ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS


                   IN THE CASE OF:

	BOARD DATE:     1 April 2019

	DOCKET NUMBER:  AR20170014226


APPLICANT REQUESTS: correction of his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to show his current legal name.

APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: 

* DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record)
* Washington Driver License
* A Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Identification (ID) Badge
* District Court , Court Ordered Name Change, dated 11 February 2016
* A letter from the VA, dated 18 March 2016
* A letter from the VA, dated 2 May 2016
* DD Form 214

FACTS:

1.  The applicant did not file within the three year time frame provided in Title 10, United States Code (USC), section 1552 (b); however, the Army Board for Correction of Military Records conducted a substantive review of this case and determined it is in the interest of justice to excuse the applicant's failure to timely file. 

2.  The applicant states, in effect, he is a transgender man who changed his legal name from XXXXX" to" XXXXX".  His DD Form 214 records show his old name and discloses his transgender identity, which places him at a disadvantage.  This is an injustice because transgender people face social stigma and discrimination.  Issuing a corrected DD Form 214 listing his current name will effectively remedy this injustice.

3.  His DD Form 214 shows his name as "XXXXX" in item 1 (Name).

4.  The applicant's military record is void of any documents recording his current legal name.  


5.  The applicant provides:

* a letter from the VA, from a physician who formally gave the applicant the diagnosis of gender dysphoria
* a letter from the VA, who amended his official VA record to change his gender from female to male
* a Washington Driver License
* a VA ID Badge
* a court order from the District Court, Thurston County, State of Washington, dated 11 February 2016, that shows his name was legally changed to "XXXXX."

6.  The DD Form 214 is a historical document that should reflect the record as it existed at the time the DD Form 214 was created.  A post-service name change does not retroactively create an error on the DD Form 214.  However, the unique circumstances of transgender individuals may prevent or delay receipt of benefits for which these individuals must provide a DD Form 214 as proof of military service.

BOARD DISCUSSION:

After reviewing the application and all supporting documents, the Board determined that relief was warranted.  Based upon the potential prejudices some transgender Soldiers may face when presenting a DD214 with a different name than currently used, the Board found there were potential injustices that would provide sufficient reason to grant the requested relief.  
 
BOARD VOTE:

Mbr 1	Mbr 2	Mbr 3

X	X	X	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 the Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by reissuing the DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) with the following amendments:

	a.  The applicant's legal name, as recorded on the court ordered name change document, will be entered in item 1 (Name), and 

	b.  No entries will be made in item 18 (Remarks) of the reissued DD Form 214 that list a previous name or that indicate the DD Form 214 was administratively reissued.  
	 
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.





REFERENCES:

1.  Title 10, USC, section 1552(b), provides that applications for correction of military records must be filed within three 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 three-year statute of limitations if the ABCMR determines it would be in the interest of justice to do so.

2.  Army Regulation 635-8 (Separation Processing and Documents), currently in effect, prescribes the transition processing function of the military personnel system, including preparation of the DD Form 214.  

      a.  The DD Form 214 is a summary of the Soldier's most recent period of continuous active duty.  It provides a brief, clear-cut record of all current active, prior active, and prior inactive duty service at the time of release from active duty, retirement, or discharge.

	b.  Item 1 (item Name)- compare with the original enlistment contract or appointment order and review the official record for possible name changes.  If a name change has occurred, list other names of record in block 18 (Remarks).

	c.  Item 18 (Item Name) - when a DD Form 214 is administratively issued or reissued, enter "DD FORM 214 ADMINISTRATIVELY ISSUED/REISSUED ON (date)."  However, do not make this entry if the appellate authority, Executive Order, or Headquarters, Department of the Army, directs otherwise.

	d.  The Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Review Boards) (DASA (RB)), Army Review Boards Agency (ARBA), is authorized to issue or reissue DD Forms 214.  Once a DD Form 214 has been issued, at the direction of the ABCMR or in other instances when appropriate, including when it is determined that the original DD Form 214 cannot be properly corrected by issuance of a DD Form 215 (Correction to DD Form 214).

ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)	 AR20170014226
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