DD form 214 questions...

swoosh76

swoosh76

New Member
I plan on getting my dad who served in Vietnam in 1967, a shadow box of all his awards and decs for the short time he was in. I have a copy of his 214 and there are some things on there that I don't know what it is. I was wondering if someone here can help me out.

SPS M-14 - I know it has to do something with the M-14 obviously, but was he just qualified with it, or was it something special?)
VSM - Vietnam Service Medal( I can see this one online when I search for it)
VCM - Vietnam Combat Medal?????? (I cant find this one)

Also, his 214 doesn't say anything about the ASR, because it wasn't effective til 1981, but he is allowed to have it now, correct?

3. Criteria: a. The Army Service Ribbon is awarded to members of the Army, Army Reserve, and Army National Guard for successful completion of initial-entry training.
b. The Army Service Ribbon may be awarded retroactively to those personnel who completed the required training before August 1, 1981 provided they had an active Army status as defined above, on or after August 1, 1981. Only one award is authorized.

My main concern is the SPS M-14 and the VCM. on www.usmedals.com they have the VSM, but not the VCM.

Thanks in advance!!
 
I think SPS = Sharpshooter and VCM = Vietnam Campaign Medal. The Vietnam Service Medal should contain one bronze campaign star for each qualifying campaign with a silver star worn in lieu of five bronze stars. There 17 campaigns for Vietnam are as follows:

Advisory 3/15/62 - 3/7/65
Defense 3/8/65 - 12/24/65
Counteroffensive 12/25/65 - 6/30/66
Counteroffensive, Phase II 7/1/66 - 5/31/67
Counteroffensive, Phase III 6/1/67 - 1/29/68
Tet Counteroffensive 1/30/68- 4/1/68
Counteroffensive. Phase IV 4/2/68 - 6/30/68
Counteroffensive, Phase V 7/1/68- 11/1/68
Counteroffensive, Phase VI 11/2/68 - 2/22/69
Tet 69/Counteroffensive 2/23/69 - 6/8/69
Summer-Fall 1969 6/9/69 - 10/31/69
Winter-Spring 1970 11/1/69 - 4/30/70
Sanctuary Counteroffensive 5/1/70 - 6/30/70
Counteroffensive, Phase VII 7/1/70 - 6/30/71
Consolidation I 7/1/71 - 11/30/71
Consolidation II 12/1/71 - 3/29/72
Cease-Fire 3/30/72 - 1/28/73

Hope that helps you out a little bit.
 
ok, thanks and yes it does. I know he served one tour, althoguh the 214 says 2 Overseas Bars. not sure how that works with 11 months and 12 days overseas.

As for the VSM, he should just have just one medal, but with 2 service bars, I guess he should have 1 bronze star then too, huh?
 
1 Overseas Service Bar = 6 months of service outside CONUS. Doesn't his DD-214 say which campagins he was in? This is how you should display the campaign star(s):

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no, where would it say it? In the decs and awards?

All I see in the Foreign and or Seas Service it says...USARPAC, which that isn;t it cause that is US Army Pacific, correct?

what is line 12 on the dd214? It's the line under Reason and Authority. That is unreadable on my copy and it reads a unit.

Last Duty Assignment and Major Command....that is what it is. The format has changed since 1967..LOL.


Thanks TCK for all your help. Also, my wife just said he was in the Tet CounterOffensive...so that narrows that down.

Once again, thanks!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
No problem. It's an honorable thing you are doing for your father and I was more than happy to help. You need anything else, just ask.
 
Don't forget the NDSM National Defense Service Medal. It was authorized for the time he was in.

Go to this site,http://arba.army.pentagon.mil/index.htm
And then make an online account here; https://secureweb.hqda.pentagon.mil....aspx?ReturnUrl=/ACTS_Online/gui/landing.aspx

Request the forms necessary to receive your Dad's corrected DD214 or DD215 to find out all the decorations and badges he was put in for after he left the service. This is important because there are 9 copies of the DD214 and his does not have all the information, as you will find out, that is required to receive the medals he deserves.

I know this because I went through the process and was sent an updated DD215 listing the NDSM and GCM that was not on my copy of the DD214. In fact the badges were wrong on my copy. The copy that you get from PERSCOM in St Louis, Mo. will come from the official personnel jacket and will list an accurate list of awards.
 
thanks guys...I NDSM was on his copy...also the ASR was not, but I am aware that he is allowed to have it. I have done some more research from his unit's website and actually saw his name in there.

I think I have all the information I need to get this done. I really appreciate all you guys' help.
 
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