IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 22 December 2011 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20110010548 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 Army Good Conduct Medal (AGCM). 2. He states he completed his first period of active duty from 22 July 2003 to 21 July 2006 with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Carson, CO. He states that after completing his deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, he was told that his AGCM would be mailed to his home of record, but he never received the award. 3. He provides the following: * DD Forms 214 for the periods ending 21 July 2006 and 12 July 2009 * Noncommissioned Officer Evaluation Reports (NCOERs) * DA Forms 638 (Recommendation for Award), dated 15 November 2005 and 20 April 2006 CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant enlisted in the Regular Army on 22 July 2003. He completed 3 years of active duty service and was honorably released from active duty on 21 July 2006 in the grade of specialist (SPC)/E4. On 22 July 2006, he enlisted in the Army National Guard. 2. He was ordered to active duty on 20 June 2008 and was honorably released from active duty on 12 July 2009. 3. Item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Commendations, Citations, and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) of his DD Forms 214 do not show the award of the AGCM. 4. The DA Forms 638, provided by the applicant, show he was awarded two awards of the Army Commendation Medal (ARCOM): 4 March 2005 to 7 March 2006 and 14 December 2003 to 21 July 2006. The ARCOM for his last period of service shows that he received the ARCOM as an expiration term of service (ETS) award. 5. There is no derogatory information contained in his official military personnel file (OMPF). There is also no memorandum disqualifying him for award of the AGCM. 6. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) states the Army Good Conduct Medal is awarded to individuals who distinguish themselves by their conduct, efficiency, and fidelity during a qualifying period of active duty enlisted service. This period is 3 years except in those cases when the period for the first award ends with the termination of a period of Federal military service. Although there is no automatic entitlement to the Army Good Conduct Medal, disqualification must be justified. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The applicant's OMPF does not contain any derogatory information or a commander's disqualification for award of the AGCM. Evidence of record shows he was honorably released from active duty in the grade of E4 and received the award of the ARCOM upon his ETS. Therefore, he is entitled to the AGCM (1st Award) for the period 22 July 2003 to 21 July 2006 and correction of his DD Form 214 to show this award. BOARD VOTE: ____X____ ___X_____ ___X_____ GRANT FULL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING ________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The Board determined that the evidence presented was sufficient to warrant a recommendation for relief. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by: a. awarding him the Army Good Conduct Medal (1st Award) for the period 22 July 2003 to 21 July 2006; and b. adding to item 13 of his 12 July 2009 DD Form 214 the Army Good Conduct Medal (1st Award). _______ _ _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) AR20110010548 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20110010548 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1