ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS


	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:  15 July 2019

	DOCKET NUMBER:  AR20170014358


APPLICANT REQUESTS:  reconsideration of his earlier request for award of the Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar (M-16).

APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: 

* Self-Authored Statement
* DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge)
* DD Form 215 (Correction to DD Form 214)
* Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) Docket Number AR20150011882, dated 7 July 2016

FACTS:

1.  Incorporated herein by reference are military records which were summarized in the previous consideration of the applicant's case by the ABCMR in Docket Number AR20150011882 on 7 July 2016.

2.  The applicant states the Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar (M-16) should be on his DD Form 214 or DD Form 215.  He adds that it just makes sense.  The 9th Infantry Division would not send a Soldier out to fight a war without being able to use the weapon the Soldier was going to fight with.  He summarizes his military service and the hardships that he endured as well as makes mention of the Combat Infantryman Badge (added to his DD Form 215), the Expert Infantryman Badge (contained on his DD Form 214) and the French Fourragere.


3.  A review of the applicant’s service records shows the following:

	a.  He enlisted in the Regular Army on 3 February 1960.

	b.  He served in:

* Hawaii from 2 August 1960 to 18 July 1963
* Korea from 26 August 1965 to 22 September 1966
* Germany from 1 November 1966 to 20 August 1967
* Vietnam from 6 October 1967 to 28 June 1968

	c.  He was honorably discharged from active duty on 31 January 1969.  His DD Form 214, as amended by his DD Form 215, shows he completed 5 years, 11 months, and 28 days of active service, with 3 years of prior active duty service.  It also shows he was awarded or authorized:

* National Defense Service Medal
* Good Conduct Medal (2nd Award)
* Expert Infantryman Badge
* Vietnam Service Medal with three bronze service stars
* Vietnam Campaign Medal
* Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar (M-14)
* Silver Star
* Marksman Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Pistol Bar (.45 Cal)
* Purple Heart
* Combat Infantryman Badge
* Korea Defense Service Medal
* Valorous Unit Award
* Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation
* Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal First Class Unit Citation

4.  His record is void of documentation awarding him the Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar (M-16).

5.  By regulation, all decorations, service medals, campaign credits, and badges awarded or authorized will be added to item 24 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Commendations, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized).  Marksmanship badges are announced in orders, entered on a DA Form 20 (Enlisted Qualification Record), or mentioned in Disposition Forms, memorandums, or endorsements.  None exists in his case.


BOARD DISCUSSION:

After reviewing the application and all supporting documents, the Board found the relief was not warranted.  The applicant’s contentions were carefully considered.  In order to add a marksmanship qualification badge to the separation document, the member’s record must show evidence of the level of qualification obtained and the weapon used; the applicant’s record is absent the required information and he did not provide sufficient evidence.  The Board agreed determined there is insufficient evidence to amend the previous Board’s decision to deny relief.

BOARD VOTE:

Mbr 1	Mbr 2	Mbr 3

:	:	:	GRANT FULL RELIEF

:	:	:	GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF

:	:	:	GRANT FORMAL HEARING

X	X	X	DENY APPLICATION

BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION:

The evidence presented does not demonstrate the existence of a probable error or injustice.  Therefore, the Board determined the overall merits of this case are insufficient as a basis to amend the decision of the ABCMR set forth in Docket Number AR20150011882 on 7 July 2016.
	 
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.  Army Regulation (AR) 635-5 (Personnel Separations – Separation Documents) provides the policy and procedures for the preparation of separation documents.  It states, in pertinent part, all decorations, service medals, campaign credits, and badges awarded or authorized will be added to item 24 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Commendations, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized).

2.  AR 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides policy, criteria, and administrative instructions concerning individual military decorations.  Paragraph 8-39 (U.S. Army Basic Marksmanship Qualification Badges) states a Basic Marksmanship Qualification Badge is awarded to indicate the degree in which an individual, military, or civilian has qualified in a prescribed record course, and an appropriate bar is furnished to denote each weapon with which he or she qualified.  Each bar will be attached to the basic badge that indicate the qualification last attained with the respective weapon.  Basic qualifies badges are of three classes:  Expert, Sharpshooter, and Marksman.

//NOTHING FOLLOWS//

ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)	 AR20170014358


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