NPRC will only make amendments to discharge certificates of Navy and Marine Corps veterans; no changes will be made for veterans of the other military services. NPRC will only correct the older discharge certificates, ones with the Navy battleship or Marine Corps emblem on the front and service data on the reverse. Endorsements on a Navy certificate are always typed on the reverse side, even if the item being corrected is on the front. The correction will be typed length-wise across discharge certificate and will be signed by the Bupers Contract Representative. An endorsement on a Marine Corps certificate is made on the side that contains the error. If an error exists on both the front and reverse, type the endorsement on the reverse. The Marine Corps liaison officer will sign the certificate.
We cannot add to the certificate information it was not designed to show. For example, some discharge certificates are not designed to show medals. However, if the discharge certificate has a place for remarks the information can be added.
If veteran did not submit the original discharge certificate with request, compose a reply to the veteran asking for the original discharge certificate. NPRC will not amend a photocopy. To reassure the veteran that the utmost care will be taken with his original (irreplaceable) discharge certificate, advise veteran to send certificate directly to you. Tell veteran to address envelope to your office, your room number, etc., and write on outside of envelope “DO NOT OPEN IN MAILROOM.”
Source: NPRC 1865.87