IN THE CASE OF:	  

		BOARD DATE:	  3 January 2012

		DOCKET NUMBER:  AR20110014114 


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 reconsideration of his request for correction of his DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge) to show his correct social security number (SSN).

2.  The applicant states his original SSN (4XX-XX-XX48) was issued to him in 1967.  The Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR), Record of Proceedings (ROP), dated 13 July 2010, states he was issued a temporary service number (9XX-00-XX09) when he was inducted into the U.S. Army on
20 August 1969.  The ABCMR ROP also acknowledges that his military service records were either lost or destroyed in a fire in 1973.

	a.  When he was called upon to serve his country, he served with honor.  He even extended his 1-year tour of duty in Vietnam and served 14 months.

	b.  He is now 62 years of age and the fact that his correct SSN is not recorded on his DD Form 214 is having an adverse impact on him with respect to government benefits.

	c.  He respectfully requests the Board's reconsideration in this matter.

3.  The applicant provides copies of his DD Form 214, social security card, Security Administration (SSA) SSN printout, and SSA Social Security Statement.


CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:

1.  Incorporated herein by reference are military records which were summarized in the previous consideration of the applicant's case by the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) in Docket Number AR20100000812 on 13 July 2010.

2.  The applicant's military records are not available to the Board for review.  A fire destroyed approximately 18 million service members' records at the National Personnel Records Center in 1973.  It is believed that his records were lost or destroyed in that fire.  However, there were sufficient documents remaining in a reconstructed record for the Board to conduct a fair and impartial review of this case.  The available record essentially consists of his DD Form 214.

3.  The U.S. Armed Forces was transitioning from the service number (SN) to the individual's social security account number (SSAN) at the time of the applicant's induction processing.

4.  The applicant's DD Form 214 shows he was inducted into the U.S. Army on 20 August 1969, honorably released from active duty (REFRAD) on 25 March 1971, and transferred to the U.S. Army Reserve (Annual Training) to complete his Reserve obligation.  He completed 1 year, 7 months, and 6 days of net active service that included 1 year, 2 months, and 13 days of foreign service in Vietnam.

	a.  Item 3 (SSN) shows "9XX 00 XX09."

	b.  Item 30 (Remarks) does not show a reference to his SSAN.

5.  In support of his request for reconsideration, the applicant provides the following documents:

	a.  his social security card and SSA SSN printout that show his SSN is 
"4XX-XX-XX48"; and

	b.  SSA Social Security Statement that shows his taxed Social Security earnings:

* increased from 1967 to 1968  [a period prior to his military service]
* decreased in 1969 [the year he entered military service]
* was zero (0) in 1970 [the entire calendar year he was in military service]
* increased in 1971 [the year he was REFRAD]
6.  Army Regulation 600-8 (Name and Birth Data, Social Security Account, and Temporary Identification Number (TIN)), in effect at the time, prescribes the procedures used for recording, issuing or changing personnel information normally used as a means of identification.

     a.  Chapter 4 (TIN) prescribes the procedures for issuing a TIN as a means of personnel identification for those individuals being processed for military service who did not have a SSN.  The number "9" was designated as the first number of the 9-digit TIN.

     b.  The TIN was entered as a permanent entry on all records.  Upon receipt of an SSN, the TIN was to be lined-out and the SSN entered on all records.

7.  Information available from the Social Security Administration shows that SSNs beginning with 800-999 are not valid SSNs; no numbers above 799 have ever been issued.

8.  Army Regulation 635-5 (Personnel Separations - Separation Documents) prescribes policies and procedures regarding separation documents.  It also establishes standardized policy for preparing and distributing the DD Form 214. The purpose of a separation document is to provide the individual with evidence of their military service at the time of separation.  It shows for:

	a.  item 3 - enter the individual’s SN or SSAN; and that

	b.  item 30 is used to complete entries too long for their respective blocks. During the Vietnam era, instructions for the “Remarks” section included, “Transcribe SSAN in the following manner:  ‘SSAN 000-00-0000’.”

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant's request for reconsideration to correct his DD Form 214 to show his correct SSN was carefully considered.

2.  The evidence of record shows that either a TIN or an invalid SSN was used throughout the applicant's military service.  As a result, upon his REFRAD, his TIN was recorded in item 3 of his DD Form 214 as "9XX-00-XX09"; however, his SSN was not recorded on the DD Form 214.

3.  It is impractical, if not impossible, to change all of the applicant's records to reflect his true SSN since this runs the risk of losing or misidentifying documents (that currently cannot be located) that employ his original constructed identification number.
4.  However, based on the evidence of record, it would be appropriate to correct only the applicant's DD Form 214 to show his correct SSN.

BOARD VOTE:

____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 amendment of the ABCMR's decision in Docket Number AR20100000812, dated 13 July 2010.  As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by issuing a DD Form 215 (Correction to DD Form 214) that adds to item 30 of his DD Form 214 the entry:  “SSAN:  XXX-XX-XXXX” (i.e., the number shown on his SSA documents that he provides).




      _______ _   _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)                                         AR20110014114



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ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)                                         AR20110014114



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