RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2014-01713 COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NO ________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: He be charged for non-temporary storage (NTS) of household goods (HHG) from 1 January 2013 through 5 August 2013, rather than 1 January 2013 through 23 September 2013. ________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: He submitted a request for release of his HHG from NTS on 25 July 2013. He contacted the Joint Personal Property Shipping Office-San Antonio (JPPSO) on 29 July 2013 and was informed that no action had been taken due to error on the form DD Form 1299, Application for Shipment and/or Storage of Personal Property. He submitted a revised DD Form 1299 on 29 July 2013 and received confirmation of receipt. He contacted the JPPSO multiple times to check the status of his application. He was given multiple excuses until 5 September 2013, when his application was completed and his shipment was released for delivery. The applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A. ________________________________________________________________ STATEMENT OF FACTS: The applicant retired from the Regular Air Force effective 1 January 2012 in the grade of colonel. The remaining relevant facts pertaining to this application are described in the letters prepared by the Air Force office of primary responsibility (OPR) which is included at Exhibit C. ________________________________________________________________ AIR FORCE EVALUATION: PPA HQ/ECAF recommends approval. Documentation in the case file indicates the applicant submitted an application for release and shipment of the property from NTS on 25 July 2013, and again on 29 July 2013 after corrections. An e-mail from the Personal Property Processing Office (PPPO) advised that the request slipped through the cracks and that they did not submit a request for release and shipment until 5 September 2013. Based on the above, we concur with the applicant's request to reduce his storage debt by one month. The PPPO committed an error by not processing the request in a timely manner, resulting in the applicant being unjustly charged for an additional month's storage. Additionally, a review of the case file indicates the calculations for the storage cost from 1 January 2013 through 15 September 2013 were incorrect. The correct calculation should have reflected: 27,290 pounds times $1.25 per hundred pounds equals $224.00 per month times 8.5 months (1 January 2013 - 15 September 2013) equals $1,904.00 excess cost (DD Form 1131 incorrectly reflected the debt as $1,892.00). If the storage period is reduced by 1 month to 7.5 months, the excess cost calculation would reflect: 27,920 pounds times $1.25 per hundred pounds equals $224.00 per month times 7.5 months equals $1,680.00 excess cost. Should the board agree, the record should be changed to reflect the applicant's property was released from storage in transit on 5 August 2013, and the debt for NTS after the one year time limit was $1,680.00. If the $1,892.00 has already been collected from the applicant, the applicant should be reimbursed for the difference of $212.00. The complete ECAF evaluation, with attachments, is at Exhibit B. ________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: A copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to the applicant on 30 September 2014, for review and comment within 30 days (Exhibit C). As of this date, this office has received no response. ________________________________________________________________ THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT: 1. The applicant has exhausted all remedies provided by existing law or regulations. 2. The application was timely filed. 3. Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of an error or injustice. After a careful review of the evidence of record, to include the applicant’s complete submission and the PPA HQ/ECAF recommendation to correct the record, we believe that relief is warranted. We agree with the opinion and recommendation of the Air Force office of primary responsibility and adopt its rationale as the basis for our conclusion that the PPPO’s failure to timely act on the applicants request for release of his storage caused him to be charged for an additional month of storage fees. As such, we find sufficient basis to conclude that he has been the victim of an injustice and therefore, recommend the applicant’s record be corrected as indicated below. ________________________________________________________________ THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT: The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force relating to APPLICANT, be corrected to show that by competent authority, his shipment was released from Storage In Transit on 5 August 2013, and the debt for Non-Temporary Storage after the one year time limit was $1,680.00. ________________________________________________________________ The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2014-01713 in Executive Session on 5 February 2015, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603: All members voted to correct the records, as recommended. The following documentary evidence was considered: Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 21 Apr 14, w/atchs. Exhibit B. Letter, PPA HQ/ECAF, dated 4 Aug 14. Exhibit C. Letter, SAF/MRBR, 30 Sep 14.