PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           20 February 2003
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2002083111

	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. William Blakely		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Joann H. Langston		Chairperson	
	Mr. Lester Echols		Member	
	Mr. Allen L. Raub		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, that his records be corrected to show that he earned three awards of the Army Achievement Medal (AAM 2nd Oak Leaf Cluster) and the Army Commendation Medal (ARCOM); and that he is a high school graduate.  

3.  The applicant states, in effect, that he was issued orders awarding him three AAMs and one ARCOM and that these awards were not included in his separation document (DD Form 214).  He also claims that he graduated from high school before entering the Army, but Item 15b (High School Graduate or Equivalent) contains a check mark in the “No” block, indicating that he was not a high school graduate.  In support of his application, he provides copies of the award recommendations (DA Form 638) that contain approvals and orders numbers, and a copy of his high school diploma.  

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he entered the Army for 3 years on 21 July 1999.  He was trained in, awarded, and served in military occupational specialty (MOS) 45T (BFVS Turret Mechanic), and he continuously served on active duty for 3 years until being honorably separated on 20 July 2002.

5.  Item 17 (Civilian Education and Military Schools) of the applicant’s Personnel Qualification Record (DA Form 20) confirms that he completed 4 years at Centennial High School in 1999, and the applicant provides a copy of his high school diploma that corroborates this entry.  

6.  The DD Form 214 issued to the applicant on the date of his separation, 
20 July 2002, does not include the AAM (2nd Oak Leaf Cluster) or the ARCOM in the list of authorized awards contained in Item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations, and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized), and Item 15b 
(High School Graduate or Equivalent) contains a check mark in the “No” block, which indicates that he was not a high school graduate on the date of his separation. 

7.  The DA Forms 638 provided by the applicant confirm that he was awarded three AAMs in the following orders on the dates indicated:  Permanent Orders Number 276-10, 3 October 2001; Permanent Orders Number 011-100, 
11 January 2002; and Permanent Orders Number 039-14, 26 February 2001.  In addition, he was awarded the ARCOM in Permanent Orders Number 109-2, dated 22 April 2002.  

8.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides the Army’s awards policy.  It states, in pertinent part, that recommendations for, approval of, and authorizing orders for award of the AAM and the ARCOM will be included in the DA Form 638.  Further, Paragraph 6-3 states that a bronze oak leaf cluster is awarded to denote the second and succeeding awards of a certain decorations, the AAM is included among these awards.  

9.  Army Regulation 635-5 prescribes the separation documents which are prepared for individuals upon retirement, discharge, or release from active military service or control of the Army.  Chapter 2, provides item by item guidance for DD Form 214 entries.  It states, in pertinent part, that the entry in Item 15b (High School Graduate Or Equivalent) will be marked “Yes” if the soldier is high school graduate.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The Board notes the applicant’s contention that the DD Form 214 he was issued upon his separation on 20 July 2002 should be corrected to add the three awards of the AAM  and the ARCOM; and to show that he was a high school graduate, and it finds this claim has merit.  

2.  The evidence provided by the applicant clearly confirms that during his active duty tenure, he was awarded the ARCOM and the AAM on three occasions by the proper authority and that orders were published authoring these awards.  Therefore, the Board concludes it would be appropriate to correct the applicant’s DD Form 214 to add the ARCOM and the AAM (2nd Oak Leaf Cluster) to the list of authorized awards contained in Item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations, and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized).  

3.  The applicant’s Personnel Qualification Record (DA Form 20) confirms that he completed 4 years at Centennial High School in 1999, and this record entry is corroborated by the high school diploma provided by the applicant.  Therefore, the Board concludes that Item 15b (High School Graduate Or Equivalent) of the applicant’s DD Form 214 should be corrected to show the entry “Yes”.

4.  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 amending Item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations, and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) of the 20 July 2002 DD Form 214 of the individual concerned to add the Army Commendation Medal and Army Achievement Medal 2nd Oak Leaf Cluster; and by amending the entry in 
Item 15b (High School Graduate Or Equivalent) to “Yes”.

BOARD VOTE:  

__JHL__  __  LE   _  __ ALR  __  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		_ Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr._
		         CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2002083111	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	2003/02/20	
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.	107.0025	
2.	107.0020	
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.