BOARD DATE: 2 October 2012 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20120005537 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 award of the Army Good Conduct Medal (AGCM). 2. He states, in effect, this award does not appear on his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty). 3. He provides his DD Form 214 for the period ending 24 July 2010. CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve (USAR) on 6 July 1988 for 8 years. After completion of training, he served in military occupational specialty 11B (Infantryman). 2. The applicant's record contains Headquarters, 94th USAR Command, Orders 167-20, dated 16 December 1993. These orders show he was released from his TPU assignment and transferred to the USAR Control Group (Annual Training) on the same day to complete his Reserve service obligation. 3. An ARPC Form 249-E (Chronological Statement of Retirement Points) was generated on 25 September 2012 and it shows he had a break in service from 9 July 1996 through 8 January 2008. He enlisted in the USAR the following day. 4. The DD Form 214 he provided shows he was ordered to active duty on 4 September 2009 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and was released from active duty on 24 July 2010. This form shows, in part, he was awarded the Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (ARCAM) (3rd Award) but he was not awarded the AGCM. The documentation which shows the exact dates of his ARCAMs is not in the available record. 5. A review of the personnel actions tab in the Integrated Web Services (IWS) database shows his date of eligibility for the ARCAM (4th Award) is January 2014. 6. By message dated 8 February 2005, the Military Awards Branch, U.S. Army Human Resources Command, provided clarification on award of the AGCM. a. It stated Reserve Component (RC) Soldiers mobilized onto active duty under Title 10 are performing "active Federal military service" and are therefore eligible to be awarded the AGCM. The qualifying periods of service must be continuous enlisted active Federal service. The period of service for the AGCM begins and the ARCAM ends the first day the mobilized RC Soldier is serving on active duty. b. The period of service for the AGCM ends the last day the mobilized RC Soldier is on active duty. 7. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) prescribes Army policy, criteria, and administrative instructions concerning individual and unit military awards. It states: a. The AGCM is awarded to individuals who distinguish themselves by their conduct, efficiency, and fidelity during a qualifying period of active duty enlisted service. This period is 3 years except in those cases when the period for the first award ends with the termination of a period of Federal military service. The first award of the AGCM must be for a period of at least 1 year but may be for a period of less than 3 years for the first award only. b. The ARCAM is authorized for award to Army personnel, including Active Guard Reserve officers, in the rank of colonel and below for exemplary behavior, efficiency, and fidelity while serving as a member of an Army National Guard or USAR TPU or as an individual mobilization augmentee. c. Between 3 March 1972 and 28 March 1995, the medal was authorized on completion of 4 years service with an RC unit. Individuals must have completed 4 years of qualifying service on or after 3 March 1972 and before 28 March 1995. Beginning on 28 March 1995, the period of qualifying service for award of the ARCAM was reduced from 4 to 3 years. This change is not retroactive. Such years of qualifying service must have been consecutive. d. A period of more than 24 hours between Reserve enlistments will be considered a break in service. Credit toward earning the award must begin anew after a break in service. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: 1. The applicant initially served in the USAR from 6 July 1988 through 8 July 1996. It is reasonable to conclude that he received his first two awards of the ARCAM at the end of this period. 2. After a 12-year break in service, he enlisted in the USAR in 2008 and this enlistment started his eligibility for his third ARCAM. He was mobilized in 2009 for support of OIF. His DD Form 214 for the period ending 24 July 2010 shows he was awarded the ARCAM (3rd Award). Since he was not on active duty for at least 1 year, he was not eligible for award of the AGCM. BOARD VOTE: ________ ________ ________ GRANT FULL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING __x___ ___x_____ ___x_____ DENY APPLICATION BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The evidence presented does not demonstrate the existence of a probable error or injustice. Therefore, the Board determined that the overall merits of this case are insufficient as a basis for correction of the records of the individual concerned. _______ _ 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) AR20120005537 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20120005537 2 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1