posted on Sep, 22 2007 @ 04:23 PM
well...good for you for taking that onus to the light of legality.
i was seperated in 1968, way before the common soldier, let alone the public was aware of these (SPN & RE) Codes,,,
those 'codes/numbers' were intended to remain in the domain of investigative agencies...(rather than the general public)
but the 'insiders'; Police, mega corps. sensitive employers, that had this insider knowledge...used the codes/#s as a 1st level screeming device~
and a little known data point for employers or military ..for the purpose of characterizing the individual who produced a DD-214 as a reference of
their service to the country.
It all sorta came to a head in the waning days of the VietNam war era...
it may well have been persons like myself (a veteran against the war activist) who told the public that this 'insider code' was a fact--and could
very well be Abused !
a lot of potential employ(ees), veterans all, did not find any fault with the 'secret code' that stereotyped them....and possibly reflected on their
earnings rate at any number of defense industry employ(ers) the veterans approached for a career position.
as far as i understand, the SPNs and RE numbers were
""discontinued"" in 1979....
But there is a caveat to that 'explaination' and/or 'rectification'
as a SPN/RE number is still put on your service record.....
BUT, the 'copy' you receive--copy #1-- wont have those coded numbers,
whereas "Copy #4" of that same DD-214 service record, will have those same SPN/RE codes made known to [the people needing that information]
!!!
another level of 'insider information'sharing, data mining, profiling...etc
keep your heads above the water
[edit on 22-9-2007 by St Udio]