IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 7 August 2012 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20120003059 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, on behalf of her deceased spouse, a former service member (FSM), requests correction of the FSM’s DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge) to show his social security number (SSN) as "187-xx-xxxx" vice "178-xx-xxxx." 2. The applicant states she is trying to obtain widow’s benefits. 3. The applicant provides the FSM’s DD Form 214, social security card, and certificate of death. CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. Item 13 (SSN) of the FSM’s DD Form 398 (Statement of Personal History), dated 7 March 1956, and authenticated with his signature identifies his SSN as "178-xx-xxxx." 2. The FSM was appointed as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve on 1 June 1956. A review of the documents contained in his military personnel records shows he served under service number "x4-xxx-xxx" throughout his tenure of service. 3. The applicant provided and the FSM’s record contains a DD Form 214 for the period ending 31 January 1957. Item 32 (Remarks) shows his social security account number as "178-xx-xxxx." 4. The FSM’s record contains a DA Form 1996 (Tax Withholding Record) for years 1959 and 1960. This form shows his SSN as "187-xx-xxxx." 5. The applicant provides a copy of the FSM’s social security card and certificate of death, which show the FSM’s SSN as "187-xx-xxxx." 6. 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. This regulation establishes standardized policy for the preparation of the DD Form 214. It states, in pertinent part, that the complete name and social security number of the separating service member would be entered on the DD Form 214. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: 1. The applicant's contention that her spouse’s DD Form 214 for the period ending 31 January 1957 should be corrected to show his SSN as "187-xx-xxxx" was carefully considered and determined to have merit. 2. Although the FSM's SSN appears as both "178-xx-xxxx" and "187-xx-xxxx" in his military personnel records, his tax withholding record, social security card, and death certificate state the FSM's SSN is "187-xx-xxxx." It appears his DD Form 214 inadvertently lists his SSN with the second and third digits as "78" instead of "87." Therefore, the applicant is entitled to have the FSM’s DD Form 214 for the period ending 31 January 1957 corrected to show the SSN as it is shown on his social security card and certificate of death. 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 SSN from item 32 of his DD Form 214 for the period ending 31 January 1957 and adding the SSN as it is listed on his social security card. __________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) AR20120003059 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20120003059 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1