10 U.S. Code § 1551 - Correction of name after separation from service under an assumed name

The Secretary of the military department concerned shall issue a certificate of discharge or an order of acceptance of resignation in the true name of any person who was separated from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Space Force honorably or under honorable conditions after serving under an assumed name during a war with another nation or people, upon application by, or on behalf of, that person, and upon proof of his identity. However, a certificate or order may not be issued under this section if the name was assumed to conceal a crime or to avoid its consequences.

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 116; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, § 924(b)(3)(Y), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3821.)

Historical and Revision Notes
Revised section	Source (U.S. Code)	Source (Statutes at Large)
1551	5:200. 34:597.	Apr. 14, 1890, ch. 80; restated June 25, 1910, ch. 393, 36 Stat. 824.
		Aug. 22, 1912, ch. 329, 37 Stat. 324.

The word “shall” is substituted for the words “is authorized and required”. The word “separated” is substituted for the word “discharged”, since the revised section covers acceptances of resignations as well as certificates of discharge. The words “enlisted or” and “while minors or otherwise” are omitted as surplusage. The words “the War of the Rebellion” are omitted as obsolete. The word “with” is substituted for the words “between the United States and”. The words “honorably or under honorable conditions” are substituted for the word “honorably”.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2021—Pub. L. 116–283 substituted “Marine Corps, or Space Force” for “or Marine Corps”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Personnel Freeze for Service Review Agencies

Pub. L. 105–261, div. A, title V, § 541, Oct. 17, 1998, 112 Stat. 2019, provided that, during fiscal years 1999, 2000, and 2001, the Secretary of a military department could not carry out any reduction in the number of military and civilian personnel assigned to duty with the service review agency for that military department below the baseline number for that agency until: (1) the Secretary had submitted to Congress a report that described the reduction to be made and the rationale for that reduction, and specified the number of such personnel that would be assigned to duty with that agency after the reduction; and (2) a period of 90 days had elapsed after the date on which such report had been submitted.