SUBJECT: Corrections to DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (and predecessor forms)

1. Purpose.  This memorandum provides information and instructions on the issuance of DD Form 215, Correction to DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty.

2. Cancellation.  1865.87 is canceled.

3. Reason for revision.  This memorandum is revised to include instructions for the issuance of DD Form 215 in response to a request from a separation transfer activity or state Adjutant General's Office.  This revision also clarifies what the conditions are under which admissible evidence for correction to the DD Form 214 should be submitted by the requester; clarifies  Air Force Reference Branch procedures pertaining to the items on the DD Form  214 which cannot be corrected by the issuance of a DD Form 215; updates routing symbols and addresses of the military service departments; and provides revised numbers of forms used when processing requests for correction to the separation document.

4. Instructions.  Instructions for issuance of DD Form 215 are contained in the attachment.

5. Forms.  This memorandum provides for the use of the following forms:

 DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty.
 DD Form 215, Correction to DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or
    Discharge from Active Duty.
 NA Form 13008, Loan or Transfer of Records.
 NA Form 13081, Change of Record Request.
 NA Form 13104, Multiple Purpose Correspondence Form.
 

DAVID L. PETREE
Director

1. General information.  NPRC, as the physical custodian (but not the legal custodian) of military records, cannot amend them.  Amending a military record (changing substantive information) is the responsibility of the military service department creating the record.  However, correcting an administrative error made on a DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty or predecessor forms, such as a typographical misspelling or transposition of numbers is an NPRC function, when evidence is found in the record or under
some conditions supplied by the veteran to support the fact that an administrative error was made.  Errors are sometimes discovered on the DD Form 214 by personnel at the state Adjutant General's Office or Department of Defense separation transfer activity after it has been distributed.  When this occurs, the appropriate office above prepares a request for correction to the DD Form 214 and sends it to NPRC(MPR) for preparation of a DD Form 215, Correction to DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty.

2. Determining whether completion of DD 215 is appropriate.

     a. Completion of DD Form 215 inappropriate.  In certain instances, corrections to the DD Form 214 cannot be accomplished by using a DD Form 215.  For a list of these instances, see fig. 1, Conditions requiring the reissuance of DD Form 214.  In those instances when a correction to the DD Form 214 is requested, and correction cannot be accomplished by using a DD Form 215:

(1) Prepare NA Form 13008, Loan or Transfer of Records, as a transmittal for the request.  File the first copy in the branch IBR file and route the hard copy to the appropriate search and file section to recharge the record.  Use the original NA Form 13008 to route the request and record to:

     (a) Air Force.  èHQ Air Force Personnel Center (AFPC), Attn:  HQ AFPC/DPPRSP, 550 C Street West, Randolph AFB, TX 78150.ç

     (b) Coast Guard.  èCommander, CGPC-adm-3, U.S. Coast Guard, 2100 2^nd Street, SW, Washington, DC 20593-0001.ç)

     (c) Marine Corps.  èCheck the box on the NA Form 13008 that says Commandant of the Marine Corps and include office symbol if MCLNO provides it.  Send the record and request to the Marine Corps Liaison Officer at 9700 Page.ç

     (d) Navy. èNaval Personnel Command (NPC-313D), 5720 Integrity Drive, Millington, TN 38005.ç

     (e) ARMY.  èCommander, HQ AR-PERSCOM, Attn:  ARPC-ZCC-B, #1 Reserve Way, St. Louis, MO 63132-5200.ç.

(2) Notify requester of referral with NA Form 13081, Change of Record Request (see fig. 2).  Check the block indicating that the record has been referred, and note the agency to which the referral has been made.  Highlight the requester's address with a red checkmark.

(1) Requests for issuance of a DD Form 215 from a state Adjutant General's Office or Department of Defense separation transfer activity are to be honored.  No authorization is needed from the veteran/next of kin.  Prepare and distribute DD Form 215 in accordance with par. 3, below.  File the #l copy of the DD Form 215 in the military record if the request does not contain the current address of the veteran or the mailing address shown in the record is more than one year old.

