ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 30 October 2020 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20200002377 APPLICANT REQUESTS: correction of his DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge) for the period ending 4 February 1966 to include his service in Thailand. APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record under the Provisions of Title 10, U.S. Code, Section 1552). REFERENCES: 1. Title 10, U.S. 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 Army Board for Correction of Military Records (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 635-5 (Separation Documents), in effect at the time, prescribed the separation documents that must be prepared for Soldiers upon retirement, discharge, or release from active duty service or control of the Active Army. It established standardized policy for preparing and distributing 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. The general instructions stated all available records would be used as a basis for the preparation of DD Form 214, including the DA Form 24 (Service Record), DA Form 20 (Enlisted Qualification Record), DA Form 66 (Officer Qualification Record), and orders. The specific instructions for item 24c (Foreign and/or Sea Service) stated to enter the total active duty performed outside the continental limits of the United States for the period covered by the DD Form 214 and the last overseas theater in which service was performed. FACTS: 1. The applicant did not file within the 3-year time frame provided in Title 10, U.S. Code, section 1552(b); however, the 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 was assigned to Camp Friendship and Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, which was omitted from his DD Form 214. a. He was assigned to Korat, Thailand, from August 1963 to October 1963 and then transferred to Machinato, Okinawa. He had a U.S. passport to enter Bangkok, Thailand, issued by Camp Mason, San Francisco, or Oakland, CA. He supported Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base. He loaded Agent Orange onto aircraft and performed maintenance on the runway. b. He believes the information was left off of his DD Form 214 because he was transferred. There were no Nike missiles in Thailand and he was not allowed to stay. 3. U.S. Army Ordnance Center and School, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Special Orders Number 127, dated 7 August 1963, reassigned him to the 96th Ordnance Detachment (General Maintenance Direct Support (Nike), Korea, effective 17 August 1963. 4. Headquarters, 9th Logistical Support Command (B), Special Orders Number 174, dated 16 September 1963, amended U.S. Army Ordnance Center and School, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Special Orders Number 127, changing his unit location to Okinawa. 5. On 4 June 1964, he was authorized 30 days of ordinary leave to visit Tachikawa Airbase, Japan, and the continental United States effective on or about 6 July 1964. 6. His DA Form 20, dated 19 January 1966, shows in: a. item 31 (Foreign Service), he received overseas tour credit for service in the Ryukyu Islands-Okinawa from 28 August 1963 to 18 February 1965; and b. item 38 (Record of Assignments), he was assigned to Thailand from 30 August 1963 to 18 September 1963 and to Okinawa from 19 September 1963 to 28 February 1965. 7. On 4 February 1966, he was released from active duty. He completed 3 years of active service. His DD Form 214 shows in: * item 24c (Foreign and/or Sea Service), he completed 1 year, 5 months, and 21 days of foreign service in Okinawa * item 26 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Commendations, Citations, and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized), he was awarded or authorized the Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar and Driver Badge with Driver and Mechanic Bars BOARD DISCUSSION: After reviewing the application and all supporting documents, the Board determined relief was not warranted. Based upon the available evidence showing the applicant’s foreign service credit was accurately reflected based upon the dates of service, regulatory guidance stating not all locations will be annotated on a DD Form 214, and the DD Form 214 properly reflecting the last overseas theater in which service was performed, the Board concluded there was insufficient evidence of an error or injustice which would warrant a correction to the applicant’s record. BOARD VOTE: Mbr 1 Mbr 2 Mbr 3 : : : GRANT FULL RELIEF : : : GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF : : : GRANT FORMAL HEARING :XX :XXX :XXX 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. 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. //NOTHING FOLLOWS//