BOARD DATE:	  20 August 2015

		DOCKET NUMBER:  AR20150000485 


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 reconsideration of his request for correction of his DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge) to show the Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle
(M-16), Machinegun (M-60), and Recoilless Rifle (M-69) Bars.

2.  The applicant states that, as far as he knows, every Soldier in the 1st Cavalry Division was issued an M-16 rifle before deploying to Vietnam.  The only exception was for Soldiers in the 545th Military Police Company, where snipers were issued special M-14 rifles.  He acknowledges that he was not a sniper.

   a.  He served as a general’s guard and when flying in helicopters as a door gunner.  He admits that he did not fire the M-69 recoilless rifle in Vietnam, but states he qualified expert with the rifle while at Fort Benning, GA.

   b.  He adds that he has no documentation to support his claim, but requests an additional review of his records.

3.  The applicant provides no documentation in support of his request.

CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:

1.  Incorporated herein by reference are military records which were summarized in the previous consideration of the applicant's case by the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) in Docket Number AR20140003857, on 2 December 2014.
2.  The applicant was inducted into the Army of the United States on 13 January 1964.  He was awarded military occupational specialty 95B (Military Police).

3.  A review of the applicant's military records failed to reveal orders pertaining to qualification with the M-16 Rifle, M-60 Machinegun, or the M-69 Recoilless Rifle.

4.  The applicant's DA Form 24 (Service Record) shows in section 9 (Medals, Decorations, and Citations) the following badges and dates presented:

* Marksman, M-1 Rifle, 3 March 1964 
* Marksman, .45 caliber Pistol, 1 May 1964
* Expert, .45 caliber Pistol, 13 August 1964
* Marksman, .45 caliber Pistol, 9 March 1965

5.  His DA Form 20 (Enlisted Qualification Record), 1 November 1954 edition, shows in item 28 (Qualification in Arms) the following weapon qualifications and dates:

* Marksman, M-1 Rifle, 13 February 1964
* Marksman, .45 caliber Pistol, 1 May 1965

6.  His DA Form 20 (Enlisted Qualification Record), 1 January 1965 edition, shows in item 28 (Qualification in Arms) the following weapon qualifications and dates:

* Marksman, M-1 Rifle, 13 February 1964
* Marksman, .45 caliber Pistol, 1 May 1965
* Expert, M-16, 25 July 1965

7.  The applicant was honorably released from active duty on 10 January 1966.  

8.  On 2 December 2014, ABCMR Docket Number AR20140003857 corrected the applicant's records to show, in pertinent part, all of his authorized awards.  

   a.  In his original request, he stated, "I never fired an M-1 [rifle]."

   b.  The ABCMR determined, "[t]he applicant's record shows his qualification with the M-1 Rifle was for familiarization while he was in a training status.  As such, this entry should be removed from this DD Form 214."  Accordingly, the Marksman Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle (M-1) Bar was deleted.

   c.  In view of the foregoing, no action is being taken with respect to the Marksman Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle (M-1) Bar.
9.  His DD Form 214, as corrected by a DD Form 215 (Correction to
DD Form 214), issued on 26 January 2015, shows he was awarded the:

* Army Good Conduct Medal (1st Award)
* National Defense Vietnam Service Medal
* Vietnam Service Medal with 2 bronze service stars
* Presidential Unit Citation
* Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation
* Marksman Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle (M-14) Bar
* Marksman Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Pistol (.45 Caliber) Bar

10.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides policy, criteria, and administrative instructions concerning military awards and decorations.  The qualification badge is awarded to indicate the degree (i.e., Expert, Sharpshooter, and Marksman) in which an individual has qualified in a prescribed record course.  An appropriate bar is furnished to denote each weapon with which the individual has qualified.  Award of marksmanship badges is not permanent.  An award for previous marksmanship weapons qualification is revoked automatically whenever an individual, upon completion of firing a record course for which the previous award was made, has not attained the same qualification.  In the event a badge is authorized for firing a limited or sub-caliber course, it is automatically revoked if a record service course is subsequently fired.

11.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 350-38 (Standards in Training Commission) provides commanders with the training strategies for individual, crew, and collective weapons training.  The pamphlet is structured by unit type (e.g., Armor, Infantry, Artillery, Military Police, etc.) instead of by weapon type; however, the basic requirements call for annual (or sooner) qualification with individual weapons.  This means, in effect, the most recent qualification score with a particular weapon denotes the degree of marksmanship badge the Soldier is eligible to wear.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The evidence of record shows the applicant qualified expert with the M-16 Rifle on 25 July 1965.  Thus, he is entitled to correction of his records to show the Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle (M-16) Bar. 

2.  The applicant's records are absent evidence that he qualified with the 
M-60 Machinegun or the M-69 Recoilless Rifle.  In addition, he provides insufficient evidence to show he qualified with either the M-60 Machinegun or the M-69 Recoilless Rifle.  Therefore, he is not entitled to correction of his records to show either of these badges.
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 amendment of the ABCMR's decision in Docket Number AR20140003857, dated 2 December 2014.  As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by adding to item 26 of his DD Form 214 the Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle (M-16) Bar.

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 marksmanship qualification badges for the M-60 Machinegun and the M-69 Recoilless Rifle. 




      _______ _   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)                                         AR20150000485



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ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)                                         AR20150000485



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