2.  The applicant requests her Home of Record (HOR) be changed from Georgia to the Virgin Islands.

3.  The applicant states, in effect, that she was stationed at Fort Story, Virginia, her first duty station, when she realized that her HOR was incorrect and tried to have it changed.  She was told by the recruiter that he needed a stateside address in order to run a background check before enlisting in the US Army.  The applicant has sent in statements from her mother and father stating that the applicant’s intention was to return to the Virgin Islands, her home of birth.  Applicant did not realize that this change had not been made until she started to out process the military and have her household goods and car shipped to the Virgin Islands.  Applicant was informed that her belongings could only be shipped to Georgia, her recorded HOR.  At this time applicant has her household goods in temporary storage in Alaska.

4.  Records available to the Board show that the applicant was born on 
9 September 1974 in Charlotte Amalie St Thomas, Virgin Islands.  On 7 July 1992 she enlisted in the Army Delayed Enlisted Program at the age of 17.  On 30 September 1992,
applicant enlisted in the Regular Army for a period of 4 years and was awarded MOS 77F10 (Petroleum Supply Specialist).  On 17 May 1995 applicant extended her enlistment for a period of 2 years and extended a second time on 19 July 1995 for 11 months to accept an assignment to Alaska.  Applicant was due to be discharged on 
16 April 1998 with an Honorable characterization of service at the paygrade of Specialist (E-4).

5.  Applicant has sent in statements from her father stating that the applicant came home to live with him every time she had a school break.  Applicant’s mother has stated that she moved to Georgia only to provide a better education for her daughter, as soon as applicant graduated from high school and joined the Army, she moved back to the Virgin Islands.  Applicant provided to this board a statement from the Virgin Island Army National Guard recruiter stating the applicant’s intention to join the Virgin Island Army National Guard upon her discharge from active duty.  Applicant has been on terminal leave in the Virgin Islands since 17 March 1998.  Applicant has also stated that she has no one she knows in Georgia to be able to ship her household goods or car to her nor can she afford the approximately $5000.00 to ship directly to the Virgin Islands.

6.  Advisory Opinion received from the Army Enlisted Records and Evaluation Center, recommended that the applicant’s request be denied.  Army Regulation (AR) 601-280, table 11-1, item 3, home of record can be changed only if a break in service exceeds one full day.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  Applicant was born and resided in the Virgin Islands until the age of 13 until her mother, who had custody, moved to Georgia to better her daughter’s education.

2.  Applicant lived with her biological father in the Virgin Islands during times she was not in school.

3.  After applicant’s entrance into the Army, applicant’s mother returned to the Virgin Islands to live.

4.  Applicant tried to claim the Virgin Islands as her HOR but was told by her recruiter that the background check would be easier if she gave a stateside address.

5.  Applicant had thought she changed her HOR at her first duty station when her Leave and Earning Statement (LES) reflected her home of domicile as the Virgin Islands.

6.  Applicant has stated that she has approximately 3000 pounds of household goods and automobile in temporary storage in Alaska and approximately 1500 pounds of storage in Virginia, her first duty station, and can not afford the 
@ $5000.00 it would cost to have her belongings shipped to the Virgin Islands.

7  It appears that applicant had every intention of returning to the Virgin Islands and was convinced that the Virgin Islands was her HOR.  Applicant is now discharged from the Army and resides in the Virgin Islands.

8.  In view of the foregoing findings and conclusions, it would be appropriate to correct the applicant’s records, but only as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by showing that the applicant’s HOR is the Virgin Islands.

BOARD VOTE:  

                       GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

                       GRANT FORMAL HEARING

                       DENY APPLICATION

		                                   
		        CHAIRPERSON