IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 24 March 2015 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20140011897 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 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), item 19a (Mailing Address After Separation), from "XX4 Triplett Street, Okalona, Mississippi, 38860" to "3XX6 Monroe Ct, Augusta, Georgia, 30909." 2. The applicant states it is not possible to receive mail at the current address on file as the occupants do not have his best interest in mind. When he was in the process of retiring, his retirement home was in the process of being built. He did not have an address to give other than the address on file. It was his understanding that once his house was built, he could change the address and have all the correspondence come to his permanent address as requested here. The address on file is not even a relative and trying to retrieve his mail from that address is nearly impossible as the occupants of that home are not responsible. It is vital to his future correspondence that this address be updated as soon as possible. 3. The applicant provides medical correspondence from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center to his new address. CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant's records show he enlisted in the Regular Army on 19 April 1988 and he held military a logistics military occupational specialty. He served in a variety of stateside or overseas assignments and he attained the rank of sergeant major (SGM). 2. He retired on 31 July 2013 and he was placed on the Retired List in his retired rank of SGM on 1 August 2013. The DD Form 214 he was issued shows the following entries: * item 19a, "1XX Triplett Street, Okalona, Mississippi 38860" * item 19b (Nearest Relative), the name "Lena X. XXXX" and the address "1XX Triplett Street, Okalona, Mississippi 38860" 3. He provides correspondence from the VA Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia, addressed to him at the address "3XX6 Monroe Ct, Augusta, Georgia, 30909." 4. Army Regulation 635-5 (Separation Documents) at the time established the standardized policy for preparing and distributing the DD Form 214. 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. The DD Form 214 is not intended to have any legal effect on termination of a Soldier’s service. It is important that information entered on the form should be complete and accurate. Chapter 2 contains guidance on the preparation of the DD Form 214. Items 19a and 19b show the permanent mailing address after separation is provided by the Soldier and the address of the nearest relative. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: 1. The DD Form 214 captures a member's most recent period of continuous active duty and provides a record of all current active, prior active, and prior inactive duty service at the time of release from active duty, retirement, or discharge. 2. The entries pertaining to the mailing address and nearest relative after separation are provided by the Soldier to the official preparing the DD Form 214. The applicant appears to have provided the permanent mailing address and the name that are shown in items 19a and 19b of his DD Form 214. He also digitally authenticated the DD Form 214 by placing his signature in the proper block. 3. Absent convincing independent and verifiable evidence to the contrary it is presumed that the applicant's mailing address and the address of the nearest relative listed on his DD Form 214 were correct at the time and there is an insufficient evidentiary basis for changing either. Therefore, he is not entitled to the requested relief. 4. If the applicant desires to update his retired records address (i.e., his pay records at the Defense Finance and Accounting Service), he is advised that he may submit a dated and signed written request, stating his desired update, and providing the supporting documents to Commander, U.S. Army Human Resources Command, ATTN: AHRC-PDR-H/ Dept 420, 1600 Spearhead Division Ave, Fort Knox, KY 40122. 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) AR20140011897 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20140011897 2 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1