RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS. IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2015-00660 COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NO APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: His 10 days of lost terminal leave be reinstated. APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: He was instructed during his retirement finance briefing that he could carry over more than 75 days of leave through fiscal year (FY) 2015 because he was on terminal leave. His assigned comptroller squadron then computed his allowable permissive temporary duty (TDY) and terminal leave dates accordingly, which resulted in the approval of his AF Form 988, Leave Request/Authorization, in the amount of 91 days leave. He relied upon this advice and lost 10 days of leave. The applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A. STATEMENT OF FACTS: On 1 January 2015, the applicant retired in the grade of Captain (O-3) and was credited with 24 years, 1 month, and 17 days of total active service. In accordance with Air Force Guidance Memorandum (AFGM) to Air Force Instruction (AFI) 36-3003, Military Leave Program, members may not carry more than 60 days (currently up to 75 days until 30 September 2015) of leave from one FY to the next unless authorized Special Leave Accrual. According to the applicant’s master military pay account (MMPA), at the beginning of Fiscal Year (FY) 2014, 1 October 2013, he carried forward 75.0 days of leave. He lost .05 days coming into FY14. During FY14, the applicant earned 30 days of leave bringing his total leave balance to 105 days. He used 21 days of leave, resulting in a balance of 84 days leave. According to the applicant’s MMPA, at the beginning of FY15, on 1 October 2014, he carried forward 75.0 days leave. Therefore, he lost 9.0 days leave coming into FY15 (84.0 days – 75.0 days). According to an AF Form 988 submitted by the applicant, he was approved to take a total of 91 days leave during the period of 2 October 2014 through 31 December 2014. During the period 1 October 2014 through 31 December 2014, the applicant earned 7.5 days leave; therefore, his total leave balance for FY15 before retiring was 82.5 days (75.0 days + 7.5 days). According to the applicant’s MMPA, he used a total of 91.0 days leave. Since the applicant only had a balance of 82.5 days leave, he used an excess of 8.5 days leave (91.0 days – 82.5 days). Consequently, he was charged a one day non-accrual penalty since he incurred an excess of 8.5 days leave, bringing his balance of excess leave to 9.5 days. On 9 February 2015, the comptroller squadron notified the applicant that he was given incorrect information in regards to being entitled to carryover all his unused leave across the fiscal year. This incorrect information resulted in him going into excess leave by nine days and reducing his final separation payment by roughly $2,400.00. Since he was in excess leave of nine days, it resulted in a penalty of one day in excess leave creating a debt for $267.00. Through no fault of his own the applicant lost nine days of leave and incurred a debt. The remaining relevant facts pertaining to this application are contained in the memorandum prepared by the Air Force office of primary responsibility (OPR), which is attached at Exhibit C. AIR FORCE EVALUATION: DFAS-IN recommends denial. During the period of 12 September 2014 through 1 October 2014, the applicant was afforded the maximum amount of 20 days permissive TDY non-chargeable leave. Also during the period 1 October 2014 through 31 December 2014, the applicant had an earned balance of 82.5 days leave. However, during the period 2 October 2014 through 31 December 2014, the applicant used 91.0 days leave. Since the applicant took leave in excess of the amount of leave accrued, he should be responsible for the debt of excess leave. A complete copy of the DFAS-IN evaluation is at Exhibit C. APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: A copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to the applicant on 2 July 2015 for review and comment within 30 days. As of this date, no response has been received by this office (Exhibit D). THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT: 1.  The applicant has exhausted all remedies provided by existing law or regulations. 2.  The application was timely filed. 3.  Insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of error or injustice. While DFAS-IN has recommended denial, we note there is an available avenue of administrative relief the applicant has not first pursued. In this respect, this Board is the highest administrative level of appeal within the Air Force. As such, an applicant must first exhaust all available avenues of administrative relief provided by existing law or regulations prior to seeking relief before this Board, as required by the governing Air Force Instruction. In view of this, we find this application is not ripe for adjudication at this level as there exists a subordinate level of appeal that has not first been depleted. The applicant may submit his appeal to the SAF Remissions Board and if after exhausting the available avenue of administrative relief, the applicant still believes his records are in error or unjust, he may request reconsideration of his request. Therefore, in view of the above, we find no basis to recommend granting the relief sought in this application. THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT: The applicant be notified that all available avenues of administrative relief have not been exhausted; and the application will only be reconsidered upon submission of documentary evidence indicating that said avenues of administrative relief have been exhausted. The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2015-00660 in Executive Session on 15 October 2015 under the provisions of AFI 36-2603: Chair Member Member The following documentary evidence pertaining to AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2015-00660 was considered: Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 9 February 2015, w/atchs. Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records. Exhibit C.  Memorandum, DFAS-IN, dated 7 May 2015. Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 2 July 2015.