ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS BOARD DATE: 21 May 2019 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20170017871 APPLICANT REQUESTS: in effect, correction to the following portions of his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) for the period ending on 19 November 2001: * item 11 (Primary Specialty) – amend to read 12B2P 00 (Combat Engineer) 5 Months; 12B20 00 (Combat Engineer) 5 Years – 6 Months * item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) – to add the: * Army Achievement Medal (4th Award) * Army Good Conduct Medal (2nd Award) * Kosovo Campaign Medal * North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Medal * Parachutist Badge – Basic * Sapper Tab APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: * DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record) * DA Form 2-1 (Personnel Qualification Record) * four, DA Forms 638 (Recommendation for Award) * four, DA Form 4980-18 (Army Achievement Medal Certificate) * Permanent Order Number 173-04, Headquarters (HQ), 168th engineer Battalion, dated 22 June 1998 * FLW Form 1896 (Certificate of Attendance) for Sapper course of instruction, dated 11 August 1998 * Permanent Order 061-006, Detachment Charlie, 55th Personnel Services Battalion, dated 2 March 2001 * OPORD 00-13 (Steady Victory 2), HQ, 1st Armored Division, dated 9 May 2000 * memo and attachment, HQ, HQ 16th Engineer battalion , dated 1 September 2000 * DD Form 4 (Enlistment – Reenlistment Document Armed Forces of the United States), 20 October 2000 * DA Form 3286 (Statements for Enlistment), dated 20 October 2000 * DA Form 4789 (Statement of Enlistment to Selective Reenlistment Bonus), dated 20 October 2000 * NATO Medal Certificate * Enlisted Record Brief, dated 16 October 2001 * DA Form 1966-7 (NCO Evaluation Report), dated 16 November 2001 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 Board will only consider the portion of the applicant's request pertaining to his MOS; the remaining portions will be addressed through administrative correction. 3. The applicant states, in effect, he believes administrative errors were made while preparing his DD Form 214 at the time of his discharge. The supporting documents for his active duty period of service were available to the preparer and the discharge authority. 4. On 24 August 1995, the applicant enlisted in the Regular Army for a period of 3 years. His record shows he completed One Station Unit Training (OSUT) and was awarded the military occupational specialty (MOS) 12BO. 5. On 21 June 2001, the applicant was assigned to Company, Charlie, 307th Engineer (Airborne), Fort Bragg, NC in duty MOS 12B2P. He was promoted to the rank of sergeant (SGT/E-5) on 9 March 2001. His record in the interactive Personnel Electronic Records Management System (iPERMS) is void of orders or documents which list a date for award of the primary MOS (PMOS) 12B2P. 6. On 20 October 2001, the applicant reenlisted in the Regular Army for a period of four years, including the reenlistment option for Airborne and Ranger Training. A Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) Evaluation Report list his duty and primary MOS as 12B2P. His record in the iPERMS is void of evidence which shows he completed training or school course requirements. 7. On 19 November 2001, the applicant was honorably discharged for a physical condition which was not a disability. He completed 6 years, 2 months and 26 days of total active service. Item 11 (Primary Specialty) of his DD Form 214 shows the entry "12B20 00 COMBAT ENGINEER – 5 YRS – 11 MOS." 8. The applicant provides the following documents to show his service in Kosovo: * OPORD 00-13 (Steady Victory 2), dated 9 May 2000 * Memorandum, SUBJECT: 16th Engineer Battalion Personnel deployed to Kosovo, dated 1 September 2000 * Manifest Mission Number 074 8. Neither the applicant's record nor the Interactive Personnel Electronic Records Management System (iPERMS) include evidence which show the date he was awarded his primary MOS. 9. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) record shows the applicant served in Macedonia (MK) from 20 October 1996 through 17 November 1996 and 1 June 2000 through 31 December 2000. BOARD DISCUSSION: 1. The Board carefully considered the applicant’s request, supporting documents and evidence in the records. The Board considered the applicant’s statement, the duty MOS on his reenlistment documents for Airborne training and MOS 12B1P, his duty MOS while assigned to Fort Bragg shown both on his NCOER and DA Form 2-1, the reason for his separation and the lack of documentation for completion of Basic Airborne Training and the Parachutist Badge. The Board determined, by preponderance of evidence in the record, that a correction to the applicant’s MOS and the addition of Basic Airborne Training was warranted. Additionally, the Board concurs with the corrections stated in the Administrative Note(s) below. 