IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 30 June 2015 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20140018125 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 correction of her DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to show her deployment to Bosnia-Herzegovina in support of Operation Joint Guard and any authorized awards associated with this service. 2. The applicant states: * her DD Form 214 doesn't reflect any awards or overseas deployments * she was deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina in support of Operation Joint Guard 3. The applicant provides: * DD Form 214 * reassignment orders * photograph taken in Bosnia * two DA Forms 638 (Recommendation for Award) CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 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 Army Board for Correction of Military Records (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. While it appears the applicant did not file within the time frame provided in the statute of limitations, the ABCMR has elected to conduct a substantive review of this case and, only to the extent relief, if any, is granted, has determined it is in the interest of justice to excuse the applicant's failure to timely file. In all other respects, there are insufficient bases to waive the statute of limitations for timely filing. 2. The applicant enlisted in the Regular Army on 20 March 1996 and she trained as a medical specialist. 3. She provided a DA Form 638, dated 1 July 1997, awarding her the Army Achievement Medal (AAM) for meritorious achievement during the period 23 to 27 June 1997 in support of Operation Joint Guard in Bosnia-Herzegovina. 4. She also provided a DA Form 638, dated 30 September 1997, for award of the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service in support of Operation Joint Guard while deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina during the period 18 March to 26 October 1997. The intermediate authority recommended downgrading the award to an AAM. The approval authority and orders data sections are incomplete. 5. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) confirmed she received hostile fire pay/imminent danger pay and combat zone tax exclusion for service in Bosnia-Herzegovina from 25 March 1997 to 31 July 1997. 6. On 19 March 1999, she was honorably released from active duty. 7. Her DD Form 214 shows she was awarded or authorized the: * AAM * National Defense Service Medal * Army Service Ribbon * Marksman Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar * Marksman Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Grenade Bar 8. Item 18 (Remarks) of her DD Form 214 does not show any deployments. 9. Military Personnel Message Number 99-100 authorized award of both the Armed Forces Service Medal (AFSM) and Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) as a one-time exception to Department of Defense and Service policy for qualifying service in support of Operations Joint Endeavor/Joint Guard in the Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina. This exception allowed both service medals to be presented to personnel deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina during the periods 1 June 1992 to 19 December 1996 (Operation Joint Endeavor) and 20 December 1996 to 20 June 1998 (Operation Joint Guard). This exception also allowed only one award of each service medal for service in either or both Operation Joint Endeavor and/or Operation Joint Guard. 10. Army Regulation 635-5 (Separation Documents), in effect at the time, 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 preparation of the DD Form 214. The instructions stated that for an active duty Soldier deployed with his or her unit during their continuous period of active service, the statement "SERVICE IN (name of country deployed) FROM (inclusive dates for example, YYYYMMDD-YYYYMMDD)" would be entered in item 18. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: 1. DFAS confirms the applicant received hostile fire pay/imminent danger pay and combat zone tax exclusion for service in Bosnia-Herzegovina during the period 25 March 1997 to 31 July 1997. Therefore, item 18 of her DD Form 214 should be corrected to show she served in Bosnia-Herzegovina from 25 March 1997 to 31 July 1997. 2. The evidence of record shows she participated in Operation Joint Guard in Bosnia-Herzegovina during the period 25 March 1997 to 31 July 1997 which entitles her to award of the AFSM and AFEM. Therefore, her DD Form 214 should be corrected to show these awards. BOARD VOTE: ___x____ ___x____ ___x____ GRANT FULL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING ________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The Board determined the evidence presented is 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. adding award of the AFSM and AFEM to her DD Form 214 and b. adding the entry "SERVICE IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA FROM 19970325-19970731" to item 18 of her DD Form 214. _______ _ 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) AR20140018125 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20140018125 2 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1