IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 6 January 2009 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20080017802 THE BOARD CONSIDERED THE FOLLOWING EVIDENCE: 1. Application for correction of military records (with supporting documents provided, if any). 2. Military Personnel Records and advisory opinions (if any). THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, STATEMENT, AND EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant requests award of the Good Conduct Medal. 2. The applicant states, in effect, that he completed three years of honorable service with no derogatory information and should have been awarded the Good Conduct Medal. 3. The applicant provided a copy of his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), dated 4 August 2006 in support of his application. CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant's records show he enlisted in the Regular Army for a period of 3 years on 5 August 2003. He completed basic combat and advanced individual training and was awarded military occupational specialty (MOS) 11B (Infantryman). The highest grade he attained during his military service was specialist (SPC)/E-4. He was honorably released from active duty and transferred to the U.S. Army Reserve Control Group (Reinforcement) on 4 August 2006, after completing 3 years of creditable active service with no time lost. 2. The applicant’s records show that he served in Afghanistan from 27 March 2005 to 26 March 2006. He was assigned to C Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry. 3. Item 13 (Decoration, Medals, Badges, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) of the applicant's DD Form 214 shows he was awarded the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal (2nd Award), the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon (2nd Award), the Parachutist Badge, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. Item 13 does not show award of the Good Conduct Medal. 4. The applicant’s records do not contain orders awarding him the Good Conduct Medal. There is also no record of any disciplinary actions or evidence of a disqualification by the unit commander. 5. Section VIII (Awards and Decorations) of the applicant's Enlisted Record Brief, dated 30 March 2006, does not show award of the Good Conduct Medal. 6. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides that the Good Conduct Medal is awarded to individuals who distinguish themselves by their conduct, efficiency and fidelity during a qualifying period of active duty enlisted service. This period is 3 years except in those cases when the period for the first award ends with the termination of a period of Federal military service. Although there is no automatic entitlement to the Good Conduct Medal, disqualification must be justified. 7. Review of the applicant's records indicates his entitlement to additional awards that are not shown on his DD Form 214. 8. A directive issued by the Department of Defense on 16 April 2008 designated three phases of Operation Enduring Freedom as qualifying for a campaign star. The applicant's records show that he participated in the Consolidation I, from 1 December 2001 to 30 September 2006, campaign during his tour of duty in Afghanistan. This same regulation states that a bronze service star will be awarded for wear on the Afghanistan Campaign Medal for participation in each campaign. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: 1. The evidence of record confirms that the applicant served honorably during the period 5 August 2003 through 4 August 2006. He completed a one-year tour in Afghanistan and was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge. Furthermore, there is no derogatory information in his records. Lacking any derogatory information on file that would have disqualified him, it would be appropriate to award the applicant the first award of the Good Conduct Medal. Therefore, he is entitled to correction of his records to show this award. 2. The evidence of record shows that the applicant served in Afghanistan from 27 March 2005 to 26 March 2006 and was awarded the Afghanistan Campaign Medal. Additionally, the evidence of record shows that the applicant participated in one campaign during his service in Afghanistan. Therefore, he is entitled to award of one bronze service star to be affixed to his Afghanistan Campaign Medal. BOARD VOTE: ___X____ ___X____ ___X____ GRANT FULL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING ________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The Board determined that the evidence presented was sufficient to warrant a recommendation for relief. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by: a. awarding the applicant the Good Conduct Medal (1st Award) for exemplary behavior, efficiency, and fidelity during the period 5 August 2003 through 4 August 2006; and b. adding the Good Conduct Medal (1st Award) and a bronze service star to be affixed to his already-awarded Afghanistan Campaign Medal to his DD Form 214, dated 4 August 2006. XXX _____________________ 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. ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20080017802 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20080017802 2 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1