Posted on Apr 20, 2017
How is it that a DD214 is not sufficient proof of service?
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I have a buddy ( 2d Lt (Join to see) ) that is experiencing some issues w/ this. He is being told by finance at the Federal level that his DD214 is not sufficient evidence of service in order to prove he is owed back pay.
Anyone have any advise, or shared similar experience that might be able to help out here?
Anyone have any advise, or shared similar experience that might be able to help out here?
DD214
Finance
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 9
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Based on the information I have, a DD214 alone doesn't tell me anything other than the fact that you have served. It does not prove that you are owed back pay or anything else.
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SSgt (Join to see)
SrA Edward Vong they are requesting travel orders and some such. the deal was that it was terminal leave. there were no travel orders. But they flat out told him his DD214 wasn't proof of service.
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SSgt (Join to see)
SrA Edward Vong - not sure. It was when he was with the Marines (I believe), so it's been some time ago. He's trying to get all this stuff tracked down while in flight school.
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CWO4 Tim Hecht
I agree too that the DD-214 isn't enough documentation to support his claim for back pay. All the DD-214 does with regards to service (other then listing awards, etc.) is to document periods of service. While on terminal leave you are still on active duty and that time should be accounted for.
To support his claim for back pay would need copies of his enlistment contracts, orders, and Leave and Earning Statements to show the continuity of his service.
To support his claim for back pay would need copies of his enlistment contracts, orders, and Leave and Earning Statements to show the continuity of his service.
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Well for starters, you're are asking the wrong question. The DD-214 is sufficient proof of service. But that has nothing to do with back pay. The DD-214 has absolutely ZERO to do with back pay. If you want to prove you are owed some back pay, then for starters, you're going to want to print out EVERY single LES from just before the pay was supposed to increase all the way to the most recent. Your LES is what keeps track of how much money you are making or being paid. So if there are any discrepancies in pay, THAT'S where it's going to be.
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SSgt (Join to see)
Cpl Justin Goolsby Correct. But they are saying that his DD214 is not proof of service for the dates that his pay was never issued. They were asking for other documents that were never issued to him, and he did not have a pause in service (unless you count however long it took for them to reclassify him from Air Reserve to AF OTC).
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A DD 214 is 100% proof of service. But it is certainly not proof of being owed back pay. I think I read that this had something to do with terminal leave. There are not separate terminal leave orders, terminal leave is conducted in conjunction with either an ETS or retirement. Both circumstances require orders and will include what was done for terminal leave. He will have to provide those orders if there is a disagreement in how much he should have been paid.
If the discrepancy is based on a break in service or when he was released, he will need to get a statement of service completed. I think each service's form is a bit different but it basically outlines when the military believes the service member started or stopped a particular portion of their career for creditable service. If there is a discrepancy between what he believes and what they believe, that may be the issue.
More of an explanation is needed regarding why he feels he should get back pay. There are a lot of reasons and each has a different explanation. Not worth getting a Congressman involved until somebody figures out what the actual issue is. I do wonder why an A1C is asking these questions for a 2LT.
If the discrepancy is based on a break in service or when he was released, he will need to get a statement of service completed. I think each service's form is a bit different but it basically outlines when the military believes the service member started or stopped a particular portion of their career for creditable service. If there is a discrepancy between what he believes and what they believe, that may be the issue.
More of an explanation is needed regarding why he feels he should get back pay. There are a lot of reasons and each has a different explanation. Not worth getting a Congressman involved until somebody figures out what the actual issue is. I do wonder why an A1C is asking these questions for a 2LT.
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SSgt (Join to see)
LCDR Keith Trepanier thank you, sir. I believe, as I've been following up w/ him, that this is more based around the time that he transitioned from AF reserves to OTS.
Fortunately, we're all friends w/ the recruiter who put his packet through (and just went through OTS last year) and I believe the situation is getting resolved. He was just flabberghasted when a GS-07 in the finance dept that his base personnel called said that his DD214 wasn't proof enough of his service. I believe the extremely censored version was, "were they supposed to give me something else to prove I served outside of what every other service member has?"
Fortunately, we're all friends w/ the recruiter who put his packet through (and just went through OTS last year) and I believe the situation is getting resolved. He was just flabberghasted when a GS-07 in the finance dept that his base personnel called said that his DD214 wasn't proof enough of his service. I believe the extremely censored version was, "were they supposed to give me something else to prove I served outside of what every other service member has?"
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