RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 27 September 2007 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20070006054 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. Ms. Catherine C. Mitrano Director Ms. Jeanne Marie Rowan Analyst The following members, a quorum, were present: Mr. Richard Dunbar Chairperson Mr. Chester Damian Member Mr. Edward Montgomery Member The Board considered the following evidence: Exhibit A - Application for correction of military records. Exhibit B - Military Personnel Records (including advisory opinion, if any). THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, STATEMENT, AND EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant requests his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) with an effective date 30 April 1999 be corrected to show the proper spelling of his wife's first name as "Jeanette" instead of "Jeannette". 2. The applicant states, in effect, his wife's first name was misspelled and it was an oversight on his part when he proofread his DD Form 214 upon retirement. 3. The applicant provides a copy of his wife's DD Form 1173 (Military Dependent Identification and Privilege Card) and his DD Form 214 in support of his application. CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. Title 10, U.S. Code, section 1552(b), provides that applications for correction of military records must be filed within 3 years after discovery of the alleged error or injustice. This provision of law also allows the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) to excuse an applicant’s failure to timely file within the 3-year statute of limitations if the ABCMR determines it would be in the interest of justice to do so. While it appears the applicant did not file within the time frame provided in the statute of limitations, the ABCMR has elected to conduct a substantive review of this case and, only to the extent relief, if any, is granted, has determined it is in the interest of justice to excuse the applicant’s failure to timely file. In all other respects, there are insufficient bases to waive the statute of limitations for timely filing. 2. The applicant is a retired member of the United States Army who served honorably on active duty as an Attack Helicopter Repairman in the military occupational specialty 67Y. The applicant retired on 30 April 1999 after serving 22 years and 13 days of net active federal service. 3. The DD Form 214 issued to the applicant shows in Block 19b (Nearest Relative) the entry "Jeannette." 4. The applicant provided a photocopy of his wife's valid DD Form 1173, which shows the entry "Jeanette" as the person to whom the military identification card was issued. 5. Army Regulation 600-8-14, (Identification Cards for Members of the Uniformed Services, Their Eligible Family Members, and Other Eligible Personnel) provides, in pertinent part, directives to verification officers concerning legal documents required to verify identify before issuing family members and dependents of retirees their military identification card. The retired Soldier must present himself with his spouse to the Verifying Official at the Military Identification Card and DEERS/RAPIDS (Defense Enrollment and Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) Real-Time Automated Personnel Identification System (RAPIDS)) military facility with the proper validation documents required to request a military identification card for a retiree's spouse. The documents required are original marriage certificates, divorce documents, birth certificates, Social Security Cards, and valid state driver's license. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: 1. The applicant contends that when his DD Form 214 was prepared and issued to him upon his retirement on 30 April 1999, his spouse's name was misspelled. The applicant contends that his wife's name is spelled "Jeanette" as shown on her military identification card and not "Jeannette" as it is spelled in Block 19b of his DD Form 214. 2. The regulatory guidance governs the proper identification documents used for authenticating and verifying a family member’s identity prior to issuance of a military identification card. The proper documents were required for verification prior to issuing the retiree’s spouse her identification card. Therefore, it appears that the misspelling of the spouse’s first name on the DD Form 214 issued on 30 April 1999 was an administrative oversight. 3. In view of the evidence presented and published directives, the applicant's DD Form 214 should be corrected to show the spelling of his spouse's first name as "Jeanette." BOARD VOTE: __RD ___ __CD ___ __EM __ GRANT FULL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING ________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The Board determined that the evidence presented was sufficient to warrant a recommendation for relief. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by amending Block 19b the applicant’s 30 April 1999 DD Form 214 to show "Jeanette" as the proper spelling of the first name of his nearest relative. _____Richard Dunbar_______ CHAIRPERSON INDEX CASE ID AR20070006054 SUFFIX RECON YYYYMMDD DATE BOARDED 20070927 TYPE OF DISCHARGE (HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR) DATE OF DISCHARGE YYYYMMDD DISCHARGE AUTHORITY AR . . . . . DISCHARGE REASON BOARD DECISION GRANT REVIEW AUTHORITY ISSUES 1. 100.0100 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.