ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 10 August 2020 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20190015094 APPLICANT REQUESTS: correction of his DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge) to show award of the Combat Medical Badge. APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: * DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record), dated 4 September 2019 * letter, 236th Medical Battalion, 101st Airborne Division, Vietnam, dated 1 May 1969, subject: Letter of Commendation * Headquarters, 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile), Vietnam, General Orders Number 7828, dated 29 June 1969 * Headquarters, 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile), Vietnam, General Orders Number 10680, dated 18 August 1969 * DA Form 4980-5 (Bronze Star Medal Certificate), dated 18 August 1969 * Bronze Star Medal Citation, undated * Headquarters, 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile), Vietnam, General Orders Number 14896, dated 17 December 1969 * DA Form 4980-9 (Air Medal Certificate), undated * Air Medal Citation, undated * Headquarters, Medical Department Activity, Fort Riley, KS, General Orders Number 28, dated 20 May 1970 * DA Form 4980 (Purple Heart Certificate), dated 20 May 1970 * DD Form 214 FACTS: 1. The applicant did not file within the three-year time frame provided in Title 10, United States Code, 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: a. He served as a medic in Vietnam and was engaged in ground combat while assigned to a combat aviation unit. He was assigned to a helicopter assault battalion and then to an air ambulance platoon where he provided medical support to combat arms units. b. He was engaged by the enemy on multiple occasions and he was awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star Medal, and the Air Medal Numeral 8 for his actions in direct combat. c. He earned the Purple Heart for an injury while exiting his medical evacuation helicopter to provide medical support on the ground while he was engaged in combat. 3. The applicant's records contain sufficient evidence to support additional awards not shown on his DD Form 214. His DD Form 214 should be administratively corrected without Board action to show award of the: * Meritorious Unit Commendation * Army Good Conduct Medal for the period 15 December 1967 to 24 July 1970 * three bronze service stars to his previously-issued Vietnam Service Medal * Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Medal First Class Unit Citation 4. On 15 December 1967, the applicant enlisted in the Regular Army. 5. Headquarters, U.S. Army Training Center, Fort Campbell, Special Orders Number 37, dated 9 February 1968, ordered him to advanced individual training in military occupational specialty (MOS) 91A1O (Medical Corpsman), with a report date of 24 February 1968. 6. Headquarters, United States Army Medical Training Center, Fort Sam Houston, TX, Special Orders Number 178, dated 20 August 1968, promoted him to the temporary rank/grade of Specialist 4/E-4 in MOS 91B2O (Medical Noncommissioned Officer) effective 20 August 1968. 7. Headquarters, 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) and Fort Carson, Fort Carson, Special Orders Number 283, dated 9 October 1968, awarded him primary MOS 91B2O and withdrew his primary MOS 91A1O, with an effective date of 20 August 1968. 8. Headquarters, 101st Airborne Division, Special Orders Number 135, dated 15 May 1969, assigned him to Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, 326th Medical Battalion (Airmobile) with a reporting date of 17 May 1969. His duty was shown as "dust-off medic." 9. On 27 January 1969, his duty status was changed to casual, enroute to U.S. Army Pacific, Vietnam (unit permanent change of station). 10. He provided copies of: a. A Letter of Commendation, dated 1 May 1969, wherein the Commander, 326th Medical Battalion stated the applicant was assigned to the unit on 22 April 1969 as an on the job training medic and the unit was summoned to attempt a hoist extraction for some wounded personnel in the jungle surrounding the A-Shau Valley, Vietnam. Upon arriving over the proposed extradition site, they found that the ground unit had just broken contact with enemy elements. The ground unit popped smoke for them and they made their approach to it. As they were hovering over the tops of the trees and were preparing to lower the basket, they began to take hostile fire. Their medic was wounded in the head and leg and, at this time, the applicant left his seat, went outside of the helicopter and forward to the wounded medic. Their aircraft received 39 hits; however, the applicant remained calm and professional and had the wounded medic ready for evacuation upon landing. b. Headquarters, 101st Airborne Division, General Orders Number 7828, dated 29 June 1969, awarded him the Air Medal Numeral 3. c. Headquarters, 101st Airborne Division, General Orders Number 10680, dated 18 August 1969, awarded him the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service in connection with ground operations against a hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam from 1 December 1968 to 31 July 1969. d. Headquarters, 101st Airborne Division, General Orders Number 14896, dated 17 December 1969, awarded him the Air Medal Numeral 7. e. Headquarters, Medical Department Activity, Fort Riley, General Orders Number 28, dated 20 1969, awarded him the Purple Heart for wounds received in connection with military operations against a hostile force on 15 July 1969 in the Republic of Vietnam. 