The DD-214 is the document that defines a veteran’s official military service record in the eyes of most employers, benefit agencies, and licensing boards. When a charge is dismissed before court-martial, the question of whether that charge continues to appear on or be reflected in the DD-214 is one that many veterans do not think to ask until the document is already being used in a context where the information causes a problem.
The process for requesting a correction to a DD-214 is governed by specific regulations and involves submitting evidence and argument to the appropriate service records correction board. Not everything that a veteran wants removed can be corrected, and the standard for what constitutes an error or injustice requiring correction is applied with varying degrees of consistency. Understanding what a corrected DD-214 can and cannot accomplish, and how long the correction process takes, is essential before any decision is made about what to pursue.
What Information the DD-214 Is Required to Include
The DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, is a standardized document that records specified information about a service member’s military service at the time of separation. Blocks on the form address the service member’s personal information, dates of service, primary specialty, education, awards and decorations, separation authority, separation code, reentry code, and characterization of service. Each block is populated based on the service member’s record at the time of separation.
A dismissed charge that never resulted in a conviction does not appear on the DD-214 as a conviction. However, the separation authority and separation code that appear on the form may reflect circumstances that a knowledgeable reader will recognize as connected to a disciplinary process, even if no charge is explicitly named. The narrative reason for separation and the corresponding regulatory authority code can reveal to civilian employers and VA reviewers that the separation was related to misconduct even when no specific offense is listed. This is one of the less obvious ways that a dismissed charge can continue to affect a veteran after separation.
The Process for Requesting a DD-214 Correction
DD-214 corrections are processed through the Board for Correction of Military Records or, for administrative errors, directly through the National Personnel Records Center. A petition to the BCMR must identify the specific blocks that are incorrect, the correct information that should replace the incorrect entries, and the evidence that supports the requested correction. The board reviews the petition and the underlying service record and issues a decision that may grant, partially grant, or deny the requested corrections.
The correction process can take a year or more from filing to decision, depending on the volume of petitions pending before the board and the complexity of the specific case. Petitioners who file before the BCMR should expect a lengthy process and should be prepared to supplement their petition if the board requests additional information. An attorney familiar with BCMR procedures can help ensure that the initial petition is as complete as possible to reduce the risk of delays caused by requests for supplemental information.
What Can and Cannot Be Corrected on a DD-214
The BCMR can correct factual errors in any block of the DD-214, including the dates of service, awards and decorations, separation authority, separation code, reentry code, and narrative reason for separation. Corrections that reflect established facts, such as a corrected date of separation or the addition of an award that was authorized but not recorded, are relatively straightforward. Corrections to the narrative reason and separation code are more significant and typically require a more developed petition.
What the BCMR cannot do is characterize service as something it was not. If the separation authority and code accurately reflect the regulatory basis for the separation, correcting those blocks requires showing that the separation itself was improper or that the characterization is an injustice given the totality of the circumstances. That is a higher standard than a simple factual correction. Veterans who want to change their reason for separation or their reentry code must address the underlying basis for the original entries rather than simply asserting that different entries would be preferable.
How Long the Correction Process Takes and Its Success Rate
BCMR processing times have historically ranged from one to three years from initial petition to final decision, though the actual time depends significantly on case complexity, board backlog, and whether supplemental submissions are requested. Veterans who need a corrected DD-214 for a specific purpose, such as a pending benefits claim or a civilian employment application, should understand that the correction process is unlikely to produce results on a timeline of weeks or months.
Success rates for DD-214 correction petitions vary by type of correction requested. Factual corrections that are supported by clear documentary evidence are granted at high rates. Corrections to characterization elements that require a showing of injustice have lower success rates and depend heavily on the quality of the evidence and the strength of the legal argument supporting the petition. Veterans who submit well-prepared, fully documented petitions through experienced counsel succeed at meaningfully higher rates than those who submit pro se petitions without professional assistance.
The Effect of a Corrected DD-214 on Civilian Employers
A corrected DD-214 replaces the original document as the official record of the veteran’s military service, and the corrected version is the one that is provided in response to official record requests. When a veteran presents a corrected DD-214 to a civilian employer, the information in the document reflects the corrections, and the original is not provided as part of a standard records request.
For veterans whose corrections changed the narrative reason or separation code, the new DD-214 may present a significantly different picture to civilian employers who conduct military service verification. However, background investigators who conduct thorough investigations have access to military records beyond the DD-214 itself, and a corrected DD-214 does not necessarily prevent a thorough investigator from finding information about the original separation. Understanding what a correction accomplishes and what it does not is important for veterans making decisions about how to present their military record to prospective employers.
This content is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Military law is complex and fact-specific. If you are facing a UCMJ investigation, court-martial, administrative separation, or any other military legal matter, consult a qualified military defense attorney before taking any action.