IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 19 September 2018 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20160009483 BOARD VOTE: _________ _______ ________ GRANT FULL RELIEF ____x___ ___x____ ___x____ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING ________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION 2 Enclosures 1. Board Determination/Recommendation 2. Evidence and Consideration IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 19 September 2018 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20160009483 BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: 1. The Board determined the evidence presented is sufficient to warrant a recommendation for partial relief. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by adding the following to her DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty): * Army Achievement Medal * Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon 2. The Board further determined the evidence presented is insufficient to warrant a portion of the requested relief. As a result, the Board recommends denial of so much of the application that pertains to adding award of the Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar (M-16), Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Grenade Bar, and Physical Fitness Badge to her DD Form 214. ___________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: 19 September 2018 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20160009483 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 her DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to show award of the: * Army Achievement Medal * Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) Professional Development Ribbon * Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar (M-16) * Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Grenade Bar * Physical Fitness Excellent Patches (Physical Fitness Badge) 2. The applicant states: a.  She received the Army Achievement Medal after her discharge and this is why it was not listed on her DD Form 214; however, she received everything else before her discharge date. b.  She does not know why all her awards and decorations were not listed. c.  She lost a dear friend who was a retired Army veteran and during the process of his funeral and burial, she realized that her DD Form 214 was not correct. d.  She wants her DD Form 214 corrected so in the in the event of her death, her records are accurate. 3. The applicant provides: * Certificate of Appreciation * two Certificates of Achievement * Certificate of Graduation * Army Achievement Medal Certificate * DD Form 214 * Photograph 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 23 August 1988. 3. She provided: a.  a Certificate of Appreciation from Headquarters, 36th Signal Battalion, 15th Signal Brigade, Fort Gordon, GA, dated 8 February 1989, for obtaining a score of 292 on the Army Physical Fitness Test, b.  a Certificate of Achievement from 2d Signal Brigade, 5th Signal Command, Europe, dated 4 May 1989, for obtaining a score of 291 on the Army Physical Readiness Test on 12 April 1989, c.  a Certificate of Achievement from 2d Signal Brigade, 5th Signal Command, Europe, dated 1 November 1989, for obtaining a score of 299 on the Army Physical Readiness Test on 15 October 1989, and d.  a Certificate of Graduation from U.S. Army Europe and 7th Army for completion of VII Corps NCO Academy (Primary Leadership Development Course) for the period 14 September 1990 to 12 October 1990. 4. Her records are void of and she failed to provide evidence she met body fat standards. 5. On 8 March 1991, she was honorably released from active duty. Her DD Form 214 shows she completed 2 years, 6 months, and 16 days of net active service and she was awarded or authorized the: * Army Service Ribbon * Overseas Service Ribbon * National Defense Service Medal * Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar (M-16) 6. She also provided: a.  an Army Achievement Medal Certificate, awarded by Permanent Orders 04-07 on 30 April 1991 for the period 13 February 1989 to 2 April 1991, and b.  a photograph showing her awards and decorations, badges, patches, dog tags, name tags, and an Army photograph of herself in uniform. 7. Item 9 (Awards, Decorations, and Campaigns) of her DA Form 2-1 (Personnel Qualification Record – Part II) shows she was awarded or authorized the Army Service Ribbon and Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar (M-16). 8. Her records are void of and she failed to provide orders awarding her the Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar (M-16) or the Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Grenade Bar. REFERENCES: 1. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) prescribes Army policy, criteria, and administrative instructions concerning individual and unit military awards. a.  As with all personal decorations, formal recommendations, approval through the chain of command, and announcement in orders are required. b.  NCO 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. A change approved in February 1989 completely revamped the wear policy of numerals on ribbons and award suspension elements. As a result, the NCO Professional Development Ribbon consists of the basic ribbon with numeral devices of 2, 3, or 4, which signify satisfactory completion of the respective levels of NCO professional development courses. A service member will be awarded the NCO Professional Development Ribbon with the numeral that identifies the highest level of NCO Education System course successfully completed as follows: * bar ribbon device – primary level * 2 – basic level * 3 – advanced level * 4 – senior level c.  Marksmanship qualification badges are awarded to indicate the degree in which an individual 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. An award for previous marksmanship weapons qualification is revoked automatically whenever an individual, upon completion of firing a record course for which the previous award was made, has not attained the same qualification. In the event a badge is authorized for firing a limited or sub-caliber course, it is automatically revoked if a record service course is subsequently fired. If the bar, which is revoked automatically, is the only one authorized to be worn on the respective basic qualification badge, the award of the badge likewise is revoked automatically. An award once revoked will not be reinstated. d.  The Physical Fitness Badge was established by the Secretary of the Army on 25 June 1986. Effective 1 February 1999, Soldiers who obtain a minimum score of 270 or above, with a minimum of 90 points per event, on the Army Physical Fitness Test and meet the body fat standards will be awarded the Physical Fitness Badge for Physical Fitness Excellence. Soldiers are required to meet the above criteria each record test to continue to wear the badge. Permanent orders are not required for award of the Physical Fitness Badge. 2. Army Regulation 635-5 (Separation Documents), in effect at the time, stated to list awards and decorations for all periods of service in the priority sequence specified in Army Regulation 600-8-22. Army Regulation 600-8-22 gives the order of precedence for awards and decorations. DISCUSSION: 1. Permanent orders awarded the applicant the Army Achievement Medal for the period 13 February 1989 to 2 April 1991. This award is not listed on her DD Form 214 and it was awarded after her release from active duty. 2. The evidence of record shows she completed the VII Corps NCO Academy during the period 14 September 1990 to 12 October 1990, which entitled her to award of the NCO Professional Development Ribbon. This award is not listed on her DD Form 214. 3. She provided evidence showing she scored above 270 on the Army Physical Fitness and she contends she should have been awarded the Physical Fitness Badge for Physical Excellence. Considering award of this badge was not effective until 1 February 1999, applicant is ineligible to receive such recognition. 4. Her records are void of and she failed to provide evidence showing she was awarded the Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar (M-16) or the Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Grenade Bar. //NOTHING FOLLOWS// ABCMR Record of Proceedings AR20150000953 Enclosure 1 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20160009483 2 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Enclosure 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20160009483 5 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Enclosure 2