IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 30 November 2021 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20210008656 APPLICANT REQUESTS: correction of his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to show in: a. Item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) the * Iraq Campaign Medal (ICM) * Afghanistan Campaign Medal (ACM) * Global War on Terrorism Service Medal (GWOTSM) * Southwest Asia Service Medal (SWASM) * Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) * Joint Meritorious Unit Award (JMUA) * Arrowhead Device * Valorous Unit Award (VUA) * Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) * Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC) * Noncommissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon (NCOPDR) b. Item 14 (Military Education) * Warrior Leader Course (WLC) * Assault Breachers Course * Ranger Indoctrination Program (RIP) * Stryker Transition Course APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: * DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record) * DD Form 214 * Certificate of Graduation * 2 Diplomas * 2 Certificates of Training 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 Board will not consider the following portions of the applicant's requests, as these items have either already been administratively corrected via the issuance of a D Form 215 (Correction of DD Form 214), dated 30 August 2011, or via additional administrative correction: * NCO Professional Development Ribbon * Iraq Campaign Medal with 1 bronze service star * Afghanistan Campaign Medal with 2 bronze service stars * Global War on Terrorism Service Medal * Warrior Leader Course 3. The Board will consider a. Item 13, (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) the * Southwest Asia Service Medal (SWASM) * Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) * Joint Meritorious Unit Award (JMUA) * Arrowhead Device * Valorous Unit Award (VUA) * Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) * Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC) b. Item 14 (Military Education) * Assault Breachers Course * Ranger Indoctrination Program (RIP) * Stryker Transition Course 4. The applicant states he served in a direct action unit in the theaters of combat stated on his DD Form 214 and DD Form 215 (Correction of DD Form 214). Helicopter assault landings and Joint Special Operations missions were frequent. 5. The applicant enlisted in the Regular Army on 22 September 2005. He served with the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment in: * Afghanistan from 28 March to 12 July 2006 * Afghanistan from 30 June to 19 October 2008 * Iraq from 6 May to 28 August 2009. 6. On 25 July 2006, he successfully completed the Ranger Indoctrination Program (RIP). 7. On 27 July 2007, he successfully completed the 80-hour Stryker Transition Course. 8. On 12 October 2008, he successfully completed the 40-hour Assault Breachers Course. 9. On 12 August 2009, he received an Army Commendation Medal (ARCOM) for meritorious achievement as a Ranger Team Leader during Operation Enduring Freedom from 30 June to 19 October 2008 and Operation Iraqi Freedom from 6 May to 28 August 2009, while assigned to Company D, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. 10. The applicant was honorably released from active duty on 2 January 2010, in the rank/grade of sergeant/E-5. He completed 4 years, 3 months and 11 days of net active service this period. The DD Form 214 he was issued shows in: a. Item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) the * ARCOM (2nd Award) * Army Good Conduct Medal * National Defense Service Medal * Army Service Ribbon * Combat Infantryman Badge * Ranger Tab * Parachutist Badge b. Item 14 (Military Education) * Airborne, 3 weeks, 2006 * Infantryman, 15 weeks, 2006 * Ranger Course, 8 weeks, 2008 11. On 30 August 2011, he was issued a DD Form 215 that corrected the above DD Form 214 by adding in: * Block 12f (Foreign Service) his foreign service * Block 13 * Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon * Global War on Terrorism Service Medal * Iraq Campaign Medal * Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one bronze service star * Block 14, add Warrior Leader Course * Block 18 (Remarks), his service in Afghanistan and Iraq 12. The applicant requested several unit awards in his application but he did not specify which units received these awards and whether he was assigned to these units during the period covered by these unit awards. However, his Enlisted Record Brief shows, he was assigned to the Company A and D, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment during the period under review. a. The Center of Military History shows the 75th Ranger Regiment was authorized or awarded: * Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered AFGHANISTAN 2010; (earned by 1st Battalion) * Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered IRAQ 2003; (earned by HHC; HHC, Co A and B, 1st Battalion; Co B, 2d Battalion) * Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered IRAQ 2003; (earned by HHC; HHC, Co A and B, 1st Battalion; Co B, 2d Battalion) * Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered IRAQ 2003; (earned by HHC; HHC, Co A and B, 1st Battalion; Co B, 2d Battalion) b. The Center of Military History shows the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment was authorized or awarded: Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered AL ANBAR PROVINCE 2003 c. It does not appear that the applicant's unit received a unit award during the period of his service. 12. Army Regulation 635-5 (Separation Documents), then in effect, states to list formal in-service (full-time attendance) training courses successfully completed during the period of service covered by the DD Form 214. This information is to assist the Soldier in job placement and counseling; therefore, do not list training courses for combat skills. BOARD DISCUSSION: After reviewing the application and all supporting documents, the Board found that relief was not warranted. The Board agreed with the administrative corrections. However, the Board found no evidence he qualified for the Southwest Asia Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, or that his unit was awarded the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Valorous Unit Award, Distinguished Unit Citation, and Meritorious Unit Commendation, or that he qualified for an Arrowhead Device. Further, the Board noted that combat courses (Assault Breachers Course, Ranger Indoctrination Program, and Stryker Transition Course) are not listed on the DD Form 214. BOARD VOTE: Mbr 1 Mbr 2 Mbr 3 : : : GRANT FULL RELIEF X :X :X: 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 making the administrative notes annotated by the Analyst of Record (below the signature). 