IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 3 May 2016 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20150008683 BOARD VOTE: ____X____ ____X__ ____X___ GRANT FULL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING ________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION 2 Enclosures 1. Board Determination/Recommendation 2. Evidence and Consideration IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 3 May 2016 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20150008683 BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The Board determined the evidence presented is 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 4 March 1963 through 3 March 1966; b. adding to item 26 of the DD Form 214 he was issued for this period the Army Good Conduct Medal (1st Award); and c. deleting from item 32 of his DD Form 214 "Blood Group: O" and adding "Blood Group: A POS." ____________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. IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 3 May 2016 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20150008683 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 his blood group as "A positive" instead of "O." Additionally, he requests award of the Army Good Conduct Medal (AGCM) and all other awards he may be entitled to. 2. He states his DD Form 214 does not list the AGCM and it has his blood type incorrectly listed as "O" instead of "A positive." 3. He provides his DD Form 214 and a National Health Laboratories Record Label. 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 4 March 1963. He completed 3 years, 6 months, and 11 days of active duty service and he was honorably released from active duty on 14 September 1966. 3. His DD Form 214 shows in: a. Item 26 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Commendations, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) the: * National Defense Service Medal * Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar b. Item 32 (Remarks) the entry "Blood Group: O." 4. His record shows no evidence of nonjudicial punishments under Article 15 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice and no evidence of courts-martial or any other type of adverse action. Additionally, his DA Form 20 (Enlisted Qualification Record) shows he received "excellent" conduct and efficiency ratings throughout his service. 5. A thorough review of his available records reveals a Standard Form (SF) 601 (Immunization Record) which identifies his blood group as "A." 6. The applicant provides a National Health Laboratories record label containing his name. It shows his blood group as "A" and Rh factor as "POS" (positive). REFERENCES: 1. Army Regulation 635-5 (Personnel Separations - Separation Documents), in effect at the time, states the blood group will be taken from the immunization record: e.g, "Blood Group O." 2. Army Regulation 672-5-1 (Decorations and Awards), in effect at the time, provided that the AGCM was awarded to individuals who completed a qualified period of active duty enlisted service. This period was 3 years except in those cases when the period for the first award ended with the termination of a period of Federal military service. The enlisted person must have had all "excellent" conduct and efficiency ratings and no convictions by a court-martial. DISCUSSION: 1. The applicant's SF 601 and National Health Laboratories record label confirm the applicant's blood group/type is A positive. There is no provision for including the Rh factor with the blood group on the DD Form 214; however, there would be no harm in doing so in this case. 2. The evidence of record shows he received "excellent" conduct and efficiency ratings and he had no record of courts-martial, and no commander's disqualification for award of the AGCM. Therefore, it appears he met the criteria for the first award of the AGCM for the period 4 March 1963 through 3 March 1966. //NOTHING FOLLOWS// ABCMR Record of Proceedings AR20150000953 Enclosure 1 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20150008683 2 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Enclosure 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20150008683 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Enclosure 2