ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS IN THE CASE OF: . BOARD DATE: 6 June 2019 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20170007231 APPLICANT REQUESTS: correction of his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to show: * Letter of Commendation * Sports Program Participation Award * Jungle Warfare Training Course APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: * DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record) * Letter of Commendation * FS Form 884 (Sports Program Participation Award) * AFZU-JT Form 1950 (Jungle Warfare Training Course Certificate) 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 he received the above award and certificates and they are not listed on his DD Form 214. He believes an administrative error occurred and requests that they be added to his DD Form 214. 3. The applicant provides: a. FS Form 884, Sports Program Participation Award, dated 18 July 1983 for third place team in the 1983 Field Artillery Training Center Slow-Pitch tournament, signed by Colonel XXX. b. AFZU-JT Form 1950, Jungle Warfare Training Course Certificate, dated 3 May 1984 for completing jungle warfare training, signed by Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) XXX. 4. A review of the applicant’s service records shows the following: a. He enlisted in the Regular Army on 29 March 1983. b. Letter of Commendation, dated 19 July 1983, signed by LTC XXX for One Station Unit Training Leader of the cycle. c. He was discharged from active duty on 17 January 1985. He was discharged under the provisions of AR 635-200, chapter 13, for unsatisfactory performance under honorable conditions. He completed 1 year, 9 months, and 12 days of active service. His DD Form 214 shows he was awarded or authorized: * Army Service Ribbon * Air Assault Badge * Expert Qualification Badge (Hand Grenade) * Marksman Marksmanship Qualification Badge Rifle (M16) 5. By regulation, Army Regulation 635-5 (Separation Documents), in effect at the time, prescribed the separation documents prepared for Soldiers upon retirement, discharge, or release from active military service or control of the Army and established standardized policy for the preparation of the DD Form 214. Item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized), enter all decorations, service medals, campaign credits, and badges awarded or authorized as shown in AR 600-8-22 (Military Awards). The applicant's Letter of Commendation, Sports Program Participation Award, and Jungle Warfare Training Course are bit federally recognized awards. BOARD DISCUSSION: After reviewing the application and all supporting documents, the Board concluded that partial relief was warranted. Based upon the documentary evidence presented by the applicant and found within the military service record, the Board concluded that the applicant completed the Jungle Warfare Training Course and that course is currently not depicted on his DD Form 214 and should be. Therefore, the Board recommended granting that portion of the request. However, the Board also found that the Letter of Commendation and the Sports Program Awards were honorable, but based upon regulatory guidance thus types of awards are not proper to be included on a DD Form 214. For that reason, the Board recommended denying those portions of the request. 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: 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 DD Form 214 by: * Adding to Item 14, “Jungle Warfare Training Course, 1 Wk, May 1984” 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. Army Regulation (AR) 635-5 (Separation Documents), in effect at the time, prescribed the separation documents prepared for Soldiers upon retirement, discharge, or release from active military service or control of the Army and established standardized policy for the preparation of the DD Form 214. Item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized), enter all decorations, service medals, campaign credits, and badges awarded or authorized. 3. AR 6008-22 (Military Awards), in effect at the time, prescribes the policies and procedures for military awards and decorations. Paragraph 10–16, letters of commendation and appreciation. Acts or services which do not meet the criteria for decorations or the various authorized certificates may be recognized by written or oral expressions of commendation or appreciation. A written expression of commendation or appreciation will be typed on letterhead stationery and will not contain formalized printing, seals, or other distinguishing features which depart from normal letter form. Such letters may be issued to military personnel. Copies of each letter of commendation or appreciation will be distributed to the individual’s AMHRR per AR 600–8–104. ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20170007231 4 1