PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:   

	BOARD DATE:        25 November 1998     
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AC98-07438

	I certify that hereinafter is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in the case of the above-named individual.  

	Mr. Loren G. Harrell		Director	
	Ms. Deborah L. Brantley		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. James E. Vick		Chairperson	
	Mr. John N. Slone		Member	
	Mr. Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr.		Member	

	The applicant and counsel if any, did not appear before the Board.

	The Board considered the following evidence:

	Exhibit A - Application for correction of military records
	Exhibit B - Military Personnel Records (including advisory opinion, 
	if any)

FINDINGS:

1.  The applicant has exhausted or the Board has waived the requirement for exhaustion of all administrative remedies afforded by existing law or regulations.

2.  The applicant requests that his military records be corrected to reflect entitlement to an enlistment bonus for specialty 31S (Satellite Communications Operator-Maintainer).  He states that he voluntarily agreed to waive his original enlistment agreement and to extend his enlistment for an additional two years for training in specialty 31S.  He notes, however, he was not told that the new specialty entitled him to an enlistment bonus.

3.  Records available to the Board indicate the applicant enlisted for a period of 4 years on 21 July 1995.  As part of his enlistment contract he was guaranteed training in specialty 31U (Signal Support Systems Specialist).

4.  Following completion of basic training the applicant was assigned to Fort Gordon, Georgia for advanced individual training.  On 20 March 1996 he voluntarily agreed to waive his original enlistment agreement in order to be trained in specialty 31S.  In addition to waiving his original enlistment contract he also agreed to extend his enlistment two additional years, which made his term of enlistment a total of 6 years.

5.  In the processing of this case an advisory opinion was provided by the Army’s Total Personnel Command (PERSCOM).  The opinion recommended the applicant be allowed to receive the enlistment bonus associated with specialty 31S.  They noted that specialty 31S carried a $2000.00 enlistment bonus providing the enlistee agreed to commit to a 6 years term of enlistment.  While an enlistment bonus is not normally granted to an individual after his initial enlistment, because the applicant “accommodated the Army’s request to reclassify into a shortage MOS and extended the term two years” the bonus should be awarded as an exception to policy.

6.  The Enlistment Bonus (EB) Program is a monetary incentive offered to qualified individuals who enlist in the regular Army for duty in a specific specialty (MOS).  The EB is designed to increase the number of quality enlistments in MOSs that are critical and have inadequate first-term manning levels.  Bonus levels range from $1000 to $12000.  Bonuses up to $7000.00 are paid in lump sum when the soldier is awarded the MOS and arrives at the first duty station.  As of November 1997 MOS 31S was still considered a critical specialty and soldiers agreeing to enlist for 6 years continue to receive the $2000 EB.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The evidence confirms that individuals enlisting in specialty 31S for a period of 6 years were entitled to an enlistment bonus in the amount of $2000.00 to be paid upon completion of training and assignment to their first duty station.

2.  While the evidence of record confirms the applicant was allowed to waive his original enlistment contract after his entry on active duty in order to receive training in specialty 31S the Board notes the applicant did so to accommodate the needs of the Army and as such should receive the monetary benefit associated with that commitment as an exception to policy.

3.  In view of the foregoing, the applicant’s records should be corrected as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by showing that the individual concerned is entitled to an enlistment bonus in the amount of $2000.00 as an exception to policy.

BOARD VOTE:  

__JEV__  __JNS__  __RVO___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AC	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	YYYYMMDD	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(NC, GRANT , DENY, GRANT PLUS)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.		
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.