The Defense Department wants to make sure its veterans know they can apply to correct inaccuracies or injustices in their military records, including an upgrade in discharge, officials for the DOD’s legal policy office said.
“Veterans who believe they have suffered an inequity or injustice warranting a correction to their service record or who believe their discharge was unjust, erroneous or warrants an upgrade are encouraged to apply,” said Christa Specht, director of the Office of Legal Policy.
How to Request a Change
Veterans who want to ask for discharge upgrades, reconsiderations of previously denied upgrades, or corrections to other military records should fill out the appropriate form and return it to their service’s review board at the address listed on the form. Links to the forms can be found at the end of this article.
- For discharges fewer than 15 years ago, veterans should complete DD Form 293.
- For discharges more than 15 years ago or in cases already considered for upgrade and denied by a military department Discharge Review Board, veterans should complete DD Form 149.
- For corrections of records other than discharges, veterans should complete the DD Form 149.
If a veteran is unsure how or where to apply for a discharge upgrade or correction, the VA, in partnership with the DOD, provides resources that can be used to help with applications and provide personal instructions in response to a few questions on the public website.
Essential Information to Include in Applications
Veterans should include the following information:
- Explain why the discharge or other record was unjust or erroneous: How is it connected to or resulting from unjust policies, a physical or mental health condition related to military service, or some other explainable or justifiable circumstance?
- Provide support, where applicable, for key facts. If a veteran has a relevant medical diagnosis, for example, it would be helpful to include medical records that reflect that diagnosis.
- Submit copies of applicable service records.
Original Article from July 19, 2021 | , DOD News : https://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/Article/2698739/veterans-can-request-a-correction-to-military-records-through-a-review-board/source/GovDelivery/