she is eligible for a second award of the Good Conduct Medal and would like a copy of her school diploma sent to her for the Personnel Records Specialist Course she completed at Fort Jackson in 1975.

4.  To support her request, the applicant submitted a copy of her DD Form 214, a copy of the certificate for award of the Army Commendation Medal, and a copy of Permanent Orders 53-3, published by Headquarters, 21st Support Command, dated 30 April 1981. 

5.  The applicant’s military records show that she enlisted in the Army Reserve, Delayed Enlistment Program, for 6 years on 22 January 1975 in the rank and pay grade of Private, E-1.

6.  On 15 July 1975, she enlisted in the Regular Army for three years.  She underwent both basic combat and advanced individual training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.  She was awarded the military occupational specialty 75D, Personnel Records Specialist.

7.  The applicant was awarded a Department of the Army Certificate of Training for having successfully completed the Personnel Records Specialist Course on 3 November 1975.  Only a copy of this certificate is on file in her service personnel records.  A copy of this certificate, which was requested by the applicant, will be sent to her and therefore this issue will not be discussed further in these proceedings.

8.  On 27 April 1981, the applicant was honorably discharged at the completion of her required service under the provision of Army Regulation 635-200, chapter 2.

9.  Block 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) of her DD Form 214 shows that she was awarded only the Good Conduct Medal.  The Army Commendation is not shown since the award was approved after her discharge date.

10.  On 7 May 2001, the applicant submitted a request for the correction of her DD Form 214 to add the Army Commendation Medal.  On 14 June 2001, a DD Form 215, Correction to DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, was prepared correcting Item 13 to add the Army Commendation Medal to her DD Form 214 with a separation date of 27 April 1981.  A copy of the DD Form 215 showing this correction will be provided to the applicant and therefore, this issue will not be discussed further in these proceedings.

11.  Army Regulation 600-8-22, in pertinent part, sets forth requirements for award of basic marksmanship qualification badges.  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.

12.  Penciled entries on her DA Form 2-1 (Personnel Qualification Record, Part II) show that the applicant qualified expert with the M-16 rifle on 23 June 1980.  There are no orders on file in her service personnel records awarding the applicant an Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar; however, in October 1980 she was awarded five promotion points on DA Form 3355, Promotion Points Worksheet, for her qualification and award of the Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge.

13.  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.

14.  The applicant was awarded the Good Conduct Medal for the period 15 July 1975 through 14 July 1978 on Permanent Orders 50-1, published by Headquarters, Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth, dated 14 July 1978.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant did not complete a full three-year period after being awarded the first award of the Good Conduct Medal creditable towards award of the Good Conduct Medal (2nd Award) and she is therefore ineligible for award of a second Good Conduct Medal.

2.  The evidence of record shows that the applicant qualified expert with the M-16 rifle on 23 June 1980.  Notwithstanding the absence of orders awarding the applicant the Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar, it would be appropriate to add this badge to Item 13 of her DD Form 214 at this time.

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

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That all Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by adding the Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar to Item 13 of the applicant's DD Form 214.

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

BOARD VOTE:  

__sac___  __slp___  __jtm___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

			Samuel A. Crumpler
		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2003085178	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20030610	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.0000	
2.	107.0020	
3.	107.0056	
4.		
5.		
6.