RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
IN THE CASE OF:
BOARD DATE: 29 April 2008
DOCKET NUMBER: AR20070017544
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.
Director
Analyst
The following members, a quorum, were present:
M
Chairperson
M
Member
M
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, in effect, that she be awarded the Combat Medical Badge.
2. The applicant essentially believes she should have been awarded the Combat Medical Badge for her service in Iraq. She also states that she was with Company C, 148th Forward Support Battalion (FSB) in Iraq, which was a medical unit.
3. The applicant provides her DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty); deployment orders, dated 13 December 2004 and 16 May 2005; two Noncommissioned Officer Evaluation Reports (NCOERs) which essentially covered her deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom; and a DA Form 638 (Recommendation for Award) awarding her the Army Commendation Medal in support of this application.
CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:
1. The applicant's military record shows that she enlisted in the Georgia Army National Guard on 19 May 2000. She completed initial entry training and was awarded military occupational specialty (MOS) 91C (Practical Nurse), and was subsequently awarded MOS 91W (Health Care Specialist). On 6 December 2004, she was ordered to active duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as part of Company C, 148th FSB and served in Kuwait and Iraq from 17 May 2005 through 8 May 2006. On 28 June 2006, she was honorably released from active duty. The DD Form 214 that was issued to her at the time of her release from active duty on 28 June 2006 shows that she was awarded the Army Commendation Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with "M" (for Mobilization) Device.
2. The applicant requested that she be awarded the Combat Medical Badge. However, she was not assigned or attached to, or under operational control of a Combat Arms unit of brigade or smaller size satisfactorily performing medical duties while personally present and under fire while the unit was engaged in active ground combat. Her NCOERs for her deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom show that she was assigned to Company C, 148th FSB, and that she served as a Health Care Sergeant supervising medical specialists providing medical care to wounded or ill patients at troop medical clinics.
3. The applicant essentially believes she should have been awarded the Combat Medical Badge for her service in Iraq. She also states that she was with Company C, 148th FSB in Iraq, which was a medical unit.
4. Paragraph 8-7b(4)1 of Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides that on or after 18 September 2001, medical personnel assigned or attached to, or under operational control of any ground Combat Arms unit (not to include members assigned or attached to Aviation units) of brigade or smaller size, who satisfactorily performed medical duties while the unit is engaged in active ground combat, provided they are personally present and under fire, are eligible for award of the Combat Medical Badge.
5. Army Regulation 600-8-22 also provides, in pertinent part, that the evolution of the Combat Medial Badge stemmed from a requirement to recognize medical aid-men who shared the same hazards and hardships of ground combat on a daily basis with the infantry Soldier. It was designed to provide recognition to the field medic who accompanies the infantryman into battle and shares the experiences unique to the infantry in combat. There was never any intention to award the Combat Medical Badge to all medical personnel who serve in a combat zone or imminent danger area.
6. Army Regulation 15-185 (Army Board for Correction of Military Records) prescribes the policies and procedures for correction of military records by the Secretary of the Army, acting through the ABCMR. This regulation provides that the ABCMR begins its consideration of each case with the presumption of administrative regularity. The applicant has the burden of proving an error or injustice by a preponderance of the evidence.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:
1. The applicant contends that she should be awarded the Combat Medical Badge.
2. While the applicant believes that she should have been awarded the Combat Medical Badge for serving as a Health Care Sergeant in Iraq, she was not assigned or attached to or under operational control of a Combat Arms unit of brigade or smaller size satisfactorily performing medical duties while personally present and under fire while the unit was engaged in active ground combat. In view of the foregoing, there is no basis for awarding the Combat Medical Badge to the applicant in this case.
BOARD VOTE:
________ ________ ________ GRANT FULL RELIEF
________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
__XXX __ __XXX__ __XXX__ 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 for correction of the records of the individual concerned.
___ XXX ___
CHAIRPERSON
ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20070017544
4
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS
1901 SOUTH BELL STREET, 2ND FLOOR
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