MEMORANDUM OF CONSIDERATION

	IN THE CASE OF:   

	BOARD DATE:            18 July 2000                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1999032504

	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. Carl W. S. Chun		Director	
	Mr. Edmund P. Mercanti		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. George D. Paxson		Chairperson	
	Ms. Elizabeth Buchannon		Member	
	Mr. Margaret V. Thompson		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 awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB).

APPLICANT STATES:  He served in Vietnam as a combat engineer and was in combat situations.  He adds that his being awarded the CIB would be prima facie evidence of a stressor in his Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) claim with the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA).

EVIDENCE OF RECORD:  The applicant's military records show:

He enlisted in the Regular Army on 19 June 1970, was awarded the military occupational specialty of combat engineer and was promoted to pay grade E-4.

He served in Vietnam from 18 November 1970 to 23 December 1971 as a radio operator, a security specialist, and finally as a combat construction specialist.  He was reduced from pay grade E-4 to E-2 due to his conviction by a special court-martial for possession of heroin.

He was honorably released from active duty on 2 February 1972 due to insufficient time remaining on his enlistment contract to permit his reassignment to a new unit after his release from medical hold (the reason for the applicant’s medical hold status is not contained in his military personnel records jacket).

Army Regulation 672-5-1 provides, in pertinent part, that the Combat Infantryman Badge is awarded to infantry officers and to enlisted and warrant officer persons who have an infantry MOS.  They must have served in active ground combat while assigned or attached to an infantry unit of brigade, regimental or smaller size.  The Awards Branch, Total Army Personnel Command has advised, in similar cases, that during the Vietnam era the Combat Infantryman Badge was awarded only to enlisted individuals who held and served in MOS 11B, 11C, 11F, 11G, or 11H.

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

1.  The applicant was not awarded an infantryman MOS and did not serve in an infantry unit.  As such, he was not entitled to the CIB.

2.  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

___gdp__  ___eb___  __mvt ___  DENY APPLICATION

		   Carl W. S. Chun
		   Director, Army Board for Correction
		   of Military Records

INDEX

CASE ID	AR	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20000718	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR .  .  .  .  .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	DENY	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.		
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.