IN THE CASE OF:	  

		BOARD DATE:	       16 JULY 2009

		DOCKET NUMBER:  AR20090003019 


THE BOARD CONSIDERED THE FOLLOWING EVIDENCE:

1.  Application for correction of military records (with supporting documents provided, if any).

2.  Military Personnel Records and advisory opinions (if any).


THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, STATEMENT, AND EVIDENCE:

1.  The applicant requests that his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) be corrected to add the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM).  He also requests that the time he served in Kuwait be added to his DD Form 214.

2.  The applicant states that group orders were published for the AFEM, and he did not keep a copy.  He now needs his DD Forms 214 updated because he is going in front of a promotion board.

3.  The applicant provides excerpts from his military records.

CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:

1.  The applicant's military records show that he enlisted in the Regular Army on 30 November 1998, was awarded the military occupational specialty of cannon crewmember, was promoted to pay grade E-4, and was honorably released from active duty and transferred to a U.S. Army Reserve (USAR) unit on 29 November 2001.

2.  The applicant served on active duty from 10 February to 4 June 2003 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.  

3.  On 21 July 2006, the applicant was ordered to active duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  He served as a financial management technician in pay grade E-5.  He was honorably released from active duty on 25 October 2007.  The DD Form 214 he was issued shows that he served in Iraq from 10 October 2006 to 30 September 2007.  His DD Form 214 also shows that he was awarded the Iraq Campaign Medal.

4.  The applicant's DA Form 2-1 (Personnel Qualification Record – II) shows that he served in Kuwait from 1 August 1999 to 1 December 1999 and in Iraq from 9 November 2006 to 7 August 2007.

5.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides for the award of the AFEM for 30 or more consecutive days of service in theater during Operation Desert Spring (31 December 1998 to 18 March 2003).

6.  Operation Desert Spring is part of an on-going operation in Kuwait that was established following Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield.  Its mission is to maintain a forward presence and provide control and force protection over Army forces in Kuwait (GlobalSecurity.org).  The applicant's records contain a Certificate of Achievement he was awarded for supporting Operation Desert Spring.

7.  Army Regulation 635-5 (Separation Documents) establishes the standardized policy for preparing and distributing the DD Form 214.  In pertinent part, it directs that when an active duty Soldier is deployed with his or her unit during the period covered by the DD Form 214, an entry will be made in Item 18 to show "SERVICE IN (NAME OF COUNTRY DEPLOYED) FROM (inclusive dates for example, YYYYMMDD – YYYMMDD)."

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:

The applicant's records conclusively show that he served in Kuwait from 1 August 1999 to 1 December 1999 in support of Operation Desert Spring.  As such, he is entitled to have the AFEM added to all three of his DD Forms 214 and to have the following entry added to his DD Form 214 for the period ending       29 November 2001:  "SERVICE IN KUWAIT FROM 19990801 – 19991201."

BOARD VOTE:

___X_____  _____X___  ____X____  GRANT FULL RELIEF 

________  ________  ________  GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF 

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION
BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION:

The Board determined that the evidence presented was sufficient to warrant a recommendation for relief.  As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by adding the AFEM to all three of his DD Forms 214 and to have the following entry added to his DD Form 214 for the period ending 29 November 2001:  "SERVICE IN KUWAIT FROM 19990801 – 19991201."




      _______ _   _XXX______   ___
               CHAIRPERSON
      
I certify that herein is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in this case.



ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)                                         AR20090003019





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ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)                                         AR20090003019



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