IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 23 June 2011 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20110002785 THE BOARD CONSIDERED THE FOLLOWING EVIDENCE: 1. Application for correction of military records (with supporting documents provided, if any). 2. Military Personnel Records and advisory opinions (if any). THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, STATEMENT, AND EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant requests that he be assigned a bonus control number and that he be paid the prior service enlistment bonus that he contracted for. 2. The applicant states that he enlisted in the Missouri Army National Guard (MOARNG) on 15 March 2010 for a period of 3 years and 23 days and a prior service enlistment bonus of $7,500. However, he was subsequently informed that because he did not have a bonus control number he could not receive his bonus. He goes on to state that he was informed that the bonus control number had to be requested by 30 September 2010 and he believes that sufficient effort was not put forth to obtain the bonus control number. 3. The applicant provides a copy of his enlistment contract, a copy of his request submitted through his unit, and a copy of a memorandum from the National Guard Bureau (NGB) denying his request. CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant enlisted in the Regular Army on 4 October 2005 for a period of 3 years and 22 days, training as a motor transport operator, airborne training, and a seasonal enlistment bonus. He completed his basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, his advanced individual training at Fort Bliss, Texas and his airborne training at Fort Benning, Georgia before being transferred to Fort Bragg, North Carolina for assignment to the 82d Combat Support Battalion as a heavy vehicle driver. 2. He deployed to Iraq from 7 August 2006 to 23 October 2007 and from 5 December 2008 to 24 November 2009. He was promoted to the rank of sergeant on 1 April 2009. 3. On 15 March 2010 (later amended to 30 March 2010), he signed a contract enlisting in the MOARNG for a period of 3 years and 23 days and a prior service enlistment bonus of $7,500. 4. On 29 March 2010, he was honorably released from active duty due to completion of required service. He had served 4 years, 5 months, and 26 days of active service. 5. On 9 December 2010, in response to a request for an exception to policy for a prior service bonus, officials at the NGB opined that the request could not be approved because it was received after the 30 September 2010 suspense and thus became ineligible to receive the incentive and bonus control number. NGB officials advised that personnel should be properly trained to ensure that Soldiers receive accurate and effective counseling and advised the applicant to apply to this Board. 6. Educational Incentives Operational Message (EOIM) 10-031 issued by the NGB provides that requests for a prior service bonus manual control number must be received by the NGB prior to 30 September 2010. Requests received after 30 September 2010 will be returned to the State Incentive Manager without action. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: 1. The applicant’s contention that he should be paid his prior service enlistment bonus has been noted and appears to have merit. 2. While it is understood that there was an established suspense date for requesting a bonus control number from the NGB for persons receiving a prior service enlistment bonus, the responsibility for requesting a bonus control number rests with the chain of command, not with the Army. 3. The applicant signed a contract to enlist with the MOARNG with the in-service recruiter while he was still on active duty. Accordingly, the Army and the MOARNG had an obligation to ensure that the Army met the conditions of its contract by requesting the appropriate bonus control number just as the applicant fulfilled his obligations. 4. Therefore, as a matter of equity, it is only proper that the Army and the MOARNG honor its commitment to its Soldiers just as he has honored his commitment by showing that a bonus control number was issued on 29 September 2010 and paying him the bonus he is due as a result of his dedicated service to his nation and the MOARNG. BOARD VOTE: __X_____ __X_____ ___X____ GRANT FULL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING ________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The Board determined that the evidence presented was sufficient to warrant a recommendation for relief. As a result, the Board recommends that all State Army National Guard and Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by showing that he was issued a bonus control number on 29 September 2010 and by paying him the bonus, out of ARNG funds, he is due. _______ _ x _______ ___ CHAIRPERSON I certify that herein is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in this case. ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20110002785 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20110002785 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1