PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:            12 August 2003                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2003085932

	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 L. Amos		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Ted S. Kanamine		Chairperson	
	Mr. William D. Powers		Member	
	Mr. Frank C. Jones		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 the Computer Mechanics course he completed at Central Texas College be added to his DD Form 214 (Armed Forces Report of Transfer or Discharge) in item 30 (Remarks).

3.  The applicant makes no additional statement.

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he entered the Army on                   4 November 1952.  

5.  The applicant provides a certificate from Central Texas College showing he "completed the studies and satisfied the requirements of 240 clock hours of classroom and practical training" and was "awarded this certificate of graduation in the field of Computer Mechanics."  The certificate is dated 6 April 1973.

6.  The applicant retired on 30 April 1973.  Item 25 (Education and Training Completed) of his DD Form 214 for the period ending 30 April 1973 contains the entry, "None."

7.  Item 30 of the applicant's DD Form 214 for the period ending 30 April 1973 shows that he completed 12 years school and had a GED (general educational development) equivalency.  

8.  Army Regulation 635-5 prescribes the separation documents prepared for soldiers upon retirement, discharge, or release from active military service or control of the Army.  It establishes standardized policy for the preparation of the DD Form 214.  The regulation dated May 1972, in effect at the time, provided that, for enlisted personnel, service schools, military-sponsored courses completed in civilian schools, installation training courses, military correspondence courses, and off-duty courses completed successfully during the period covered by the DD Form 214 would be entered in item 25.  In item 30, the highest civilian education level attained would be the first entry when not adequately covered in item 25.  

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  It appears to the Board the Computer Mechanics course given by Central Texas College and completed by the applicant was an independent course of instruction rather than a continuation of his civilian education.  The period of instruction is listed as 240 clock hours (i.e., a 3-week, 8-hours-a-day course of instruction) rather than as semester or quarter hours.  

2.  Therefore, the Board concludes that the Computer Mechanics course met the regulatory guidance for entering it in item 25 of the applicant's DD Form 214.  However, it does not appear that it would be appropriate to add it to item 30 of his DD Form 214.
3.  In view of the foregoing, the applicant’s records should be corrected but only as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That item 25 of the applicant's DD Form 214 for the period ending 30 April 1973 be amended to add, "Computer Mechanics, 3 weeks, 1973."

2.  That so much of the application as pertains to adding the requested course in item 30 of the applicant's DD Form 214 be denied.

BOARD VOTE:  

__tsk____  __wdp___  __fcj___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		__Ted S. Kanamine_____
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2003085932	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20030812	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY	Mr. Schneider	
ISSUES         1.	100.00	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.