IN THE CASE OF:	  

		BOARD DATE:	  21 December 2011

		DOCKET NUMBER:  AR20100014190 


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 requests that the following awards be added to his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty):

* Master Parachutist Wings (correctly know as Master Parachutist Badge)
* Guatemalan Master Parachutist Badge
* Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon
* Air Force Reserve Meritorious Service Ribbon
* U.S. Air Force (USAF) Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) Academy Graduate Ribbon
* Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicle Operator Train the Trainer Course

2.  He states, in effect, the orders and certificates for the above awards and schools were not placed in the Interactive Personnel Electronic Record Management System.  He also states the entries in item 12 (Military Education) and item 15 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Commendations, Citations, and Campaign Ribbons Awarded this Period) of his National Guard Bureau (NGB) Form 22 (Report of Separation and Record of Service) need to be added to his DD Form 214, dated 22 May 2010.

3.  He provides the following documents:

* NGB Form 22
* DD Form 214
* MRAP University Certificate of Completion
* Aeronautical Order Number 0066 that shows he was granted a Master Parachutist Rating
* Guatemalan Parachutist Certificate
* Certificate from the USAF, Air University, Extension Course Institute

CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:

1.  The applicant enlisted in the Regular Army on 4 October 1979.  

2.  He was honorably released from active duty on 3 January 1984, due to expiration term of service and transferred to the U.S. Army Reserve Control Group (Reinforcement) to complete his Reserve obligation.  Item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations and Campaigns Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) of his DD Form 214 shows the following:

* Army Service Ribbon
* "Parachute Badge"
* NCO Professional Development Ribbon Numeral 2

3.  Item 14 (Military Education):

* Basic Airborne Course - 3 weeks, 1980
* Special Forces Qualification Course - 17 weeks, 1982
* Basic German Language Course - 12 weeks, 1983
* Basic NCO Course - 4 weeks, 1983

4.  He enlisted in the Air National Guard of New York and served until he was discharged on 9 April 1987.  His NGB Form 22 shows the following:

* NCO Academy Course - 6 weeks, 20 February 1986
* Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon
* Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Ribbon

5.  He submitted Aeronautical Order Number 0066, issued by Headquarters, 102nd Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group, Suffolk County, NY, which shows he was awarded a Master Parachutist rating, effective 7 January 1986. 

6.  He submitted a copy of an Extension Course Institute, Air University Diploma, which shows he completed the Command NCO Academy Correspondence Program on 20 February 1986.

7.  He submitted an untranslated copy of a Guatemalan Parachutist Certificate dated 17 November 1993.
8.  He enlisted in the ARNG on 10 January 2009 and was ordered to active duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom on 15 April 2009.

9.  He submitted an MRAP University Certificate of Completion which shows he attended the 90 hour MRAP Family of Vehicle Operator Train the Trainer Course from 19 May to 1 June 2009.

10.  On 22 May 2010, he was honorably released from active duty and returned to the ARNG after serving for a total of 1 year, 1 month, and 8 days of active service.  The DD Form 214 he was issued for this period of service shows:

* Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge, Basic
* Army Good Conduct Medal
* National Defense Service Medal
* Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
* Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign Star
* NCO Professional Development Ribbon (2nd award)
* Army Service Ribbon
* Overseas Service Ribbon
* Armed Forces Reserve Medal with "M" Device
* Parachutist Badge,
* Special Forces Tab
* USAF Aircrew Member Badge
* Scuba Diver Badge

11.  Army Regulation 635-5 (Separation Documents), in effect at the time, 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 establishes standardized policy for preparing and distributing the 
DD Form 214.  It states:

       a.  item 13 - List all awards and decorations for all periods of service in the priority sequence specified in Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) will be entered on the DD Form 214.  Each entry will be verified by the Soldier’s records.

       b.  item 14 - List in-service training courses; title, number of weeks year successfully completed during this period of service; e.g., medical, dental, electronics, supply, administration, personnel, or heavy equipment operations.  This information is to assist the member after separation in job placement and counseling; therefore, training courses for combat skills will not be listed.

