PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:       

	BOARD DATE:            15 April 2003
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2002082397

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

	Mr. Carl W. S. Chun		Director	
	Mr. Jessie B. Strickland		Analyst	

The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Joann H. Langston		Chairperson	
	Mr. Richard T. Dunbar		Member	
	Ms. Yolanda Maldonado		Member	

	The applicant and counsel if any, did not appear before the Board.

	The Board considered the following evidence:

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

FINDINGS:

1.  The applicant has exhausted or the Board has waived the requirement for exhaustion of all administrative remedies afforded by existing law or regulations.

2.  The applicant requests that his report of separation (DD Form 214) dated 6 September 1981 be corrected to reflect his correct Social Security Account Number (SSAN).

3.  The applicant states that at the time he enlisted he did not have to show a Social Security Card and that he used a payroll stub to write down what he thought at the time was his SSAN.  He goes on to state that the error was detected while he was in basic training and his drill sergeants told him to get it corrected at his first permanent duty station; however, he never did and never thought it to be an important issue.  However, he is approaching retirement and needs credit for his initial term of service and cannot receive it without a correction to his DD Form 214.  In support of his application he submits a copy of his Social Security Card, a statement from the Social Security Administration indicating his correct SSAN and a notarized affidavit explaining the circumstances surrounding the error. 

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he enlisted in Detroit, Michigan, on 7 July 1978.  At the time of his enlistment his home of record (HOR) was in Madison Heights, Michigan.  He indicated his SSAN was.  He served until 6 September 1981, when he was honorably released from active duty (REFRAD) in the pay grade of E-5 due to the expiration of his term of service.  He had served 3 years and 2 months of total active service and was transferred to the United States Army Reserve (USAR) Control Group (Reinforcement).  At the time of his REFRAD, his DD Form 214 indicates his SSAN was 1.

5.  On 1 December 1984, he enlisted in the USAR and indicated that his SSAN was the number listed on the Social Security Card he has presented with his application and which matches the number verified by the Social Security Administration.  He has remained in the USAR, primarily on active duty in the Active Guard/Reserve Program through a series of continuous reenlistments.  At the time of his enlistment in the USAR, his HOR was listed as Madison Heights, Michigan.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The Board finds that the applicant has provided sufficient evidence and a reasonable explanation regarding the error in his SSAN on his DD Form 214 dated 6 September 1981.

2.  Accordingly, the Board finds that it would be in the interest of justice to correct his DD Form 214 to reflect the correct SSAN as depicted on the Social Security Card he has provided and which has been confirmed by officials at the Social Security Administration. 
3.  In view of the foregoing, the applicant’s records should be corrected as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:  That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by changing the SSAN on the DD Form 214 dated 6 September 1981, to reflect the SSAN reflected on the Social Security Card provided by him with his application.

BOARD VOTE:  

__jhl____  ___ym___  __rtd____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		____Joann H. Langston_____
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2002082397	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	2003/04/15	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.  10	100.0900/SSN	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.