DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY 
BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF NAVAL RECORDS 
701 S. COURTHOUSE ROAD, SUITE 1001 
ARLINGTON, VA 22204-2490 

Docket No. 4235-19  
Ref:  Signature Date  

From:  Chairman, Board for Correction of Naval Records  
To:    Secretary of the Navy  

Ref:  (a) 10 U.S.C. §1552 

Encl: (1) DD Form 149 with attachments 
      (2) Subject's naval record (excerpts) 
1.  Pursuant to the provisions of reference (a), Petitioner, a former enlisted member of the Marine Corps, filed enclosure (1) with this Board requesting that Block 18 of her Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD Form 214) be corrected to read “Marine requests her copy of DD 214 MC” vice “Marine requests his copy of DD 214 MC.” 

2.  The Board, consisting of                        ,reviewed Petitioner's allegations of error and injustice on 11 June 2020, and, pursuant to its regulations, determined that the corrective action indicated below should be taken on the available evidence of record.  Documentary material considered by the Board consisted of the enclosures, relevant portions of Petitioner’s naval records, and applicable statutes, regulations and policies. 

3.  The Board, having reviewed all the facts of record pertaining to Petitioner's allegations of error and injustice finds as follows:
 
a. Before applying to this Board, Petitioner exhausted all administrative remedies available under existing law and regulations within the Department of the Navy. 

b.  Although enclosure (1) was not filed in a timely manner, it is in the interest of justice to waive the statute limitation and review the application on its merits. 

c.  Petitioner enlisted in the Marine Corps and began a period of active duty on 3 November 1975.  On 2 November 1979, Petitioner was discharged with an honorable characterization of service by reason of completion of required active service. 

d.  Petitioner contends that her DD Form 214 unnecessarily and unjustly use the male pronoun “his.” Petitioner further contends that this leads to unnecessary complications, probing questions and embarrassment when dealing with any organization requiring a copy of her DD Form 214. 

CONCLUSION: 

Upon review and consideration of all the evidence of record, the Board concludes that Petitioner’s request warrants relief. 

The Board determined that relief be granted by correcting Block 18 of the DD Form 214 to read “Marine requests her copyof DD 214 MC.” In accordance with the foregoing, the Board concluded that the record shall be corrected by issuance of a new DD Form 214 reflecting that portion of Block 18 of the DD Form 214 to read “Marine requests her copy of DD 214 MC.” 

RECOMMENDATION: 

In view of the foregoing, the Board finds the existence of an error and injustice warranting the following corrective action. 

That Petitioner's naval record shall be corrected reflecting that portion of Block 18 of the DD Form 214 to read “Marine requests her copy of DD 214 MC.” 

That no further changes be made to the record. 

That a copy of this Record of Proceedings be filed in Petitioner’s naval record. 

That, upon request, the Department of Veterans Affairs be informed that Petitioner’s application was received by the Board on 17 April 2019. 

4.  It is certified that a quorum was present at the Board's review and deliberations, and that the foregoing is a true and complete record of the Board's proceedings in the above entitled matter. 

5.  Pursuant to the delegation of authority set out in Section 6(e) of the revised Procedures of the Board for Correction of Naval Records (32 Code of Federal Regulation, Section 723.6(e)) and having assured compliance with its provisions, it is hereby announced that the foregoing corrective action, taken under the authority of reference (a), has been approved by the Board on behalf of the Secretary of the Navy.