2. After reviewing the application and all supporting documents, the Board found that relief was warranted.? 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: In addition to the corrections stated in the Administrative Note(s) that follow, 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 amending his DD Form 214 for the period of service ending 19 November 2001 as follows: - Item 11 (Primary Specialty) – add 12B1/2P Combat Engineer, 1 Year - Item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations) – Basic Parachutist Badge, and - Item 14 (Military Education) – Airborne School, 3 Weeks, 2001 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. ADMINISTRATIVE NOTE(S): a. The following orders and regulatory cites are sufficient to make the following administrative corrections to the applicant's DD Form 214 for the period ending on 19 November 2001 without action by the Board: * Permanent Order Number 173-04, dated 22June 1998, for award of Good Conduct Medal (1st Award) * Permanent Order 061-006, dated 2 March 2001, for award of Good conduct Medal (2nd Award) * Army Achievement Medal Certificate – Permanent Order Number 147-02 * Army Achievement Medal Certificate – Order Number 079-003 * Army Achievement Medal Certificate – Permanent Order Number 290-6 * Army Achievement Medal Certificate – Permanent Orders 102-01 * Certificate of Attendance for Sapper course * DA Form 2-1 * Certificate for award of the NATO Medal for Operations in Relation to Kosovo * Email from DFAS b. Make the following amendments to item 13 of the applicant's DD Form 214: * delete the Army Good Conduct Medal * and add the following awards: * Army Good Conduct Medal (2nd Award) * Army Achievement Medal (4th Award) * Kosovo Campaign Medal with one bronze service star * National Treaty Organization Medal * Sapper Tab c. add to item 18 (Remarks) the entry - //SERVICE IN KOSOVO FROM 20000601- 20001231// 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 635-5 (Separation Documents), then in effect, established the standardized policy for preparing and distributing the DD Form 214. In pertinent part, it states: a. The PMOS, AMOS, and areas of concentration (AOC) served in for a period of one year or more, during the soldier’s continuous active duty will be entered in item 11 (Primary Specialty). Item 14 (Military Education) will list formal, in service training courses of 40 hours or more successfully completed during the period of service covered by title, length in weeks, and month and year completed. b. The DA Form 2-1 was among the source documents for entries on the DD Form 214. The regulation provided that formal in-service (full-time attendance) training courses successfully completed during the period of service covered will be entered in Item 14 (Military Education). This regulation further stated that the information entered in Item 14 is to assist the member after separation in job placement and counseling; therefore training courses for combat skills will not be listed. 3. Army Regulation 600-200 (Enlisted Personnel Management System), states, in effect, a military occupational specialty (MOS), including skill level character, which identifies the capability of an individual to perform duties required of MOS at current or higher grade and made a matter of record by classification authority by entry on DA Forms 20 and 2-1 (Personnel Qualification Record). The Commandants of Army service schools or other Armed Forces schools conducting training for qualification in an Army MOS and Training activity commanders are authorized to award MOS. a. For determination of skill level for PMOS there is a direct relationship between grade and skill level without regard to supervisory and nonsupervisory skills. A skill level identifies skills, proficiency, and abilities which are typically required for successful performance in that MOS at the grade with which the skill level is associated. b. For other than the initial entry/trainee, there is a direct relationship between grade and skill level in primary MOS as indicated below. Under no circumstances will soldiers possess a skill level in PMOS other than that specified below. Upon promotion or reduction, soldier will be awarded the skill level appropriate to grade to which promoted or reduced. * E-l through E-4 (Skill Level 1) * E-5 (Skill Level 2) * E-6 (Skill Level 3) * E-7 (Skill Level 4) * E-8 (Skill Level 5) c. The duty MOS (DMOS), which identifies authorized manning table position to which an individual is assigned and in which he is performing duty, or the MOS of the duty he is performing if not assigned to an authorized manning table position. A soldier undergoing schooling or OJT for qualification in a new MOS will be reported in that MOS with skill level "0" as a duty MOS (not PMOS) upon entry into training and will be reported in MOS for which being trained. Entry reflecting the training duty MOS will be made in item 35, DA Form 2-1. d. On the job training (OJT) will not result in the loss of identification of school- trained assets. Therefore, OJT will not be used to change the soldier's PMOS for the sole purpose of meeting local requirements. 4. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) states: a. The Army Achievement Medal is awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States, who while serving in a noncombat area on or after 1 August 1981, distinguished themselves by meritorious service or achievement. As with all personal decorations, formal recommendations, approval through the chain of command, and announcement in orders are required. b. The Army Good Conduct Medal is awarded to individuals who distinguish themselves by their conduct, efficiency, and fidelity. This period is 3 years except in those cases when the period for the first award ends with the termination of a period of active Federal military service. Although there is no automatic entitlement to the Army Good Conduct Medal, disqualification must be justified. c. The Kosovo Campaign Medal is awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who, after 24 March 1999, participated in or served in direct support of designated operations, including Operation Allied Force (24 March 1999 through 10 June 1999) area of eligibility (AOE). Service members must be bona fide members of a unit participating in or be engaged in direct support of the operation for 30 consecutive days in the AOE or for 60 nonconsecutive days provided this support involves entering the operation's AOE or meet one or more of several other, specified criteria. One bronze service star will be worn for participation in each campaign (Kosovo Air Campaign and Kosovo Defense Campaign). d. The NATO Medal has been approved for acceptance by U.S. military personnel who serve under NATO command or operational control in direct support of the above NATO operations. The NATO Medal will normally be presented by the Allied Command Europe headquarters exercising operational command or control over U.S. military units or individuals prior to their departure from service with NATO. The following missions/operations have been approved by the Secretary of Defense for acceptance and wear of the NATO Medal: * Operations related to the former Republic of Yugoslavia (14 November 1995 to a date to be determined) * Operations related to Kosovo (13 October 1998 to a date to be determined) * Operation EAGLE ASSIST (12 October 2001 to 16 May 2002) * Operation ACTIVE ENDEAVOR (26 October 2001 to a date to be determined) * International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan (1 June 2003 to a date to be determined) * Operations in the Balkans (1 January 2003 to a date to be determined) e. The award of the basic Parachutist Badge requires that an individual must have satisfactorily completed the prescribed proficiency tests while assigned or attached to an airborne unit or the Airborne Department of the Infantry School or have participated in at least one combat parachute jump. f. The Sapper Tab was established on 28 June 2004. The basic eligibility criteria are successful completion of all graduation requirements and a graduation certificate from a Sapper Leader Course conducted by the U.S. Army Engineer School. The Sapper Tab may be awarded retroactively to any person who successfully completed all graduation requirements and received a graduation certificate from the Sapper Leaders Course on or after 14 June 1985. 5. Department of the Army Pamphlet 351–4 (U.S. Army Formal Schools Catalog) states, in effect, the Sapper Leader Course is 4 weeks in length and is located at the U.S. Army Engineer School. The course is designed to train one iteration of company cadre (25 – 40 personnel) or two iterations of company cadre (18 – 20 personnel) of the same Tables of Organization and Equipment (TO&E) per class in a team building environment, to perform proficiently and confidently battle drills, specialized engineer techniques and leadership skills needed to perform in the Light/Airborne/Air Assault Divisional, Engineer Battalion. The course is also designed to build unit cohesion. 6. The U.S. Army Human Resources Command website contains a “frequently asked questions” section concerning military awards. The website notes that to add the NATO Medal to a Soldier's record the Soldier must have been issued a certificate. Soldiers should submit a request to the U.S. National Military Representative (USNMR) at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), Belgium: usnmr@benelux.army.mil if their certificate was lost or if requesting a replacement certificate. Soldiers are advised to include their social security number, name, rank, nationality, service, unit, location, periods of service, and number of days of deployment in their request. ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20170017871 2 1