IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 23 December 2020 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20200001503 APPLICANT REQUESTS: correction of his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to show in: * item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized): Army Service Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, and Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal * item 24 (Character of Service): Honorable APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: * DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record) * DD Form 4 (Enlistment/Reenlistment Document – Armed Forces of the United States), 18 January 1989 * DA Form 2-1 (Personnel Qualification Record – Part II) * DD Form 214, for the period ending 18 September 1990 * National Guard Bureau (NGB) Form 22 (Report of Separation and Record of Service), for the period ending 17 January 1995 * Memorandum, subject: Reason for Discharge, 8 May 1995 * Orders 088-075 (Discharge from the Army National Guard (ARNG)), 8 May 1995 * Orders D-01-704388 (Discharge from the United States Army Reserve (USAR)), 21 January 1997 * Two Letters from the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC), 30 September 2010 and 21 March 2011, providing his official military personnel file 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 his NGB Form 22 shows an honorable discharge and that he was awarded the Army Service Ribbon and National Defense Service Medal for Desert Storm. It also shows he was awarded the Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal and would like to know why this information is not on his DD Form 214. He would also like to know why his National Defense Service Medal does not show the campaign “Desert Storm.” 3. The applicant's records contain sufficient evidence to support additional awards not shown on his DD Form 214. His DD Form 214 for the period ending 18 September 1990 will be administratively corrected without Board action to add the National Defense Service Medal. 4. The Board will consider his uncharacterized discharge and adding the Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal to his DD Form 214. 5. A review of the applicant’s service records (and evidence he provides) shows: a. He enlisted in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard (PAARNG) on 18 January 1989 for 8 years. b. He entered initial active duty training (ADT) on 15 June 1990. He completed training for award of military occupational specialty 63B (Heavy Wheel Vehicle Mechanic). c. His Personnel Qualification Record shows in: * item 5 (Oversea Service): no entry * item 9 (Awards, Decorations and Campaigns): Army Service Ribbon and National Defense Service Medal * item 35 (Record of Assignments): * Trainee, 18 January 1989 to 11 June 1989 * Basic Combat Training, 12 June 1989 to 9 September 1989 * Return to ARNG, 10 August 1989 to 14 June 1990 * Advanced Individual Training, 15 June 1990 to 17 September 1990 * Return to ARNG, 18 September 1990 d. He was released from ADT on 18 September 1990 to the control of his ARNG unit. His DD Form 214 shows he completed 3 months and 4 days of active duty service and was transferred to the ARNG. It also shows in: * item 13: Army Service Ribbon, Marksman Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar (M-16), Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Hand Grenade Bar * item 23 (Type of Separation): Relief from Initial Active Duty Training * item 24: Uncharacterized e. He provides a Memorandum, subject: Reason for Discharge, dated 8 May 1995, which shows the reason for discharge (from the ARNG) as “Expiration of Active Guard Commitment,” effective 17 January 1995. f. Orders 088-075, dated 8 May 1995, show the applicant was discharged from the ARNG and assigned to the USAR Control Group (Annual Training), effective 17 January 1995. His discharge was characterized as honorable. g. His NGB Form 22 show she was discharged from the ARNG on 17 January 1995. This form also shows in: * item 15 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Commendations, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded This Period): Army Service Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, and Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal * item 24 (Character of Service): Honorable h. Orders D-01-704388, dated 21 January 1997, discharged the applicant from the USAR with an honorable characterization of service, effective 21 January 1997. 6. By regulation (AR 635-5), 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. 7. By regulation (AR 635-200): a. An uncharacterized separation is an entry-level separation; for Soldiers ordered to initial ADT, entry-level status terminates 180 days after beginning training. Soldiers are considered to be in an entry-level status when they are within their first 180 days of active duty service. b. Current guidance states Reserve Component Soldiers completing active duty that results in the award of an MOS, even when the active duty period was less than 90 days (for example, completion of the advanced individual training component of Army National Guard (ARNG) Alternate Training Program or USAR Split Training Program) will receive a character of service of Honorable unless directed otherwise by the separation approval authority. 