PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           25 March 1999 
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AC94-10003
                                              AR1999019362

	I certify that hereinafter is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in the case of the above-named individual.  

	Mr. Loren G. Harrell		Director	
	Mr. William Blakely .		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Margaret K. Patterson 		Chairperson	
	Mr. Elzey J. Arledge, Jr.		Member	
	Mr. Lester Echols		Member	

	The applicant and counsel if any, did not appear before the Board.

	The Board considered the following evidence:

	Exhibit A - Application for correction of military 
                            records
	Exhibit B - Military Personnel Records (including
	                  advisory opinion, if any)

FINDINGS:

1.  The applicant has exhausted or the Board has waived the requirement for exhaustion of all administrative remedies afforded by existing law or regulations.

2.  The applicant requests that his place of birth, date of birth, and the last name shown in his military records be changed and that he be issued new separation documents, to include a new discharge certificate.

3.  The applicant states that his correct place of birth is Guayama, Puerto Rico, his correct date of birth is 18 October 1931, and his last name is
Gonzalez-Merced.  In support of his contentions the applicant submits a 
notarized certification of birth from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he entered the Army on 18 July 1957 for a period of 2 years.  He was honorably discharged on 5 December 1957 under the provisions of Army Regulation 635-205, paragraph 2, and Department of the Army Circular dated 19 August 1957, for unsuitability.  He had completed 
4 months and 18 days of total active service.

5.  His DD Form 214 (separation document) prepared at the time of separation shows his place of birth as Ponce, Puerto Rico, his date of birth as 2 March 1936, and his last name as Merced-Gonzalez.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant’s correct place of birth is Guayama, Puerto Rico, his correct date of birth is 18 October 1931, and his last name is Gonzalez-Merced versus Merced-Gonzalez, as verified by the notarized certification of birth from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

2. Therefore, the applicant’s place of birth, date of birth, and last name shown in his military records and on his separation documents are incorrect.

3.  In view of the foregoing, the applicant’s records should be corrected as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case, particularly items 1, 5, and 6 of his DD Form 214 of the individual concerned be corrected by showing his name as Gonzalez-Merced, his place of birth as Guayana, Puerto Rico, and his date of birth as 18 October 1931. 

2.  That the Department of the Army issue a new or corrected separation documents, to include a certificate of honorable discharge (DD Form 256A) incorporating the above corrections.

BOARD VOTE:  

____X___  ____X___  ____X___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		__Margaret K. Patterson_
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AC94-10003/AR1999019362	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	19990325	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	110.00	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.