BOARD DATE: 6 April 2017 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20150016958 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 BOARD DATE: 6 April 2017 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20150016958 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: a. adding the Iraq Campaign Medal with two bronze service stars to item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) of his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), b. deleting the second entry, "ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE OFFICER CERTIFICATION COURSE, 1 WEEK, JAN 2000" from item 14 (Military Education) of his DD Form 214, and c. deleting from item 18 (Remarks) of his DD Form 214, the entry "SERVICE IN SOUTHWEST ASIA 20030307 - 20040305" and replacing it with the entry "SERVICE IN IRAQ FROM 20030307 - 20040305." ______________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. BOARD DATE: 6 April 2017 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20150016958 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 the following corrections of his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) in item 18 (Remarks): a. delete the duplicate entry "ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE OFFICER CERTIFICATION COURSE, 1 WEEK, JAN 2000," and b. delete the entry "SERVICE IN SOUTHWEST ASIA 20030307 - 20040305." 2. The applicant states the entry referring to his Environmental Compliance Officer Certification Course is a duplicate entry. Additionally, the entry referring to Southwest Asia service is only for veterans of Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield. 3. The applicant provides no additional evidence. 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 on 20 January 1998. 3. His record contains an Army Commendation Medal Certificate, which shows Permanent Order Number 159-59, published by the 41st Field Artillery Brigade, Baghdad, Iraq, on 7 June 2003, awarded him the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service for actions in combat during Operation Iraqi Freedom during the period 19 March 2003 to 1 July 2003. 4. He was honorably discharged on 7 August 2005. His DD Form 214 contains the following information: a. Item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) lists the: * Army Commendation Medal * Army Achievement Medal (2nd Award) * Army Good Conduct Medal (4th Award) * National Defense Service Medal * Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal * Global War on Terrorism Service Medal * Noncommissioned Officer's Professional Development Ribbon * Army Service Ribbon * Overseas Service Ribbon (2nd Award) b. Item 14 (Military Education) (as continued in item 18) twice lists the "ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE OFFICER CERTIFICATION COURSE, 1 WEEK, JAN 2000." c. Item 18 contains the entry, "SERVICE IN SOUTHWEST ASIA 20030307 - 20040305." REFERENCES: 1. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) states the Iraq Campaign Medal is awarded to members who have served in direct support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). The area of eligibility encompasses all the land area of the country of Iraq, the contiguous water area out to 12 nautical miles, and all air spaces above the land area of Iraq and above the contiguous water area out to 12 nautical miles. The Iraq Campaign Medal period of eligibility is on or after 19 March 2003 through 31 December 2011. A bronze service star is authorized for wear with this medal for participation in each credited campaign. Approved campaigns are: * Liberation of Iraq (19 March 2003-1 May 2003) * Transition of Iraq (2 May 2003-28 June 2004) * Iraqi Governance (29 June 2004-15 December 2005) * National Resolution (16 December 2005-9 January 2007) * Iraqi Surge (10 January 2007-31 December 2008) * Iraqi Sovereignty (1 January 2009-31 August 2010) * New Dawn (1 September 2010-31 December 2011) 2. 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. Chapter 2 establishes standardized policy for the preparation of the DD Form 214. It states: * item 13, enter awards and decorations for all periods of service in the priority sequence specified in Army Regulation 600-8-22 * item 14, use the Enlisted Record Brief as a source document and list formal in-service (full-time attendance) training courses successfully completed during the period of service covered by the DD Form 214. Include title, length in weeks, and year completed. * item 18 (Remarks), for an active duty Soldier deployed with his/her unit during their continuous period of active service, enter "Service in (Name of Country Deployed) FROM (inclusive dates, YYYYMMDD - YYYYMMDD)" DISCUSSION: 1. Item 13 of the applicant's DD Form 214 does not reflect the Iraq Campaign Medal with two bronze service stars. The evidence of record shows the applicant served in Iraq during the period of eligibility for the Iraq Campaign Medal and participated in two campaigns. 2. Item 14 of the applicant's DD Form 214 incorrectly lists twice the entry ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE OFFICER CERTIFICATION COURSE, 1 WEEK, JAN 2000." 3. The evidence of record shows the applicant served in Iraq from 7 March 2003 to 5 March 2004, but the entry on his DD Form 214 incorrectly annotated this as service in Southwest Asia. //NOTHING FOLLOWS// ABCMR Record of Proceedings AR20150000953 Enclosure 1 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20150016958 2 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Enclosure 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20150016958 4 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Enclosure 2