IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 11 August 2015 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20150009453 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, in effect, correction of his records to show he was recommended by his commander for promotion on the Enlisted Promotion Report (AAA-294) and was promoted to pay grade E-6 effective 1 July 2014. 2. The applicant states, in effect, his commander did not understand at the time that he was indicating by his "NO" response on the AAA-294 that the applicant was in a non-promotable status and thought instead that he was indicating no promotion board was needed. Had the commander properly indicated a "YES" response, he would have been promoted to pay grade E-6 as he was eligible and met the requirements for the promotion. He appealed the mistake to the U.S. Army Human Resources Command (HRC) and his request was denied because administrative failures or administrative mistakes are not a basis to make adjustments to the Command Integration List (CLI), which has nothing to do with what occurred in his case because he had the points and the commander simply checked the wrong box. 3. The applicant provides the list of supporting documents noted on page 5 of his application. CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant was serving in the rank of sergeant in military occupational specialty 35F2O on 16 June 2014 when the Enlisted Promotion Report (AAA-294) for 1 July 2014 was prepared for his unit. His commander indicated the entry "NO" under the "Promotion Action" column. The commander made no annotations under remarks to support the entry. 2. The applicant provided a memorandum from the company commander who signed the AAA-294 which indicates the applicant was erroneously denied CLI due to a misinterpretation by her and the first sergeant who were both new to their positions. She requested correction of his records and his promotion effective 1 July 2014. 3. The applicant also provided a list from the brigade deputy commander who also supports the commander's position and confirms that a mistake was made by the chain of command. 4. On 13 April 2015, HRC disapproved the applicant's request because the "NO" entry by his commander prevented him from integration on the CLI and because Army Regulation 600-8-19 (Enlisted Promotions and Reductions), paragraph 3-34, provides that failure by the Soldier, unit, battalion, or human resources personnel to update a Soldier's record (that is, Army Physical Fitness Test, weapons qualification, military or civilian education, award), integrate a Soldier onto the promotion list timely, or failure to remove a flag, is not grounds for reconsideration under the administrative records correction process. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: 1. The applicant's contention that his records should be corrected to show the entry "YES" under the "Promotion Action" column on the AAA-294 for 1 July 2014 has been noted and appears to have merit. 2. The applicant provided sufficient evidence to show an erroneous entry was made by the commander at the time due to her misinterpretation of the report and that it was her intent to integrate the applicant on the CLI and promote him if eligible. 3. It has never been Army policy to penalize Soldiers or deny them benefits that they otherwise would be qualified to receive because of error by their leaders, especially when the errors were through no fault of the Soldier or were errors that the Soldier had no control over. Additionally, it does not appear that the administrative corrections cited applied to the applicant's circumstances. 4. Accordingly, as a matter of equity, his records should be corrected to show the "YES" response under the "Promotion Action" column on the 1 July 2014 AAA-294 and promote him to pay grade E-6 (provided he was otherwise eligible at that time) with entitlement to all back pay and allowances that flow from that action. BOARD VOTE: ___x____ ___x____ ___x____ GRANT FULL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING ________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The Board determined the evidence presented is sufficient to warrant a recommendation for relief. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by showing the "YES" response under the "Promotion Action" column of the 1 July 2014 AAA-294 and by promoting him to pay grade E-6 (provided he was otherwise eligible at that time) effective 1 July 2014 or when he was eligible with entitlement to all back pay and allowances that flow from that action. ____________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) AR20150009453 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20150009453 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1