Docket No: 2414-20  
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 (NR20200002414) 

1.  Pursuant to the reference, Petitioner, a former enlisted member of the Navy, filed the enclosure with this Board requesting a change to his naval record, specifically, to correct the record to reflect a name change.  

2.  The Board, consisting of , reviewed Petitioner’s allegations of error and injustice on 31 March 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 his naval service 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.  It is in the interest of justice to review the application on its merits. 

c.  Petitioner served in the Navy from 9 July 2014 to 28 December 2017, when he was discharged to the temporary disability retired list and received an honorable discharge. 


d.  Petitioner was issued a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD Form 214) that reflects his birth name of .  Petitioner is a transgender male and since his discharge from the Navy, Petitioner has legally changed his name from  to and undergone the appropriate medical treatment to align with his gender identity. 

e.  Petitioner provides a Court Order from the Superior Court of ,  ordering a name change from to .  In support of his request, Petitioner also provides a driver’s license reflecting his legal name of , and medical documents indicating his clinical treatment for gender transition. 

CONCLUSION: 

In accordance with the foregoing, the Board concludes that Petitioner’s DD Form 214 should be changed to reflect Petitioner’s legal name of  as he has provided legal evidence to support his request. 

In this regard, the Board noted that normally a DD Form 215 would be issued to correct the record, however, the Board concluded that a new and updated DD Form 214 is warranted to eliminate the possibilities of invasive questions.  The Board further concluded that no other changes should be made to Petitioner’s record. 

RECOMMENDATION:
 In view of the above, the Board directs the following corrective action: That Petitioner be issued a new DD Form 214 which reflects the name . That no further changes be made to the record. That a copy of this report of proceedings be filed in Petitioner’s naval record, along with the and the updated DD Form That upon request, the Department of Veterans Affairs be informed that Petitioner’s application was received on 10 March 2020. 

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 the reference, has been approved by the Board on behalf of the Secretary of the Navy.