| Mr. Carl W. S. Chun | Director | |
| Mr. Jessie B. Strickland | Analyst |
| Ms. Joann H. Langston | Chairperson | ||
| Ms. Linda D. Simmons | Member | ||
| Mr. Robert L. Duecaster | Member |
2. The applicant requests reconsideration of his previous application to correct his military records by awarding him the Air Medal and the Free Fall Parachutist Badge.
3. The applicant states, in effect, that he visited the National Archives in Maryland and discovered that there were no records for the unit he served in while in Vietnam prior to 1968. However, there were General Orders for the Division which contained orders for members of his unit at the time that they were awarded the Air Medal. He continues by stating that some of the names were soldiers who were awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) with him. He also states that he believes that the failure to award him the Air Medal was simply a matter of clerical error because he earned the award and participated in category I aerial flight missions. In support of his application he submits several copies of orders awarding soldiers the Air Medal and a copy of his certificate and jump completion certificate qualifying him for the Free Fall Parachutist Badge.
4. The Memorandum of Consideration (MOC) of the Board’s 1 August 2002 review of the case (AR2002071603) is incorporated herein by reference as if wholly set forth.
5. The applicant’s submission is new evidence and/or argument that requires Board consideration.
6. The orders submitted by the applicant consist of a copy of the orders awarding him the CIB and copies of two orders dated in December 1966, awarding soldiers the Air Medal. At least two names contained on the Air Medal orders are also contained on the orders awarding the applicant the CIB in February 1966. He also submits a Certificate of Training which shows that he completed the Military Free Fall Course of Instruction and demonstrated his proficiency through participation in 15 free fall jumps from altitudes of 8,000 to 20,000 feet.
7. United States Army – Vietnam (USARV) Regulation 672-1, in effect at the time, provided in pertinent part, that to be recommended for award of the Air Medal, an individual must have completed a minimum of 25 category I missions, 50 category II missions or 100 category III missions. Since various types of missions would have been completed in accumulating flight time towards award of an Air Medal for sustained operations, different computations would have had to be made to combine category I,II and III flight time and adjust it to a common denominator.
8. Military Personnel (MILPER) message number 97-154, dated 15 October 1997, announced that the Chief of Staff of the Army had approved permanent wear of the Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge. It provides, in pertinent part, that to be eligible for award of the basic badge, an individual must have satisfactorily completed a prescribed program of instruction in military free fall approved by the United States Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School or have executed a military free fall combat jump.
CONCLUSIONS:
1. Although the applicant has provided orders which show that members of his unit who were awarded the CIB at the same time as he received the CIB, this information does not translate to a basis to award him the Air Medal simply because they received it 6 months later.
2. The available evidence does not provide any basis in which the Board can determine if the applicant in fact participated in the same missions as the other individuals who were awarded the Air Medal. Therefore, lacking such corroboration, there is no basis for the Board to award him the Air Medal at this time.
3. However, the applicant has provided sufficient evidence to show that he did attend and complete the requisite course of instruction/training to qualify for award of the Free Fall Parachutist Badge.
4. In view of the foregoing findings and conclusions, correcting the applicant’s records as recommended below would correct an error or rectify an injustice.
RECOMMENDATION:
1. That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by awarding the individual concerned the Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge.
2. That so much of the application as pertains to award of the Air Medal, that is in excess of the forgoing be denied.
BOARD VOTE:
__jhl____ __lds____ __rld____ GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION
____Joann Langston_____
CHAIRPERSON
INDEX
| CASE ID | AR2003084137 |
| SUFFIX | |
| RECON | |
| DATE BOARDED | 2003/11/20 |
| TYPE OF DISCHARGE | |
| DATE OF DISCHARGE | |
| DISCHARGE AUTHORITY | |
| DISCHARGE REASON | |
| BOARD DECISION | GRANT |
| REVIEW AUTHORITY | |
| ISSUES 1. 64 | 107.0018/AM |
| 2. 166 | 107.0120/Free Fall Prcht Badge |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| 5. | |
| 6. |
ARMY | BCMR | CY2002 | 2002071603C070402
The applicant states that he attended Pathfinder Class 1-78, that an earlier DD Form 214 included his CIB, and that other members of his company received the Air Medal but he did not. There is no evidence of record, no USARV Form 131 on the applicant is available, and he has submitted no evidence to show he was eligible for award of the Air Medal. The applicant’s DA Form 2-1 shows he completed HALO training; however, his DA Form 1307 is not available and he has not submitted a course...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2012 | 20120020156
The applicant requests correction of his DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge) to show he was awarded or authorized the following: * Purple Heart (PH) (2nd Award) * gold star on Parachute Wings for jumps under fire (properly known as the bronze service star to be worn on the Parachutist Badge to denote a combat parachute jump) * senior Parachute Wings (properly known as Senior Parachutist Badge) * Air Medal (AM) * Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2009 | 20090013345
Application for correction of military records (with supporting documents provided, if any). It allows, in effect, that upon the request of a Member of Congress, the Secretary concerned shall review a proposal for the award or presentation of a decoration (or the upgrading of a decoration), either for an individual or a unit, that is not otherwise authorized to be presented or awarded due to limitations established by law or policy for timely submission of a recommendation for such award or...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2008 | 20080007461
There are no orders for a second award of the Air Medal in the available records. Headquarters, 173d Airborne Brigade General Order Number 1738, dated 7 July 1969, show the applicant received the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service in conjunction with military operations against a hostile force for the period October 1967 to July 1969. Since there are no orders for a second award of the Air Medal, there is insufficient evidence on which to base a second award of the Air Medal.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2013 | 20130004165
The applicant requests correction of his DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge) to show he: * should have been awarded the Air Medal * was a Drill Instructor at Fort Jackson, SC * participated in 25 air assaults * was a member of the 1st Cavalry 2. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by: a. deleting from item 24 of his DD Form 214 for the period ending 27 January 1968 the...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2008 | 20080002652
The applicant's Military Personnel Records Jacket (MPRJ) contains no orders or other documents that show the applicant was ever awarded, held, or served in an infantry MOS, or that he was awarded the CIB or AM by proper authority while serving in the RVN. The evidence of record also fails to show that the applicant served as a crewmember or non-crewmember on flight status during his tenure of assignment in the RVN, or that he completed the number of air missions necessary to qualify for...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2006 | 20060006693C070205
The applicant requests, in effect, that he be awarded the Korea Defense Service Medal (KDSM), the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation (ROKPUC), the Combat Service Commemorative Ribbon, the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB), the Senior Parachutist Badge and the Glider Badge and that his records be corrected to reflect those awards. The applicant’s military records are not available to the Board for review. The applicant was honorably discharged on 29 August 1952 and has had no further...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2005 | 20050001129C070206
The applicant’s military records show he enlisted in the Regular Army and entered active duty 19 July 1954. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) prescribes Army policy and criteria concerning individual military awards. United States Army Vietnam (USARV) Regulation 672-1 (Decorations and Awards), in effect at the time, provided guidelines for award of the AM.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2005 | 20050001129C070206
Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) prescribes Army policy and criteria concerning individual military awards. United States Army Vietnam (USARV) Regulation 672-1 (Decorations and Awards), in effect at the time, provided guidelines for award of the AM. The evidence of record confirms the applicant held the rank and pay grade of PVT/E-2 on the date of his separation from active duty.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2002 | 2002075102C070403
The applicant requests correction of military records as stated in the application to the Board and as restated herein. The Board considered the following evidence: APPLICANT REQUESTS: That he be awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) and the Air Medal (AM).