RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS

IN THE MATTER OF:	DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2022-01653

xxxxxxxxxxxxx	COUNSEL:  NONE
	
	HEARING REQUESTED:  NO

APPLICANT’S REQUEST

Correct his DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty:
a.	Block 7a., Place of Entry into Active Duty 
b.	Block 8a., Last Duty Assignment and Major Command (administratively corrected)
c.	Block 8b., Station Where Separated
d.	Block 19a., Mailing Address After Separation
e.	Block 19b., Nearest Relative
f.	Block 21a., Member Signature

APPLICANT’S CONTENTIONS

The signature, bases, and address should be changed to N/A, because the DD Form 214 is an important document, and he always had a high competence level.

The applicant’s complete submission is at Exhibit A.

STATEMENT OF FACTS

The applicant is an honorably discharged Air Force staff sergeant (E-5).

On 8 Apr 03, according to DD Form 4, Enlistment/Reenlistment Document Armed Forces of the United States, the applicant’s Place of Enlistment/Reenlistment was XXXXXXX, XX.

On 12 Jul 13, the applicant was furnished an honorable discharge and credited with 10 years and 26 days active service.

For more information, see the excerpt of the applicant’s record at Exhibit B and the advisories at Exhibits C, D, E, and F.

APPLICABLE AUTHORITY/GUIDANCE

Air Force Instruction (AFI) 36-3202, Separation Documents, 30 Sep 09, Table 4. How to Prepare DD Form 214, Rule 11:

Item 8b. Station Where Separated.  Location of facility where separation documents were prepared, or if coming from an overseas location, it will be the base where the documents were authenticated.  Do no enter the name of a hospital or similar institution.

DD Form 214 Personnel Services Delivery Guide (PSDG), Table 5. How to Prepare the DD Form 214:

Block 7a. Place of Entry (POE) onto Active Duty (PLEAD).  The place of acceptance in current enlistment, commission, or appointment of an active service member, or for an ARC member, when enlisted, commissioned, or appointed for immediate active duty (address on their initial active duty order for this period of time).  The POE changes only if there is a break in service exceeding one full day, in which case it is the place of entry into the new period of service.  For an inductee, it’s the location of the local Selective Service Board to which the individual first reported for delivery to the induction station.  For USAFA, civilian college or university, PLEAD is defined as the place at which the member attains a military status or enters active service.  Generally, this is the academic institution and not the member’s Home of Record.  For Department of the Air Force (DAF) and USSF enlisted, this is the MEPS location where the member went active duty (not delayed enlistment).  For DAF and USSF officers, the location from which ordered to active duty and initiated travel.  For Stat Tour Functional Category X, the POE and HOR is the address in paragraph 4 of the EAD order.

Block 8b. Station Where Separated.  Location of facility where the separation documents were prepared.

Block 21a. Member Signature.  Since implementation of central processing and introduction of secure electronic signatures in October 2010, all DD Forms 214 are signed with a Common Access Card by the certifying official.  This block will be auto populated with “Member not available for signature.”

AIR FORCE EVALUATION

AFPC/DP2SSR recommends denying the application. The data is accurately reflected in accordance with governing directives.  There is no error or injustice with the DD Form 214 preparation.

AFI 36-3202 and DD Form 214 PSDG direct that the “Station Where Separated” will reflect the “location of the facility where the separation documents were prepared.”  The applicant’s separation documents were prepared at Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) Randolph, Texas (TX) by the Air Force Personnel Center’s Total Force Service Center (TFSC).  The station where separated is administrative only and does not affect benefits or entitlement.    

The complete advisory opinion is at Exhibit C.

AFPC/DP2SSR recommends denying the application.  This office does not make changes/corrections to address information upon consummation of separation/retirement from the service.

The addresses indicated in Block 19a. and 19b. of the DD Form 214 are for administrative purposes only and have no effect on benefits and entitlements.  This information is on the form in the event the service needs to contact the service member prior to separation effective date since most service members are on terminal leave prior to separation.  Once separation or retirement has been consummated, the service does not contact the service member or nearest relative.  Veterans and/or retirees should provide address information or changes resulting from moves after separation or retirement to their respective Veterans Administration (VA) or Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) office.  

The complete advisory opinion is at Exhibit D.

AFPC/DP2SSR recommends denying the application.  The DD Form 214 was prepared in accordance with governing directives.  As a result, there is no error or injustice.

The applicant’s separation documents were prepared at JBSA Randolph, TX by the Air Force Personnel Center’s TFSC.  This is due to centralization of separations actions Air Force-wide to JBSA Randolph, TX.  The Air Force, along with the other service branches, does not have the funding/capability to bring outgoing service members in from around the globe to personally sign their document, and cannot send them electronically in the hopes that the service member receives them securely, signs, and returns them immediately for completion.  This change to the document was vetted by the Department of Defense with respective agencies, such as VA, prior to implementation and does not affect benefits or entitlements.  

The complete advisory opinion is at Exhibit E.

AFPC/DP2LT recommends denying the application.  Based on the documentation provided by the applicant and analysis of the facts, there is no evidence of an error or injustice for the applicant’s Place of Enlistment.

The authority governing the place of entry into active duty represented in the DD Form 214, Block 7a, is contained in the Total Force PSDG – DD Form 214, Section E.  The rule states, “The place of acceptance in current enlistment, commission, or appointment of an active Service member, or for an ARC member, when enlisted, commissioned, or appointed for immediate active duty (address on their AD orders). The POE changes only if there is a break in service exceeding one full day, in which case it is the place of entry into the new period of service.”

The applicant entered active duty on 17 Jun 03 and his DD Form 4 supports the Place of Entry as XXXXXXX, XX.  There were no other documents provided supporting a different entry point on this date.

The complete advisory opinion is at Exhibit F.

APPLICANT’S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION

The Board sent copies of the advisory opinions to the applicant on 5 Aug 22 for comment (Exhibit G) 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 concurs with the rationales and recommendations of AFPC/DP2SSR and AFPC/DP2LT and finds a preponderance of the evidence does not substantiate the applicant’s contentions.   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).  While the applicant asserts a date of discovery within the three-year limit, the Board does not find the assertion supported by a preponderance of the evidence.  The Board does not find it in the interest of justice to waive the three-year filing requirement.  Therefore, with the exception of the administrative correction noted above, 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-2022-01653 in Executive Session on 22 Nov 22:

, Panel Chair 
, Panel Member
, Panel Member

All members voted against correcting the record.  The panel considered the following:

Exhibit A:	Application, DD Form 149, dated 24 May 22.
Exhibit B:	Documentary evidence, including relevant excerpts from official records.
Exhibit C:	Advisory Opinion, AFPC/DP2SSR, dated 25 May 22.
Exhibit D:	Advisory Opinion, AFPC/DP2SSR, dated 25 May 22.
Exhibit E:	Advisory Opinion, AFPC/DP2SSR, dated 19 Jul 22.
Exhibit F:	Advisory Opinion, AFPC/DP2LT, w/atchs, dated 5 Aug 22.
Exhibit G:	Notification of Advisory, SAF/MRBC to Applicant, dated 5 Aug 22.

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.