MEMORANDUM OF CONSIDERATION

	IN THE CASE OF:        

	BOARD DATE:             26 September 2000                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:    AR2000036474

	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. Carl W. S. Chun		Director	
	Mr. W. E. Schnupp		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Arthur A. Omartian		Chairperson	
	Mr. Melvin H. Meyer		Member	
	Mr. Thomas F. Baxter		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 he be authorized the Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) from the date he enlisted in 1980.

APPLICANT STATES:  That he has been trying to get help on his student loans since he first enlisted in the US Army Reserves (USAR).  The SLRP was one of the factors that made up his mind to enlist.  He recently was told that his military occupational specialty (MOS) is not qualified for the SLRP.  He does not feel that this is fair and believes that he deserves an exception to policy because he has been trying to get help for so long.

EVIDENCE OF RECORD:  The applicant's military records (fiche) contain no documents concerning his enlistment in the USAR.  The following information was derived from documents provided to the Board by the applicant.

He enlisted in the USAR for 6 years on 12 November 1980 apparently for MOS 75B because he entered active duty for training (ADT) in that MOS on 4 February 1981.  He was honorably separated upon completion of his ADT on 22 May 1981.  There is no SLRP addendum in conjunction with this enlistment.

He reenlisted on 17 May 1989 and on 6 October 1994 he extended that enlistment for 2 years, 4 months and 15 days to participate in the USAR-Active/Guard Reserve (AGR) program.  He was released from his active duty AGR status on 5 February 1996 and assigned to a USAR unit.  

An SLRP Addendum dated 1 March 1996, signed by the applicant and a recruiter states that the applicant was extending for assignment in MOS 75B which was approved for loan repayment.

A letter to the applicant’s commander dated 8 June 1998 from the USAR, SLRP Administrator, Fort McCoy, Wisconsin indicates that the MOS indicated on the SLRP Addendum is not Department of the Army approved for the SLRP entitlement.  It advises the applicant that he may apply for an exception to policy.

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.  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, applicable law and regulations, it is concluded:

1.  Based on the date the applicant contends he should have been authorized an SLRP (1980) and the date on the SLRP Addendum itself (March 1996), it is obvious that he did not complete the addendum at the time of his enlistment or reenlistment.  Furthermore, the SLRP administrator has determined that the MOS for which the applicant applied was not approved for an SLRP entitlement. 

2.  The available evidence in this case does not establish that the applicant was enlisted for a skill or a unit that was authorized the SLRP incentive.

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

__aao___  __mhm __  ___tfb __  DENY APPLICATION

		    Carl W. S. Chun
		    Director, Army Board for Correction
    of Military Records

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000036474	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20000926	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR .  .  .  .  .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(DENY)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	112.04	
2.	128.14	
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.