APPLICANT REQUESTS: That his DD Form 214, Report of Transfer or Discharge, be corrected to show that his actual Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) was a medical specialist and not a dental specialist, and that he was awarded the Combat Medical Badge and the Soldiers Medal with V device.
APPLICANT STATES: That his MOS is incorrect because he was assigned to an infantry platoon as a medic and dental assistants are not assigned to such positions. Also, since he was a medic in combat he should have been awarded the Combat Medical Badge. Finally, he was told in July 1967 that he was to receive the Soldiers Medal with a V device for pulling a friend to safety and patching him up while under fire.
EVIDENCE OF RECORD: The applicants military records show:
He was inducted on 23 November 1965 and after completion of advanced individual training he was awarded MOS 91E20, dental specialist. He served in Vietnam for 10 months and 3 days, first with the 25th Medical Battalion of the 25th Infantry Division then with C Troop, 10th Cavalry, 4th Infantry Division. He was honorably discharged on 15 November 1967 in pay grade E-4.
His awards include the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Sharpshooter Badge with rifle bar.
The applicants record shows that on 15 September 1967 he was awarded MOS 91B20 (medical specialist), however, this change was never recorded on his personnel qualification record (DA Form 20).
The applicants records contain no information to show that he was recommended for or awarded the Combat Medical Badge or the Soldiers Medal.
Army Regulation 600-8-22, Military Awards, provides, in pertinent part, that the primary requirement for award of a decoration is that a formal recommendation be prepared and introduced into official military channels by someone having witnessed or with knowledge of the act, achievement or service to be recognized. Awards of decorations will be announced in permanent orders by commanders authorized to make the awards.
The same regulation provides that medical personnel, assigned or attached by appropriate orders to an infantry unit of brigade, regimental or smaller size, or to a medical unit organic to an infantry unit of brigade or smaller size, during any period the infantry unit is engaged in actual ground combat, are eligible for award of the Combat Medical Badge, provided they are personally present and under fire during such ground combat.
The Soldiers Medal is awarded to any person of the Armed Forces of the US who while serving in any capacity with the Army of the US, distinguishes himself or herself by heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy. Awards will not be made solely on the basis of having saved a life.
The V device is worn on a military decoration to denote participation in an act of heroism involving conflict with an armed enemy.
Army Regulation 635-5, Personnel Separations, provides instructions for preparing DD Form 214. It pertinently states that the soldiers primary MOS or Area of Concentration (AOC), and all additional MOS/AOC served for a period of one year or more, during the soldiers continuous active military service will be listed.
DISCUSSION: Considering all the evidence, allegations, and information presented by the applicant, together with the evidence of record, applicable law and regulations, it is concluded:
1. The applicants MOS was changed to medical specialist (91B20) from 91E20 on 14 September 1967. He departed Vietnam on or about 14 November 1967 meaning that he could have served in that MOS for no more than 2 months, an insufficient time to record that MOS as his primary on his DD Form 214.
2. While it appears that he served with a combat unit (C Troop, 10th Cavalry) there is no evidence of record that during that period he was recommended for or awarded the Combat Medical Badge.
3. Likewise, the records do not show and the applicant has not provided any evidence to show that he was recommended for award of the Soldiers Medal with V device. Such an award would have been highly unlikely, however, since the Soldiers Medal is not awarded for heroism involving conflict with an enemy. Further, it is awarded solely for heroism and would, therefore, not be awarded with a V device.
4. In view of the foregoing, there is no basis for granting the applicant's request.
DETERMINATION: The applicant has failed to submit sufficient relevant evidence to demonstrate the existence of probable error or injustice.
BOARD VOTE:
GRANT
GRANT FORMAL HEARING
DENY APPLICATION
Karl F. Schneider
Acting Director
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