BOARD DATE: 26 April 2018 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20160007852 BOARD VOTE: Mbr 1 Mbr 2 Mbr 3 X :X :X GRANT FULL RELIEF : : : GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF : : : GRANT FORMAL HEARING : : : DENY APPLICATION 2 Enclosures 1. Board Determination/Recommendation 2. Evidence and Consideration BOARD DATE: 26 April 2018 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20160007852 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) by adding to: * item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations, and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) – the Joint Service Achievement Medal and Army Commendation Medal * item 14 (Military Education) –the Infantry School and Airborne and Ranger Courses 2. The applicant states these awards and schooling are missing from his DD Form 214. 3. The applicant provides: * U.S. Army Infantry School diploma * Airborne Course diploma * Ranger Indoctrination Program Certificate of Graduation * Joint Service Achievement Medal Certificate * Pre-Ranger Course Certificate of Graduation * Ranger Course diploma * Army Commendation Medal Certificate * DD Form 214 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 the cases 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. 2. The applicant enlisted in the Regular Army on 23 August 2007 and he held military occupational specialty 11B (Infantryman). 3. He provides a copy of an U.S. Army Infantry School diploma, issued by the 198th Infantry Brigade on 7 December 2007, showing he successfully completed the infantry training course from 30 August to 7 December 2007. 4. Permanent Order (PO) Number 17-2893, issued by Headquarters, U.S. Army Infantry Center, Fort Benning, Georgia, awarded him the Parachutist Badge on 25 January 2008, for successful completion of Airborne training. 5. He also provides the following: * Airborne Course diploma, issued by the U.S. Army Infantry School, Fort Benning, on 25 January 2008, showing he successfully completed the Airborne Course * Ranger Indoctrination Program Certificate of Graduation, issued by the Ranger Operations Company, Regimental Special Troops Battalion on 29 February 2008, showing he successfully completed the course * Joint Service Achievement Medal Certificate showing the award was conferred by the Joint Task Force on 18 March 2009 for meritorious service on 6 January 2009 (No orders provided) * Pre-Ranger Course Certificate of Graduation, issued by the Rangers Operations Company, Regimental Special Troops Battalion, on 20 March 2009, for successful completion of the prerequisite to attend the U.S. Army Ranger Course 6. PO Number 138-3001, issued by Headquarters, U.S. Army Infantry Center, Fort Benning, awarded him the Ranger Tab on 22 May 2009, for successful completion of Ranger training. 7. He further provides the following: * Ranger Course diploma, issued by the U.S. Army Infantry School, Fort Benning, on 22 May 2009, for successful completion of the course (Ranger School is a 61-day length of training, or 9 weeks) * Army Commendation Medal Certificate, dated 15 March 2009, awarded for achievement in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, by PO Number 322-32, dated 18 November 2009 8. He was deployed to and served in: * Afghanistan from 1 October 2008 to 10 February 2009 * Iraq from 24 August to 16 December 2009 * Afghanistan from 13 May 2010 to 18 October 2010 * Afghanistan from 12 May 2011 to 1 September 2011 9. He was honorably released from active duty on 16 January 2012 and was transferred to the U.S. Army Reserve Control Group (Reinforcement). His DD Form 214 shows he completed 4 years, 4 months, and 24 days of active service. His DD Form 214 lists in: * Item 13 – * Army Good Conduct Medal * National Defense Service Medal * Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two bronze service stars * Global War on Terrorism Service Medal * Iraq Campaign Medal with one bronze service star * Army Service Ribbon * Overseas Service Ribbon * Parachutist Badge * Item 14 – SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape), 4 weeks, 2011 10. Section IV (Military Education) of his Enlisted Record Brief shows he completed the Airborne Course in 2008 and Ranger Course in 2009. 11. On 13 April 2018, the case analyst of record contacted the Joint Staff J-1, Awards Branch, in an effort to locate the permanent orders for the Joint Service Achievement Medal. However, the branch chief indicated such orders would have been issued/assigned locally in theater (Iraq or Afghanistan). 