ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS BOARD DATE: 15 August 2019 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20170002941 APPLICANT REQUESTS: correction of his social security number (SSN) on his Air Medal orders and Citation. APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: * DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record) * General Orders Number 1952 * Air Medal Citation 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, the wrong SSN is on his Air Medal Citation and Award. The award has xxx-*xx*-xxxx and his actual SSN is xxx-xx-xxxx. 3. The applicant provides: a. General Orders Number 1952, dated 31 March 1970, which states the applicant was awarded a second Air Medal with “V” device. The award has xxx-xx-xxxx and not his actual SSN is -**-****. b. Air Medal Citation, dated 31 March 1970, which states the award is presented for heroism while participating in aerial flight. The award has -**-**** and not his actual SSN is xxx-xx-xxxx. 4. A review of the applicant’s service records shows the following: a. He was inducted into the Army of the United States on 12 April 1968. He served in Vietnam from 16 February 1969 to 18 April 1970. b. General Orders Number 3696, dated 1 August 1969, states that he was awarded an Air Medal while in the Republic of Vietnam, for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight from 29 March 1969 to 12 June 1969. The award has his correct SSN as xxx-xxx-xxxx. c. General Orders Number 3808, dated 6 August 1969, states that he was awarded an Air Medal while in the Republic of Vietnam, for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight from 29 March 1969 to 12 June 1969. These orders were revoked by General Order Number 3957 on 12 August 1969. The award has his correct SSN as xxx-xx-xxxx. d. He was transferred to the United States Army Reserve (USAR) from active duty on 22 April 1970, under provisions of Army Regulation (AR) 635-200, chapter 5 (Early Release of Overseas Returnees) with a honorable discharge and terminal date of reserve obligation of 11 September 1974. His DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge) shows he completed 1 year, 7 months and 11 days of active service. e. He was discharged from the USAR Control Group on 1 April 1974 under the provisions of AR 135-178 (Separation of Enlisted Personnel) with an honorable characterization of service, under Letter Orders Number 03-1083446. 5. By regulation, AR 600-8-22 (Military Awards), currently in effect, the Air Medal is awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity in or with the Armed Forces of the United States, who has distinguished himself or herself by meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. Award of the AM is primarily intended to recognize those personnel who are on current crewmember or non-crew-member flying status which requires them to participate in aerial flight on a regular and frequent basis in the performance of their primary duties BOARD DISCUSSION: After reviewing the application and all supporting documents, the Board determined that relief was warranted. Based upon the documentary evidence provided by the applicant and found within the military service record, the Board concluded that the SSN appearing on the Air Medal general order and the Air Medal certificate were in error which warranted a correction to the applicant’s record. BOARD VOTE: Mbr 1 Mbr 2 Mbr 3 : X :X :X GRANT FULL RELIEF : : : GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF : : : GRANT FORMAL HEARING : : : DENY APPLICATION 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 Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by amending the applicant’s Air Medal order and certificate to reflect his correct SSN, as it appears on the enclosed Air Medal citation. 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. 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. AR 635–200 (Personnel Separations - Active Duty Enlisted Administrative Separations), sets policies, standards, and procedures to ensure the readiness and competency of the force while providing for the orderly administrative separation of soldiers for a variety of reasons. Readiness is promoted by maintaining high standards of conduct and performance. 3. AR 600-8-22 (Military Awards), prescribes Department of the Army (DA) policy, criteria, and administrative instructions concerning individual and unit military awards. 4. U.S. Army Vietnam (USARV) Regulation 672-1 (Decorations and Awards) provided guidelines for award of the Air Medal. It stated passenger personnel who did not participate in an air assault were not eligible for the award based upon sustained operations. It defined terms and provided guidelines for the award based upon the number and types of missions or hours. Twenty-five Category I missions (air assault and equally dangerous missions) and accrual of a minimum of 25 hours of flight time while engaged in Category I missions was the standard established for which sustained operations were deemed worthy of recognition by an award of the Air Medal. However, the regulation was clear that these guidelines were considered only a departure point. a. Combat missions were divided into three categories. A category I mission was defined as a mission performed in an assault role in which a hostile force was engaged and was characterized by delivery of ordnance against the hostile force or delivery of friendly troops or supplies into the immediate combat operations area. A category II mission was characterized by support rendered a friendly force immediately before, during, or immediately following a combat operation. A category III mission was characterized by support of friendly forces not connected with an immediate combat operation but which must have been accomplished at altitudes which made the aircraft at times vulnerable to small arms fire or under hazardous weather or terrain conditions. b. To be recommended for award of the Air Medal, an individual must have completed a minimum of 25 category I missions, 50 category II missions, or 100 category III missions. Since various types of missions would have been completed in accumulating flight time toward award of an Air Medal for sustained operations, different computations would have had to be made to combine category I, II, and III flight times and adjust it to a common denominator. 5. U.S Army Vietnam (USARV) Regulation 672-1 (Decorations and Awards) provided guidelines for award of the Air Medal for sustained operations. Appendix IV required that recommendations for award of the Air Medal for crewmembers or non- crewmembers on flying status would be submitted on USARV Form 157-R. The recommendation for award must also have stated that the individual “met the required number of missions and hours for award of the Air Medal”; that “the individual has not caused, either directly or indirectly, an aircraft abort, late take-off, accident or incident”; and that the “individual’s accomplishments and service throughout the period have reflected meritorious performance, with no instance of non-professionalism, mediocrity, or failure to display an aggressive spirit.” ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20170002941 4 1