IN THE CASE OF:
BOARD DATE: 13 November 2012
DOCKET NUMBER: AR20120007288
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 (Report of Separation from the Armed Forces of the United States) to show his year of birth as 1932.
2. The applicant states, in effect, he needs a corrected DD Form 214 for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits.
3. The applicant provides a copy of his DD Form 214. He indicated a copy of his birth certificate was attached to his application; however, the document was not attached.
CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:
1. Title 10, U.S. Code, section 1552(b), provides that applications for correction of military records must be filed within 3 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 applicants failure to timely file within the 3-year statute of limitations if the ABCMR determines it would be in the interest of justice to do so. While it appears the applicant did not file within the time frame provided in the statute of limitations, the ABCMR has elected to conduct a substantive review of this case and, only to the extent relief, if any, is granted, has determined it is in the interest of justice to excuse the applicants failure to timely file. In all other respects, there are insufficient bases to waive the statute of limitations for timely filing.
2. The applicant's complete 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, the applicant provided a copy of his DD Form 214 which is sufficient for the Board to conduct a fair and impartial review of this case.
3. The applicant's DD Form 214 shows he enlisted in the Regular Army for a
3-year period and entered active duty at Beckley, WV, on 1 June 1951. A copy of his enlistment record is not available for review with this case.
4. He completed 3 years of creditable active service. He was honorably discharged on 31 May 1954. His DD Form 214 shows in item 10 (Date of Birth (DOB) 24 December 1933.
5. Army Regulation 635-5 (Separation Documents) establishes the standardized policy for preparing and distributing the DD Form 214. The purpose of the separation document is to provide the individual with documentary evidence of his or her military service. The DD Form 214 is a summary of a Soldier's most recent period of continuous active duty to include attendance at basic and advanced training and will be prepared for all personnel at the time of their retirement, discharge, or release from active duty.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:
1. The applicant's enlistment record is not available for review with this case. It is unclear what DOB he used upon entering active duty. However, he provides a copy of a properly-constituted DD Form 214 that shows his DOB as "24 December 1933." In the absence of his military records or at least his enlistment document, it is presumed that the DOB shown on his DD Form 214 is correct.
2. For historical purposes, the Army has an interest in maintaining the accuracy of its records. In this regard, the information contained therein should reflect the conditions/circumstances that existed at the time the records were created and under which the military service was performed. Therefore, lacking convincing independent and verifiable evidence to the contrary, it is presumed that his military service records, including the DD Form 214, were correct at the time and there is an insufficient evidentiary basis for changing his DOB.
3. Nevertheless, a copy of this decisional document will be filed in his service record to provide clarity and to deal with any confusion that might arise regarding the DOB he claims is correct. Filing the Board's decisional document will also guarantee the historical accuracy of the applicant's military record regarding the DOB under which he served.
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) AR20120007288
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ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20120007288
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