RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS


      IN THE CASE OF:


      BOARD DATE:            27 APRIL 2006
      DOCKET NUMBER:   AR20050009583


      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             |
|     |Mr. Jessie B. Strickland          |     |Analyst              |


      The following members, a quorum, were present:

|     |Mr. Lester Echols                 |     |Chairperson          |
|     |Mr. John Meixell                  |     |Member               |
|     |Ms. Naomi Henderson               |     |Member               |

      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 reconsideration of his previous request to be
awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM).

2.  The applicant states, in effect, that he was assigned to the 121st
Signal Battalion at Fort Riley, when his unit was deployed to Florida to
set up communication sites in preparation for the invasion of Cuba during
the Cuban Missile Crisis.  He further states that the AFEM was awarded for
participation during the Cuban Missile Crisis and he did not receive it.
He also states that while the Board in its previous deliberation of his
case could not determine that his unit deployed to Florida, he was able to
locate substantiating evidence through the Internet.

3.  The applicant provides two documents from two Internet sites that
indicate his unit deployed to Florida during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:

1.  Incorporated herein by reference are military records which were
summarized in the previous consideration of the applicant's case by the
Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) in Docket Number
AR2004104407, on 5 October 2004.

2.  The applicant served as a lineman with Company B, 121st Signal
Battalion, 1st Infantry Division, at Fort Riley, Kansas, from 21 September
1961 until he was honorably discharged in the pay grade of E-5 on 20 August
1964.

3.  A review of the applicant’s records failed to show that his unit
deployed during the Cuban Missile Crisis.  However, information contained
within the 1st Infantry Division History indicates that his unit (121st
Signal Battalion) deployed to forward positions in Florida to establish
communications for an assault on Cuba.

4.  The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) is a military award of the
United States military which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order
of President John Kennedy.  The decoration is awarded for participation in
any military campaign of the United States for which no other service medal
is authorized.  The first campaign of the AFEM was the Cuban Missile Crisis
and the award was issued to those who served in the designated area of
operation during the period of 24 October 1962 to 1 June 1963.  The
designated area of operation was deemed to be the island/country of Cuba
and in the water area from 12 degrees to 28 degrees North Latitude and from
66 degrees to 84  degrees West Longitude.  Information obtained from the
Awards Branch of the Human Resources Command – Alexandria, Virginia
indicates that a subsequent message/directive was dispatched to the field
from the Secretary of the Army which clarified that Florida
(units/individuals present in Florida) was not encompassed by the
designated area of operations and thus did not qualify for award of the
AFEM.

5.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides, in pertinent part,
for award of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for qualifying service
after 1 July 1958 in U.S. military operations, U.S. operations in direct
support of the United Nations, and U.S. operations of assistance to
friendly foreign nations.  Qualifications for this award includes the
requirements to be a bona fide member in a unit engaged in the operation or
to serve in the area of operations for 30 days, or to be engaged in direct
support of the operation for 30 consecutive or 60 nonconsecutive days
provided this support involves entering the area of operations.  The
regulation also provides that the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal may be
awarded if the individual served the full period in cases when the
operation is less than 30 days in duration, if the individual is engaged in
actual combat with armed opposition regardless of the period of service, if
the individual participates as a member of an aircraft flying in support of
the operation, or if the individual is recommended (or attached to a unit
recommended) for award of the medal if the above criteria have not been
met.  The designated military operations and dates of eligibility for this
award are specified in Army Regulation 600-8-22.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:

1.  Notwithstanding that the available records do not place the applicant
in Florida during the Cuban Missile Crisis, his unit was deployed to
Florida and in all likelihood, the applicant was deployed to Florida as he
contends.

2.  However, the criteria for award of the AFEM required that individuals
must serve in the designated area of operations in order to be eligible for
the award and there is no evidence to show that the applicant ever served
in the designated area.

3.  Furthermore, a subsequent message from the Department clarified the
issue of units stationed in Florida during the period in question which
specifically determined that the area of Florida was not contained in the
designated area of operations necessary for award of the AFEM.

4.  In order to justify correction of a military record the applicant must
show to the satisfaction of the Board, or it must otherwise satisfactorily
appear, that the record is in error or unjust.  The applicant has failed to
submit evidence that would satisfy this requirement.

BOARD VOTE:

________  ________  ________  GRANT FULL RELIEF

________  ________  ________  GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

___LE  __  ___JM __  ___NH __  DENY APPLICATION

BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION:

The evidence presented does not demonstrate the existence of a probable
error or injustice.  Therefore, the Board determined that the overall
merits of this case are insufficient as a basis to amend the decision of
the ABCMR set forth in Docket Number AR2004104407, dated 5 October 2004.




                                  _____Lester Echols__________
                                            CHAIRPERSON



                                    INDEX

|CASE ID                 |AR20050009583                           |
|SUFFIX                  |                                        |
|RECON                   |                                        |
|DATE BOARDED            |20060427                                |
|TYPE OF DISCHARGE       |HD                                      |
|DATE OF DISCHARGE       |19640820                                |
|DISCHARGE AUTHORITY     |AR 635-200                              |
|DISCHARGE REASON        |ETS                                     |
|BOARD DECISION          |(DENY)                                  |
|REVIEW AUTHORITY        |AR 15-185                               |
|ISSUES                  |118/afem                                |
|1.107.0072              |                                        |
|2.                      |                                        |
|3.                      |                                        |
|4.                      |                                        |
|5.                      |                                        |
|6.                      |                                        |


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