PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           14 May 2002                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2002067927

	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. Carl W. S. Chun		Director	
	Mrs. Nancy Amos		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Melvin H. Meyer		Chairperson	
	Ms. Kathleen A. Newman		Member	
	Mr. Donald P. Hupman, Jr.		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 Report of Separation, DD Form 214, be amended to show his middle name as Royce.

3.  The applicant states that his middle name is Royce, not Roger.  He noticed the mistake when he visited the Veterans Service Officer to discuss benefits.  He provides his DD Form 214 and a certified copy of his certificate of birth as supporting evidence.

4.  The applicant’s military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire in 1973.  Information contained herein was obtained from alternate sources.

5.  The applicant entered active service from the Army National Guard on            6 January 1951 and was released from active duty and transferred to the Army National Guard on 24 December 1952.  His DD Form 214, item 1 shows his middle name as Roger.

6.  The certified copy of certificate of birth provided shows the applicant’s name was originally listed as Baby Boy.  That was lined through and Merlyn Royce was written in.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  For historical purposes, the Army has an interest in maintaining the accuracy of its records.  The data and information contained in those records should actually reflect the conditions and circumstances that existed at the time the records were created.  In the absence of a showing of material error or injustice, this Board is normally reluctant to recommend that those records be changed.

2.  No other records pertaining to the applicant are available so it cannot be determined what middle name was used on his enlistment documents or on documents prepared while on active duty.  However, the birth certificate, even with the correction to the name, does not appear to have been tampered with.  The differences between “Royce” and “Roger” are fairly minor and could have been a misreading of other documents.  Therefore, the Board concludes that it would be appropriate to make the correction requested.

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

RECOMMENDATION:

That the applicant’s DD Form 214 be amended to show his middle name as Royce.

BOARD VOTE:  

__mhm__  __kan___  __dph___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

			Melvin H. Meyer
		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2002067927	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20020514	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(GRANT)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	100.01	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.