PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:     

	BOARD DATE:           30 October 2003                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:  AR2003088863

	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. Joseph A. Adriance		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Curtis L. Greenway		Chairperson	
	Mr. Ernest W. Lutz		Member	
	Mr. Larry C. Bergquist		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, that his record be corrected to show his foreign service and to reflect his entitlement to the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM).   

3.  The applicant states, in effect, that the separation document (DD Form 214) he received at the time of his separation is incorrect and has caused him great difficulty in pursuing claims for service connected disabilities through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).  He states that Item 22c (Foreign or Sea Service) should account for the time he served in Korea.  He also states that his separation document should include the Advance Combat Training Badge, based on his completion of this training in 1967, the AFEM he is entitled to based on his service in Korea, and the Korean Defense Service Medal that was recently authorized.

4.  The applicant’s military records show that the applicant was inducted into the Army and entered active duty on 16 August 1966.  It further shows that he was trained in, awarded, and served in military occupational specialty (MOS) 64A (Light Vehicle Driver).  

5.  The applicant’s Enlisted Qualification Record (DA Form 20) shows that he served overseas in Korea from 4 January 1967 through 3 February 1968.  Item 27 (Military Education) confirms that the applicant completed a three week advanced combat training course in 1967.  Item 41 (Awards and Decorations) shows that during his tenure on active duty, he earned the National Defense Service Medal (NDSM) and Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar.  

6.  On 15 August 1968, the applicant was honorably separated at the expiration of his term of service.  At the time of his separation, he had completed a total of 
2 years of active military service. Item 22c (Foreign and/or Sea Service) of his DD Form 214 contains an entry indicating that the applicant completed no overseas service.  The separation document also indicates that the only awards earned by the applicant during his tenure on active duty were the NDSM and Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar.  The advanced combat training course completed by the applicant is included in the list of courses entered in Item 25 (Education and Training) of this document.  

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) prescribes Army policy and criteria concerning individual military awards.  Paragraph 2-12 contains guidance on awarding the AFEM.  It states, in pertinent part, that it was authorized for service in Korea between 1 October 1966 and 30 June 1974. 

8.  Chapter 8 of the awards regulation provides guidance on combat and special skill badges.  This chapter authorizes no badge for the completion of a three week advanced combat infantry course.  

9.  The KDSM was just recently approved as part of the Fiscal Year 2003 Defense Authorization Act, and it has not yet been designed or funded.  The instructions for issuance and wear of this award also have not been completed.  The agency responsible for completing these actions estimates that it could take up to one year before those eligible for this award will begin to receive it.  Once it is ready for issue, the Army will publicize information regarding how to request it and how it will be issued.  Specific instructions will appear on the Internet, in official publications, and in the magazines published by veteran service organizations.  

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The evidence of record confirms that the applicant served in Korea for 1 year and 1 month from 4 January 1967 through 3 February 1968.  Based on this service, he is entitled to the AFEM.  

2.  The advanced combat training course completed by the applicant in 1967 is recorded in both his enlisted qualification record and his separation document.  However, there is no evidence to suggest that completion of this course entitled the applicant to any Army authorized combat or special skill badge.  

3.  The KDSM was just recently approved as part of the Fiscal Year 2003 Defense Authorization Act, and it has not yet been designed or funded.  The responsible agency anticipates it could take up to a year for those who are eligible to begin to receive the award.  The applicant is advised to wait until the Army publicizes instructions regarding how the KDSM should be requested and how it will be issued, before he submits an application to this Board requesting his record be corrected by adding this award.  

4.  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 amending the 13 August 1968 DD Form 214 of the individual concerned by adding the entry “1 year, 1 month, 0 days” to Item 22c (Foreign and/or Sea Service and adding the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal to the list of awards contained in Item 27 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Commendations, Citations, and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized); and by issuing him a corrected separation document that includes these changes.  

2.   That so much of the application as pertains to the Korean Defense Service Medal be deferred and that the portion pertaining to award of an Advanced Combat Training Badge be denied.  

BOARD VOTE:  

__CLG__  __EL___  __LB __  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		Curtis L. Greenway
		  CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2003088863	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	2003/10/DD	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	HD	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	1968/08/15	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR 635-200 	
DISCHARGE REASON	ETS	
BOARD DECISION	GRANT PARTIAL 	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.  46	107.0000	
2.  118	107.0072	
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.