RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF: 			DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2017-03111 

						COUNSEL:  NONE
		
						HEARING DESIRED:  NO

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

He be awarded the Selective Reenlistment Bonus (SRB) in conjunction with his 27 July 2016 reenlistment.  

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

He was offered and accepted for retraining into Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) 7SOX1, Special Investigations.  He reenlisted with the understanding that he would forfeit the SRB entitlement with his current AFSC 2W0X1, Munitions Systems Specialists, until he completed his retraining and his Control Air Force Specialty Code (CAFSC) changed.  He was told that he would receive the SRB at the time of his reenlistment because he was entitled to it until he officially retrained and the Finance Office would take it back once his CAFSC changed.  

He did not out-process from his current base and was placed in a temporary duty status (TDY) in order to attend training with the Office of Special Investigations.  He began training on 1 August 2016 and was non-voluntarily removed on 25 August 2016.  He returned to his duty station on 26 August 2016 to resume his normal duties.  

He contacted the reenlistment office and explained that he had reenlisted with the intention of retraining; however, he had been removed from training and returned to his current position.  He was told that he was eligible for the SRB since his CAFSC never changed and his paperwork would be updated to reflect he never retrained.  

He was told after he signed his reenlistment contract the Personnel Office would submit a form to stop the SRB from going through so that his monthly pay would not be affected.  His leave and earning statement for the period of 1 – 31 August 2016 shows the SRB entitlement being issued and removed.  

He was notified on 26 October 2016 that he did not qualify for the SRB since he voluntarily removed himself from training.  However, he has a memorandum which clearly indicates he was non-voluntarily removed from training.  He was further informed through the reenlistment office that airmen are not eligible for the SRB if they are retraining from a non-SRB skill to an SRB skill or from an SRB skill to a non-SRB skill.  He was not allowed to complete training, his military records indicate he never left his current career field, and there was no retraining agreement made under his reenlistment contract.  Therefore, he should be eligible to receive the SRB.  

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 staff sergeant (E-5).  

On 22 July 2016, according to AF Form 901, Reenlistment Eligibility Annex to DD Form 4, the applicant acknowledged there were no reenlistment guarantees.  

On 27 July 2016, according to DD Form 4/1, Enlistment/Reenlistment Document Armed Forces of the United States, the applicant reenlisted for four years and four months.  

According to the DFAS Form 702, Defense Finance and Accounting Service Military Leave and Earning Statement, provided by the applicant, during the period of 1 – 31 August 2016, he received a SRB payment in the amount of $10,456.80 and it was collected back during the same period.  

On 25 August 2016, the applicant was removed from the FLETC Criminal Investigations Training Program (CITP) 624/AFOSI Basic Criminal Investigator Course (BSIC), BSIC 1701, due to his incompatibility with the AFOSI career field.  

On 21 September 2016, the applicant was approved for award of Primary Duty AFSC 2W071, effective 20 September 2016.  

The remaining relevant facts pertaining to this application are contained in the memorandum prepared by the Air Force office of primary responsibility (OPR), which is attached at Exhibit C.  

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DP2SSM recommends denial.  In accordance with Air Force Instruction (AFI) 36-2606, Reenlistment and Extension of Enlistment in the United States Air Force, airman do not qualify for the SRB if they reenlist or extend their enlistments for any purpose other than continued active service in the SRB skill.  
While the applicant was eligible for the zone A multiple 2.0 SRB under Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) 2W051, he became ineligible for the bonus when he reenlisted on 27 July 2016 to obtain the required retainability for approved retraining into AFSC 7S0X1.  The applicant was correctly briefed that his reenlistment contract did not include a SRB.  

The Military Personnel Flight (MPF) is supposed to update the Case Management System (CMS) when a member is not authorized the SRB entitlement.  In this case, the MPF erred by initiating the transaction to remove the applicant’s SRB eligibility on the same day as his reenlistment.  Since the applicant was eligible for the SRB under his previous AFSC 2W051, when he reenlisted on 27 July 2016, the system automatically populated the SRB information causing him to inadvertently receive the SRB payment.  

While the applicant contends he never left his career field, he received orders that authorized him to officially begin training in the OSI AFSC on 1 August 2016.  However, he was subsequently removed from the OSI course by the Commander on 25 August 2016 according to AFOSI Det 212 and upon his removal he was returned to his previous career field.  

On 30 August 2016, the MPF erroneously changed the applicant’s reenlistment contract signed on 22 July 2016 to include the zone A multiple 2.0 SRB in the 2W051 AFSC.  Also, the MPF updated the CMS by annotating the applicant indicated he did not retrain and wanted to receive entitlement to the SRB associated with his 27 July 2016 reenlistment.  The MPF was advised the applicant was not authorized the SRB and his original contract without the SRB remain firm and has been placed into the Automated Records Management System.  

Although the applicant’s CAFSC and duty history never changed, this does not entitle him to the SRB.  

A complete copy of the AFPC/DP2SSM 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 2 January 2018 for review and comment within 30 days (Exhibit D).  As of this date, no response has been received by this office.

THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT:

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

2.  The application was timely filed.

3.  Insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of an error or injustice.  We took notice of the applicant’s complete submission in judging the merits of the case; however, we agree with the opinion and recommendation of the Air Force office of primary responsibility (OPR) and adopt its rationale as the basis for our conclusion the applicant has not been the victim of an error of injustice.  Therefore, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, we find no basis to recommend granting the requested relief.

THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT:

The applicant be notified the evidence presented did not demonstrate the existence of material error or injustice; the application was denied without a personal appearance; and the application will only be reconsidered upon the submission of newly discovered relevant evidence not considered with this application.

The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2017-03111 in Executive Session on 20 February 2018 under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

	Panel Chair
	Member
	Member

The following documentary evidence was considered:

	Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 13 June 2017, w/atchs.
	Exhibit B.  Master Personnel Records Excerpts.
	Exhibit C.  Memorandum, AFPC/DP2SSM, dated 18 December 2017.
	Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBC, dated 29 December 2017.

Pursuant to paragraph 1 of AFI 36-2603 (Title 32 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 865.1), it is certified that a quorum was present at the Board’s review and deliberations, and that the foregoing is a true and complete record of the Board’s proceedings in the above entitled matter.