PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF: 

	BOARD DATE:           11 May 2000                 
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1999032399

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

	Mr. Carl W. S. Chun		Director	
	Mr. Walter Avery, Jr.		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Raymond V. O'Connor, Jr.		Chairperson	
	Mr. James M. Alward		Member	
	Mr. Christopher J. Prosser		Member	

	The applicant and counsel if any, did not appear before the Board.

	The Board considered the following evidence:

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

FINDINGS:

1.  The applicant has exhausted or the Board has waived the requirement for exhaustion of all administrative remedies afforded by existing law or regulations.

2.  The applicant requests that he be awarded the Valorous Unit Award.

3.  The applicant states that the unit he was assigned to was awarded the Valorous Unit Award after his discharge from the Regular Army.  In support of his request, he has provided a copy of his DD Form 214 and a copy of a lineage report of the 41st Field Artillery showing the unit was awarded the Valorous Unit Award.

4.  The applicant’s military records were not available.  Information herein was derived from documents provided by the applicant.  He entered active duty on 21  July 1989, received training as a fire support specialist, and served 1 year, 7 months and 29 days in foreign service; the country is not identified.  He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 41st Field Artillery.  He separated honorably on 27 August 1991 for expiration term of service.

5.  His awards include the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Ribbon, the National Defense Service Medal, the Southwest Asia Service Medal with             2 bronze stars, the Expert Badge with Rifle Bar, and the Marksmanship Badge with Grenade Bar.

6.  Army Regulation 600-8-22, Military Awards, provides, in pertinent part, that the Valorous Unit Award may be awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy of the United States while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent part for actions occurring on or after 3 August 1963.

7.  Department of the Army General Order 27 dated 27 December 1994 awarded the Valorous Unit Award to the 2nd Battalion, 41st Field Artillery for actions conducted 24 February 1991 to 28 February 1991.

8.  Army Regulation 670-1, Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia, provides in pertinent part, that a unit award is given to an operating unit and worn by members of that unit who participated in the cited action. 

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The Valorous Unit Award was established to provide special recognition of units for extraordinary heroism.  The actions of the 2nd Battalion, 41st Infantry between 24 February to 28 February 1991 met the criteria for the award.

2.  Inasmuch as, the applicant was assigned to the unit and without evidence to the contrary it must be presumed the applicant contributed to the unit’s heroic actions, therefore he is entitled to the award of the Valorous Unit Award.

3.  In view of the foregoing, the applicant’s records should be corrected as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by:

a.  showing that the individual concerned was awarded the Valorous Unit Award, and

b.  issuing to him a correction to his DD Form 214 reflecting the aforementioned award.

BOARD VOTE:  

___rvo __  ___jma  _  ___cjp __  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		_________Raymond V. O'Connor, Jr.
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999032399	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20000511	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.00	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.