MEMORANDUM OF CONSIDERATION

	IN THE CASE OF:       

	BOARD DATE:            5 April 2000
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1999031305

	I certify that hereinafter is recorded the record of consideration of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in the case of the above-named individual.

	Mr. Joseph A. Adriance		Analyst	

The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr.		Chairperson	
	Mr. Stanley Kelley		Member	
	Mr. Lester Echols		Member	

	The Board, established pursuant to authority contained in 10 U.S.C. 1552, convened at the call of the Chairperson on the above date.  In accordance with Army Regulation 15-185, the application and the available military records pertinent to the corrective action requested were reviewed to determine whether to authorize a formal hearing, recommend that the records be corrected without a formal hearing, or to deny the application without a formal hearing if it is determined that insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of probable material error or injustice.

	The applicant requests correction of military records as stated in the application to the Board and as restated herein.

	The Board considered the following evidence:

	Exhibit A -  Application for correction of military 
                             records
	Exhibit B -  Military Personnel Records (including
	                  advisory opinion, if any)

APPLICANT REQUESTS:  In effect, that the social security number (SSN) contained in his military records be corrected.

APPLICANT STATES:  In effect, that his correct SSN is the number contained on the social security card he has enclosed in support of his application.  This number differs significantly with the SSN recorded throughout his military records.  

EVIDENCE OF RECORD:  The applicant's military records show:

On 12 March 1980, he entered the Regular Army for 4 years.  The DD Form 
4 (Enlistment Contract) and all associated documents prepared in conjunction with the applicant’s enlistment contain the same SSN.

After serving on active duty for 1 year, 5 months, and 27 days, the applicant was discharged, under the provisions of paragraph 5-31 (The Expeditious Discharge Program) of Army Regulation 635-200.  His service was characterized as under honorable conditions and he received a general discharge.  The record shows that the highest rank the applicant attained while serving on active duty was private/E-2.

The same SSN is consistently listed throughout the applicant’s Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) and does not vary from the SSN listed on the documents prepared during his enlistment processing and the SSN recorded on the documents prepared to effect his discharge.  This includes the SSN entry in block 2 (SSN) of his Department of the Army (DA) Form 2-1 (Qualification Record) and the SSN entries on all the documents contained in his Military Personnel Records Jacket (MPRJ).  

The SSN recorded on the DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), which was issued to and signed by the applicant on the date of his separation, does not differ from the one he used when he enlisted into the Army in 1980.  Further, it is no different from the one he consistently used throughout his tenure in service.  There is no indication in the record that the applicant ever questioned or attempted to change his SSN during his tenure in service.

DISCUSSION:  Considering all the evidence, allegations, and information presented by the applicant, together with the evidence of record, applicable law and regulations, it is concluded:

1.  For historical purposes, the Army has an interest in maintaining the accuracy of its records.  The information contained in those records should reflect information that was accurate at the time the records were created and during the applicant’s tenure in service.  It appears that the SSN contained in  the military records was correct when his records were created in 1980.  Therefore, the Board found relief is not warranted in this case.  

2.  Even though the applicant now contends the SSN he used during his military service is incorrect, and he submits a social security card that contains a SSN that is significantly different from the one consistently used during his tenure in service, this does not prove that the SSN recorded throughout his military records was incorrect at the time it was used.  

3.  The applicant failed to provide any evidence or explanation as to why the SSN he used to enlist, and continued to use throughout his military service, was in error.  Therefore, lacking evidence to the contrary, the Board presumes that the SSN used by the applicant during his military service was correct at the time. 

4.  In the absence of showing a material error or injustice, the Board concluded that the applicant’s military records should not be changed.  This decisional document, along with his application and supporting documents, will be included in the applicant’s military record.  This should serve to provide clarity if his SSN ever becomes an significant issue of contention. 

5.  In order to justify correction of a military record the applicant must show to the satisfaction of the Board, or it must otherwise satisfactorily appear, that the record is in error or unjust.  The applicant has failed to submit evidence that would satisfy the aforementioned requirement.

6.  In view of the foregoing, there is no basis for granting the applicant's request.

DETERMINATION:  The applicant has failed to submit sufficient relevant evidence to demonstrate the existence of probable error or injustice.

BOARD VOTE:

________  ________  ________  GRANT

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

__sk____  __rvo ___  ___le ___  DENY APPLICATION

						Karl F. Schneider
						Director, Army Review Boards Agency

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999031305	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	2000/04/05	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	GD	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	1981/09/08	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR 635-200 C5	
DISCHARGE REASON	Expeditious Discharge Program	
BOARD DECISION	DENY	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.  10	100.0900	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.