BOARD DATE: 10 November 2011 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20110007890 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 his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to show his rank/grade as specialist (SPC)/E-4. 2. The applicant states his rank/grade on his DD Form 214 incorrectly shows private first class (PFC)/E-3 and should show SPC/E-4. His date of rank to SPC was 29 March 2007 and is substantiated by the DA Form 4187 (Personnel Action) showing his advancement to SPC. 3. The applicant provides his DA Form 4187. CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve (USAR) in the rank/grade of PFC/E-3 on 29 September 2006. He held military occupational specialty 38D (Civil Affairs Specialist). 2. He was ordered to active duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom effective 26 November 2007. 3. His interactive Personnel Electronic Records Management System (iPERMS) file contains the following documents that show his rank as SPC: a. A DA Form 4187, dated 30 January 2008, that advanced the applicant to SPC/E4 with an effective date and date of rank of 29 March 2007; b. Permanent Orders Number 274-071, issued by Headquarters, Multi-National Division (Baghdad), dated 30 September 2008, awarding him the Combat Action Badge; c. An Army Commendation Medal certificate referencing Permanent Orders Number 303-360, issued by the 304th Civil Affairs Brigade, dated 29 October 2008; and d. A memorandum from the commander of the 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion, Green Bay, WI, subject: Statement of Wartime Service, dated 10 November 2008, that certifies the applicant deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2 February to 9 November 2008. 4. He was honorably released from active duty on 22 November 2008 at the completion of his required active service. The DD Form 214 he was issued at the time shows he completed 3 years and 1 day of net active service this period for a total of 3 years, 7 months, and 29 days of creditable active service. It further shows in: * item 4a (Grade, Rate or Rank) the entry "PFC" * item 4b (Pay Grade) the entry "E03" * item 12i (Effective Date of Pay Grade) the entry "2006 09 29" 5. There is no evidence of record that shows the applicant was reduced to PFC/E-3 prior to his release from active duty on 22 November 2008. 6. Army Regulation 635-5 (Separation Documents) establishes the standardized policy for preparing and distributing the DD Form 214. Chapter 2 contains guidance on the preparation of the DD Form 214 and states that items 4a and 4b show the active duty rank and pay grade at the time of separation and are obtained from the Soldier's records (promotion or reduction orders). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The applicant enlisted in the USAR in the rank/grade of PFC/E-3. He was subsequently advanced to SPC/E-4 by the proper authority with a date of rank of 29 March 2007. The evidence of record further shows he held this rank/grade until he was honorably released from active duty on 22 November 2008. As such, it appears his DD Form 214 contains an administrative error regarding his rank/grade. Therefore, it would be appropriate at this time to correct his DD Form 214 to properly show his rank/grade as SPC/E-4 with a date of rank of 29 March 2007. 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: a. deleting from item 4a of his DD Form 214 for the period ending 22 November 2008 the entry "PFC" and replacing it with the entry "SPC"; b. deleting from item 4b of his DD Form 214 for the period ending 22 November 2008 the entry "E03" and replacing it with the entry "E-4"; and c. deleting from item 12h of his DD Form 214 for the period ending 22 November 2008 the entry "2006 09 29" and replacing it with the entry "2007 03 29." _________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) AR20110007890 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20110007890 2 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1