ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS IN THE CASE OF BOARD DATE: 4 October 2019 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20180001279 APPLICANT REQUESTS: combat engineer training reflected on his DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge). APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record) 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 (ABCMR) 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 does not have any records of Combat Engineer, Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at Fort Leonard Wood, which began in April 1965. He completed the training before going to Hawaii, and then to Vietnam, on Christmas 1965. All of his life, he put the training on his resume and his employer never could find this information. He is now seventy years old and would like to set the records right on his DD Form 214. Mainly to prove he was not lying once and for all. He qualified expert for all weapons and chemical including demolition. 3. A review of the applicant’s service records shows the following: a. He enlisted in the Regular Army on 8 January 1965. b. His DA Form 20 (Enlisted Qualification Record) reflects in: * item 22 (Military Occupational Specialty (MOS)) Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic (63B20) as his primary MOS. * Item 27 (Military Education), blank * Item 38 (Record of Assignments), his principal duty was Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic. c. On 8 January 1965, he received special orders number 5, which ordered him to report for MOS training Automotive Maintenance 63. d. On 16 February 1965, he received special orders number 40, which ordered him to Fort Leonard Wood, MO, for training in MOS 120.00 (Combat Engineer – Pioneer). His DA Form 20 (Enlisted Qualification record) shows he arrived for MOS 120.00 advanced individual training (AIT) on 27 March 1965. However, his DA Form 20 also shows that he was placed in MOS 631.10 (converted to 63A and 63B) AIT on 1 May 1965 while assigned to Fort Leonard Wood. e. On 22 June 1966 he received a Combat Infantryman’s Badge, annotated on special orders number 125. Although the badge is only awarded to infantryman and special forces Soldiers, his MOS depicted on the order is 63B20 (Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic). f. On 11 February 1967, he had primary MOS 63A10 withdrawn and was awarded primary MOS 63B20. g. In May 1967 he was evaluated in MOS 63B20, where he received an MOS evaluation score of 102. h. On 6 February 1968, he was honorably transferred to the United States Army Reserves (USAR) for expiration terms of service (ETS) under the provisions of Army Regulation(AR) 635-200 (Personnel Separations – Enlisted Personnel). Item 23a (Specialty Number and Title), reflect 63B20 (Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic). He had 3 years and 29 days of active service. i. On 7 January 1971, he was honorably discharged from the USAR due to ETS. 4. The DD Form 214 is a summary of the Soldier's most recent period of continuous active duty. It provides a brief, clear-cut record of all current active, prior active, and prior inactive duty service at the time of release from active duty, retirement, or discharge. The information entered thereon reflects the conditions as they existed at the time of separation. For Block 23a (Specialty Number and Title), enter primary MOS code number and title held at the time of separation. BOARD DISCUSSION: After reviewing the application and all supporting documents, the Board found relief was not warranted. The applicant’s contentions were carefully considered. His record is absent evidence that shows he completed the combat Engineer Course. His record shows he was entered into the course; however, it appears he did not complete the AIT, and was placed in the vehicle mechanic AIT. The Board agreed there was no error or injustice in this case. 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 for correction of the records of the individual concerned. 12/4/2019 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 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 (AR) 635-5 (Personnel Separation - Separation Documents), prescribes the separation documents that will be furnished each individual who is separated from the Army, including Active Duty Training (ACDUTRA) personnel, and establishes standardized procedures for the preparation and distribution of these documents. a. The DD Form 214 is a summary of the Soldier’s most recent period of continuous active duty. It provides a brief, clear-cut record of all current active, prior active, and prior inactive duty service at the time of release from active duty, retirement, or discharge. b. On direction of the ABCMR or Army Discharge Review Board, or in other instances when appropriate, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Review Boards) (DASA (RB)), Army Review Boards Agency (ARBA), is authorized to issue or reissue DD Forms 214. Once a DD Form 214 has been issued, it will not be reissued except under specified circumstances including when it is determined that the original DD Form 214 cannot be properly corrected by issuance of a DD Form 215 (Correction to DD Form 214). NOTHING FOLLOWS