BOARD DATE: 13 August 2009 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20090003996 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 her last name be changed on her record. 2. The applicant states she got married on 7 June 2007 and is requesting that her name be changed on her retirement records. 3. The applicant provides a copy of her 2007 marriage license. CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant retired from the Regular Army as a master sergeant on 31 July 2002. She had over 26 years of active duty service. 2. The applicant's marriage license shows she was married on 7 June 2007. Her DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record Under the Provisions of Title 10, U.S. Code, Section 1552) states that she filed the required documentation for her name change, but the change did not take effect. 3. Army Regulation 635-5 (Separation Documents) 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. In pertinent part, it states the DD Form 214 is a synopsis of the Soldier's most recent period of continuous active duty. It provides a brief, clear-cut record of active Army service at the time of release from active duty, retirement or discharge. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: 1. The applicant states she got married on 7 June 2007 and is requesting her name be changed on her retirement records. 2. She submitted a copy of her marriage license and presumably wants her last name changed to that of her husband. 3. The Army has an interest in maintaining the accuracy of its records. The data and information contained in those records should reflect the conditions and circumstances that existed at the time the records were created. Therefore, post-service changes to personal data such as name and date of birth will not be incorporated directly into service record documents. The recent marriage license should be entered into official record files to preclude any future misunderstanding. BOARD VOTE: ________ ________ ________ GRANT FULL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING ___x____ ___x____ ____x___ DENY APPLICATION BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The evidence presented does not demonstrate the existence of a probable error or injustice. Therefore, the Board determined that the overall merits of this case are insufficient as a basis for correction of the records of the individual concerned. ___________x______________ 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) AR20090003996 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20090003996 2 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1