PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:      

	BOARD DATE:           18 DECEMBER 2001
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2001062661

	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	
	Ms. Deborah L. Brantley		Senior Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Irene N. Wheelwright 		Chairperson	
	Mr. Thomas Lanyi		Member	
	Mr. Jose A. Martinez		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, in effect, award of the Southwest Asia Service Medal and the Combat Infantryman Badge.  He states he was "sent with [his] unit to Saudi Arabia" and was an infantryman.  He notes that he was not aware of the error until it was pointed out to him during an employment interview.

3.  Records available to the Board indicate the applicant entered active duty on 
19 January 1989 and was trained as an infantryman (11B) prior to being assigned to Fort Campbell, Kentucky in June 1989.  Documents in the applicant's records indicate that he was deployed to Southwest Asia in August 1990.

4.  On 27 September 1990 he was "transferred from forward area" to the 326th Medical Battalion in Saudi Arabia with a complaint of back pain.  While hospitalized he also underwent a psychiatric evaluation.  He remained hospitalized until 8 October 1990 when he was returned to duty after he was found mentally and medically fit. 

5.  The applicant underwent a MEB (medical evaluation board) in February 1991 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.  The MEB summary noted the applicant returned to the United States in December 1990 for "evaluation and treatment of possible asthma."

6.  The applicant was ultimately found medically unfit because of a “schizoaffective” disorder, which was determined to have existed prior to his entry on active duty.  He was discharged by reason of physical disability without entitlement to severance pay on 7 May 1991.  There is no indication he was ever awarded the Southwest Asia Service Medal or the Combat Infantryman Badge.

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides that service in Southwest Asia is to be recognized by award of the Southwest Asia Service Medal (SWASM) to Army members who participated in Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm in the designated area on or after 2 August 1990.  A bronze service star is authorized for the Defense of Saudi Arabia (2 August 1990 to 16 January 1991).  Additionally, the Secretary of Defense accepted an offer by the Government of Kuwait to award the Kuwait Liberation Medal to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who participated in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm between 2 August 1990 and 31 August 1993.

8.  There are basically three requirements for award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.  The soldier must be an infantryman (11 series specialty), assigned to an infantry unit during such time as the unit is engaged in active ground combat, and must have actively participated in such ground combat.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The evidence confirms the applicant was deployed to Southwest Asia between August and December 1990 and as such is entitled to the Southwest Asia Service Medal with one bronze service star and the Kuwait Liberation Medal awarded by Government of Kuwait.

2.  There is, however, no evidence the applicant engaged in active ground combat and as such there is no basis for an award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.

3.  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 awarding the individual concerned the Southwest Asia Service Medal with one bronze service star and the Kuwait Liberation Medal.

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

BOARD VOTE:  

__INW __  __TL____  __JAM __  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		__Irene N. Wheelwright__
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2001062661	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20011218	
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.