ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 15 October 2019 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20180004844 APPLICANT REQUESTS: correction of his DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge) for the period ending 2 August 1957 by adding to item 28: * Seventh Army Noncommissioned Officer Academy, graduated 7 September 1956 * The Basic Driver Course (64 hours) graduated Fort Maison 27 January 1956 APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: * DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record) * Certificate of training, Basic Drivers Course * Certificate of course completion Southeastern Signal School * Certificate, Seventh Army Noncommissioned Officer Academy * Honorable Discharge Certificate * DA form 1270 (Transfer or Release to Reserve Component of the Army * Graduation Photograph 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 (ABCMR) 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 section 28 of his DD Form 214 should list a Seventh Army Noncommissioned Officer Academy graduation of 7 September 1956. The basic drivers course (64 hours) graduated from Fort Maison, 27 January 1956. The southeastern Signal School, Camp Gordon GA, Cable Splicer course. 3. The applicant provides: a. An honorable discharge certificate from the Army of the United States, dated 26 August 1954. b. DD Form 214, which shows his service from 28 August 1954 to 2 August 1957. c. Department of the Army Certificate of training for successfully completing the basic drivers course (64 hours) on 27 January 1956. d. Southeastern Signal School, Certificate for successfully completing the Cable Splicer Course, Camp Gordon, GA, dated 4 August 1954. e. Seventh Army Noncommissioned Officer Academy Certificate for satisfactorily completing instructions in tactics and leadership. f. DA Form 1270, transferring the applicant to the Army Reserve with an effective date of 2 August 1957. g. A copy of a photograph of two Soldiers shaking hands at a military ceremony. The copy is labeled: X___ , Graduation, 7th Army Noncommissioned Officer Training Academy, 7 September 1956, Munich Germany. 4. A review of the applicant's service record shows: a. The complete service record is not available for the Board to review. The National Personnel Records Center provided a partial record for the Board to review. The National Records Center informed the applicant by letter, his complete record was believed to be destroyed in the 12 July 1973 fire at the center. b. He was inducted into the Army of the United States on February 1954 and later enlisted in the Regular Army on 28 August 1954. c. He completed the Army Cable Splicer Course, on 4 August 1954. d. His record does not contain documentation showing he completed the Seventh Army Noncommissioned Officer Course and the basic driver’s course (64 hours). e. He was honorably released to the Army Reserve on 2 August 1957. His DD Form 214 shows he completed 2 years, 11 months and 5 day of net service this period and he also completed the Army Cable Splicer Course, class 13-54. 5. By Regulation AR 635-5 (Separation Documents) the DD Form 214 is a summary of a Soldier’s most recent period of continuous active duty. It provides a brief, clear- cut record of active duty service at the time of release from active duty, retirement, or discharge. Item 28: Enter service schools, including dates and major courses which were successfully completed. This entry also includes military sponsored courses completed in civilian schools and colleges during period covered by the DD Form 214 being prepared. BOARD DISCUSSION: After reviewing the application and all supporting documents, the Board found some relief was warranted. The applicant’s contentions were carefully considered. The DD Form 214 required the name of the school, dates of the course, and the name of the course, for all military education during the time in which he served. His basic Drivers Course Certificate shows he completed a 64 hour course on 27 January 1956. The Board agreed the course was 8 working days long, and to list the course’s duration from 18 – 27 January 1956. The 7th Army certificate of proficiency does not reflect the dates nor the hours of the course. The Board agreed there is insufficient evidence to grant relief for the NCO Academy training. However, the applicant is advised to request reconsideration if the required information is available. BOARD VOTE: Mbr 1 Mbr 2 Mbr 3 : : : GRANT FULL RELIEF X X X GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF : : : GRANT FORMAL HEARING : : : DENY APPLICATION BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: 1. The Board determined the evidence presented is sufficient to warrant a recommendation for partial relief. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by amending item 28 of his DD Form 214 for the period ending 2 August 1957 by “Drivers Testing Center, 18 – 27 January 1956, Basic Drivers Course.” 2. The Board further determined the evidence presented is insufficient to warrant a portion of the requested relief. As a result, the Board recommends denial of so much of the application that pertains to adding the 7th Army Tactics and Leadership Course. X CHAIRPERSON Signed by: 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 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. By Regulation AR 635-5 (Separation Documents) in effect at the time, the DD Form 214 is a summary of a Soldier’s most recent period of continuous active duty. It provides a brief, clear-cut record of active duty service at the time of release from active duty, retirement, or discharge. Item 28. Enter service schools, including dates and major courses which were successfully completed. This entry also includes military sponsored courses completed in civilian schools and colleges during period covered by the DD Form 214 being prepared. //NOTHING FOLLOWS//