8. By regulation (AR 600-8-22), the Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal is authorized for award to members of the ARNG or USAR who have completed 3 years of qualifying service. BOARD DISCUSSION: After reviewing the application and all supporting documents, to include the DoD guidance on liberal consideration when reviewing discharge upgrade requests, the Board determined that relief was warranted. Based upon a documentary review of the applicant’s military record, the Board concluded that the applicant completed a period of active duty while conducting initial entry training (IET). He was awarded a MOS at the completion of IET and was transferred back to the ARNG. Army Regulation 635-200 provides that when a RC Soldier successfully completes IADT, the character of service is Honorable unless directed otherwise by the separation authority. Based upon regulatory guidance, the Board agreed the DD Form 214 should show his character of service as Honorable. Additionally, based upon the available documentation in the record, the Board determined that the applicant's records contain sufficient evidence to support adding the National Defense Service Medal to the applicant’s DD Form 214, as it was earned during his period of active duty service... The Board also determined, however, that all other requested awards, with the exception of the Army Service Ribbon which is already annotated on the applicant’s DD Form 214, was received after the dates of service of the applicant’s DD Form 214. They were received after the period covered by the form; therefore, are not appropriate for adding to the applicant’s DD Form 214. The Board did note the awards are properly reflected on the applicant’s NGB Form 22, because they were awarded during his USARNG service. BOARD VOTE: Mbr 1 Mbr 2 Mbr 3 : : : GRANT FULL RELIEF :XX :XXX :XX GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF : : : GRANT FORMAL HEARING : : : DENY APPLICATION BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: 1. The Board determined the evidence presented is sufficient to warrant a recommendation for partial relief. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by reissuing the applicant a DD Form 214 by: * changing his characterization of service as Honorable * adding the National Defense Service Medal 2. The Board further determined the evidence presented is insufficient to warrant a portion of the requested relief. As a result, the Board recommends denial of so much of the application that pertains to adding any other awards to the applicant’s DD Form 214. 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, 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 Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) determines it would be in the interest of justice to do so. 2. Army Regulation 635-8 (Separation Processing and Documents), currently in effect, prescribes policy and procedural guidance relating to transition management. Specifically, it references instruction related to the preparation of the DD Form 214. The DD Form 214 is a summary of a Soldier's most recent period of continuous active duty. It provides a brief, clear-cut record of active duty service at the time of release from active duty, retirement, or discharge. a. Paragraph 5-1f states that a DD Form 214 will be prepared for Reserve Component (RC) Soldiers completing active duty that results in the award of an MOS, even when the active duty period was less than 90 days (for example, completion of the advanced individual training component of ARNGUS Alternate Training Program or USAR Split Training Program). b. Paragraph 5-6 states: "When a RC Soldier successfully completes initial active duty training the character of service is Honorable unless directed otherwise by the separation approval authority." 3. Army Regulation 635-200 (Personnel Separations), in effect at the time, set forth the basic authority for the separation of enlisted personnel. Chapter 3 described the different characterizations of service. a. Paragraph 3-7a states that an honorable discharge is a separation with honor. The honorable characterization is appropriate when the quality of the Soldier's service generally has met the standards of acceptable conduct and performance of duty for Army personnel or is otherwise so meritorious that any other characterization would be clearly inappropriate. Only the honorable characterization may be awarded a Soldier upon completion of his/her period of enlistment or period for which called or ordered to active duty or active duty for training, or where required under specific reasons for separation, unless an entry-level status separation (uncharacterized) is warranted. b. Paragraph 3-9, of the regulation in effect at the time of his separation, stated that a separation would be described as an entry-level separation with service uncharacterized if processing is initiated while a Soldier is in an entry-level status (emphasis added), except in the following circumstances: (1) when characterization of under other than honorable conditions is authorized under the reason for separation and is warranted by the circumstances of the case or (2) when the Secretary of the Army, on a case-by-case basis, determines that an honorable characterization of service is clearly warranted by the presence of unusual circumstances involving personal conduct and performance of duty. c. Section II (Terms) of the glossary states that entry-level status for Soldiers in the ARNG and USAR begins upon enlistment in the ARNG or USAR and, for those Soldiers ordered to IADT for one continuous period, terminates 180 days after the commencement of IADT. 4. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) states: a. The National Defense Service Medal is awarded for honorable active service for any period between 27 July 1950 and 27 July 1954, 1 January 1961 and 14 August 1974, 2 August 1990 and 30 November 1995, and 11 September 2001 and a date to be determined. b. The Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (ARCAM) is authorized for award to Army personnel, including Active Guard Reserve officers, in the rank of colonel and below for exemplary behavior, efficiency, and fidelity while serving as a member of an Army National Guard or Army Reserve troop program unit or as an individual mobilization augmentee. Individuals must have completed 4 years of qualifying service on or after 3 March 1972 and before 28 March 1995. Beginning on 28 March 1995, the period of qualifying service for award of the ARCAM was reduced from 4 to 3 years. This change is not retroactive. Such years of qualifying service must have been consecutive. //NOTHING FOLLOWS// ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20200001503 6 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1