BOARD DATE: 14 October 2014
DOCKET NUMBER: AR20140004494
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 the Bronze Star Medal and Combat Infantryman Badge.
2. The applicant states the Bronze Star Medal and Combat Infantryman Badge are not shown on his DD Form 214. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal in 1971 when he was assigned to the 66th Ordnance Company, Vietnam. General Westmoreland issued the award.
3. The applicant provides no additional evidence.
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 14 August 1969 and he held military occupational specialty (MOS) 55B (Ammunition Storage Specialist). He served in Vietnam as follows from:
* 2 to 11 August 1970, he was assigned to the 40th Ordnance Company
* 12 August 1970 to 2 August 1971, he was assigned to the 66th Ordnance Company
3. He was honorably released from active duty on 3 August 1971 and he was transferred to the U.S. Army Reserve. The DD Form 214 he was issued does not show the Bronze Star Medal or the Combat Infantryman Badge.
4. His record is void of orders awarding him the Bronze Star Medal or the Combat Infantryman Badge.
5. Item 41 (Awards and Decorations) of his DA Form 20 (Enlisted Qualification Record) does not show the Bronze Star Medal or the Combat Infantryman Badge.
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 the Bronze Star Medal or the Combat Infantryman Badge pertaining to the applicant.
7. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) states the:
a. Bronze Star Medal is awarded in 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.
b. Combat Infantryman Badge is awarded to infantry officers, enlisted, and warrant officer persons who have an infantry MOS. They must have served in active ground combat while assigned or attached to an infantry unit of brigade, regimental, or smaller size. Additionally, appendix V of U.S. Army Vietnam Regulation 672-1 (Decorations and Awards) provides that during the Vietnam era, the Combat Infantryman Badge was awarded only to enlisted individuals who held and served in MOS 11B, 11C, 11D, 11F, 11G, or 11H.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:
1. The evidence of record is void of orders showing the applicant was awarded the Bronze Star Medal. The governing Army regulation states that formal recommendations, approval through the chain of command, and announcement in orders are required for personal decorations, which include the Bronze Star Medal. Regrettably, in the absence of orders, there is insufficient evidence to correct his DD Form 214 to show award of the Bronze Star Medal.
2. With respect to the Combat Infantryman Badge, there are three requirements for award of this badge: the Soldier must be an infantryman satisfactorily performing infantry duties, he must be assigned to an infantry unit during such time as the unit is engaged in active ground combat, and he must actively participate in such ground combat.
3. The applicants service in Vietnam is not in question. However, there is no evidence in the available records and he did not submit any evidence that shows he held an infantry MOS and participated in active ground combat while assigned to an infantry unit. As he held MOS 55B, a non-qualifying MOS for the Combat Infantryman Badge, there is no basis for granting this portion of his request.
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 that 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) AR20140004494
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ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20140004494
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