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 the * Southwest Asia Service Medal * Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal * Joint Meritorious Unit Award * Arrowhead Device * Valorous Unit Award * Distinguished Unit Citation * Meritorious Unit Commendation * Assault Breachers Course * Ranger Indoctrination Program (RIP) * Stryker Transition Course 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): 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 2 January 2010 without action by the Board: * Deleting the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one bronze service star * Adding the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with 2 bronze service stars 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) states: a. The SWASM is awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States serving in Southwest Asia and contiguous waters or airspace there over, on or after 2 August 1990 to 30 November 1995. A bronze service star is authorized for wear with this medal for participation in each credited campaign. b. The AFEM is awarded for qualifying service after 1 July 1958 in U.S. military operations, U.S. operations in direct support of the United Nations, and U.S. operations of assistance for friendly foreign nations. An individual, who was not engaged in actual combat or equally hazardous activity, must have been a bona fide member of a unit participating in, or be engaged in the direct support of, the operation for 30 consecutive or 60 nonconsecutive days provided this support involved entering the area of operations. c. Department of Defense Instruction 1348.33 (Military Awards Program) states the JMUA was authorized by the Secretary of Defense on 10 June 1981. It is awarded to recognize joint units and activities for meritorious achievement or service superior to that which is normally expected. Qualifying achievements must be superior to that which is expected under conditions of combat with an armed enemy of the United States, a declared national emergency situation, or extraordinary circumstances and should be operational in nature. The JMUA may not be awarded to any DOD activity which has received any other unit award for the same achievement or period of service. An oak leaf cluster is authorized for wear for each additional award of the JMUA. d. The "arrowhead" will be worn on the appropriate service medal to denote participation in a combat parachute jump, helicopter assault landing, combat glider landing, or amphibious assault landing while assigned or attached as a member of an organized force carrying out an assigned tactical mission. Individual assault credit is tied directly to the combat assault credit decision for the unit to which the Soldier is assigned. The unit must be credited with a combat assault in order for the Soldier to receive credit for a combat assault and the Soldier must physically exit the aircraft or the watercraft as appropriate. The arrowhead is authorized for wear on the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the AFEM, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal the ICM, and the ACM. e. The VUA is awarded for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy of the United States while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict in which the United States is not a belligerent party for actions occurring on or after 3 August 1963. This award requires a lesser degree of gallantry, determination, and esprit de corps than required for the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC). Nevertheless, the unit must have performed with marked distinction under difficult and hazardous conditions in accomplishing its mission so as to set it apart from and above other units participating in the same conflict. The degree of heroism required is the same as that which would warrant award of the Silver Star to an individual. f. The PUC (known as the DUC until 3 November 1966) is awarded for extraordinary heroism in action. A unit must display such gallantry, determination, and esprit de corps in accomplishing its mission as would warrant award of the Distinguished Service Cross to an individual. g. The MUC is awarded to units for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services for at least 6 continuous months during the period of military operations against an armed enemy occurring on or after 1 January 1944. Units based in the continental United States are excluded from this award, as are other units outside the area of operations. 3. Army Regulation 635-5, then in effect, prescribed the separation documents prepared for Soldiers upon retirement, discharge, or release from active military service or control of the Army. It established standardized policy for the preparation of the DD Form 214. It stated the DD Form 214 is a synopsis of the Soldier's most recent period of continuous active service. It provides a brief, clear-cut record of active Army service at the time of release from active duty, retirement, or discharge. The regulation states to list formal in-service (full-time attendance) training courses successfully completed during the period of service covered by the DD Form 214. (As an exception to full-time attendance, list Command and General Staff College and Senior Service Colleges completed by correspondence courses.) Include title, length in weeks, and year completed. This information is to assist the soldier in job placement and counseling; therefore, do not list training courses for combat skills. //NOTHING FOLLOWS// ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20210008656 9 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1