11. On 15 August 1969, his duty status was changed to patient, Medical Holding Company, Fort Riley, KS. 12. His DA Form 20 shows, in part: a. item 22 (Military Occupational Specialty) – 91B20, Medical Specialist. b. item 31 (Oversea Service) – 26 January 1969 to 15 August 1969, U.S. Army Pacific, Vietnam. c. item 41 (Awards and Decorations) – he was awarded or authorized the: * National Defense Service Medal * Vietnam Service Medal * Air Medal * Army Good Conduct Medal * Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device (1960) * Purple Heart * Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar (M-14) 13. Headquarters, Medical Department Activity, Fort Riley, KS, General Orders Number 50, dated 20 July 1970, awarded him the Army Good Conduct Medal for the period 15 December 1967 to 24 July 1970. 14. On 24 July 1970, he was honorably released from active duty. His DD Form 214 for this period shows in: a. item 23a (Specialty Number and Title) – 91B2O, Medical Specialist. b. item 24 – he was awarded or authorized the: * National Defense Service Medal * Vietnam Service Medal * Air Medal Numeral 7th * Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation * Purple Heart * Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device (1960) * Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar (M-14) * Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar (M-16) 15. His records are void of orders awarding him the Combat Medical Badge. BOARD DISCUSSION: 1. After reviewing the application and all supporting documents, the Board found that relief is not warranted. 2. The Board noted that the criteria for award of the Combat Medical Badge require, in part, that a Soldier be assigned or attached by appropriate orders to an infantry unit of brigade, regimental, or smaller size. The Board found insufficient evidence showing the applicant was assigned or attached to an infantry unit of the requisite size during his service in Vietnam. Although his award of the Purple Heart establishes that he participated in combat, the Board determined the available evidence does not establish his eligibility for the Combat Medical Badge. 3. The Board concurred with the corrections described in Administrative Note(s) below. 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, except for the corrections addressed in Administrative Note(s) below, the Board determined the overall merits of this case are insufficient as a basis for correction of the records of the individual concerned. 9/8/2020 X CHAIRPERSON 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 review of the applicant's records shows he was awarded or authorized the following awards not listed on his DD Form 214: * Army Good Conduct Medal for the period 15 December 1967 to 24 July 1970 * three bronze service stars to his previously-issued Vietnam Service Medal * Meritorious Unit Commendation * Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Medal First Class Unit Citation REFERENCES: 1. Title 10, United States 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 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) prescribes Army policy, criteria, and administrative instructions concerning individual and unit military awards. a. The Combat Medical Badge was designed to provide recognition to the field medic who accompanies the infantryman into battle and shares experiences unique to the infantry in combat. There was never any intention to award the Combat Medical Badge to all medical personnel who serve in a combat zone or imminent danger area. As with the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Combat Medical Badge was intended to recognize medical personnel who were personally present and under fire while rendering medical care. So stringent was this requirement that during the Vietnam era, recommending officials were required to document the place (in six-digit coordinates), time, type, and intensity of fire to which the proposed recipient was exposed while rendering medical care. b. The Combat Medical Badge may be awarded to members of the Army Medical Department (colonels and below), the Naval Medical Department (captains and below), the Air Force Medical Service (colonels and below), assigned or attached by appropriate orders to an infantry unit of brigade, regimental, or smaller size, or to a medical unit of company or smaller size, organic to an infantry unit of brigade or smaller size, during any period the infantry unit is engaged in actual ground combat on or after 6 December 1941. Battle participation credit alone is not sufficient; the infantry unit must have been in contact with the enemy. c. One bronze service star is authorized with the Vietnam Service Medal for each campaign during which a member was assigned or attached to and present for duty with a unit during the period in which it participated in combat. 3. U.S. Army Vietnam Regulation 672-1 (Decorations and Awards), in effect at the time, did not provide specific guidance for award of the Combat Medical Badge. However, it did provide detailed guidance on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge, which was awarded to infantry personnel based on essentially the same criteria for award of the Combat Medical Badge to medical aid personnel assigned to infantry units. The regulation stated the Combat Infantryman Badge was authorized for award to infantry personnel who were members of infantry platoons and squads in armored cavalry squadrons and regiments. 4. Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-3 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register (January 1960 – February 1986)), in effect at the time, shows 326th Medical Battalion, was awarded the: a. Meritorious Unit Commendation by Department of the Army General Orders Number 39, dated 1970, for the period 1 November 1968 through 31 May 1969, a period the applicant was assigned to the unit, and b. Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal First Class Unit Citation for the period 18 March 1968 through 2 May 1970 by Department of the Army General Orders Number 48, dated 1971, a period the applicant was assigned to the unit. //NOTHING FOLLOWS//