PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:        

	BOARD DATE:            9 February 2000                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1999029109

	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. Joseph A. Adriance		Analyst	

The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Raymond V. O’Connor Jr.		Chairperson	
	Ms. Deborah S. Jacobs		Member	
	Ms. Carol Jo Suiter		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, in effect, that his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty) be corrected to show in item 14 that the Inspector General (IG) course he completed was 6 weeks long as opposed to the 1 week listed; that in item 19a his mailing address be changed; in item 19b that his nearest relative be changed; and that a copy of the corrected DD Form 214 be provided to the Colorado VA as called for in item 20.

3.  The applicant states, in effect, that he would like his DD Form 214 be corrected and updated to reflect the requested corrections.  He encloses a marriage license and certificate to show he was married on 3 October 1997 and he provides his new wife as his nearest living relative.  He also enclosed a copy of his DA Form 2-1 (Qualification Record) to show that an IG course he attended was six weeks long as opposed to the 1 week listed on his DD Form 214.  The applicant requests these changes and updates be accomplished and that he be provided a corrected DD Form 214.

4.  The applicant’s military records show that the applicant retired from the Army, in the rank of sergeant first class/E-7, on 31 December 1993 after completing 
20 years, 7 months, and 20 days of active military service.  

5.  Block 14 (Military Education-Course Title, number of weeks, and month and year completed) of the applicant’s DD Form 214 specifically lists “Inspector General Course, 1 week, Jan 1989”.  The applicant’s qualification record shows that this course was actually completed in January 1986 and that the duration of the course was 6 weeks.

6.  Blocks 19a (Mailing Address After Separation) and 19b (Nearest Relative) lists the applicant’s mother as the nearest relative and her address at the time in Anchorage, Alaska as his mailing address.  As far as can be determined from the record these were in fact valid entries at the time.

7.  Army Regulation 635-5 (Separation Documents) prescribes the current policy on the preparation of separation documents upon retirement, discharge, or release from active military service or control of the Army.  It establishes standardized policy for preparing and distributing DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty).  Table 2-1 provides specific block by block preparation instructions and states in pertinent part, that you should enter in block 19 the mailing address furnished by the individual at time of separation; and in block 20 you will enter the State VA office where you would like your 
DD Form 214 mailed.  Under current standards the DD Form 214 contains no entry for nearest living relative.

8.  There are no provisions of law or regulation which allow for changing military records to reflect status changes of any individual concerned that take place subsequent to their military service.  In addition, changes are not made if they have no practical application in relation to service performed.  

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The Board noted the corrections of the DD Form 214 requested by the applicant and determined that relief is warranted only in block 14 (Military Education).  The evidence of record shows that the length of the IG course completed by the applicant was actually 6 weeks as opposed to the 1 week listed on the DD Form 214 and that he completed the course in January 1986 as opposed to January 1989 as is listed on the separation document.  Therefore, in the interest of justice, the Board concluded this error should be corrected at this time.

2.  However, the Board found that the mailing address in block 19a; the nearest relative in block 19b; and the State recorded in block 20 were correct at the time the DD Form 214 was issued.  In addition, there are no provisions of law or regulation that provide for updating these items as they change once a member is separated unless they have a practical application on service performed.  The Board determined that making these changes would result in no benefit to the applicant nor would it impact any of his entitlements.  Therefore, these specific corrections to the DD Form 214 are not warranted.

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 be corrected by showing in block 14 of the DD Form 214 issued the individual concerned on 31 December 1993, that he completed an Inspector General Course of 6 weeks in January 1986.  This entry should be substituted for the current incorrect entry which reads “Inspector General Course, 1 Week, JAN 1989”.

2.  That so much of the application as is in excess of the foregoing be denied.

BOARD VOTE:  

__cjs___  __dsj___  ___rvo __  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999029109	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	2000/02/09	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	HD	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	1993/12/31	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR 635-200 C12	
DISCHARGE REASON	Retirement-Length of Service	
BOARD DECISION	GRANT PARTIAL 	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1. 189	110.0000	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.