PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:       

	BOARD DATE:            15 JULY 2003                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2003087022

	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. Deborah L. Brantley		Senior Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Fred N. Eichorn		Chairperson	
	Ms. Margaret V. Thompson		Member	
	Mr. Eric N. Andersen 		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 records be corrected to reflect the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Overseas Service Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon.  In support of his request he submits a copy of his 1952 separation document.

3.  The applicant's military personnel records were apparently lost or destroyed during the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center.  Information contained herein was reconstructed entirely from his separation document.

4.  The applicant entered active duty on 15 December 1950 and served for approximately 13 months overseas where he was awarded the Korean Service Medal and United Nations Service Medal.  He was honorably discharged on 
22 September 1952.  His separation document does not reflect entitlement to the National Defense Service Medal.

5.  The National Defense Service Medal was established by Executive Order in April 1953 and awarded for honorable active service for any period between 
27 June 1950 and 27 July 1954.

6.  The Overseas Service Ribbon and Army Service Ribbon were established in 1981.  The Overseas Service Ribbon was awarded to members of the United States Army for successful completion of overseas tours, while the Army Service Ribbon was awarded for successful completion of initial entry training.  Retroactive award of these decorations was limited to personnel who had an Active Army status on or after 1 August 1981.

7.  As a matter of information, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Korean War, the Government of the Republic of Korea issued the Korean War Service Medal to pay tribute to eligible Korean War veterans for their historic endeavors to preserve the freedom of the Republic of Korea and the free world.  On 20 August 1999, the Department of Defense approved acceptance and wear of this foreign award to eligible US veterans of the Korean War, or their surviving next of kin.  The medal is provided at no cost to the veterans.  The Department of Defense has assigned responsibility to the Department of the Air Force for distribution of the Korean War Service Medal to eligible veterans or their surviving next of kin.  To apply, veterans must provide a copy of their discharge paper (DD Form 214) to the Awards and Decorations Section, Headquarters, Air Force Personnel Center, 550 C Street West, Suite 12, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas 78150-4714.  A sample request form is being provided to the applicant.  Once the Korean War Service Medal has been authorized by the Department of the Air Force, the applicant may apply to the Army Board for Correction of Military Records to add this foreign award to his DD Form 214.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant is entitled to the National Defense Service Medal and his records should be corrected accordingly.

2.  Because the applicant did not have an Active Army status on, or after, 
1 August 1981 he is not entitled to either the Overseas Service Ribbon or the Army Service Ribbon.

3.  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 is entitled to the National Defense Service Medal.

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

BOARD VOTE:  

__FNE __  __MVT __  __ENA__  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		____Fred N. Eichorn______
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2003087022	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20030715	
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.	107.00	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.