12.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 states award of the Master Parachutist Badge requires a rating of “excellent” in character and efficiency, completion of 65 jumps (25 with combat equipment, 4 night jumps with 1 as jumpmaster, and 5 mass tactical jumps culminating in an airborne assault problem), graduation from the Jumpmaster Course, and service on jump status for at least 36 months.

13.  Paragraph 9-26b of Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides that commanders serving in the rank of brigadier general or higher and colonel-level commanders who exercise general court-martial authority are delegated authority to approve the acceptance, retention, and permanent wear of foreign badges listed in appendix D of this same regulation.  This authority may be further delegated to commanders charged with custody of military personnel record files.  The burden of proof rests on the individual Soldier to produce valid justification, that is, orders, citations, or other original copies of the foreign elements that awarded them the badge.

14.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 also states that Soldiers not currently assigned to airborne duty, but who have completed basic airborne training, are prohibited from attending foreign airborne training courses, participating in foreign airborne operations, or wearing of foreign parachute badges.  However, exceptions are permitted under the Army’s Permissive Parachuting Program.  The first General Officer in a Soldier’s chain of command can approve permissive jumps.  Soldiers who complete an approved permissive jump and are awarded a foreign airborne badge under this status may wear the badge permanently.

15.  Appendix D of Army Regulation 600-8-22 lists the foreign badges authorized for acceptance and wear on the Army uniform.  It provides, in pertinent part, that the Guatemala Parachutist Badge is authorized for wear if the individual successfully completed the Guatemala Parachute Course.  It also essentially states that if an individual has not successfully completed the Guatemala Parachute Course, they may only accept the badge.

16.  Air Force Instruction (AFI) 36-2803 (The Air Force Awards and Decorations Program) that the NCO Professional Military Education (PME) ribbon is awarded to graduates of the following certified NCO PME schools (NCO Preparatory Course, Airman Leadership School, NCO Leadership School, NCO Academy, and the Senior NCO Academy.  AFI 36-2803 also states in pertinent part the ribbon is not awarded to members who only complete the correspondence courses or similar training conducted by other military services except for in-residence completion of the U.S. Army Sergeant Major Academy, Navy Senior Enlisted Academy, or Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Academy.


DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:

1.  Evidence of record shows the applicant was awarded the Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon and Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Ribbon during a qualifying period of service.  Therefore, he is entitled to have his DD Form 214, dated 22 May 2010, corrected to show these service ribbons.  

2.  Evidence of record shows he completed the MRAP Vehicle Operator Train the Trainer Course during his most recent period of active service.  Therefore, he is entitled to have item 14 of his DD Form 214, dated 22 May 2010, corrected to show this course.

3.  Evidence of record shows he attended the Command NCO Academy Correspondence program.  Therefore, he is not entitled to award of the USAF PME Graduate Ribbon.

4.  There is no evidence nor did he submit any evidence that shows he met the requirements for award of the Army Master Parachutist Badge.  Therefore, he is not entitled to have his record corrected to show award of this badge.

5.  Although the applicant provided a certificate issued by the Guatemalan government that shows he received master parachute training there is no evidence nor did he submit any evidence that shows he was in the U.S. military when he attended this training.  Therefore, absent evidence which conclusively shows he was in the U.S. military he is not entitled to have his record corrected to show this foreign badge.

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 adding the Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon and Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Ribbon to item 13 of his DD Form 214 and the MRAP Vehicle Operator Train the Trainer Course, 2 weeks, 1999 to item 14 of his DD Form 214.

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 correcting his DD Form 214 to show the USAF PME Graduate Ribbon, Guatemalan Master Parachutist Badge, and Master Parachutist Badge.  
      
      
      
      ___________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)                                         AR20100014190



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ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

 RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS


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