IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 3 November 2015 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20150003517 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 reconsideration of his request for correction of his DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge) to show award of the Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle (M-14) Bar versus the Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle (M-14) Bar. 2. The applicant states that after he received notification of the denial of his original request for correction of his records, he requested copies of his military records. He makes reference to the following four special orders (SOs): a. Headquarters, U.S. Army Reception Station, Fort Jackson, SC, SO Number 36, paragraph 56, dated 11 February 1966, that amended SO Number 35, paragraph 54, to add: "Enlisted Member Officer Candidate Intent; (Company A, 5th Battalion, 2nd Training Brigade, U.S. Army Training Center (3167), Fort Gordon, GA)." b. Headquarters, 2nd Training Brigade, Fort Jackson, SC, SO Number 67, paragraph 7, dated 6 April 1966, that awarded him the Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle (M-14) Bar, based on a qualification date of 29 March 1966. c. Headquarters, Fort Jackson, SC, SO Number 152, paragraph 178, dated 28 June 1966, that reassigned him to Company A, 16th Battalion, 4th Training Brigade with duty as battalion instructor, effective 1 July 1966. d. Headquarters, 4th Training Brigade, Fort Jackson, SC, SO Number 141, paragraph 4, dated 19 September 1966, that awarded him the Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle (M-14) Bar, effective 19 September 1966. (1) He states that he had previously never seen nor heard of SO Number 141 and it is not correct (i.e., by including his name on it). (2) He notes the SO does not show the qualification date and only lists one Soldier as qualifying Expert. e. He states that he was inducted on 9 February 1966 and, due to the volume of Soldiers being processed, administrative errors were made. He was assigned as an instructor of trainees and emphasized the importance of producing error-free documents, but many mistakes were made by clerical personnel. As an example, he notes that his records contain an order pertaining to his reassignment that had to be amended. f. To the best of his recollection, subsequent weapon qualifications were with the M-16 rifle for those Soldiers deploying to Vietnam. He adds that he never had to qualify with another weapon after he completed basic combat training. 3. The applicant provides no additional documentary evidence in support of his request for reconsideration. CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. Incorporated herein by reference are military records which were summarized in the previous consideration of the applicant's case by the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) in Docket Number AR20130010719 on 6 February 2014. 2. The applicant was inducted into the U.S. Army on 9 February 1966. 3. A review of the applicant's military personnel records revealed copies of the four SOs the applicant cites in his request for reconsideration. A review of the SOs confirms the actions ordered in each of the SOs pertaining to the applicant, as summarized above. 4. The applicant's DA Form 20 (Enlisted Qualification Record) shows in: * item 29 (Qualification in Arms – Weapon, Course, Qualification, Score, Date): Rifle, M-14; TF-1; Sharpshooter; 51; 19 September 1966 * item 41 (Awards and Decorations), in pertinent part: Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar, SO 141, Headquarters 4th Training Brigade, 1966 (Badge Issued: Yes) * item 47 (Signature of Individual): the signature of the applicant * item 48 (Date of Audit): 7 October 1967 5. His DD Form 214 shows, in pertinent part, he was awarded the Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle (M-14) Bar. 6. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides policy, criteria, and administrative instructions concerning military awards and decorations. a. Chapter 8 (Badges and Tabs) shows the purpose of awarding badges and tabs is to provide public recognition by tangible evidence of the attainment of a high degree of skill, proficiency, and excellence in tests and competition, as well as in the performance of duties. b. Section IV (Marksmanship Badges and Tabs), paragraph 8-47 (U.S. Army Basic Marksmanship Qualification Badges), shows a basic Marksmanship Qualification Badge is awarded to indicate the degree in which an individual, military, or civilian has qualified in a prescribed record course and an appropriate bar is furnished to denote each weapon with which he or she qualified. Each bar will be attached to the basic badge that indicates the qualification last attained with the respective weapon. Basic qualification badges are of three classes: Expert, Sharpshooter, and Marksman. The only weapons for which component bars are authorized are in Table 8–2. Basic Marksmanship Qualification Badges are awarded to U.S. military and civilian personnel, and to foreign military personnel, who qualify as prescribed. 7. Department of the Army Pamphlet 350-38 (Standards in Training Commission) provides commanders with the training strategies for individual, crew, and collective weapons training. The pamphlet is structured by unit type (e.g., Armor, Infantry, Artillery, Military Police, etc.) instead of by weapon type; however, the basic requirements call for annual (or sooner) qualification with individual weapons. This means, in effect, the most recent qualification score with a particular weapon denotes the degree of marksmanship badge the Soldier is authorized and eligible to wear. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: 1. The applicant's request for reconsideration was carefully considered. 2. SOs show the applicant qualified Expert and was awarded the Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle (M-14) Bar on 6 April 1966. 3. SOs also show he subsequently qualified Sharpshooter and was awarded the Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle (M-14) Bar on 19 September 1966. 4. The applicant's DA Form 20 (i.e., item 29 and item 41) confirm he qualified Sharpshooter and that he was awarded the Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle (M-14) Bar on 19 September 1966. In addition, he reviewed this information on 7 October 1967. 5. His DD Form 214 shows the Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle (M-14) Bar. 6. There is no evidence of record and the applicant offers no evidence that he qualified Expert with the M-14 rifle or was awarded the Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle (M-14) Bar subsequent to 19 September 1966. 7. Therefore, there is an insufficient evidentiary basis upon which to grant 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 to amend the decision of the ABCMR set forth in Docket Number AR20130010719, dated 6 February 2014. _______ _ 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) AR20150003517 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20150003517 5 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1