IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 13 January 2015 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20140009913 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 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge) to show the Combat Infantryman Badge. 2. The applicant states he saw combat in Vietnam in 1967 and 1968, including the TET offensive. The Combat Infantryman Badge was never added to his records. 3. The applicant provides his DD Form 214, DD Form 215 (Correction of DD Form 214), and two pages of his DA Form 20 (Enlisted Qualification Record). CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. Title 10, U.S. Code, section 1552(b), provides that applications for correction of military records must be filed within 3 years after discovery of the alleged error or injustice. This provision of law also allows the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) to excuse an applicant's failure to timely file within the 3-year statute of limitations if the ABCMR determines it would be in the interest of justice to do so. While it appears the applicant did not file within the time frame provided in the statute of limitations, the ABCMR has elected to conduct a substantive review of this case and, only to the extent relief, if any, is granted, has determined it is in the interest of justice to excuse the applicant's failure to timely file. In all other respects, there are insufficient bases to waive the statute of limitations for timely filing. 2. The applicant enlisted in the Regular Army on 2 September 1966 and he held military occupational specialty (MOS) 95B (Military Policeman). He served in Vietnam from 12 February 1967 to 18 September 1968 while assigned to the 981st Military Police Company. 3. He was honorably released from active duty on 29 August 1969 and he was transferred to the U.S. Army Reserve. The DD Form 214 he was issued does not show the Combat Infantryman Badge. 4. His record is void of orders awarding him the Combat Infantryman Badge. 5. Item 41 (Awards and Decorations) of his DA Form 20 does not show the Combat Infantryman Badge. 6. A review of the Awards and Decorations Computer-Assisted Retrieval System (ADCARS), an index of general orders issued during the Vietnam era between 1965 and 1973 maintained by the Military Awards Branch of the U.S. Army Human Resources Command failed to reveal any orders for the Combat Infantryman Badge pertaining to the applicant. 7. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) states the Combat Infantryman Badge is awarded to infantry officers, 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. Additionally, appendix V of U.S. Army Vietnam Regulation 672-1 (Decorations and Awards) provides that during the Vietnam era, the Combat Infantryman Badge was awarded only to enlisted individuals who held and served in MOS 11B, 11C, 11D, 11F, 11G, or 11H. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: 1. There are basically three requirements for award of the Combat Infantryman Badge. The Soldier must be an infantryman satisfactorily performing infantry duties, he must be assigned to an infantry unit during such time as the unit is engaged in active ground combat, and he must actively participate in such ground combat. 2. The applicant’s service in Vietnam is not in question. However, there is no evidence in his records and he did not submit any evidence that shows he held an infantry MOS and participated in active ground combat while assigned to an infantry unit. As he held MOS 95B, a non-qualifying MOS for the Combat Infantryman Badge, there is no basis for granting him the requested relief. BOARD VOTE: ________ ________ ________ GRANT FULL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING ___x____ ___x____ ___x____ DENY APPLICATION BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The evidence presented does not demonstrate the existence of a probable error or injustice. Therefore, the Board determined that the overall merits of this case are insufficient as a basis for correction of the records of the individual concerned. _______ _ 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) AR20140009913 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20140009913 2 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1