PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:        

	BOARD DATE:             13 July 2000                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:     AR1999032492

	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. W. E. Schnupp.		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Jennifer L. Prater		Chairperson	
	Mr. Melvin H. Meyer		Member	
	Mr. James E Anderholm		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 his military records be corrected to show that the period of time he was in a casual status is incorrect, that his assignment information be corrected and that he be awarded the Parachute Badge.

3.  The applicant states that his record is incorrect in showing that he was in a casual status from 14 May 1967 to 25 August 1967.  Also, his assignments in Vietnam and at Fort Bragg, North Carolina are incorrect in that he never worked as an ammo clerk, personnel specialist or clerk typist.  He also states that the Parachute Badge should be added to his DD Form 214, Report of Transfer or Discharge.

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he enlisted in the Regular Army for three years on 6 July 1965.  In October 1965 he completed an aircraft maintenance course and was awarded military occupational specialty (MOS) 67A.  He then completed common specialty training and on the job training in MOS 71A -–Clerk.  He completed the basic airborne course and was assigned to Fort Bragg in MOS 71B clerk typist.  His DA Form 20 Enlisted Qualification Record, shows that on 14 May 1967 he was in a casual status enroute to the US Army Pacific (Vietnam) and on 25 August 1967 was assigned as a personnel specialist – MOS 71H – with the 518th Adjutant General Personnel Service Company.  On 25 September 1967 he was reassigned as a publications clerk – MOS 70A – with the 191st Ordnance Battalion and on 15 March 1968 he was assigned as an ammo storage helper – MOS 55A.  He departed Vietnam on 9 July 1968 and was honorably separated to the USAR on 16 July 1968.

5.  His awards include the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal and the Vietnam Campaign Medal with 60 Device.  On 4 May 1966 orders were published at Fort Benning, Georgia awarding him the Parachute Badge, but it is not reflected on his DD Form 214.

6.  Orders in the applicant’s Military Personnel Records Jacket show that he was promoted to private first class in MOS 71A on 17 May 1966.  On 6 December 1966 he was reassigned to the 503rd Military Police Battalion in MOS 71A.

7.  On 14 May 1967 he departed Fort Bragg for Vietnam with 30 days leave enroute.  Transportation to Vietnam was via US Navy ship, which departed California on 21 July 1967.  The itinerary of the ship is not known.  However, it arrived in Vietnam on 23 August 1967 and after processing, he was assigned to 

the 518th Adjutant General Personnel Service Company on 26 August 1967.  He was reassigned effective 25 September 1967 to the 191st Ordnance Battalion and on 11 January 1968 he was promoted to specialist (E-4) in MOS 71B.  He was subsequently assigned to the 33rd Ordnance Company.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant was awarded the Parachute Badge upon completion of airborne training on 6 May 1966 and he is entitled to have it shown on his DD Form 214.

2.  He has, however, presented no evidence to dispute the period he was in a casual status enroute to Vietnam or that he was assigned in the duty positions he contends he never performed.

3.  Considering his 30 days of leave and personal and official travel time involved, particularly when his movement to Vietnam was by surface vessel, it is not unreasonable for the applicant to have been in a casual status from 14 May 1967 to 25 August 1967.  Similarly, evidence in his record shows that at various times during his enlistment he was awarded the MOS’ for clerk, personnel specialist and ammo handler.  To what extent he ever performed each of the duties or in fact how accurate the designation of each of the duties was cannot be determined; nonetheless, the record reflects that he was assigned such duties.  In the absence of information to the contrary, there is no basis not to accept the entries in his record as correct.

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

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by showing that the individual concerned was awarded the Parachute Badge.

2.  That so much of the application as is in excess of the foregoing be denied.

BOARD VOTE:  

___jlp __  ___mhm__  ____jea_  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		_________Jennifer L. Prater____
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999032492	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20000713	
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.