PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:          2 October 2003      
	DOCKET NUMBER:  AR2003087927

	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. Wanda L. Waller		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Kathleen A. Newman		Chairperson	
	Mr. Lester Echols		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 correction of his DD Form 214 (Report of Transfer or Discharge) to show award of the Good Conduct Medal.

3.  The applicant states that his DD Form 214 does not show that he received the Good Conduct Medal.  In support of his application, he submits a copy of his DD Form 214.

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he enlisted on 28 August 1961 for a period of 3 years.  He served as a communications monitor and was honorably released early as an overseas returnee in the rank of specialist five on 22 June 1964 after completing 2 years, 9 months and 25 days of creditable service with no time lost.

5.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 shows the Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar as an authorized award.

6.  There is no evidence the applicant received the first award of the Good Conduct Medal.  There also is no evidence the applicant was disqualified by his chain of command from receiving the Good Conduct Medal.  His records do not contain any adverse information and he received conduct and efficiency ratings of “excellent” throughout his service.

7.  Army Regulation 672-5-1, in effect at the time, provided policy and criteria concerning individual military decorations.  It stated that the Army Good Conduct Medal was awarded for each 3 years of continuous enlisted active Federal military service completed on or after 27 August 1940 and, for the first award only, upon termination of service on or after 27 June 1950 of less than 3 years but more than 1 year.  At the time, a soldier's conduct and efficiency ratings must have been rated as "excellent" for the entire period of qualifying service except that a service school efficiency rating based upon academic proficiency of at least "good" rendered subsequent to 22 November 1955 was not disqualifying.  However, there was no right or entitlement to the medal until the immediate commander made positive recommendation for its award and until the awarding authority announced the award in General Orders.

8.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides, in pertinent part, that the National Defense Service Medal is awarded for honorable active service for any period between 27 July 1950 through 27 July 1954, 1 January 1961 through 14 August 1974, 2 August 1990 through 30 November 1995 and 11 September 2001 to a date to be determined.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.   Considering the applicant attained the rank of specialist five in approximately two years, the Board concludes the applicant met the eligibility criteria for the first award of the Good Conduct Medal for the period 28 August 1961 through 
22 June 1964 based on completion of a period of qualifying service ending with the termination of a period of Federal military service.  Therefore, the applicant's DD Form 214 should be corrected to show this award.

2.  The applicant completed a period of qualifying service for award of the National Defense Service Medal.  Therefore, his DD Form 214 should be corrected to show this award. 

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

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That the applicant be awarded the Good Conduct Medal for the period 
28 August 1961 through 22 June 1964.

2.  That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by showing that the applicant was awarded the Good Conduct Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.

BOARD VOTE:  

KAN____  LE_____  JTM_____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		__Kathleen A. Newman_
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2003087927	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20031002	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT PLUS	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.0056	
2.	107.0069	
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.