IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 2 April 2009 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20090002231 THE BOARD CONSIDERED THE FOLLOWING EVIDENCE: 1. Application for correction of military records (with supporting documents provided, if any). 2. Military Personnel Records and advisory opinions (if any). THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, STATEMENT, AND EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant requests correction of item 12a (Date Entered Active Duty This Period) on his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to show "2002 05 20” instead of “2005 05 20.” 2. The applicant states, in effect, that his DD Form 214 contains an administrative error. 3. The applicant provides two copies of his DD Form 214, dated 19 May 2006, in support of his request. CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant’s records show he enlisted in the Regular Army (RA) for a period of 4 years on 20 May 2002. He completed basic combat and advanced individual training and was awarded military occupational specialty (MOS) 98G (Cryptologic Linguist). He was honorably separated and transferred to the U.S. Army Reserve Control Group (Reinforcement) in the rank/grade of specialist/E-4 on 19 May 2006. 2. The DD Form 214 he was issued shows he completed 4 years of net active service. Item 12a of this form shows the entry “2005 05 20.” 3. Army Regulation (AR) 635-5 (Separation Documents) establishes the standardized policy for preparing and distributing the DD Form 214. The purpose of the separation document is to provide the individual with documentary evidence of their military service. It is important that information entered on the form should be complete and accurate. Chapter 2 of AR 635-5 contains guidance on the preparation of the DD Form 214. It states, in pertinent part, that item 12 shows the Record of Service. Extreme care is used when completing this item since post-service benefits, final pay, retirement credit, and so forth are based on this information. Item 12a shows the beginning date of the continuous period of active duty for issuance of this DD Form 214, for which a DD Form 214 was not previously issued; item 12b shows the Soldier’s transition date; and item 12c shows the amount of service this period, computed by subtracting item 12a from 12b. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The evidence of record shows the applicant enlisted in the RA on 20 May 2002 and was honorably separated on 19 May 2006. His DD Form 214 erroneously shows his date of entry as 20 May 2005. Therefore, he is entitled to correction of his DD Form 214 to show the correct entry date. BOARD VOTE: ___X____ ___X____ ___X____ GRANT FULL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING ________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The Board determined that the evidence presented was sufficient to warrant a recommendation for relief. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by deleting the entry “2005 05 20” from item 12a of his DD Form 214 and adding the entry "2002 05 20.” XXX _______ _ _______ ___ CHAIRPERSON I certify that herein is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in this case. ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20090002231 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20090002231 2 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1