ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 16 September 2019 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20170013863 APPLICANT REQUESTS: * Southwest Asia Service Medal * Bronze Star Medal he was promised APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: * DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record) * DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) * Self-authored letter dated 26 June 2017 * Department of Defense Military Service Information 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: * his Southwest Asia Service Medial is not listed on his DD Form 214 * he is a Persian Gulf War Veteran who served in theater 1 January 1991 through 20 May 1991 * he was told he was going to receive the Bronze Star for his efforts 3. The applicant entered the Regular Army on 24 August 1989. 4. His Personnel Qualification Record shows his period of oversea service shows he was in Germany 28 December 1989 through 13 October 1991 and assigned to Bravo Company 12th Engineer, 8th Infantry Division. His Personnel Qualification Record does not list overseas service in Southwest Asia. 5. The 12th Engineer Battalion was awarded the Valorous Unit Award, for period of service 10 January 1991 to 19 April 1991, Department of the Army General Order 14, published 11 April 1997. 6. The Desert Shield/Desert Storm Database shows he served in the Persian Gulf from 1 January 1991 through 20 May 1991. 7. Defense Finance and Accounting Service records show he received hostile fire pay/imminent danger pay for service in Kuwait from 1 January 1991 through 31 May 1991 (in whole months). 8. He participated in three campaigns: * Defense of Saudi Arabia, 2 August 1990 to 16 January 1991 * Liberation and Defense of Kuwait, 17 January 1991 to 11 April 1991 * Southwest Asia Cease-Fire, 12 April 1991 to 20 November 1995 9. He was honorably released from active duty on 15 October 1991. Item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) on his DD Form 214 shows: * Army Service Ribbon * Good Conduct Medal * National Defense Service Medal * Overseas Service Ribbon * Expert Marksmanship Badge Rifle, M-16 * Expert Marksmanship Badge Grenade 10. There was no evidence of an award of the Bronze Star Medal in his service record. 11. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) prescribes Army policy, criteria, and administrative instructions concerning individual and unit military awards. The Bronze Star Medal is awarded in time of war for heroism and for meritorious achievement or service, not involving participation in aerial flight, in connection with military operations against an armed enemy, or while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. As with all personal decorations, formal recommendations, approval through the chain of command, and announcement in orders are required 12. Item f (Foreign Service) on his DD Form 214 shows: 1 year, 9 months, and 17 days. There was no entry on his DD Form 214 showing service in Southwest Asia for the period 1 January 1991 through 20 May 1991. 13. His DD Form 214 also does not show his awards of the Valorous Unit Award, the Kuwait Liberation Medal-Government of Kuwait, the Kuwait Liberation Medal-Saudi Arabia, or the Southwest Asia Service Medal with three bronze service stars. BOARD DISCUSSION: After reviewing the application and all evidence, the Board found some relief is warranted. The applicant’s contentions were carefully considered. Evidence of record shows he served in Kuwait and is authorized additional service awards. The Board agreed there is no evidence that shows he was recommended for and awarded the Bronze Star Medal; therefore, the Board recommended denying that portion 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: 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 his DD Form 214 for the period ending 15 October 1991 by: a. block 13 – adding the following awards: * Kuwait Liberation Medal-Government of Kuwait * Kuwait Liberation Medal-Saudi Arabia * Southwest Asia Service Medal with three bronze service stars * Valorous Unit Award b. block 18 – adding the entry “SERVICE IN KUWAIT FROM 19910101–19910520” 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 the Bronze Star Medal to his DD Form 214. 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, 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. ? 2. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards), provides * the Kuwait Liberation Medal-Saudi Arabia is awarded to Soldiers of the Armed Forces of the United States who participated in Operation Desert Storm between 17 January 1991 and 28 February 1991 * the Kuwait Liberation Medal-Government of Kuwait is awarded to Soldiers 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 * the Southwest Asia Service Medal is awarded to all Soldiers 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, with a bronze service star for participation in each designated campaign * Table B-1 (Campaigns, Service Requirements and Inscriptions Prescribed for streamers) provides campaigns for Southwest Asia as: Defense of Saudi Arabia 2 August 1990 to 16 January 1991; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait 17 January 1991 to 11 April 1991; Southwest Asia Cease-Fire 12 April 1991 to 30 November 1995 3. Army Regulation 635-5 (Separation Documents), in effect at the time, prescribed the separation documents prepared for individuals upon retirement, discharge, or release from active military service or control of the Army. It established standardized policy for preparing and distributing DD Form 214. Table 2-1 provided instruction pertaining to the completion of the DD Form 214: a. Item 12f (Record of Service – Foreign Service) was used to document the total amount of foreign service completed during the period covered by the DD Form 214. b. Item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) was used to document the decorations, medals, badges, citations and campaign ribbons awarded or authorized. c. Item 18 (Remarks) was used to document entries required by Headquarters Department of the Army for which a separate item is not available on the form and for completing entries that are too long for their blocks. Effective 30 September 2000, revised mandatory required data on the DD Form 214. The specific instructions for an active duty Soldier deployed with his or her unit during their continuous period of active service stated to enter "SERVICE IN (name of country deployed) FROM (inclusive dates for example, YYYYMMDD-YYYYMMDD)" in the remarks block. 4. The Defense Manpower Data Center compiled a Desert Shield/Desert Storm Database that contains one record for each active duty member who served in theater between 2 August 1990 and 31 July 1991. //NOTHING FOLLOWS// ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20170013863 3 1