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

Docket No: 471-20  
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 (NR20200000471) 

1. Pursuant to the provisions of the reference, Petitioner, a former enlisted member of the Navy, filed the enclosure with this Board requesting a change to his name on his Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD Form 214) from                    . 

2. The Board, consisting of     , reviewed Petitioner’s allegations of error and injustice on 28 February 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, as well as 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 of limitations and review the application on its merits. 

c.  Petitioner enlisted in the Navy and served honorably from 22 January 2002 through 21 October 2006.  Petitioner enlisted and served using his legal name “                 ” 

d.  Petitioner legally changed his name in 2007, from              .  to            .  Petitioner provided a court order from the                 in and for            , confirming the legal name change to .

CONCLUSION: 

The Board considered Petitioner’s request for a correction to his name as reflected on his DD 
Form 214.  The Board noted that there does not appear to have been an error on the part of the Navy during Petitioner’s enlistment.  However, the Board did consider that Petitioner’s DD Form 214 is inconsistent with his legal name, and noted the challenges veterans potentially face when seeking benefits with a DD Form 214 that reflects a name that is different than their legal name.  In the interest of justice, the Board determined that Petitioner’s name on his DD Form 214 should be corrected to reflect his legal name. 

Accordingly, the Board found that it is in the interest of justice to correct Petitioner’s name on his DD Form 214. 

In view of the above, the Board directs the following corrective action. 

RECOMMENDATION: 

That Petitioner be issued a new DD Form 214, with his legal name of . 

That a copy of this report 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 28 January 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.