IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 17 March 2015 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20140014125 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 his foreign service in Kuwait. 2. The applicant states his DD Form 214 does not show his 6-month period of service in Kuwait. 3. The applicant provides no additional evidence in support of his request. 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 21 November 1995. Upon completion of initial training, he was awarded military occupational specialty 19K (Armor Crewman). 3. The applicant was honorably released from active duty on 20 November 1998 by reason of completion of required active service. a. Item 12f (Foreign Service) of his DD Form 214 does not show he performed any foreign service. b. Item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations, and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) of his DD Form 214 shows he was awarded or authorized the: * National Defense Service Medal * Army Service Ribbon * Marksman Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar * Joint Meritorious Unit Award * Army Lapel Button c. Item 18 (Remarks) of his DD Form 214 does not contain an entry indicating he served in Kuwait. 4. Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) records show he received hostile fire/imminent danger pay (HF/IDP) and combat zone tax exclusion (CZTE) for service in Kuwait from 19 September 1996 through 10 December 1996. 5. Army Regulation 635-5 (Separation Documents) prescribes the separation documents prepared for Soldiers upon retirement, discharge, or release from active military service or control of the Army. It establishes standardized policy for preparation of the DD Form 214. It states the DD Form 214 is a synopsis of the Soldier's most recent period of continuous active duty. It provides a brief, clear-cut record of active Army service at the time of release from active duty, retirement, or discharge. It is important that information entered on the form is complete and accurate. Chapter 2 contains specific guidance for preparation of the DD Form 214. It states for: a. item 12f, enter the total amount of foreign service completed during the period covered by the DD Form 214; and b. item 18, for an active duty Soldier deployed with his or her unit during their continuous period of active service, enter the statement "SERVICE IN (name of country deployed) FROM (inclusive dates for example, YYYYMMDD-YYYYMMDD)." DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: 1. The applicant's contention that his DD Form 214 should be corrected to show his service in Kuwait was carefully considered. 2. DFAS records confirmed he received HF/IDP and CZTE for service in Kuwait during the period 19 September 1996 through 10 December 1996, a period of 2 months and 22 days. Therefore, he is entitled to correction of his DD Form 214 to show this period of foreign service. 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 amending his DD Form 214 by: * adding to item 12f, the entry "0000 02 22" * adding to item 18, the entry "SERVICE IN KUWAIT FROM 19960919-19961210" ____________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) AR20130001395 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20140014125 2 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1