RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS

IN THE MATTER OF:	DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2020-00088

	COUNSEL:  NONE

	HEARING REQUESTED:  NO

APPLICANT’S REQUEST

His records be corrected to allow him to receive a Selective Reenlistment Bonus (SRB) that was awarded for Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) 3P0X1A in Jun 11.

APPLICANT’S CONTENTIONS

He was improperly counseled on his reenlistment options and was told that he could not reenlist at the time the SRB was being offered due to him not being in his reenlistment window and not having received a career job reservation (CJR) upon graduation from technical school.  He entered the Air Force on 11 Mar 08 for six years, and was approved for retraining in Jun 11.  Before graduating from the Military Working Dog (MWD) Handler’s course, he was told that he was not eligible to reenlist and that he needed to fulfill his enlistment before he could reenlist/extend.  He was also told that he was not eligible to receive the SRB that was in effect at the time he was accepted for MWD Handler’s Course.

The applicant’s complete submission is at Exhibit A.

STATEMENT OF FACTS

The applicant is currently serving in the Air Force in the rank of staff sergeant (SSgt/E-5).

On 11 Mar 08, the applicant entered the Regular Air Force for six years in the Air Force Specialty of 3P031, Security Forces Apprentice.

AF Form 901, Reenlistment Eligibility Annex to DD Form 4, dated 11 Oct 13 reflects the applicant would be paid a Zone A, Multiple 2.5 SRB in AFSC 3P051A. 

On 18 Oct 13, the applicant reenlisted for a period of five years and four months in the grade of E-5.

On 31 Jan 19, the applicant reenlisted in the Air Force for a period of four years in the rank of SSgt.
For more information, see the excerpt of the applicant’s record at Exhibit B and the advisory at Exhibit C.

AIR FORCE EVALUATION

AFPC/DP2SSM recommends partially granting the application by changing the applicant’s 2.5 SRB multiple to 4.5 for his 18 Oct 13 reenlistment.  There is no since in backdating applicant’s current 18 Oct 13 reenlistment to his first day of eligibility (11 Mar 13) as the SRB will still be paid for 5 years either way.  The only difference would be his obligated service would be 12 months instead of 4 months as currently reflected.  

The applicant enlisted in the Air Force on 11 Mar 08 establishing an Expiration Term of Service (ETS) and a Date of Separation (DOS) of 10 Mar 14.  As applicant identifies in his memorandum paragraph 2, “Six year enlistees must reach their 60 consecutive month in the Air Force before they are eligible to reenlist”.  The applicant’s first day of reenlistment eligibility was 11 Mar 13 when he completed 60 months on active duty.  The applicant reenlisted on 18 Oct 13 for 5 years and 4 months with Zone A multiple 2.5 SRB in the 3P0X1A AFSC.  The Zone A multiple for the 3P0X1A AFSC had changed from 4.5 in Apr 11 to 2.5 when applicant reenlisted in Oct 13.  

DP2SSM agrees that the applicant’s multiple for the SRB should have been 4.5 instead of 2.5, as when he was approved to retrain into the 3P0X1A AFSC the multiple was 4.5 and airmen who retrain into a SRB career field are eligible for the multiple in effect at the time of approval if they reenlist or extend within 30 days of completing technical school.  However, the applicant retrained earlier than normal into the 3P0X1A--(Military Working Dog Handler) under special provisions and because he had retrained early he was not eligible to reenlist when he graduated technical school. The applicant had only served 37 months of the 60 months required for a 6-year enlistee to be eligible for reenlistment in Apr 11.  While, the applicant was incorrect on his reenlistment eligibility being Apr 11, he was eligible to request by Exception to Policy (ETP) (which would have been approved) to reenlist on or after 11 Mar 13 (first day of his reenlistment window) with the higher multiple of 4.5 that was in effect when his retraining was approved since applicant retrained early in to 3P0X1A, which was offered to Security Forces member’s due to a shortage of 3P0X1A personnel. 

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 27 Feb 20 for comment (Exhibit D), and in response the applicant provided copies of documents relating to his reenlistment.  The applicant’s complete response is at Exhibit E.

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 AFPC/DP2SSM and finds a preponderance of the evidence substantiates the applicant’s contentions in part.  However, for the remainder of the applicant’s request, the evidence presented did not demonstrate an error or injustice, and the Board therefore finds no basis to recommend granting that portion of the applicant’s request.  Therefore, the Board recommends correcting the applicant’s records as indicated below.

RECOMMENDATION

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force relating to the APPLICANT be corrected to show:

a.  On 13 October 2013, he reenlisted in the Regular Air Force for a period of 5 years and 4 months, with entitlement to a Zone A Multiple 4.5 Selective Reenlistment Bonus for 5 years in Air Force Specialty Code 3P0X1A.

b.  He be paid the difference between the 2.5 Multiple he was paid  and the 4.5 Multiple he is authorized.

However, regarding the remainder of the applicant’s request, the Board recommends informing the applicant the evidence did not demonstrate material error or injustice, and the application will only be reconsidered upon receipt of relevant evidence not already considered by the Board.

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-2020-00088 in Executive Session on 15 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 7 Dec 19.
Exhibit B:	Documentary evidence, including relevant excerpts from official records.
Exhibit C:	Advisory opinion, AFPC/DP2SSM, dated 26 Feb 20.
Exhibit D:	Notification of advisory, SAF/MRBC to applicant, dated 27 Feb 20.
Exhibit E:	Applicant’s response, dated undated.

Taken together with all Exhibits, this document constitutes the true and complete Record of Proceedings related to Docket Number BC-2020-00088, as required by AFI 36-2603, paragraph 4.11.9.