How would I go about getting the Good Conduct Medal I did not receive upon discharge in 1965? I had three years service and no d
Finally a real question.While the Good Conduct Medal isnt a high award, it is a real award, and it is common to make a display of one's military awards to commemorate your service, and you want the complete set.Okay, first you need to look on your dd214․ did they type in the letters GCM? At a minimum, you earned the NDSM, and GCM —two awards for serving honorably in 1965. The NDSM was because Vietnam had kicked off by 1965 and so you were in an army at war (yeah yeah, police action, so was Korea) anyone in service January 1, 1961, to August 14, 1974 got this automatically. You should have two medals or more, depending on if you deployed, or you served in an elite unit, etc. These days that stuff automatically populates by computer—back then a personnel clerk would have had to type it in.Sometimes that happens and while the unit doesn’t give you your medal, it is right there in the 201 file so they put it on your paperwork. When I retired they forgot to give me my retirement award, and I had to ask the clerk for it.If GCM is there, you can get your “lost” medal issued here at no cost to you:How to Replace Lost Military Medals, Awards, and DecorationsOkay, what if you lost your DD-214 and you can't tell if you were ever awarded the GCM? Get a copy of your DD-214Request your military service records (including DD214) | Veterans AffairsOkay, you have your military records, and the E-4 who cut your discharge orders was having a bad day and didn't type anything in the awards block of the DD-214.Now what? You have to get your DD-214 amended to correct the mistake.HRC Homepage“If you are in need of a correction to your Certificate of Release of Discharge from Active Duty (DD Form 214), you must submit a written request for a correction (DD Form 215) and include a copy of your DD Form 214. Your request needs to prdetails about the items you believe to be in error including copies of documentation that support the changes.If you are a discharged veteran, changes to your official records are only warranted if the change occurred during your tour of active duty or reserve service.If you are a retiree, you can request change or correction of your official military records any time. Changes include information such as your name, social security number, date of birth or place of birth. You must attach copies of supporting documents to your request. Examples of supporting documents include:Divorce decreeCourt orderBirth certificateSocial Security CardYou can submit your requests in letter format (dated and with signature) or on a Standard Form 180, (download form in .PDF format).Mail your request to:CommanderU.S. Army Human Resources CommandATTN: AHRC-PDR-H/Dept 4201600 Spearhead Division AveFort Knox, KY 40122If you feel that an error or injustice exists in your military records and you have exhausted all other administrative remedies available, you may apply for corrections to the Army Board for Correction of Military Records or to the Army Discharge Review Board. You can obtain application forms and information from the Army Review Board Agency (ARBA), Commercial Tel #: 703-545 6900.”What you are asking for is easy and the first level clerk who gets your request can probably handle it. The tough cases they get are upgrading less than honorable discharges to honorable, or requests to upgrade awards because the person unfairly got a lower award due to racism or bias. What you want is quite doable. Good luck!
