RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS


      IN THE CASE OF:


      BOARD DATE:            13 APRIL 2004
      DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2003098531


      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             |
|     |Ms. Deborah L. Brantley           |     |Senior Analyst       |


  The following members, a quorum, were present:

|     |Mr. Roger W. Able                 |     |Chairperson          |
|     |Mr.Robert J. Osborn II            |     |Member               |
|     |Ms. Yolanda Maldonado             |     |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).

THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, STATEMENT, AND EVIDENCE:

1.  The applicant requests that her records be corrected to reflect award
of the Air Force Commendation Medal.  She also believes that she may be
entitled to a "Joint Service" award and an "Expedition Ribbon."

2.  The applicant states that the awards were approved after her separation
from active duty.  She states that she would like to join the American
Legion and needs proof of "war time" service, which she states, can be
confirmed by an award of the "Expedition Ribbon."

3.  The applicant provides a copy of orders confirming her award of the Air
Force Commendation Medal and proof of her service in Saudi Arabia.

CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:

1.  The applicant is requesting correction of an error which occurred on
18 March 1982.  The application submitted in this case is dated 27
September 2003.

2.  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 allows the Army
Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) to excuse failure to file
within the 3-year statute of limitation if the ABCMR determines that it
would be in the interest of justice to do so.  In this case, the ABCMR will
conduct a review of the merits of the case to determine if it would be in
the interest of justice to excuse the applicant’s failure to timely file.

3.  Records available to the Board indicate that the applicant entered
active duty on 10 August 1979 and served until she was voluntarily released
from active duty by reason of pregnancy on 18 March 1982.

4.  In December 1981, while assigned to the 235th Signal Detachment at Fort
Monmouth, New Jersey, the applicant was placed in a temporary duty (TDY)
status in Saudi Arabia.  Her records indicate that she was TDY from 3
December 1980 until 20 February 1981.

5.  In June 1982, after the applicant had already been released from active
duty, she was awarded an Air Force Commendation Medal for the period 6
December 1980 to 19 February 1981.  Orders issued by Headquarters, United
States Air Forces in Europe confirmed the award and permission to accept
the decoration was issued by Department of the Army in December 1982.  The
award is not recorded on the applicant's separation document.

6.  Although the applicant indicates that she believes that she is entitled
to an "Expedition Ribbon" she is in all likelihood referring to the Armed
Forces Expeditionary Medal which has been authorized for specific United
States Military Operations, United States operations in direct support of
the United Nations, and United States Operations of assistance for friendly
foreign nations.  The decoration was awarded in recognition of Operation
Earnest Will which took place in the Persian Gulf between 24 July 1987 and
31 January 1990.  There is no indication that the award was presented for
service in that region during the period the applicant was TDY in Saudi
Arabia.

7.  It is also unclear what decoration the applicant may be referring to
when she indicates that she may also be entitled to a "Joint Service"
decoration.  The Joint Service Achievement Medal and the Joint Service
Commendation Medal are both individual decorations that require a
recommendation, approval through an appropriate Joint Service organization,
and confirmation in orders.  There is no evidence she was recommended for
either award.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The evidence does confirm that the applicant was awarded an Air Force
Commendation Medal in recognition of her outstanding achievement during the
period 6 December 1980 to 19 February 1981 while TDY in Saudi Arabia.  Her
records should be corrected accordingly.

2.  There is however, no evidence that the applicant or her unit
participated in an operation for which the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
was awarded and no evidence she was ever recommended for, or awarded the
Joint Service Achievement Medal or Joint Service Commendation Medal.  In
the absence of such evidence there is no basis for award of any of those
decorations.

BOARD VOTE:

__RWA__  __RJO __  ___YM__  GRANT RELIEF

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION:

1.  The Board determined that the evidence presented was sufficient to
warrant a recommendation for partial relief and to excuse failure to timely
file.  As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army
records of the individual concerned be corrected by showing that she was
awarded an Air Force Commendation Medal.

2.  The Board further determined that the evidence presented is
insufficient to warrant a portion of the requested relief.  As a result,
the Board recommends denial of so much of the application that pertains to
award of an "Expedition Ribbon" or "Joint Service" award.





            ____ Roger W. Able______
                    CHAIRPERSON




                                    INDEX

|CASE ID                 |AR2003098531                            |
|SUFFIX                  |                                        |
|RECON                   |YYYYMMDD                                |
|DATE BOARDED            |20040413                                |
|TYPE OF DISCHARGE       |(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR)    |
|DATE OF DISCHARGE       |YYYYMMDD                                |
|DISCHARGE AUTHORITY     |AR . . . . .                            |
|DISCHARGE REASON        |                                        |
|BOARD DECISION          |GRANT                                   |
|REVIEW AUTHORITY        |                                        |
|ISSUES         1.       |107.00                                  |
|2.                      |                                        |
|3.                      |                                        |
|4.                      |                                        |
|5.                      |                                        |
|6.                      |                                        |