(2) If the request for correction to the DD Form 214 is from the veteran/next of kin, information to support the correction must be in the service record.  However, if the veteran's service record is incomplete or the record is fire related, the veteran may furnish admissible evidence to substantiate the request for correction.  The veteran may need to provide one of the following to support the requested change:

     (a) Certified copy of the record of birth or baptism.

     (b) Copy of the original discharge certificate, certificate in lieu of lost or destroyed discharge, or statement of service issued by the service department containing the correct name, DOB/SN, etc.

(3) If the proof to support the administrative correction is not furnished with the request, advise the requester, using NA Form 13081 to submit the appropriate documentation.

(4) If the information submitted by the requester is different from information contained on source documents in the record (other than the DD Form 214) refer the inquiry and record to the appropriate military service department as instructed in subpar. 2a(1)

Note:  This also applies to requests from a state Adjutant General's Office or Department of Defense separation transfer activity.

(5) Upon receipt or discovery of admissible proof of name, number, or date(s), etc. in question, prepare DD Form 215.  (See par. 3, below)

NOTE:  Mark "VOID" across the first DD Form 215 and retain it in the record.  No changes or erasures may be made in the shaded areas of a DD Form 215.  If an error is made on a shaded area during the preparation of a DD Form 215, destroy the defective DD Form 215 and prepare a new one.

     a. Insert the date the correction is made in block 6.  (See fig. 3, Sample completed DD Form 215.)

     b. Complete all identification data, including "Department, Component and Branch" on the DD Form 215 (blocks 1 through 4) as they appear on the DD Form 214 or other separation document being corrected.  Do not make corrections on top portion of the DD Form 215 (blocks 1-4).  (This is necessary so that activities receiving copies of the DD Form 215 will be able to locate the document being corrected.)  Complete the line:
 

     c. Make corrections by indicating items to be corrected by number in the "Item No." column of block 5, and entering the correct information in the "Corrected to Read" column of block 5.  Corrections of items having more than one entry are often lengthy; corrections may be made by using the terms "DELETE" and "ADD."

     d. Type the words "LAST ENTRY" one line below the last correction entry and enter a series of dashes, or other suitable markings, across the face of the form on either side of the words "LAST ENTRY" to indicate that corrections are complete.  (See fig. 3)

     e. Sign DD Forms 215 as follows:

(1) Air Force .  Signed by Chief, Air Force Reference Branch.

(2) Army.  Type name, grade and title of The Adjutant General.  NARA Seal is affixed over typing to authenticate.

(3) Coast Guard.  Signed by Chief, Navy Reference Branch.

(4) Marine Corps.  Signed by Marine Corps Liaison Officer.

(5) Navy.  Signed by Navy Liaison Officer.

(1) Copy for the veteran.  Prepare NA Form 13081 as a transmittal for copy 1 of the DD Form 215.  Check the block marked "The enclosed DD Form 215 shows correction(s) to your report of separation and should be filed with that document."  Address NA Form 13081 to the veteran and highlight the address with a red checkmark.  Attach copy 1 of DD Form 215 to the transmittal sheet.

(2) Copies to be forwarded to ARPERCEN or the VA Data Processing Center, and the U. S. Department of Labor.  After the DD 215 has been signed as indicated in subpar. 3e, above, detach the #3 and the #5 copies and give them to the section's clerk-typist, who forwards them daily to the appropriate address under a single transmittal form.

(3) Copies to be forwarded to any other agencies.  Prepare NA Form 13104, Multiple Purpose Correspondence Form, as a transmittal for each DD 215 copy to be sent to agencies other than those listed in subpar. 3f(2), above.  Check the block marked:  "Forwarded or returned for necessary action."  Enter address on NA Form 13104 and highlight with a red checkmark.  Addresses of State Directors of Veterans Affairs can be obtained from NPRC 1865.112, External sources of information used in the records reconstruction process, fig. 2-10.  Any copies of the DD 215 that are not forwarded to the veteran or an agency should be filed in the veteran's military record.

(4) Distribution of DD Forms 215 prepared by Records Reconstruction Branch.  Send copy 1 to the veteran as instructed in subpar. 3f(1) above.  File all other copies of the DD Form 215 in the reconstructed record, unless requested to do otherwise by the veteran.