IN THE CASE OF:	  

		BOARD DATE:	16 July 2009    

		DOCKET NUMBER:  AR20090002736 


THE BOARD CONSIDERED THE FOLLOWING EVIDENCE:

1.  Application for correction of military records (with supporting documents provided, if any).

2.  Military Personnel Records and advisory opinions (if any).


THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, STATEMENT, AND EVIDENCE:

1.  The applicant request, in effect, correction of item 14 (Military Education) of his 12 August 2006 DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty).

2.  The applicant states, in effect, that item 14 of his DD Form 214 is incorrect in that portions of his military training were omitted or entered incorrectly.  He states that the continuation of item 14 in item 18 (Remarks) incorrectly reads 1996 when it should be 2000 as the year he completed his Health Care Specialist course and that the 5-week Indirect Fire Infantryman course he completed in 1996 was erroneously omitted from his DD Form 214

3.  The applicant provides the following documents in support of his application:  Headquarters, United States Army Infantry Center (USAIC), Fort Benning, Georgia, Orders Number 220-1557, dated 7 August 1996; Headquarters, United States Army Medical Department Center & School, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, Orders 256-238, dated 12 September 2000; and his DD Form 214.

CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:

1.  The applicant’s record shows that he enlisted in the Regular Army and entered active duty on 14 June 1996.  His DA Form 2-1 (Personnel Qualification Record) contains entries in item 17 (Civilian Education and Military Schools) that confirm he completed a 13 week military occupational specialty (MOS) 11C (Indirect Fire Infantryman) course at the USAIC, Fort Benning in 1996, and a    10-week MOS 91B course at the Academy of Health Sciences, Fort Sam Houston in 2000.  

2.  The applicant’s Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) contains a DA Form 1059 (Service School Academic Evaluation Report), dated 19 September 2000, which confirms the applicant successfully completed a 10-week 91B Medical Specialist course in 2000.  A Department of the Army (DA) forces restructuring action later converted MOS 91B to MOS 91W (Health Care Specialist).  

3.  On 12 August 2006, the applicant was honorably discharged after completing 10 years, 1 month, and 12 days of active military service.  Item 14 of the 
DD Form 214 he was issued shows he completed the following courses:  Air Assault Course, 2 weeks, 1997; Airborne Course, 3 weeks, 1996; Basic Noncommissioned Officers Course, Phase I, 2 weeks, 2005; Combat Lifesaver Course, 1 week, 1997; Emergency Medical Technician Course, 2 weeks, 2006; Emergency Medical Technician Sustainment Course, 1 week, 2003; Healthcare Specialist Course, 10 weeks, 1996; and Primary Leadership Development Course, 4 weeks, 2004. 

4.  Army Regulation 635-5 (Separation Documents) prescribes the separation documents that must be prepared for Soldiers on retirement, discharge, release from active duty service, or control of the Active Army.  It also establishes standardized policy for preparing and distributing the DD Form 214.  
Paragraph 2-4 of the separation documents regulation contains item-by-item instructions for completing the DD Form 214.  The instructions for Item 14 state that only formal in-service (full-time attendance) training courses successfully completed during the period of service covered by the DD Form 214 will be entered.  The course entries will include title, length in weeks, and year completed.  It further stipulates that this information is to assist the Soldier in job placement and counseling; therefore, combat skills courses will not be entered.  

5.  Department of Army (DA) Pamphlet 351-4 (Army Formal Schools Catalog) is the official source of information on formal courses of instruction offered at active U.S. Army Schools and Training Centers.  It also describes inter-service and other Department of Defense (DOD) courses for Army personnel.  It states in pertinent part that only those formal courses listed in the DA Pam 351-4 will be recorded in Item 14 (Military Education) of the DD Form 214.  The Medical/Health Care Specialist course is listed in this pamphlet.  

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant's contention that his DD Form 214 incorrectly shows he completed the 91B/91W course in 1996 was carefully considered and found to have merit.  The evidence of record confirms the applicant completed a 10-week healthcare specialist course on 19 September 2000, as evidenced by an entry in item 17 of his DA Form 2-1 and by the DA Form 1059 on file in his OMPF.  As a result, it would appropriate to correct item 14 of his DD Form 214 accordingly. 

2.  The applicant's contention that his MOS 11C course was erroneously omitted from item 14 of his DD Form 214 was also carefully considered.  However, by regulation combat skills courses will not be entered in item 14 of the DD Form 214.  Therefore, there is an insufficient evidentiary basis to grant this portion of the requested relief.  However, the applicant is advised that his training and experience in this combat skill is appropriately documented with the MOS 11C entry in item 11 (Primary Specialty) of his DD Form 214.  

BOARD VOTE:

________  ________  ________  GRANT FULL RELIEF 

____X____  ___X_____  ____X____  GRANT PARTIAL 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.  As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by amending Item 18 of his DD Form 214 by deleting the entry "Healthcare Specialist Course, 10 weeks, 1996" and replacing it with the entry "Healthcare Specialist Course, 10 weeks, 2000.

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 adding the Indirect Fire Infantryman course to item 14 of his DD Form 214.  




      _______ _   _X______   ___
       	   CHAIRPERSON
      
I certify that herein is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in this case.
ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)                                         AR20090002736



3


ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

 RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS


1

ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)                                         AR20090002736


2


ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

 RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS


1