IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 26 April 2012 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20110021035 THE BOARD CONSIDERED THE FOLLOWING EVIDENCE: 1. Application for correction of military records (with supporting documents provided, if any). 2. Military Personnel Records and advisory opinions (if any). THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, STATEMENT, AND EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant requests correction of his DD Form 214 (Report of Separation from the Armed Forces of the United States) to show he served in Okinawa. 2. The applicant states he served in Okinawa from 1948 to 1949 and his DD Form 214 does not show this service. 3. The applicant provides his DD Form 214. 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's military records are not available to the Board for review. A fire destroyed approximately 18 million service members' records at the National Personnel Records Center in 1973. It is believed that the applicant's records were lost or destroyed in that fire. However, there were sufficient documents remaining in a reconstructed record for the Board to conduct a fair and impartial review of this case. 3. His DD Form 214 shows he enlisted in the Regular Army on 18 August 1948 for a period of 3 years. He served as an infantryman in Korea and he was honorably discharged on 13 May 1952. 4. Item 26 (Foreign and/or Sea Service) of his DD Form 214 shows he served 1 year and 19 days of foreign service. 5. The available evidence does not show he served in Okinawa. 6. Army Regulation 635-5 (Separation Documents) establishes the policies and procedures for completion and distribution of the DD Form 214. There is no provision to enter any duty assignment other than the unit of assignment upon separation on the DD Form 214. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: 1. The applicant claims he served in Okinawa from 1948 to 1949. However, there is no evidence available to support this contention. 2. Since there is no provision to show duty assignments on the DD Form 214 other than the last duty assignment and major command, there is no basis for granting the applicant's requested relief. BOARD VOTE: ________ ________ ________ GRANT FULL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING ____x___ ___x____ ____x___ DENY APPLICATION BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The evidence presented does not demonstrate the existence of a probable error or injustice. Therefore, the Board determined that the overall merits of this case are insufficient as a basis for correction of the records of the individual concerned. _______ _ __x_____ ___ CHAIRPERSON I certify that herein is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in this case. ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20110021035 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20110021035 2 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1