If you are a former military servicemember, you may have reason to approach the BCM/NR. This stands for the Board for Correction of Military/Naval Records. This is the body that oversees any request to alter or correct those records.
Why might you want to do so? You may be interested if you believe that there is an “error or injustice” with those records. The BCM/NR will consider your claims, determine if an error or injustice is actually present and then update your records to match its assessment.
Why do you need to change your military record?
Many former military members don’t ever try to alter their records at all. They have simply been honorably discharged or retired from the Armed Forces, so there’s not an issue.
But, if you’ve received a different designation, you may need to address that concern. For instance, perhaps you were dishonorably discharged. This has prevented you from seeking certain benefits that you expected to receive as a veteran of the Armed Forces.
You can’t qualify for those benefits with a dishonorable discharge on your record, so you have to approach the board, explain why you believe the dishonorable discharge wasn’t warranted, and see if they will correct the record. It is within their power to change it so that you will be listed as honorably discharged—something you may feel was true the entire time.
If the board does agree to this alteration in your case, that in turn could mean that you are eligible for benefits. This can be very important to your health and financial security moving forward.
There’s quite a lot at stake when seeking to update your records, and it can certainly be a complicated process. It may help to work with an experienced law firm as you determine what next steps to take.