The DD215 form is the official U.S. Department of Defense document used to correct factual errors on a veteran's DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty). Unlike a full reissue, the correction form amends only the specific fields that contain errors. Both the original DD-214 and the attached correction are kept together as a permanent part of the service record.
Veterans who discover clerical or administrative mistakes on their discharge certificate may request this correction document. Common reasons include:
An accurate discharge record is essential for veterans claiming VA healthcare, education benefits under the GI Bill, home loan guaranties, and employment background screenings.
Corrections are issued by the military branch that produced the original DD-214. Veterans submit a written request to the appropriate branch record center. The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis assists with older archived records. For errors that cannot be corrected administratively, veterans may file a formal petition using DD Form 149 to the Board for Correction of Military Records (BCMR). Administrative corrections typically take several weeks to a few months. Board petitions may require 12 to 18 months or more.
The form is governed by federal privacy regulations and prescribed print specifications. It is administered by the U.S. Department of Defense and adopted across all military branches. Previous editions are accepted in most circumstances. Once issued, the correction is permanently attached to the original DD-214, ensuring the service record accurately reflects the veteran's military career and benefit entitlements.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Form Name | DD Form 215 (Correction to DD Form 214) |
| Form Length | 1 pages |
| Fillable? | No |
| Fillable fields | 0 |
| Avg. time to fill out | 15 sec |
| Other names | DD-215, Correction to DD-214, us dod form dd215 |