IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 10 December 2015 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20150005288 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 (Record of Separation from the Armed Forces of the United States) to reflect his training at Arlington Hall, VA. 2. The applicant states: * he enlisted directly into the Army Security Agency on 29 July 1948 * he received high-speed radio code training at Fort Monmouth, NJ, and from there was sent to Carlisle, PA, for further training in code copying * he served with the Army Security Agency at Vint Hill Farms Station, VA, in 1951 where he was one of the few asked to attend special training at Arlington Hall, VA, to learn the Chinese military code language * subsequent to his training at Arlington Hall, he was sent to Japan and Korea for the purpose of copying all of the Chinese military code transmissions * he returned to the United States after 11 months and was discharged on 10 May 1952 * there is no record of his training at Arlington Hall recorded on his DD Form 214 and he does not know why it was omitted 3. The applicant provides: * DD Form 214 * Email correspondence from a Congressional staff member * Privacy Act Consent Form * correspondence with the Army Review Boards Agency 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 for review. A request for records from the National Personnel Records Center was not successful. The National Personnel Records Center has no service records pertaining to the applicant. 3. He provided a copy of his DD Form 214 which shows he enlisted in the Regular Army on 29 July 1948. 4. Item 30 (Service Schools or Colleges, College Training Courses and/or Post-Graduate Courses Successfully Completed) and item 31 (Service Training Courses Successfully Completed) of his DD Form 214 show he completed the High Speed Radio Operator Course from October 1948 through September 1949 at the Army Signal School, Fort Monmouth, NJ, and the Morse Code Interceptor Course from September 1949 through November 1949 at the Army Security Agency, Carlisle, PA. 5. On 10 May 1952, he was honorably discharged. He completed 3 years, 9 months, and 12 days of active service. 6. Army Regulation 635-5 (Administrative Separation Procedures and Forms), in effect at the time, established standardized policy for preparing and distributing the DD Form 214. This regulation stated the purpose of the separation document is to provide the individual with documentary evidence of his or her military service at the time of release from active duty, retirement, or discharge. It is important that information entered on the form is complete and accurate and reflects the conditions as they existed at the time of separation. The instructions stated to enter service schools, including dates and major courses which were successfully completed, in item 30. This entry also included military-sponsored courses completed in civilian schools and colleges during the period covered by the DD Form 214 being prepared. 7. Army Regulation 15-185 (Army Board for Correction of Military Records) prescribes the policies and procedures for correction of military records by the Secretary of the Army acting through the ABCMR. The ABCMR begins its consideration of each case with the presumption of administrative regularity. The applicant has the burden of proving an error or injustice by a preponderance of the evidence. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: 1. The applicant's request for correction of his DD Form 214 to reflect his completion of Chinese coding training at Arlington Hall was carefully considered. 2. The applicant's military records are not available for review. Although he contends he completed training in Chinese military code transmissions in 1951 prior to his assignments in Japan and Korea, there is unfortunately no evidence showing he attended and completed such training. 3. Absent documentation corroborating his claim of completion of military training at Arlington Hall, regularity is presumed in the preparation of his DD Form 214. 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 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) AR20150005288 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20150005288 4 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1