MEMORANDUM OF CONSIDERATION

	IN THE CASE OF:       

	BOARD DATE:            26 April 2000
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1999034386

	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. Stanley Kelley		Chairperson	
	Ms. Karol A. Kennedy		Member	
	Mr. Curtis L. Greenway		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 his DD Form 214 (Report of Separation From Active Duty) be corrected to show he completed the general education development (GED) requirements for a high school diploma.

APPLICANT STATES:  That he attended classes to attain his high school GED and successfully completed the examination requirements necessary to be awarded a high school GED diploma.  He claims that he always assumed that the GED was listed on his DD Form 214, until he recently discovered it was not on the form.  He indicates that he has no evidence to support his contention but would greatly appreciate relief.

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

On 2 June 1976, he entered the Regular Army for 3 years.  The Department of Defense (DD) Form 1966/1 (application for enlistment) the applicant completed during his enlistment processing indicates that he was not a high school graduate and that the 11th grade was the highest grade he completed in high school. 

He successfully completed basic training and advanced individual training (AIT) at Fort Gordon, Georgia.  Upon completion of AIT he was awarded military occupational specialty 72E (Tele-Communication Center Specialist) and he was assigned overseas to Germany for his first permanent duty station. 

The applicant’s Department of the Army (DA) Form 2-1 (qualification record) indicates, in block 17 (civilian education & military schools), that he attended high school for 3 years but did not graduate.  There is no entry in this block of the DA Form 2-1 to show that the applicant had successfully obtained his high school GED diploma. 

In addition, the applicant’s Military Personnel Records Jacket (MPRJ) contains no documents to verify that he either attended GED classes or that he completed the GED examination requirements.  The MPRJ does contain a personnel qualification record checklist, dated 15 November 1976.  This form contains the applicant’s initials verifying that the civilian education entry in block 17 of his DA Form 2-1 was correct at that time.  

On 1 June 1979, the applicant was honorably released from active duty (REFRAD) upon completing his active duty service commitment.  The DD Form 214 prepared in conjunction with his separation indicated, in block 
20 (highest education level successfully completed), that he had successfully completed 11 years of secondary education (high school).  

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.  After carefully examining the evidence of record and because the applicant has failed to provide any evidence in support of his contention that he successfully completed the requirements to receive his high school GED diploma, the Board is forced to deny the requested relief.

2.  The evidence of record clearly shows that the applicant had completed only 11 years of education prior to entering the Army, as evidence by his enlistment application.  In addition, the record also verifies that on the date of his separation from active duty he was still only being credited with 11 years of secondary education, as documented by the DD Form 214.  Therefore, the Board concluded that there was no evidentiary basis on which to grant the applicant’s request to change his DD Form 214.

3.  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.

4.  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 ___  ___kak__  __clg____  DENY APPLICATION

						Karl F. Schneider
						Director, Army Review Boards Agency

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999034386	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	2000/04/26	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	N/A	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	N/A	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	N/A	
DISCHARGE REASON	N/A	
BOARD DECISION	DENY	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1. 969	144.0035	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.