BOARD DATE: 25 October 2011
DOCKET NUMBER: AR20110008069
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, in effect, correction of his DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge) to show award of the Bronze Star Medal.
2. The applicant states he received the award after his discharge.
3. The applicant provides:
* Bronze Star Medal Citation
* DD Form 214
* letters from a Member of Congress, dated 4 April 2011 and 5 May 2011
CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:
1. Title 10, U.S. Code, section 1552(b), provides that applications for correction of military records must be filed within 3 years after discovery of the alleged error or injustice. This provision of law also allows the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) to excuse an applicant's failure to timely file within the 3-year statute of limitations if the ABCMR determines it would be in the interest of justice to do so. While it appears the applicant did not file within the time frame provided in the statute of limitations, the ABCMR has elected to conduct a substantive review of this case and, only to the extent relief, if any, is granted, has determined it is in the interest of justice to excuse the applicant's failure to timely file. In all other respects, there are insufficient bases to waive the statute of limitations for timely filing.
2. The applicant enlisted in the Regular Army on 6 September 1966 for a period of 4 years. He served as a military policeman in Vietnam from 16 March 1969 to 9 April 1970. On 10 April 1970, he was released from active duty and transferred to the U.S. Army Reserve Control Group (Reinforcement) to complete his remaining service obligation.
3. His DD Form 214 does not show the Bronze Star Medal as an authorized award.
4. There are no orders for the Bronze Star Medal in the available records.
5. Item 41 (Awards and Decorations) of his DA Form 20 (Enlisted Qualification Record) does not show entitlement to the Bronze Star Medal.
6. A review of the Awards and Decorations Computer-Assisted Retrieval System (ADCARS), an index of general orders issued during the Vietnam era between 1965 and 1973 maintained by the Military Awards Branch of the U.S. Army Human Resources Command, failed to reveal any orders for award of the Bronze Star Medal.
7. In support of his claim, he provided a Bronze Star Medal Citation for meritorious service for the period 9 April 1969 to 9 February 1970.
8. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides that the Bronze Star Medal is awarded in a time of war for heroism and for meritorious achievement or service. As with all personal decorations, formal recommendations, approval through the chain of command, and announcement in orders are required. Recommendations must be made within 2 years of the event or period of service and the award must be made within 3 years.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:
There are no orders for the Bronze Star Medal in the available records and the applicant did not provide any orders for the Bronze Star Medal. In the absence of orders officially awarding him the Bronze Star Medal or any other official corroborating evidence, the citation provided by the applicant is not sufficient as a basis for adding the Bronze Star Medal to his DD Form 214.
BOARD VOTE:
________ ________ ________ GRANT FULL RELIEF
________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
____X__ ____X____ ___X_____ DENY APPLICATION
BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION:
The evidence presented does not demonstrate the existence of a probable error or injustice. Therefore, the Board determined the overall merits of this case are insufficient as a basis for correction of the records of the individual concerned.
___________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) AR20110008069
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ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20110008069
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