ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS BOARD DATE: 22 January 2019 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20170014851 APPLICANT REQUESTS: correction of his DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer of Discharge) to add any awards to which he is entitled. APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: * DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record) * DD Form 4 (Enlistment Record – Armed Forces of the United States), dated 22 November 1966 * DA Form 20 (Enlisted Qualification Record) * DD Form 214 * Discharge Orders from the U.S. Army Reserve (USAR), dated 18 October 1972 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, in effect, he would like his DD Form 214 corrected to add any awards to which he is entitle. 3. The applicant enlisted in the Regular Army on 22 November 1966 and he received all excellent conduct and efficiency ratings during the period of his military service. 4. Special Orders awarded him the following marksmanship badges, which were not reflected on his DD Form 214: * Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar (M-14) on 19 January 1967 * Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar (M-16) on 16 July 1969 5. He was assigned to Vietnam from 5 December 1967 to 2 December 1968, he participated in five campaigns, and he served in the following units: * Headquarters and Headquarters Service Battery, 6th Battalion, 11th Artillery, 11th Infantry Brigade in Vietnam from 5 December 1967 to 17 June 1968 * Headquarters Service Battery, 6th Battalion, 29th Artillery, 4th Infantry Division in Vietnam from 18 June 1968 to 2 December 1968 6. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) states a bronze service star is worn on the Vietnam Service Medal for each credited campaign. During the applicant's Service in Vietnam from 5 December 1967 to 2 December 1968, he participated in the following five campaigns: * Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase III, 1 June 1967 - 29 January 1968 * Tet Counteroffensive, 30 January - 1 April 1968 * Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase IV, 2 April - 30 June 1968 * Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase V, 1 July - 1 November 1968 * Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase VI, 2 November 1968 - 22 February 1969 7. Army Pamphlet 672-3 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) was published assist commanders and personnel officers in determining or establishing the eligibility of individual members for campaign participation credit, assault landing credit, and unit citation badges awarded during the Vietnam Conflict, the Grenada Operation, and the period of service subsequent to the Vietnam Conflict up to the present time. This pamphlet shows, the applicant's unit, 6th Battalion, 29th Artillery, was cited for the following unit awards during the period of the applicant's assignment to that unit: a. Meritorious Unit Commendation, for the period 1 November 1968 to 30 April 1969, by Department of the Army General Order Number 39, dated 1970; b. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation, for the period 1 October 1966 to 31 October 1969, by Department of the Army General Order Number 3, dated 1970; and c. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Civil Actions Honor Medal First Class Unit Citation, for the period 1 October 1966 to 31 October 1969, by Department of the Army General Order Number 53, dated 1970. 8. He was honorably released from active duty on 2 December 1969. a. His DD Form 214 shows he was awarded or authorized the: * National Defense Service Medal * Vietnam Service Medal * Vietnam Campaign Medal b. His DD Form 214 does not include the following awards authorized by Army Regulation 600-8-22, special orders, or General Orders: * one silver service star affixed to his Vietnam Service Medal to denote his participation in five Vietnam Campaigns * Meritorious Unit Commendation * Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation * Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Civil Actions Honor Medal First Class Unit Citation * Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar (M-14) * Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar (M-16) 9. The applicant's received all excellent conduct an efficiency ratings, his record contains no record of courts-martial convictions, and there is no record that his commander issued him a disqualification for award of the Army Good Conduct Medal. BOARD DISCUSSION: The Board considered the applicant’s request with all supporting documents, evidence in the service record, and applicable regulations, policy, and guidance. Based upon this review, the Board finds that there is sufficient evidence to grant full relief by correcting the applicant’s record to reflect the following: * Army Good Conduct Medal (1st Award) * Vietnam Service Medal with one silver service star * Meritorious Unit Commendation * Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation * Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Civil Actions Honor Medal First Class Unit Citation * Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar (M-14) * Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar (M-16) 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 the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by making the following awards and amendments to his DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer of Discharge): a. awarding him the Army Good Conduct Medal (1st Award) for the period 22 November 1966 through 2 December 1969; b. deleting the Vietnam Service Medal from item 24 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Commendations, and Campaigns Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) of his DD Form 214; and c. adding the following awards to item 24 of his DD Form 214: * Army Good Conduct Medal (1st Award) * Vietnam Service Medal with one silver service star * Meritorious Unit Commendation * Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation * Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Civil Actions Honor Medal First Class Unit Citation * Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar (M-14) * Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar (M-16) SIGNATURE: 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 672-5-1 (Awards), in effect at the time, stated the Army Good Conduct Medal was awarded for each 3 years of continuous enlisted active Federal military service completed on or after 27 August 1940; for first award only, 1 year served entirely during the period 7 December 1941 to 2 March 1946; and, for the first award only, upon termination of service on or after 27 June 1950 of less than 3 years but more than 1 year. The enlisted person must have had all "excellent" conduct and efficiency ratings. Ratings of "Unknown" for portions of the period under consideration were not disqualifying. Service school efficiency ratings based upon academic proficiency of at least "Good" rendered subsequent to 22 November 1955 were not disqualifying. There must have been no convictions by a court-martial. However, there was no right or entitlement to the medal until the immediate commander made a positive recommendation for its award and until the awarding authority announced the award in General Orders. 3. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) states a bronze service star is worn on the Vietnam Service Medal for each credited campaign. During the applicant's Service in Vietnam from 5 December 1967 to 2 December 1968, he participated in the following five campaigns: * Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase III, 1 June 1967 - 29 January 1968 * Tet Counteroffensive, 30 January - 1 April 1968 * Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase IV, 2 April - 30 June 1968 * Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase V, 1 July - 1 November 1968 * Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase VI, 2 November 1968 - 22 February 1969 4. Army Pamphlet 672-3 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) was published assist commanders and personnel officers in determining or establishing the eligibility of individual members for campaign participation credit, assault landing credit, and unit citation badges awarded during the Vietnam Conflict, the Grenada Operation, and the period of service subsequent to the Vietnam Conflict up to the present time. This pamphlet shows, the applicant's unit, 6th Battalion, 29th Artillery, was cited for the following unit awards during the period of the applicant's assignment to that unit: a. Meritorious Unit Commendation, for the period 1 November 1968 to 30 April 1969, by Department of the Army General Order Number 39, dated 1970; b. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation, for the period 1 October 1966 to 31 October 1969, by Department of the Army General Order Number 3, dated 1970; and c. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Civil Actions Honor Medal First Class Unit Citation, for the period 1 October 1966 to 31 October 1969, by Department of the Army General Order Number 53, dated 1970. ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20170014851 2 1