RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:	DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2015-00540

		COUNSEL:  NONE

		HEARING DESIRED:  NO

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

She be reimbursed for “Student Dependent Travel” (SDT) for her dependent daughter’s travel from Kadena Air Base (AB) Japan to the University of South Florida. 

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

She was miscounseled on the process of obtaining SDT orders.  She was not informed that she needed a separate set of orders for her daughter to travel back to school.

In support of her request, the applicant provides copies of an AF Form 899, Request and Authorization for Permanent Change of Station – Military;  Student Current Enrollment Verification Certificate, and a flight itinerary for her daughter that indicates she travelled from Japan to Florida on 21 Aug 14.

The applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A.

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant is currently serving in the Regular Air Force in the grade of Major (Maj, O-4).  

According to the applicant’s AF Form 899, dated 27 Jun 14, she was projected for reassignment to Kadena AB with a report not later than date of 30 Jul 14.  Her dependent daughter was listed on the order as authorized to travel.

Joint Force Travel Regulation (JFTR), Volume 1, Chapter 7, states that a member permanently stationed Overseas Continental United States (OCONUS), who is authorized to have a dependent reside at/in the Permanent Duty Station (PDS) vicinity or the home port of an OCONUS ship, and whose minor dependent attends a school in the U.S. to obtain a formal education that is accredited by a State, regional or nationally recognized accrediting agency/association recognized by SECDEF, is authorized transportation of the minor dependent between such school and the place of residence.

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPAPP recommends approval.  The government travel agency provided the applicant with roundtrip airline tickets to Kadena AB, which implies that the applicant was authorized to return her daughter without another set of orders.  Based on the applicant being miscounseled and the fact that she has provided evidence that her daughter did return to go to school, recommend the Board direct that SDT orders be published.  

The applicant contends that she was unaware that SDT orders were required and received a roundtrip ticket for her daughter using Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders, which is not authorized.  She should have only been provided a one-way ticket to Kadena for her daughter and SDT orders should have been accomplished after she became a command sponsored dependent and all other requirements for travel were met.

Command sponsored dependents residing with an airman, who is permanently assigned in an overseas location, may be authorized student travel.  The applicant’s daughter was authorized travel to Kadena AB on her PCS orders.  Once travel was executed and her daughter arrived at Kadena, she would have been considered a command sponsored dependent.

Recommend the Board direct that SDT orders be published after-the-fact.  In the remarks section of the SDT order, a statement should include, "Although travel was performed prior to issuance of orders, member is authorized reimbursement for travel from Kadena AB, JA to the University of South Florida.  Approval authority is the Board for Correction of Military records memorandum, [date].”

A complete copy of the AFPC/DPAPP evaluation is at Exhibit C.

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

A copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to the applicant on 13 Aug 15 for review and comment within 30 days.  As of this date, no response has been received by this office (Exhibit D).

THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT:

1.  The applicant has exhausted all remedies provided by existing law or regulations.

2.  The application was timely filed.

3.  Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of an error or injustice.  Having carefully reviewed this application, we agree with the recommendation of the Air Force office of primary responsibility and adopt the rationale expressed as the basis for our decision that the applicant has been the victim of either an error or an injustice.  Accordingly, we recommend his records be corrected as set forth below.

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force relating to the APPLICANT be corrected to show that by competent authority a student dependent travel order was issued for her daughter with the following remarks “Although travel was performed prior to issuance of orders, member is authorized reimbursement for travel from Kadena Air Base, Japan to the University of South Florida.”  

The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2015-00540 in Executive Session on 1 Oct 15, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

				, Panel Chair
				, Member
				, Member

All members voted to correct the records as recommended.  Although ----- chaired the panel, in view of her unavailability, ------  has signed as Acting Panel Chair.  The following documentary evidence was considered:

	Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 3 Feb 15, w/atchs.
	Exhibit B.  Applicant's Available Master Personnel Records.
	Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPAPP, dated 23 Mar 15.
Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 13 Aug 15.