IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 7 March 2022 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20220006729 APPLICANT REQUESTS: correction of his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), period ending 11 September 1991, to show: * award of the Southwest Asia Service Medal with three bronze service stars * award of the Schuetzenschnur Gold (German Armed Forces Marksmanship Badge) * he earned a battlefield promotion APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENT(S) CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record) 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 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, in effect - a. He should have been awarded the Southwest Asia Service Medal with three bronze service stars. For some unknown reason, one of them was taken away. b. During battle in Desert Storm, while behind enemy lines, he earned a battlefield promotion. Perhaps the only one issued in the entire theater of operations. His effective date of promotion is the day of the Desert Storm ceasefire, 26 February 1991. c. The 1st Armored Division, 25th Field Artillery "Wolfpack" participated with their German sister units to earn the Schuetzenschnur. He would like it added to his DD Form 214 so he can wear it on his Class A uniform. 3. His request for correction of his DD Form 214 to show the Southwest Asia Service Medal with three bronze service stars was previously considered by the Board. The Board granted his request. A DD Form 215 (Correction to DD Form 214) was issued on 9 October 2003 accurately reflecting the Southwest Asia Service Medal with three bronze service stars. The Board will not address this portion of his request. Nor will it be referenced further in this Record of Proceedings. 4. The Board will address the new portion of the applicant's request regarding correction of his DD Form 214 to show the award of the Schuetzenschnur and his "battlefield" promotion. 5. The applicant’s military records are not available for review in this case. The National Personnel Records Center - Military Personnel Records was unable to locate the applicant's military records upon request. Incorporated herein by reference are military records which were summarized by the ABCMR in Docket Numbers AR2002079218, 27 March 2003, and AR20040009988, 9 August 2005, which provide sufficient records to conduct a fair and impartial review of this case. 6. The applicant entered active duty in the Regular Army on 29 September 1988. His DA Form 2-1 (Personnel Qualification Record), 5 September 1991, shows: a. Item 5 (Oversea Service) shows service in the following locations: * Germany - 11 February 1989 to 5 September 1991 * Saudi Arabia - undated b. Item 9 (Awards, Decorations and Campaigns) shows he was authorized or awarded: Army Service Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar (M-16), and Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Grenade Bar. c. Item 18 (Appointments and Reductions) shows he was promoted as follows: * Private (PV1) - 29 September 1988 * Private (PV2) - 29 March 1989 * Private First Class (PFC) - 29 August 1989 * Specialist (SPC) - 28 February 1991 d. Item 27 (Remarks) shows he served in Southwest Asia from 16 December 1990 to 2 May 1991. 7. He was discharged from active duty on 11 September 1991. He was credited with 2 years, 11 months, 13 days of net active service. His DD Form 214 and subsequent DD Form 215 show in Items 4a and 4b (Rank and Pay Grade) show he was a Specialist (SPC)/E-4 at the time of discharge. It also shows: a. Item 12f (Effective Date of Pay Grade) shows his promotion to SPC/E-4 was effective 28 February 1991. b. Item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) shows: * National Defense Service Medal * Army Service Ribbon * Overseas Service Ribbon * Southwest Asia Service Medal with three bronze service stars * Kuwait Liberation Medal - Kuwait * Kuwait Liberation Medal - Saudi Arabia * Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar (M-16) * Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Grenade Bar 8. Regulatory guidance pertaining to foreign badges states the German Armed Forces Marksmanship Badge (Schuetzenschnur) is not annotated in an individual Soldier's record brief or entered on the DD Form 214. The approved memorandum, a copy of the certificate and any supporting documentation will be added to the Army Military Human Resource Record (AMHRR) of the recipient. The applicant's complete service record was not available to determine if these documents were included. Nor did the applicant provide documentation of the award of the Schuetzenschnur. 9. Regulatory guidance pertaining to enlisted promotions states there is a 26-month time in service (TIS) requirement and a 6-month time in grade (TIMIG) requirement for advancement from PFC/E-3 to SPC/E-4. The applicant was advanced to SPC/E-4 on 28 February 1991. He had 29 months TIS and 18 months TIMIG upon the effective date of his advancement. He met the eligibility criteria for advancement without a waiver. 10. There is no regulatory provision for the annotation of a "battlefield" promotion on the DA Form 214. BOARD DISCUSSION: After reviewing the application, all supporting documents, and the evidence found within the military record, the Board found that relief was not warranted. The applicant’s contentions, the military record, and regulatory guidance were carefully considered. The evidence shows the applicant served on active duty from 29 September 1988 to 11 September 1991. During this period, he served in Germany from 11 February 1989 to 5 September 1991 and deployed to Southwest Asia from 16 December 1990 to 2 May 1991. a. The applicant does not provide evidence of being awarded the German Armed Forces Marksmanship Badge and receipt of approval to accept and wear this foreign badge. Additionally, the applicant was advanced to SPC/E-4 on 28 February 1991. His DD Form 214 correctly reflects his rank and grade. b. A battlefield promotion is a military term that was common during World War I, World War II, and the Korean and Vietnam Wars (also a pilot program during the Global War on Terrorism). The battlefield promotion program recognizes and promotes Soldiers for extraordinary performance of duties while serving in combat or under combat conditions. There is no evidence in the record and the applicant provides none to show such a program existed during his deployment, and/or that he was recommended for or received a battlefield promotion. 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. 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, 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 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 (AR) 600-8-22 (Military Awards) prescribes Army policy, criteria, and administrative instructions concerning individual and unit military awards. a. Paragraph 9-26 states that foreign qualification and special skill badges may be accepted if awarded in recognition of meeting the criteria as established by the foreign government concerned. Only badges awarded in recognition of military activities and by the military department of the hist country are authorized for acceptance and permanent wear. Foreign badges listed in appendix D of this regulation are not annotated in an individual Soldier's record brief or entered on the DD Form 214. b. Appendix D, Table D-1 lists the German Armed Forces Marksmanship Badge (Schuetzenschnur) as authorized for acceptance and wear on the Army uniform by enlisted personnel. 3. AR 600-8-19 (Enlisted Promotions and Reductions), in effect at the time, states the eligibility criteria for advancement from PFC to SPC is a 26-month TIS (12 months TIS may be waived) and a 6-month TIMIG (3 months TIMIG may be waived. 4. AR 635-5 (Personnel Separations - Separation Documents), in effect at the time, provides instructions for the preparing the DD Form 214. Entries pertaining to rank/grade and promotions are as follows: * Item 4a and 4b (Grade, Rate or Rank and Pay Grade) - enter active duty grade or rank and pay grade at time of separation * Item 12h - enter the effective date of promotion to pay grade //NOTHING FOLLOWS// ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20220006729 1 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1