IN THE CASE OF:
BOARD DATE: 9 July 2015
DOCKET NUMBER: AR20140020606
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 his records be corrected to show the award of the Bronze Arrowhead Device on the Vietnam Service Medal.
2. The applicant states that he was recently informed that he was authorized the Bronze Arrowhead device for wear on his Vietnam Service Medal by a national service organization.
3. The applicant provides copies of his Bronze Star Medal and Air Medal Certificates, DD Form 215 (Correction to DD Form 214), a Vietnam Combat Certificate and a page from his DA Form 20 (Enlisted Qualification Record).
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 12 November 1968 for a period of 3 years. He completed his basic training at Fort Polk, Louisiana and his advanced individual training as an airplane repairman at Fort Rucker, Alabama and was transferred to Vietnam on 1 June 1969 for assignment to the 21st Aviation Company, 212th Combat Aviation Battalion.
3. He departed Vietnam on 9 August 1971 and was transferred to Fort Lewis, Washington where he was honorably released from active duty (REFRAD) as an overseas returnee. He had served 2 years, 8 months and 14 days of active service and was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, Aircraft Crewman Badge, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with one silver service star and one bronze service star, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation.
4. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) states the arrowhead will be worn on the appropriate service medal to denote participation in a combat parachute jump, helicopter assault landing, combat glider landing, or amphibious assault landing while assigned or attached as a member of an organized force carrying out an assigned tactical mission. Individual assault credit is tied directly to the combat assault credit decision for the unit to which the Soldier is assigned. The unit must be credited with a combat assault in order for the Soldier to receive credit for a combat assault and the Soldier must physically exit the aircraft or the watercraft as appropriate. The arrowhead is authorized for wear on the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal the Iraq Campaign Medal, and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal.
5. Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-3 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) provides the unit citations and campaign participation for units during the Vietnam War. It provides, in pertinent part, that the only unit awarded the Bronze Arrowhead Device for a combat assault in Vietnam was Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 173rd Airborne Brigade in the vicinity of Katum, Republic of Vietnam during the period of 0900 0907, 22 February 1967. Evidence of participation is required to be awarded the Bronze Arrowhead Device for that assault landing.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:
1. The applicants contention that he should be awarded the Bronze Arrowhead Device for wear on his Vietnam Service Medal has been noted and appears to lack merit.
2. Only one unit was awarded the Arrowhead Device for an assault landing in Vietnam and it was not the applicants unit. Additionally, it occurred 2 years before the applicants arrival in Vietnam.
3. Therefore, in the absence of evidence to show otherwise, there appears to be no basis for granting the applicants 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) AR20140020606
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ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20140020606
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