12. On 13 April 2018, the case analyst of record also contacted the applicant in an effort to locate the permanent orders for the Joint Service Achievement Medal. He did not respond. REFERENCES: 1. Army Regulation (AR) 635-5 (Separation Documents), in effect at the time, governed the preparation of the DD Form 214. It stated the DD Form 214 would be prepared for all personal at the time of their retirement, discharge, or release from active duty. The regulation stated: * Item 13 – would list all awards authorized for all periods of service * Item 14 – would list formal in-service (full-time attendance) training courses (40 hours or more) successfully completed during the period of service covered by the DD Form 214 – include title, length in weeks, and year completed 2. AR 600-8-22 (Military Awards) sets forth Department of the Army criteria, policy and instructions concerning individual military awards, the Good Conduct Medal, service medals and service ribbons, combat and special skill badges and tabs, unit decorations, and trophies and similar devices awarded in recognition of accomplishments. The regulation states: a. The Joint Service Achievement Medal is awarded in the name of the Secretary of Defense to service members of the Armed Forces of the United States who distinguished themselves by outstanding performance of duty and meritorious achievement. The prescribing directive for the Joint Service Achievement Medal is DOD Manual (DODM) 1348.33 (Manual of Military Decorations and Awards). b. Award of the basic Parachutist Badge requires that an individual must have satisfactorily completed the prescribed proficiency tests while assigned or attached to an airborne unit or the Airborne Department of the Infantry School at Fort Benning, or have participated in at least one combat parachute jump. c. The Ranger Tab is awarded for successful completion of a Ranger Course conducted by the U.S. Army Infantry School, Fort Benning, GA. d. The Afghanistan Campaign Medal is awarded to members who have served in direct support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The area of eligibility encompasses all the land area of the country of Afghanistan and all air spaces above the land area. The period of eligibility is on or after 11 September 2001 to a future date to be determined by the Secretary of Defense or the cessation of Operation Enduring Freedom. A bronze service star is authorized for wear with this medal for participation in each credited campaign. Approved designated Afghanistan campaigns (during his service in Afghanistan) are: * Consolidation II (1 October 2006 to 30 November 2009) * Consolidation III (1 December 2009 to 30 June 2011) * Transition I (1 July 2011-date to be determined) 3. DODM 1348.33, Volume 4 (Manual of Military Decorations and Awards: DOD Joint Decorations and Awards) states the Joint Service Achievement Medal is awarded in the name of the Secretary of Defense to members of the U.S. Armed Forces below the grade of O-6 who, while assigned to a Joint Deployment Agency after 3 August 1983, distinguished themselves by outstanding performance of duty, meritorious achievement, or service. The recommendations will be submitted to the appropriate approval authority for processing. Recommendations will be submitted, after approval, to the Assistant Director, Military Personnel, Human Resources Directorate, Washington Headquarters Services, for processing. DISCUSSION: 1. With respect to correction of item 13 of the applicant’s DD Form 214: a. PO awarded him the Army Commendation Medal for exceptionally meritorious achievement from 10 October 2008 to 16 December 2009. His DD Form 214 does not list this award. b. During his period of service in Afghanistan from 1 October 2008 to 10 February 2009, 13 May to 18 October 2010, and 12 May to 1 September 2011, he participated in three campaigns. By regulation, he is authorized a bronze star medal for each campaign. His DD Form 214 does not show the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with three bronze stars. c. The applicant provides a certificate, dated 18 March 2009, and issued by the Joint Task Force, showing he was awarded the Joint Service Achievement Medal. No orders for this decoration are available provided or are filed in his official records. The date of the service for which he was recognized was during his first tour in Afghanistan. 2. With respect to correction of item 14 of his DD Form 214: a. The evidence shows he successfully completed the Infantry School training course from 30 August to 7 December 2007, a period of 14 weeks and 1 day. His DD Form 214 does not list this course. b. The evidence and orders for award of the Parachutist Badge and Ranger Tab confirm he successfully completed the 3-week Airborne Course on 25 January 2008 and the 9-week Ranger Course on 22 May 2009. His DD Form 214 does not list these courses. BOARD DATE: 26 April 2018 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20160007852 BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The Board determined 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: * deleting from item 13 of his DD Form 214 the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two bronze service stars * adding to item 13 of this form the Army Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, and Afghanistan Campaign Medal with three bronze service stars * adding to item 14 of this form the entries: * Infantry School – 14 weeks – 2007 * Airborne Course – 3 weeks – 2008 * Ranger Course – 9 weeks – 2009 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. //NOTHING FOLLOWS// ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20160007852 2 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20160007852 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Enclosure 2