IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 4 October 2016 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20150012377 BOARD VOTE: ___x_____ ___x___ ___x____ GRANT FULL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING ________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION 2 Enclosures 1. Board Determination/Recommendation 2. Evidence and Consideration IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 4 October 2016 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20150012377 BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The Board determined the evidence presented is 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 amending his DD Form 214 to show in: a. Item 12f (Foreign Service) – "00 Years, 00 Months, 04 Days." b. Item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized (All periods of service)) – Valorous Unit Award, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and Senior Parachutist Badge one bronze service star. c. Item 18 (Remarks) – "SERVICE IN GRENADA FROM 19831025-19831028." _____________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. IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 4 October 2016 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20150012377 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, in effect, correction of his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to show he is authorized the following awards: * Senior Parachutist Badge with one bronze service star * Valorous Unit Award * Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal 2. The applicant states he participated in Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada and made a combat jump with his unit on 25 October 1983. He states his expiration term of service (ETS) date was extended from 29 October 1983 to 4 November 1983; therefore, he was released from active duty 3 days after returning to Fort Lewis, Washington. 3. The applicant provides: * DA Form 2496 (Disposition Form), dated 15 March 1984, subject: Authorization to Wear the Combat Jump Award. * Valorous Unit Award Certificate, dated 21 May 1984 * Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal – Table of Authorized Operations CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. Title 10, U.S. Code, section 1552(b), provides that applications for correction of military records must be filed within 3 years after discovery of the alleged error or injustice. This provision of law also allows the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) to excuse an applicant's failure to timely file within the 3-year statute of limitations if the ABCMR determines it would be in the interest of justice to do so. While it appears the applicant did not file within the time frame provided in the statute of limitations, the ABCMR has elected to conduct a substantive review of this case and, only to the extent relief, if any, is granted, has determined it is in the interest of justice to excuse the applicant's failure to timely file. In all other respects, there are insufficient bases to waive the statute of limitations for timely filing. 2. The applicant enlisted in the Regular Army for 4 years on 30 October 1979. He completed training as a fire support specialist. 3. The applicant's record contains a DA Form 2496, dated 31 October 1983, from the Commander, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 75th Infantry written to the Separation Transfer Point, Fort Lewis, stating the applicant missed his ETS date due to an involuntary extension. It states that he was deployed with the 2nd Ranger Battalion to Grenada. 4. The applicant was released from active duty on 4 November 1983. His DD Form 214 does not show his foreign service; however, it does show the following awards: * Army Service Ribbon * Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge (Rifle M-16) * Good Conduct Medal * Ranger Tab * Senior Parachutist Badge * Noncommissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon (2nd Award) 5. The applicant provides a DA Form 2496 from the Commander, 2nd Battalion (Ranger), 75th Infantry, Fort Lewis, Washington, dated 15 March 1984, authorizing him one bronze service star to be affixed to his already-awarded Parachutist Badge, for participation in the combat jump onto Fury DZ, Point Salinas Airfield, in Grenada on 25 October 1983. 6. The applicant provides a Valorous Unit Award Certificate showing that he served with the 1st and 2nd Battalions (Ranger), 75th Infantry in Grenada from 25 to 28 October 1983. The certificate shows the unit to which he was assigned was awarded the Valorous Unit Award on 21 May 1984 for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an armed enemy. He also provides a list of authorized operations approved for award of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. REFERENCES: 1. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) states: a. A bronze service star is authorized to be worn on the Parachutist Badge to denote a Soldier's participation in a combat parachute jump and orders are required to confirm award of these badges. Credit for a combat parachute jump is related directly to credit for a combat assault landing for the unit to which the Soldier is assigned at the time of the assault. The unit must be credited with a combat assault in order for the Soldier to receive the Parachutist Badge with the bronze service star affixed and each Soldier must physically exit the aircraft to receive combat assault credit and the Parachutist Badge with bronze service star. b. The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is awarded for qualifying service after 1 July 1958 in U.S. military operations, U.S. operations in direct support of the United Nations, and U.S. operations of assistance for friendly foreign nations. Qualifying service for this award includes participation in Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada during the period 23 October through 21 November 1983. 2. The Unit Decoration and Campaign Participation Register from 1962 through 1987 shows the unit to which the applicant was assigned was awarded the Valorous Unit Award in Department of the Army General Order Number 33, dated 1984. 3. Army Regulation 635-5 (Separation Documents), then in effect, prescribed the separation documents prepared for Soldiers upon retirement, discharge, or release from active military service or control of the Army. It established standardized policy for the preparation of the DD Form 214. The regulation stated that the DD Form 214 was a synopsis of the Soldier's most recent period of continuous active duty. It provided a brief, clear-cut record of active Army service at the time of release from active duty, retirement, or discharge. It states: a. Item 12f, enter from the Enlisted Record Brief, the total amount of foreign service completed during the period covered in Item 12.c. b. Item 13, enter all awards, decorations, medals, badges, citations and campaign ribbons awarded or authorized for all periods of service. c. Item 18, 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 item 18. Only deployment in an imminent danger/hostile fire zone will be reflected. DISCUSSION: 1. The available evidence supports the applicant's contention that his DD Form 214 should be corrected to show the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Valorous Unit Award, and one bronze service star to be affixed his to already-awarded Senior Parachutist Badge. 2. His deployed service in Grenada is not reflected on his DD Form 214. The governing regulation authorizes entering this information on the DD Form 214. //NOTHING FOLLOWS// ABCMR Record of Proceedings AR20150000953 Enclosure 1 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20150012377 2 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Enclosure 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20150012377 4 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Enclosure 2