IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 14 September 2011 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20110004971 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 Army Good Conduct Medal. 2. The applicant states she served honorably for 3 years on active duty from 18 July 2006 to 17 July 2006 [sic] (17 July 2009). 3. The applicant provides her DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty). CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. She enlisted in the Regular Army on 18 July 2006 for a period of 3 years. She completed basic combat and advanced individual training and was awarded military occupational specialty 21Y (Geospatial Engineer). 2. She served in Iraq during the period from 8 July 2007 to 5 October 2008. 3. Section VIII - Awards and Decorations of her Enlisted Record Brief (ERB) indicates she was awarded the Joint Service Achievement Medal and the Army Commendation Medal. 4. 20th Engineer Brigade Permanent Order Number 104-004, dated 14 April 2009, awarded her the Army Achievement Medal for the period 8 March 2007 to 17 July 2009. 5. On 17 July 2009, she was released from active duty. She completed 3 years of active service that was characterized as honorable. She had no time lost. Item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Commendations, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) of her DD Form 214 indicates she was awarded or is authorized the: * Army Commendation Medal * Joint Service Achievement Medal * National Defense Service Medal * Global War on Terrorism Service Medal * Iraq Campaign Medal with 1 bronze service star * Overseas Service Ribbon 6. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) states, in pertinent part, that the Army 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. After 27 June 1950, to the present time, the current standard for award of the Army Good Conduct Medal is 3 years of qualifying service, but as little as 1 year is required for the first award in those cases when the period of service ends with the termination of active enlisted Federal military service. Although there is no automatic entitlement to the Army Good Conduct Medal, disqualification must be justified. In the instances of disqualification as determined by the unit commander, the commander will prepare a statement of rational for his or her decisions. 7. Army Regulation 600-8-22 states, in pertinent part, that the immediate unit commander's decision to award the Army Good Conduct Medal will be based on his or her personal knowledge and of the individual's official records for period of service under previous commander during the period for which the award is to be made. The lack of official disqualifying comment by such previous commanders qualifies the use of such period toward the award by the current commander. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: 1. Her military records show she was awarded the Army Achievement Medal. Therefore, this award should be added to her DD Form 214. 2. She completed her first 3 years period of active service on 17 July 2009. There is no evidence she was awarded her first award of the Army Good Conduct Medal. 3. She was awarded the Army Commendation Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, and the Army Achievement Medal. Her records do not contain any records of court-martial or instances of non-judicial punishment. There is no record of time lost. 4. Therefore, in the absence of evidence showing disqualification, it is appropriate to award the applicant the Army Conduct Medal based on completion of qualifying service from 18 July 2006 to 17 July 2009. It would also be appropriate to add this award to item 13 of her DD Form 214. 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 her the first award of the Army Good Conduct Medal for the period from 18 July 2006 to 17 July 2009; and b. amending item 13 of her DD Form 214 to include the: * Army Achievement Medal * Army Good Conduct Medal _______ _ 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. ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20110004971 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20110004971 2 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1