IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 24 September 2013 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20130003010 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 her DA Form 2-1 (Personnel Qualification Record - Part II) to show she was assigned to A Company, 24th Signal Battalion, vice 91st Chemical Company in 1987. 2. The applicant states this error on her DA Form 2-1 has caused the regional office of the Department of Veterans Affairs to deny her benefits. 3. The applicant provides: * Standard Form (SF) 88 (Report of Medical Examination), dated 21 September 1988 * SFs 600 (Chronological Record of Medical Care), dated 11 March 1988, 3 October 1988, and 17 January 1989 * SF 519 (Radiological Consultation Request/Report), dated 14 June 1988 * SFs 609 (Health Record - Dental), dated 1988 and 1989 * DA Form 3355 (Promotion Point Worksheet), dated 21 February 1989 CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. Title 10, U.S. Code, section 1552(b), provides that applications for correction of military records must be filed within 3 years after discovery of the alleged error or injustice. This provision of law also allows the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) to excuse an applicant's failure to timely file within the 3-year statute of limitations if the ABCMR determines it would be in the interest of justice to do so. While it appears the applicant did not file within the time frame provided in the statute of limitations, the ABCMR has elected to conduct a substantive review of this case and, only to the extent relief, if any, is granted, has determined it is in the interest of justice to excuse the applicant's failure to timely file. In all other respects, there are insufficient bases to waive the statute of limitations for timely filing. 2. The applicant initially enlisted in the Regular Army on 29 September 1983. She completed basic and advanced individual training and she was awarded military occupational specialty (MOS) 54B (Chemical Operations Specialist). 3. After serving with the 194th Armored Brigade at Fort Knox, KY, she departed Fort Knox en route to Germany on or about 19 December 1986. She was assigned to the 98th Chemical Detachment on or about 21 January 1987. 4. Item 5 (Overseas Service) of her DA Form 2-1 shows she served in Germany from 19 January 1987 to 28 August 1987. Item 35 (Record of Assignments) shows that on 28 August 1987 she departed Germany en route to Fort Stewart, GA. While at Fort Stewart, she was assigned to the: * 91st Chemical Company in duty MOS 54E, Decontamination Noncommissioned Officer (NCO), from 2 September 1987 through 5 May 1989 * F Company, 724th Support Battalion in duty MOS 54E, Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) NCO, from 6 May 1989 through 3 January 1990 5. She again served in Germany from 22 January 1990 to 21 January 1993. She was ultimately honorably discharged on 1 December 1993. 6. She provides the following documents that listed her unit of assignment as follows: * SF 88, dated 21 September 1988, A Company, 24th Signal Battalion * SF 600, dated 11 March 1988, 23rd Replacement Detachment * SF 600, dated 3 October 1988, A Company, 24th Signal Battalion * SF 600, dated 17 January 1989, A Company, 24th Signal Battalion * SF 519, dated 14 June 1988, A Company, 24th Signal Battalion * SF 609, No unit of assignment * DA Form 3355, dated 21 February 1989, A Company, 24th Signal Battalion 7. Army Regulation 600-200 (Enlisted Personnel Management System), in effect at the time, governed the preparation of and the various entries on the DA Form 2-1. Item 35 listed the duty specialty, principal duty, and organization and station. 8. A DA Form 2-1 provides a record of individual personnel management qualifications such as grade, skills, physical limitations, and assignment history and is used primarily by personnel managers at unit level to support the Army’s personnel life-cycle function of sustainment. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: 1. Item 35 of the DA Form 2-1 listed the duty specialty, principal duty, and assigned organization and station. The source documents for such entries are the permanent change of station orders, reassignment orders, and/or intra-theater transfer orders. The DA Form 2-1 is a snapshot of a Soldier's personnel data as it was at the time it was produced or updated and it was used as an internal management tool to assist officials in processing a Soldier's assignments, reassignments, promotions, classification, and career progression. 2. Although the applicant submitted various documents that listed the applicant's unit on certain dates as A Company, 24th Signal Battalion, there are no assignment orders to this unit in her service record. It is unclear if she was assigned and/or attached to one unit vice another. More importantly, after a Soldier is discharged, this form is not normally accessible by individuals other than the Soldier and making corrections to these forms generally provides no benefit. 3. In the absence of evidence showing a mistake or omission on her DA Form 2-1 has resulted in inequity or injustice, there is no basis for granting the applicant's requested relief. 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) AR20130003010 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20130003010 2 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1