RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
IN THE MATTER OF:	DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2019-03736
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX	COUNSEL:  NONE
(AKA)  XXXXXXXXXXX	HEARING REQUESTED: NO

APPLICANT’S REQUEST
The name on her DD Form 214 be changed to reflect her current legal name.
APPLICANT’S CONTENTIONS
She changed her name due to marriage on 11 November 2011. The applicant’s complete submission is at Exhibit A. STATEMENT OF FACTS
The applicant is an honorably discharged Air Force senior airman (E-4).
The applicant served in the Air Force from 3 September 1986 to 2 September 1990, under the name TTN.
On 27 April 1999, the applicant obtained a court order to change her name to TGT.
On 11 November 2011, the applicant obtained a court order to change her name from TGT to TGJ due to marriage.
For more information, see the excerpt of the applicant’s record at Exhibit B.
APPLICABLE AUTHORITY
Air Force policy does not authorize the correction of records of former airmen to show name changes occurring after discharge (AFI 36-2608, Military Personnel Records System, 5 February 2018, Table A7.3). In particular, if the name appearing on the DD Form 214 was correct at the time it was created, the AFI would not allow a correction, even to reflect a subsequent, legal name change. The past practice of the Board has been to follow the AFI in all cases except those where the Board finds a particular injustice that warrants an exception to policy, such as noted below in the SAF/MR memorandum.

AIR FORCE EVALUATION
SAF/MR memorandum, Guidance to the Air Force Board for Correction of Military Records, dated 9 March 2015, states that while the Board generally has the authority to correct an applicant’s records to reflect a legal change to the applicant’s name, it should exercise discretion in doing so. The DD Form 214 is primarily created for the benefit of the veteran to establish entitlements to various government programs, or in seeking employment with organizations that grant veteran’s preferences. A DD Form 214 may constitute an injustice when the veteran asserts that presenting a DD Form 214 that lists the old name effectively requires a needlessly intrusive explanation of personal history. This type of injustice may arise in situations such as when the name change is transgender-related or associated with a divorce.
A complete copy of the SAF/MR guidance is at Exhibit C.
APPLICANT’S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION
The Board sent a copy of the SAF/MR memorandum to the applicant on 10 September 2019 for comment (Exhibit D), but has received no response.
FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION
1.	The application was not timely filed.
2.	The applicant exhausted all available non-judicial relief before applying to the Board.
3.	After reviewing all Exhibits, the Board concludes the applicant is not the victim of an error or injustice. The Board finds the applicant has not established that presenting the applicant’s DD Form 214 with the previous legal name effectively requires a needlessly intrusive explanation of personal history. Therefore, the Board recommends against correcting the applicant’s records. The Board also notes the applicant did not file the application within three years of discovering the alleged error or injustice, as required by Section 1552 of Title 10, United States Code, and Air Force Instruction 36-2603, Air Force Board for Correction of Military Records (AFBCMR). The Board does not find it in the interest of justice to waive the three-year filing requirement. Therefore, the Board finds the application untimely and recommends against correcting the applicant’s records.
RECOMMENDATION
The Board recommends informing the applicant the application was not timely filed; it would not be in the interest of justice to excuse the delay; and the Board will reconsider the application only upon receipt of relevant evidence not already presented.
CERTIFICATION
The following quorum of the Board, as defined in Air Force Instruction (AFI) 36-2603, Air Force Board for Correction of Military Records (AFBCMR), paragraph 1.5, considered Docket Number BC-2019-03736 in Executive Session on 8 May 2020:

, Panel Chair
, Panel Member 
, Panel Member
All members voted to correct the record. The panel considered the following:
Exhibit A: Application, DD Form 149, w/atchs, dated 17 July 2019.
Exhibit B: Documentary evidence, including relevant excerpts from official records. Exhibit C: Advisory opinion, SAF/MR, dated 9 March 2015.
Exhibit D: Notification of advisory, SAF/MRBC to applicant, dated 10 September 2019.
Taken together with all Exhibits, this document constitutes the true and complete Record of Proceedings, as required by AFI 36-2603, paragraph 4.11.9.