MEMORANDUM OF CONSIDERATION

	IN THE CASE OF

	BOARD DATE:            9 March 2000                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1999032374

	I certify that hereinafter is recorded the record of consideration of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in the case of the above-named individual.

	Mr. Robert J. McGowan		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. June Hajjar 		Chairperson	
	Mr. Thomas D. Howard Jr.		Member	
	Ms. Carol Jo Suiter 		Member	

	The Board, established pursuant to authority contained in 10 U.S.C. 1552, convened at the call of the Chairperson on the above date.  In accordance with Army Regulation 15-185, the application and the available military records pertinent to the corrective action requested were reviewed to determine whether to authorize a formal hearing, recommend that the records be corrected without a formal hearing, or to deny the application without a formal hearing if it is determined that insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of probable material error or injustice.

	The applicant requests correction of military records as stated in the application to the Board and as restated herein.

	The Board considered the following evidence:

	Exhibit A - Application for correction of military 
                records
	Exhibit B - Military Personnel Records (including
	            advisory opinion, if any)

APPLICANT REQUESTS:  That he be retroactively promoted through the grade of E-6 to the grade of E-7.

APPLICANT STATES:  That he met all the school requirements for promotion for the past 8 years.

EVIDENCE OF RECORD:  The applicant's military records could not be located. Information herein was obtained from alternate sources.

He enlisted in the US Army Reserve (USAR) on 27 July 1973 and entered on active duty on 23 September 1974.  With the exception of a break in service from 12 December 1984 to 13 September 1986, he served continuously on active duty until honorably discharged with sufficient service for retirement on 30 September 1994.

The applicant’s Personnel Qualification Record, DA Form 2-1, shows that he was promoted to private (E-1) on enlistment on 27 July 1973, to private (E-2) on 27 November 1973, to private first class (E-3) on 14 February 1974, to specialist (E-4) on 26 August 1975, and to sergeant (E-5) on 2 December 1981.  There is no indication that he was ever promoted beyond the rank of sergeant except for an 86th US Army Reserve Command Certificate of Achievement (ARCOM), dated 22 February 1990, that refers to the applicant as SSG (staff sergeant, E-6).

DISCUSSION:  Considering all the evidence, allegations, and information presented by the applicant, together with the evidence of record, applicable law and regulations, it is concluded:

1.  In order to justify correction of a military record, the applicant must show to the satisfaction of the Board, or it must otherwise satisfactorily appear, that the record is in error or unjust.  The applicant has failed to submit evidence that would satisfy the aforementioned requirement.

2.  All of the records reviewed by the Board indicate that the applicant was never promoted beyond the rank of sergeant (E-5).  Even though there is a 22 February 1990 certificate of achievement showing the applicant’s rank as a staff sergeant (E-6), there are similar documents dated after February 1990 that show the applicant’s rank as sergeant (E-5).  It would appear that the 22 February 1990 certificate of achievement is in error as to the applicant’s rank.

3.  Promotion from E-5 to E-6 is semi-centralized and is based upon a soldier’s promotion score on a standing promotion list.  Headquarters, Department of the Army publishes a promotion cut-off score and soldiers with promotion scores above that cut-off are then promoted.  Although attendance at various schools is valuable in awarding promotion points, schooling is not the only factor in being promoted.  The applicant apparently never amassed a high enough promotion score to achieve the promotion cut-off score.

4.  In view of the foregoing, there is no basis for granting the applicant's request.

DETERMINATION:  The applicant has failed to submit sufficient relevant evidence to demonstrate the existence of probable error or injustice.

BOARD VOTE:

________  ________  ________  GRANT

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

__jh____  __tdh____  __cjs____  DENY APPLICATION

						Karl F. Schneider
				     Director, Army Review Boards Agency

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999032374	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20000309	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	DENY	
REVIEW AUTHORITY	DIRECTOR	
ISSUES         1.	131.0000	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.