ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS


	IN THE CASE OF:

	BOARD DATE:  29 April 2019

	DOCKET NUMBER:  AR20170000932


APPLICANT REQUESTS: in effect, correction to the following portions of his DD Form 
214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) for the period ending on 
11 June 1999:

*	item 12f (Foreign Service) – to add his foreign service in Kuwait and Bosnia-
Herzegovina 
*	item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations and Campaign Ribbons 
Awarded or Authorized) – to add the Army Achievement Medal (AAM) and North 
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Medal 
*	item 18 (Remarks) – to add his deployments to Kuwait and Bosnia-Herzegovina 

APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: 

*	DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record)
*	DD Form 214, dated 11 June 1999

FACTS:

1.  The applicant did not file within the three year time frame provided in Title 10, United 
States Code (USC), section 1552 (b); however, the Army Board for Correction of 
Military Records conducted a substantive review of this case and determined it is in the 
interest of justice to excuse the applicant's failure to timely file. 

2.  The applicant states, in effect, his overseas service and awards are not listed on his 
DD Form 214.  He contends he deployed to:

*	Kuwait with Charlie Company, 20th Engineer Battalion as part of 1st Squadron, 
7th Calvary
*	Bosnia with Charlie Company, 20th Engineer Battalion as part of a Joint Task 
Force

3.  The applicant's DD Form 214 shows he enlisted in the Regular Army on 12 June 
1996 and he was honorably released from active duty on 11 June 1999.  His DD Form 
214 contains the following entries:
     a.  Item 12c (Net Active Service This Period) - "0003 00 00," 

     b.  Item 12f - "0000 00 00,"

     c.  Item 13 – shows he was awarded or authorized the:

*	Army Lapel Button
*	Army Service Ribbon
*	Marksman Marksmanship Qualification Badge With Rifle Bar

     d.  Item 18 – does not contain any entries pertaining to foreign service in Kuwait or 
Bosnia-Herzegovina.

4.  Neither the applicant's record nor the Interactive Personnel Electronic Records 
Management System (iPERMS) include evidence showing he was assigned or attached 
to Charlie Company, 20th Engineer Battalion.  His record is also void of orders or a 
recommendation for the award of the Army Achievement Medal and the NATO Medal.
5.  The applicant's record does not contain any entries showing he served in Kuwait, 
however, the Gulf War roster shows the applicant served in Southwest Asia from 
1 March 1997 until 30 June 1997 (4 months). 

6.  The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) record shows the applicant 
served in Bosnia-Herzegovina (BK) from 1 September 1998 through 31 March 1999 
(7 months and 1 day).  

7.  Army Regulation 635-5 (Separation Documents), then in effect, established the 
standardized policy for preparing and distributing the DD Form 214.  It directed that for:   

     a.  Item 12f (Foreign Service) enter the total active duty outside the 
continental limits of the United States for the period covered by the DD Form 214 and 
the last overseas theater in which service was performed.

     b.	Item 18 (Remarks) for active duty Soldiers deployed with their units during their 
continuous period of active service, enter "SERVICE IN (NAME OF COUNTRY 
DEPLOYED) FROM (Specify dates)."

BOARD DISCUSSION:

After review of the application and all evidence, the Board determined that there is 
sufficient evidence to grant partial relief.  Evidence indicates that the applicant did serve 
in Southwest Asia and Bosnia and was authorized the NATO medal and these items 
were not reflected on the applicant’s DD Form 214. The service in Southwest Asia and 
Bosnia was not correctly entered into item 12f of the DD Form 214. However, there was 
no evidence that the applicant received an AAM.

BOARD VOTE:

Mbr 1	Mbr 2	Mbr 3

:	:	:	GRANT FULL RELIEF

:X	:X	:X	GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF 

:	:	:	GRANT FORMAL HEARING

:	:	:	DENY APPLICATION


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 amending 
the applicant’s DD Form 214:
	a. Enter in item 12f (Foreign Service) “11 months 01 days.”

	b. Enter in item 13 ((Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations and Campaign 
Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) – NATO Medal.

	c. Enter in item 18 (Remarks) “SERVICE IN SOUTHWEST ASIA FROM 1 March 
1997 UNTIL 30 June 1997” and “SERVICE IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA FROM 1 
September 1998 through 31 March 1999.”

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 AAM.


	  
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.


ADMINISTRATIVE NOTE(S): 

Not Applicable

REFERENCES:

1.  Title 10, USC, section 1552(b), provides that applications for correction of military 
records must be filed within three 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 three-year statute of 
limitations if the ABCMR determines it would be in the interest of justice to do so.
2.  Army Regulation 635-5 (Separation Documents), then in effect, established the 
standardized policy for preparing and distributing the DD Form 214.  It directed that for:   

     a.  Item 22c (Foreign and/or Sea Service) enter the total active duty outside the 
continental limits of the United States for the period covered by the DD Form 214 and 
the last overseas theater in which service was performed.

     b.	Item 30 (Remarks) for active duty Soldiers deployed with their units during their 
continuous period of active service, enter "SERVICE IN (NAME OF COUNTRY 
DEPLOYED) FROM (Specify dates)."

3.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) states:

     a.  The Army Achievement Medal is awarded to members of the Armed Forces of 
the United States, who while serving in a noncombat area on or after 1 August 1981, 
distinguished themselves by meritorious service or achievement.  As with all personal 
decorations, formal recommendations, approval through the chain of command, and 
announcement in orders are required.

    b.  The Army Good Conduct Medal is awarded to individuals who distinguish 
themselves by their conduct, efficiency, and fidelity.  This period is 3 years except in 
those cases when the period for the first award ends with the termination of a period of 
active Federal military service.  Although there is no automatic entitlement to the Army 
Good Conduct Medal, disqualification must be justified.  

     c.  The NATO Medal has been approved for acceptance by U.S. military personnel 
who serve under NATO command or operational control in direct support of the above 
NATO operations.  The NATO Medal will normally be presented by the Allied Command 
Europe headquarters exercising operational command or control over U.S. military units 
or individuals prior to their departure from service with NATO.  The following 
missions/operations have been approved by the Secretary of Defense for acceptance 
and wear of the NATO Medal: 
 
*	Operations related to the former Republic of Yugoslavia (14 November 1995 to a 
date to be determined)
*	Operations related to Kosovo (13 October 1998 to a date to be determined) 
*	Operation EAGLE ASSIST (12 October 2001 to 16 May 2002)
*	Operation ACTIVE ENDEAVOR (26 October 2001 to a date to be determined)
*	International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan (1 June 2003 to a 
date to be determined)
*	Operations in the Balkans (1 January 2003 to a date to be determined) 

4.  The U.S. Army Human Resources Command website contains a “frequently asked 
questions” section concerning military awards.  The website notes that to add the NATO 
Medal to a Soldier's record the Soldier must have been issued a certificate.  Soldiers 
should submit a request to the U.S. National Military Representative (USNMR) at 
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), Belgium:  
usnmr@benelux.army.mil if their certificate was lost or if requesting a replacement 
certificate.  Soldiers are advised to include their social security number, name, rank, 
nationality, service, unit, location, periods of service, and number of days of deployment 
in their request.

//NOTHING FOLLOWS//

ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)	 AR20170000932
	
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