PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           21 March 2002                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2001064798

	I certify that hereinafter is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in the case of the above-named individual.  

| Mr. Carl W. S. Chun | | Director
| Mrs. Nancy Amos | | Analyst

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

| Mr. John N. Slone | | Chairperson
| Ms. Linda D. Simmons | | Member
| Mr. John T. Meixell | | Member

	The applicant and counsel if any, did not appear before the Board.

	The Board considered the following evidence:

	Exhibit A - Application for correction of military 
                records
	Exhibit B - Military Personnel Records (including
	            advisory opinion, if any)

FINDINGS:

1.  The applicant has exhausted or the Board has waived the requirement for exhaustion of all administrative remedies afforded by existing law or regulations.

2.  The applicant requests that his Report of Transfer or Discharge, DD Form 214, be amended to show his correct social security number (SSN) and that the Vietnam Service Medal and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal be added.  

3.  The applicant states that whoever typed his DD Form 214 made a typographical error when entering his SSN.  He provides his DD Form 214 and a copy of his social security account number (SSAN) card as supporting evidence.

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he was inducted into the Army on 11 December 1963.  All documents in his files, except his DD Form 214, show only a service number, not an SSN.  His Enlisted Qualification Record, DA Form 20, shows that he served in Korea with Company A, 1^st Battalion, 7^th Cavalry from on or about 28 April 1964 to on or about 25 May 1965.  He was released from active duty on 10 December 1965 after completing 2 years of creditable active service with no lost time.  His DA Form 20 shows that his conduct and efficiency were rated as excellent throughout his service.  His DD Form 214 shows his service number in item 2 but his SSN is shown in item 32, remarks, as 324-__-____.

5.  The SSAN card provided by the applicant shows his SSN as 423-__-____.

6.  Army Regulation 600-2, effective 1 July 1969, announced the use of the SSAN and Temporary Identification Number in lieu of Military Service Numbers.

7.  Army Regulation 635-5 prescribes the separation documents prepared for soldiers upon retirement, discharge, or release from active military service or control of the Army.  It establishes standardized policy for the preparation of the DD Form 214.  In pertinent part it states that the DD Form 214 is a synopsis of the soldier’s most recent period of continuous active duty.  It provides a brief, clear-cut record of active Army service at the time of release from active duty, retirement or discharge.  At the time of the applicant’s separation, it required entering a soldier’s SSN in item 32 of the DD Form 214.  

8.  Army Regulation 600-8-2 is the current regulation that provides policy and criteria concerning individual military decorations.  In pertinent part, it states that the National Defense Service Medal is awarded for honorable active service for any period between 1 January 1961 and 14 August 1974.

9.  Army Regulation 672-5-1, in effect at the time, provided policy and criteria concerning individual military decorations.  It stated that the Army Good Conduct Medal was awarded for each 3 years of continuous enlisted active Federal military service completed on or after 27 August 1940 and, for the first award only, upon termination of service on or after 27 June 1950 of less than 3 years but more than 1 year.  At the time, a soldier’s conduct and efficiency ratings must have been rated as “excellent” for the entire period of qualifying service.
CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant was inducted into the Army and served during a period of time when the SSN was not used as a personal identifier.  Therefore, his SSN was entered in the remarks section of the DD Form 214.  It appears that the first and third digits were inverted when it was entered on his DD Form 214.  

2.  The evidence of record shows the applicant served in Korea but not in Vietnam.  

3.  The evidence of record shows the applicant met the eligibility requirement for award of the National Defense Service Medal and the Army Good Conduct Medal.  

4.  In view of the foregoing, the applicant’s records should be corrected as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by awarding the applicant the Army Good Conduct Medal for the period 11 December 1963 – 10 December 1965.

2.  That the applicant’s DD Form 214:

     a.  item 26 be amended to add the National Defense Service Medal and the Army Good Conduct Medal; and

     b.  item 32 be amended to have his SSN to read 423-__-____.

3.  That so much of the application as is in excess of the foregoing be denied.

BOARD VOTE:  

__jns___  __lds___  __jtm___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

			John N. Slone
		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID | AR2001064798
SUFFIX |
RECON |
DATE BOARDED | 20020321
TYPE OF DISCHARGE |
DATE OF DISCHARGE |
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY |
DISCHARGE REASON |
BOARD DECISION | (GRANT)
REVIEW AUTHORITY |
ISSUES         1. | 100.09
2. | 107.0073
3. | 107.0088
4. |
5. |
6. |