IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 22 November 2016 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20150014139 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: 22 November 2016 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20150014139 BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: 1. The Board determined the evidence presented is sufficient to warrant a recommendation for full relief. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by: a. adding to item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) of her DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) the: * Global War on Terrorism Service Medal * Iraq Campaign Medal with one bronze service star * Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon b. adding to item 18 (Remarks) of her DD Form 214 the statement "SERVICE IN KUWAIT/IRAQ FROM 20030306 - 20030805." __________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: 22 November 2016 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20150014139 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, in effect, correction of her DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to show her service in Iraq from 4 March to 3 August 2003. 2. The applicant states she returned to Germany from Iraq due to emergency leave. Her unit was still deployed; therefore, her deployment dates were not updated when she processed out of the military. 3. The applicant provides: * DD Form 214 * Three memoranda, dated 3 August 2003 and 17 September 2003 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 24 August 1993. 3. She provided a memorandum, dated 3 August 2003, issued by the Deputy Commander, 19th Support Center, Unit #91686, APO AE 09302, which authorized the applicant to depart the Central Command Area of Responsibility for Austin, TX, effective 3 August 2003. 4. She provided a memorandum, dated 17 September 2003, issued by the Commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 19th Support Center, which states the applicant deployed from Wiesbaden, Germany, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from 4 March to 3 August 2003. 5. The applicant was honorably discharged from active duty in the rank/grade of sergeant/E-5 on 26 September 2003 after completing 10 years, 1 month, and 3 days of active service. Her DD Form 214 contains the following entries: a. Item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) lists the: * Army Commendation Medal * Army Good Conduct Medal (2nd Award) * National Defense Service Medal (2nd Award) * Army Service Ribbon * Overseas Service Ribbon b. Item 14 (Military Education) shows she completed the Primary Leadership Development Course (PLDC) in May 2000. c. Item 18 (Remarks) does not indicate that she deployed overseas. 6. During the processing of this case, the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) reviewed her Master Military Pay Account, which shows she received hostile fire pay/imminent danger pay and combat zone tax exclusion for service in Kuwait from 6 March to 5 August 2003. REFERENCES: 1. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) prescribes Army policy, criteria, and administrative instructions concerning individual and unit military awards. a. The Iraq Campaign Medal is awarded to members who served in direct support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The area of eligibility encompasses all the land area of the country of Iraq, the contiguous water area out to 12 nautical miles, and all air spaces above the land area of Iraq and above the contiguous water area out to 12 nautical miles. The Iraq Campaign Medal period of eligibility is on or after 19 March 2003 to 31 December 2011. A bronze service star is authorized for wear with this medal for participation in each credited campaign. Approved campaigns include the Transition of Iraq for the period 2 May 2003 to 28 June 2004. b. The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal is authorized for award to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who participated in Global War on Terrorism operations outside of the areas of eligibility designated for award of the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, or Iraq Campaign Medal. All Soldiers on active duty on or after 11 September 2001 to a date to be determined having served 30 consecutive or 60 nonconsecutive days are authorized the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. c. The Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon was established by the Secretary of the Army on 10 April 1981. It is awarded to Active Army, Army National Guard, and U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers for successful completion of designated NCO professional development courses. Effective 30 March 1989, a service member will be awarded the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with the numeral, which identifies the highest level of Noncommissioned Officer Education System courses successfully completed as follows: * 1 = Bar Ribbon Device = Primary Level * 2 = Basic Level * 3 = Advanced Level * 4 = Senior Level 2. Army Regulation 635-5 (Separation Documents), then in effect, establishes the standardized policy for preparing and distributing the DD Form 214. Chapter 2 contains guidance on the preparation of the DD Form 214. It states for item 18 for an active duty Soldier deployed with his or her unit during their continuous period of active service, add the statement "Service in (Name of Country Deployed) From YYYYMMDD - YYYYMMDD)." DISCUSSION: 1. DFAS records indicate the applicant was deployed to Kuwait. At the time, she would have been processed into the theater of operations through the finance office in Kuwait, which is likely why DFAS records show she served in that country. Nevertheless, the memorandum from her commander corroborates her service in Iraq. 2. The DFAS information shows she served in Kuwait/Iraq from 6 March to 5 August 2003. 3. The evidence of record shows the applicant served on active duty from 24 August 1993 to 26 September 2003. Therefore, she served a qualifying period for award of the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. 4. The evidence of record shows she successfully completed PLDC in May 2000. Upon completion of PLDC, Soldiers are authorized the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon; however, her DD Form 214 does not reflect this ribbon. 5. Based on her DFAS dates of service in Kuwait/Iraq, she served a qualifying period for award of the Iraq Campaign Medal with one bronze service star. //NOTHING FOLLOWS// ABCMR Record of Proceedings AR20150000953 Enclosure 1 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20150014139 2 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Enclosure 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20150014139 4 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Enclosure 2