ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 9 April 2019 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20170011923 APPLICANT REQUESTS: correction of his most recent DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) by adding the Meritorious Service Medal, a campaign ribbon (i.e., the Southwest Asia Service Medal), and Kuwait Liberation Medals to DD Form 214. APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: * DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record) dated 4 September 2017 * Army Achievement Medal Certificate, dated 20 March 1990 * DD Form 214 for the period ending 12 January 1991 * Meritorious Service Medal Certificate, dated 7 February 1991 * Army Commendation Medal Certificate, dated 9 February 1991 * Army Commendation Medal Orders, dated 20 February 1991 * DD Form 214 for the period ending 20 June 2012 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 was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for service in Operation Just Cause and Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. He states his current DD Form 214 (issued in 2012) does not list the Meritorious Service Medal, a campaign ribbon (for Operation Desert Storm), or Kuwait Liberation Medals. 3. On 13 January 1987, the applicant enlisted in the Regular Army. He was honorably released from active duty on 12 January 1991. Complete service records for this period of service are not available. His DD Form 214 for this period of service shows in: * Item 11 (Primary Specialty) – 25P2O, Visual Information/Audio Documentation Systems Specialist, 3 years, 8 months * * Item 12f (Foreign Service) – no foreign service * Item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) – Good Conduct Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (for Operation Just Cause), Army Service Ribbon 4. He provides An Army Achievement Medal Certificate, dated 20 March 1990, which shows he received the award for meritorious service during the period 23 December 1989 to 15 February 1990 while assigned as a member of the Joint Combat Camera Detachment, Republic of Panama. The citation states that within two hours of notification, the applicant deployed to Panama to document Operation Just Cause. The citation further describes his work documenting military operations during Operation Just Cause. 5. He provides a Meritorious Service Medal Certificate, dated 7 February 1991, showing he received the award for service from 12 January 1987 to 12 January 1991. The certificate states he volunteered for Operation Just Cause, and he also served in Operation Desert Shield documenting the United States defensive buildup. The certificate is signed by the Commander, 7th Signal Command and Fort Ritchie, who was a brigadier general. There is no order number on the certificate, and the available records do not contain orders for this award. . 6. On 20 February 1991, the U.S. Total Army Personnel Command issued Permanent Orders 24-1, which announced award of the Army Commendation Medal to him for the period 21 December 1989 to 31 January 1990. The standard name line on the orders shows he was assigned to the U.S. Army Visual Information Center (Pentagon) with duty at Fort Meade, MD. He provides the certificate for this award, which states he received the award for his service as a Combat Photographer in the Joint Audio-Visual Detachment during Operation Just Cause in Panama. 7. His name does not appear on the Gulf War Roster, a list of service members deployed in support of Operation Desert Shield/Storm created by the Defense Manpower and Data Center. 8. After his release from active duty in 1991, the applicant continued his service in the Reserve components. He completed his career as a member of the Texas Army National Guard. He was mobilized in support of Operation Enduring Freedom on 10 April 2011 and he was released from active duty on 20 June 2012. The DD Form 214 he was issued at that time does not show the Meritorious Service Medal, the Southwest Asia Service Medal (the campaign medal for service in support of Operation Desert Storm), the Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait), or the Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia). 9. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) states: 1. a. The Southwest Asia Service Medal is awarded to all Service members of the Armed Forces of the United States serving in Southwest Asia and contiguous waters or airspace there over, on or after 2 August 1990 to 30 November 1995. To be eligible, a Service member must have been attached to or regularly serving for 1 or more days with an organization participating in ground or shore (military) operations. b. The Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) is awarded by the Government of Saudi Arabia to Service members of the Armed Forces of the United States who participated in Operation Desert Storm between 17 January 1991 and 28 February 1991 in one or more of the following areas: Persian Gulf; Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. To be eligible personnel must be attached to or regularly serving for 1 or more days with an organization participating in ground or shore operations. c. The Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) is awarded by the government of Kuwait to Service members of the Armed Forces of the United States who served in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm between 2 August 1990 and 31 August 1993 in one or more of the following areas: Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. To be eligible, personnel must be attached to or regularly serving for 1 or more days with an organization participating in ground and/or shore operations. d. The Meritorious Service Medal may be awarded to any Service member of the Armed Forces of the United States who has distinguished himself or herself by outstanding meritorious achievement or service. Award of the Meritorious Service Medal requires a formal recommendation, approval through the chain of command, and announcement in orders. Officers in the rank of brigadier general and above may approve award of the Meritorious Service Medal. BOARD DISCUSSION: After a long discussion, the Board determined the evidence presented supports a partial grant of applicant’s request for correction of his correction of his most recent DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) by adding the Meritorious Service Medal, a campaign ribbon (i.e., the Southwest Asia Service Medal), and Kuwait Liberation Medals to his active duty DD Form 214. 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 supports a partial grant of applicant’s request for correction of his correction of his most recent DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) by adding the Meritorious Service Medal, a campaign ribbon (i.e., the Southwest Asia Service Medal), and Kuwait Liberation Medals to his active duty DD Form 214. 4/19/2019 X CHAIRPERSON Signed by 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 600-8-22 states: a. The Southwest Asia Service Medal is awarded to all Service members of the Armed Forces of the United States serving in Southwest Asia and contiguous waters or airspace there over, on or after 2 August 1990 to 30 November 1995. To be eligible, a Service member must have been attached to or regularly serving for 1 or more days with an organization participating in ground or shore (military) operations. b. The Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) is awarded by the Government of Saudi Arabia to Service members of the Armed Forces of the United States who participated in Operation Desert Storm between 17 January 1991 and 28 February 1991 in one or more of the following areas: Persian Gulf; Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. To be eligible personnel must be attached to or regularly serving for 1 or more days with an organization participating in ground or shore operations. c. The Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) is awarded by the government of Kuwait to Service members of the Armed Forces of the United States who served in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm between 2 August 1990 and 31 August 1993 in one or more of the following areas: Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. To be eligible, personnel must be attached to or regularly serving for 1 or more days with an organization participating in ground and/or shore operations. d. The Meritorious Service Medal may be awarded to any Service member of the Armed Forces of the United States who has distinguished himself or herself by outstanding meritorious achievement or service. Award of the Meritorious Service Medal requires a formal recommendation, approval through the chain of command, and announcement in orders. Officers in the rank of brigadier general and above may approve award of the Meritorious Service Medal.