RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS

IN THE MATTER OF:	DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2019-04562

XXXXXXXX	COUNSEL: NONE
	
	HEARING REQUESTED: YES

APPLICANT’S REQUEST

He be paid six payments towards his enlisted incentive of Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP).

APPLICANT’S CONTENTIONS

Initially, the Education Services Officer (ESO) informed him he must complete his SLRP contract entirely, all six years, before submitting a request to participate in the SLRP.  However, he was informed upon entering the sixth year of his contract that he was supposed to submit paperwork each year, on the anniversary of his enlistment, and each subsequent anniversary.  

The applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A.

STATEMENT OF FACTS

The applicant is an Air Force Reserve staff sergeant (E-5).

DD Form 1966, Record of Military Processing – Armed Forces of the United States, second continuation page, Section VI, Remarks, confirms his incentive election of the SLRP.

For more information, see the excerpt of the applicant’s record at Exhibit B and the advisory at Exhibit C.

APPLICABLE AUTHORITY

10 United States Code § 16301, Education Loan Repayment Program: Members of Selected Reserve; Department of Defense Instruction 1205.21, Reserve Component Incentive Programs Procedures; Air Force Reserve Student Loan Repayment Program Fact Sheet; and DD Form 2475, DoD Educational Loan Repayment Program (LRP) Annual Application.

The SLRP is an Air Force Reserve program that makes one annual payment directly to the lending institution toward the balance of an individual’s student loans.  The program is designed to attract and retain individuals in critical wartime specialties for participation in the Selected Reserve.  Enlisted members agree to participate in the Selected Reserve in exchange for education loan repayment to their designated lender.  Annual payment will be 15% of the outstanding balance or $500 per each qualifying loan account number including interest, whichever is greater, up to $3,500 for each year of satisfactory service, regardless of when the member entered the program.  No payment will exceed the amount needed to liquidate a loan and no one individual may ever exceed $20,000 over the lifetime of the program (including any interest that may have been paid).  Lifetime of the program is considered a 6-year enlistment.  Payments are made annually.  The annual payments will be made based on enlistment anniversary date until enlistment is complete.  Members must have a satisfactory year or the amount will be pro-rated.  Members must go to their Wing Training Office within 90 days of their enlistment anniversary date to receive additional counseling on repayment processing requirements and sign a SLRP written contract.  Members must request annual loan payment in writing (DD Form 2475) within 90 days of completing each year of satisfactory service.  

AIR FORCE EVALUATION

ARPC/DPAT, recommends granting the application.  Based on the applicant’s satisfactory service, zero payments received, the plausible claim of injustice, and analysis of the facts, there is evidence of an error.  The applicant entered into the Air Force Reserve on 13 Mar 13 and was assigned Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) 2W0X1.  For the next six years he served satisfactorily and completed his enlistment.  Unfortunately, once he engaged his Education Service Office to receive his SLRP entitlement he was informed he should have been participating on an annual basis.  Moreover, the applicant was informed the ESO could do nothing to retrieve the payments.  He then submitted a ticket in myPers, 181018-000768, and subsequently, submitted a request to the Board for Correction of Military Records for this injustice.  The applicant, to this date, has received zero payments.  He has inquired about his entitlement a total of four times, 181221-00356, 190312-008250, 190413-000403, and 191102-001504.  Lastly, the claim that the ESO informed him of the incorrect procedures to submit his SLRP packages is common; there have been many instances of this same injustice happening to others who participated in the SLRP.

The complete advisory opinion is at Exhibit C.

APPLICANT’S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION

The Board sent a copy of the advisory opinion to the applicant on 11 Jun 20 for comment (Exhibit D), but has received no response.

FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION

1.  The application was timely filed.

2.  The applicant exhausted all available non-judicial relief before applying to the Board.

3.  After reviewing all Exhibits, the Board concludes the applicant is the victim of an error or injustice.  The Board concurs with the rationale and recommendation of ARPC/DPAT and finds a preponderance of the evidence substantiates the applicant’s contentions.  The applicant was incorrectly informed of the procedures to submit for SLRP.  Therefore, the Board recommends correcting the applicant’s records as indicated below.

4.  The applicant has not shown a personal appearance, with or without counsel, would materially add to the Board’s understanding of the issues involved.

RECOMMENDATION

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force relating to the APPLICANT be corrected to show he be reimbursed for six years of student loans authorized under the Student Loan Repayment Program.

CERTIFICATION

The following quorum of the Board, as defined in Air Force Instruction (AFI) 36-2603, Air Force Board for Correction of Military Records (AFBCMR), paragraph 1.5, considered Docket Number BC-2019-04562 in Executive Session on 28 Jul 20:

, Panel Chair
, Panel Member
, Panel Member

All members voted to correct the record.  The panel considered the following:

Exhibit A:	Application, DD Form 149, w/atchs, dated 14 Sep 19.
Exhibit B:	Documentary evidence, including relevant excerpts from official records.
Exhibit C:	Advisory opinion, ARPC/DPAT, dated 9 Jun 20.
Exhibit D:	Notification of advisory, SAF/MRBC to applicant, dated 11 Jun 20.

Taken together with all Exhibits, this document constitutes the true and complete Record of Proceedings, as required by AFI 36-2603, paragraph 4.11.9.