BOARD DATE: 22 April 2010 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20100000490 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 correction of his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to show: * service in Southwest Asia (SWA) starting on 26 December 1990 vice 26 January 1991 * the Southwest Asia Service Medal (SWASM) with 3 bronze service stars vice 2 bronze service stars 2. The applicant states his starting date for service in SWA is a clerical error. 3. The applicant provides a DA Form 4187 (Personnel Action), dated 7 May 1991 and signed by his commander, showing his service in SWA from 0600 hours, 26 December 1990 through 1900 hours, 27 April 1991. CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant is a sergeant first class (SFC)/E-7 serving in an Active Guard Reserve (AGR) assignment. From 1 July 1988 to 27 March 1998 he was a Regular Army Soldier. 2. Item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) of his DD Form 214 shows he was awarded the SWASM with 2 bronze service stars. Item 18 (Remarks) shows he served in SWA from 26 January 1991 to 27 April 1991. 3. The DA Form 4187 provided by the applicant shows he served in SWA from 26 December 1990 to 27 April 1991. The data on this form was verified by his commander on 7 May 1991. 4. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides that service in the Persian Gulf War is to be recognized by award of the SWASM to Army members who participated in Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm in the designated area on or after 2 August 1990. A bronze service star is authorized for the following campaigns: * Defense of Saudi Arabia (2 August 1990 to 16 January 1991) * Liberation and Defense of Kuwait (17 January to 11 April 1991) * Southwest Asia Cease-Fire (12 April 1991 to 30 November 1995) 5. Army Regulation 635-5 (Personnel Separations - Separation Documents) prescribes the separation documents prepared for Soldiers upon retirement, discharge, or release from active military service or control of the Army. It establishes standardized policy for the preparation of the DD Form 214. It states that for an active duty Soldier deployed with his or her unit during their continuous period of active service, the statement "SERVICE IN (NAME OF COUNTRY DEPLOYED) FROM (inclusive dates for example, YYYYMMDD - YYYYMMDD)" will be entered in block 18. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: 1. The applicant requests correction of his SWA service dates and an additional bronze service star for his SWASM. 2. Documentation provided by the applicant shows his SWA service dates are incorrect on his DD Form 214. Those dates should be 26 December 1990 to 27 April 1991 vice 26 January 1991 to 27 April 1991. This should be corrected. 3. With the above correction to his SWA service dates, the applicant is entitled to a bronze service star for his participation in the Defense of Saudi Arabia campaign (2 August 1990 to 16 January 1991). This should be added to his DD Form 214. 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: * deleting from Item 13 of his DD Form 214 the Southwest Asia Service Medal with 2 bronze service stars and replacing it with the Southwest Asia Service Medal with 3 bronze service stars, and * deleting from Item 18 of his DD Form 214 the entry "Service in Southwest Asia 19910126 - 19910427" and replacing it with the entry "Service in Southwest Asia From 19901226 - 19910427." ___________x___________ 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) AR20100000490 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR201