PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:       

	BOARD DATE:            31 March 1999                 
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1998012928

	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	
	Mr. Clark		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Curtis W. Barbee		Chairperson	
	Mr. John H. Kerr		Member	
	Mr. Walter T. Morrison		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 show his entitlement to a selective reenlistment bonus (SRB) at the time of his 1 July 
1997 reenlistment for service in military occupational specialty (MOS) 91S, preventive medicine specialist.  He states that prior to his reenlistment he was advised that he would receive an SRB and therefore chose to reenlist for a period of 4 years.

3.  On 1 July 1997 the applicant, with 3 years, 2 months, and 16 days prior active service, was reenlisted for a period of 4 years with an Army training reenlistment option of training in MOS 91S.  His DD Form 4/1, Enlistment Reenlistment Document, reflects "No Bonus Entitlement."

4.  On 21 July 1998 he completed the 91S course at the Academy of Health Sciences, Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

5.  On 3 December 1998 the Board was advised by the Chief, Retention Management Division, Total Army Personnel Command, that the applicant was eligible for the Bonus Extension and Retraining (BEAR) program at the time of his 1 July 1997 reenlistment and recommended that his records be corrected to show an extension of 27 months for training under the BEAR program; vice reenlistment; and that he was reenlisted on 22 July 1998 with entitlement to an SRB-1A for service in MOS 91S. 

6.  Army Regulation 601-280, Army Reenlistment Program, Chapter 9, defines the BEAR program as a program which allows individuals serving in pay grade 
E-6 or below to extend their term of enlistment for the purpose of formal training in a shortage MOS that is in the SRB program.  Upon completion of the training and award of the MOS, the individual may be reenlisted and receive the SRB in effect for the MOS.  Paragraph 9-10 provides that individuals approved for entry into the BEAR program must extend their enlistment a sufficient amount of time necessary to ensure that they will have 24 months time in service remaining as computed from the completion date of training.  Paragraph 9-10 also provides that an SRB is paid only for "additional obligated service"; that any time remaining on the extension is considered previously obligated service; and that an SRB will not be paid for any unserved time remaining on the extension of enlistment at the time of reenlistment following successful completion of retraining into the new MOS. 

7.  Army Regulation 601-280, paragraph 8-10, provides that a zone A SRB may be awarded to an individual who reenlists between 21 months and 6 years of active duty.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant was not eligible for an SRB for service in MOS 91S at the time of his 1 July 1997 reenlistment.  However, he was eligible for the BEAR program and, had he been properly counseled at the time, it is more likely than not that he would have extended his term of service, rather than reenlisted, in order to be eligible for an SRB after completing training in MOS 91S.

2.  The applicant completed training in MOS 91S on 21 July 1998.  Accordingly, it would be appropriate to amend his 1 July 1997 reenlistment documents to show that he was reenlisted on the following day, 22 July 1998, with entitlement to an SRB-1A.

3.  The foregoing is supported by the advisory opinion provided by the Chief, Retention Management Division, Total Army Personnel Command.

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

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected:

a.  by showing that on 1 July 1997 the individual concerned extended his term of enlistment for a period of 27 months for the purpose of training under the provisions of the BEAR program in MOS 91S; and

b.  by amending his 1 July 1997 reenlistment documents to show that he was reenlisted on 22 July 1998 with entitlement to an SRB-1A for service in MOS 91S.

2.  That so much of the application as is in excess of the foregoing be denied 

BOARD VOTE:  

CWB____  JHK____  WTM____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1998012928	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	1999 March 31	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	128.05	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.