Army Special Review Board

August 15, 2026

The Army Special Review Board (ASRB), one of several Boards located under the larger Army Review Boards Agency (ARBA), is governed by AR 623-3, available for download at this link.

The Army Special Review Board (ASRB) is charged with deciding substantive appeals (not administrative corrections) submitted by Officers and NCOs. The Board, comprised of Senior Officers and NCOs, has the power to modify or remove OERs/NCOERs. Each Board must be made up of three members and appeals are granted/denied by majority vote.

To apply, Officer/NCOs must submit a written appeal to the Army Special Review Board (ASRB) within 3 years of the thru date of the evaluation in question. Appeals must be submitted thru HRC at the email: us***********************************@**my.mil. Applicants have the burden of proof and to win, the applicant will produce evidence that establishes clearly and connivingly that:

The presumption of regularity will not be applied to the evaluation report under consideration; and,
Action is warranted to correct a material error, inaccuracy, or injustice

Clear and convincing evidence will be of a strong and compelling nature, not merely proof of the possibility of inaccuracy.

Officers and NCOs cannot personally appear before the Board, and while the rules of evidence for trials by court-martial and 15-6 rules do not apply, the board does keep within the reasonable bounds of evidence that are competent, material, and relevant. Once an application is submitted, although uncommon, the Board may ask for additional evidence from the person applying, the rating officials, persons in the chain of command, or anyone thought to have firsthand knowledge.

If an application is granted, the Army Special Review Board (ASRB) typically removes the NCOER/OER in question from the Soldier's AMHRR- it is uncommon for the Board to modify or redact an evaluation. OERs/NCOERs cannot be moved to the restricted section of the AMHRR. If the Board removes an evaluation, a Special Selection Board may be appointed.

If denied, a Soldier can further appeal to the ABCMR using a DD Form 149.

Any Officer or NCO considering an application to the Army Special Review Board should consult with an experienced Military Defense Lawyer. While legal assistance Attorneys are available to assist, they are often inexperienced, over-worked, and unwilling to provide the assistance needed to win. A good application needs to be drafted well and be accompanied by additional evidence, which can include additional statements, the results of a Commander's Inquiry, Board of Inquiry or Separation Board results, letters of support from key individuals, text messages, emails, and other evidence depending on the situation. Put simply, it is challenging to win at the Army Special Review Board (ASRB) and it takes an experienced Military Lawyer to do so.

This Article was written by Attorney Matthew Barry. Attorney Barry is highly rated by former clients and has a proven track record of success. He has extensive experience with The Army Special Review Board (ASRB).

The Law Office of Matthew Barry represents Servicemembers worldwide. He has offices on the East Coast, West Coast, and in the Central U.S.