MEMORANDUM OF CONSIDERATION

	IN THE CASE OF:      

	BOARD DATE:            14 April 1999                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:    AR1999018569

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

	Mr. Loren G. Harrell		Director	
	Mr. Edmund P. Mercanti		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Karen L. Wolff		Chairperson	
	Mr. Arthur A. Omartian		Member	
	Mr. Thomas B. Redfern, III		Member	

	The Board, established pursuant to authority contained in 10 U.S.C. 1552, convened at the call of the Chairperson on the above date.  In accordance with Army Regulation 15-185, the application and the available military records pertinent to the corrective action requested were reviewed to determine whether to authorize a formal hearing, recommend that the records be corrected without a formal hearing, or to deny the application without a formal hearing if it is determined that insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of probable material error or injustice.

	The applicant requests correction of military records as stated in the application to the Board and as restated herein.

	The Board considered the following evidence:

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

APPLICANT REQUESTS:  That his records be corrected to show that he completed a Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) addendum when he reenlisted on 3 September 1992.

APPLICANT STATES:  That his reenlistment officer did not tell him that he was eligible for the SLRP.  When it was later discovered that he was in fact eligible for the SLRP, an addendum was completed but was not accepted by finance since it was not signed on the date of his reenlistment.  The applicant states that his request should be granted since the error was not his fault, that it was an administrative oversight by the reenlistment officer.

EVIDENCE OF RECORD:  The applicant's military records were not provided to the Board.  The following information was derived from documents provided by the applicant himself.

He reenlisted on 3 September 1992 for 6 years in pay grade E-7.  At that time he had 10 years, 7 months and 29 days of prior service in the USAR and 4 years of prior active service.  He did not complete a SLRP addendum with that reenlistment.

On 18 June 1993 the applicant executed a SLRP addendum.

On the date the applicant submitted his request to the Board he was assigned to a USAR unit in pay grade E-8.

Army Regulation 135-7, Incentive Programs, chapter 5.1, Student Loan Repayment Program, restricts the SLRP to those reservists who either enlist or reenlist for a skill or unit approved by the Department.  This educational incentive may only be elected at the time of enlistment or reenlistment by the completion of a DA Form 5261-4-R..  This incentive pays a limited sum of money to a lending institution on the anniversary date of an enlistment or reenlistment.  These payments continue on a yearly basis unless the soldier loses eligibility by being separated from his or her unit.

DISCUSSION:  Considering all the evidence, allegations, and information presented by the applicant, together with the evidence of record and applicable law and regulations, it is concluded:

1.  The SLRP is an incentive, not an entitlement.  It may be offered to a potential enlistee or reenlistee if it is believed that such an incentive is necessary to entice the individual to enlist or reenlist.  There is absolutely no requirement that it be offered to an individual who otherwise qualifies for the incentive.

2.  In the absence of documentation showing that the applicant was offered this incentive at the time of reenlistment, and it was inadvertently omitted, the Board will not recommend that his reenlistment contract be altered to include the SLRP addendum.

3.  In view of the foregoing, there is no basis for granting the applicant's request.

DETERMINATION:  The applicant has failed to submit sufficient relevant evidence to demonstrate the existence of probable error or injustice.

BOARD VOTE:

________  ________  ________  GRANT

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

						Loren G. Harrell
						Director

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999018569	
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.	128.05	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.