BOARD DATE:  31 January 2020

DOCKET NUMBER:  AR20190014158


APPLICANT REQUESTS:  correction of his DD Form 214 (Report of Separation from 
Active Duty) to show he was a high school graduate or equivalent.

APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: 

*	DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record Under the Provisions 
of Title 10, U.S. Code, Section 1552), dated 31 July 2019
*	Diploma, dated 19 December 1975
*	DD Form 214, for the period ending 23 February 1976

FACTS:

1.  The applicant did not file within the three year time frame provided in Title 10, U.S. 
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 he would like his record corrected.

3.  The applicant enlisted in the Regular Army on 5 February 1973.

4.  The applicant provides a Department of Defense (DoD) Overseas Dependents 
Schools diploma, issued by Kaiserslautern American High School on 19 December 
1975, which shows he successfully completed the course of study required for 
graduation.

5.  The applicant was honorably released from active duty on 23 February 1976.  His 
DD Form 214 shows in Item 20 (Highest Education Level Successfully Completed (In 
years)), for Secondary/High School, the entry "11," indicating he was not a high school 
graduate or equivalent on his date of separation.

6.  Army Regulation 635-5 (Separation Documents) governs the preparation of the 
DD Form 214.


BOARD DISCUSSION:

The Board agreed that the evidence provided by the applicant clearly shows he had 
received a high school diploma prior to his release from active duty on 23 February 
1976.  The Board determined his DD Form 214 should be corrected to show he had 
completed 12 years of education.


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 the evidence presented is 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 item 20 of his 
DD Form 214 for the period ending 23 February 1976 to show the entry "12."

 

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.  Army Regulation 635-5, in effect at the time, established the standardized policy for 
preparing and distributing the DD Form 214.  It provides that for item 20, the preparer 
should include education completed in military service as well as education completed 
prior to service.

//NOTHING FOLLOWS//
ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)	 AR20190014158
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ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS

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ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)	 AR20190014158


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ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)	AR20190014158


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