IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 20 September 2011 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20110005761 THE BOARD CONSIDERED THE FOLLOWING EVIDENCE: 1. Application for correction of military records (with supporting documents provided, if any). 2. Military Personnel Records and advisory opinions (if any). THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, STATEMENT, AND EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant requests correction of his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to show: * award of the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge (Gold) * completion of the Basic Combatives Course Level 1 2. The applicant states he did not have documentation for these items at the time his DD Form 214 was being prepared. 3. The applicant provides: * German Liaison Team, U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence, Certificate of Achievement * DA Form 4187 (Personnel Action) requesting authorization to accept, wear, and retain the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge * memorandum of authorization to accept, wear, and retain the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge * 304th Military Intelligence (MI) Battalion Certificate of Training * orders to active duty for training CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant was appointed as an MI Reserve commissioned officer in the rank of second lieutenant and executed an oath of office on 12 February 2010. 2. He entered active duty for training on 23 September 2010. He completed the 16-week MI Basic Officer Leader Course and he was honorably released from active duty on 9 February 2011. His DD Form 214 shows in: * item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations, and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) – National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and Army Service Ribbon * item 14 (Military Education) – MI Basic Officer Leadership Course, 16 weeks, 2011 3. He submitted a certificate of achievement together with a DA Form 4187 and a memorandum approving his request for authorization to accept, retain, and wear the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge (Gold). 4. He also submitted a certificate of training, dated 9 February 2010, showing completion of the 1-week Basic Combatives Course (40 hours Level 1) from 29 November to 14 December 2010. 5. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides for award of foreign badges. It states that qualification and special skill badges may be accepted if awarded in recognition of meeting the criteria for the specific award as established by the foreign government concerned. Only those badges that are awarded in recognition of military activities and by the military department of the host country are authorized for acceptance and permanent wear. Badges that do not meet these criteria may be authorized for acceptance but not for wear and will not be entered in the official military records of the recipient. 6. Army Regulation 600-8-22 states that commanders (overseas and within the continental United States) serving in the rank of brigadier general or higher and colonel-level commanders who exercise general court-martial authority are delegated authority to approve the acceptance, retention, and permanent wear of foreign badges listed in appendix D. Appendix D lists the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge as an authorized badge. 7. Army Regulation 635-5 (Separation Documents) establishes the standardized policy for preparing and distributing the DD Form 214. Chapter 2 contains guidance on the preparation of the DD Form 214. Item 14 shows the Soldier's military education and is obtained from the records. It shows the formal in-service (full-time attendance) training courses successfully completed during the period of service covered by the DD Form 214 and includes title, length in weeks, and year completed. This information is to assist the Soldier in job placement and counseling. Training courses for combat skills are not listed. 8. Army Regulation 350-1 (Army Training and Leader Development) defines combatives as hand-to-hand and rifle-bayonet fighting and is key to ensuring Soldiers are mentally prepared to engage and kill the enemy in close combat. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: 1. The applicant was authorized to accept, retain, and wear the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge (Gold). He is entitled to correction of his DD Form 214 to show it. 2. The applicant completed the 1-week Basic Combatives Course in 2010. However, this training is considered a combat skill. Training courses for combat skills are not entered on the DD Form 214. BOARD VOTE: ________ ________ ________ GRANT FULL RELIEF ___X____ ___X____ ____X__ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING ________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: 1. The Board determined the evidence presented is sufficient to warrant a recommendation for partial relief. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by adding to item 13 of his DD Form 214 German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge (Gold). 2. The Board further determined the evidence presented is insufficient to warrant a portion of the requested relief. As a result, the Board recommends denial of so much of the application that pertains to adding his combatives training. __________X______________ CHAIRPERSON I certify that herein is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in this case. ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20110005761 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20110005761 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1