IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 28 April 2011 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20110001697 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 correction of his military records to show authorization of 30 days of Post Deployment/Mobilization Respite Absence (PDMRA). 2. The applicant states at the time of his release from active duty (REFRAD) he was not given the opportunity to use PDMRA days he earned and was entitled to. 3. The applicant provides a DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) and Army National Guard PDMRA Calculator Worksheet in support of this application. CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant was REFRAD on 16 July 2007 while serving in the North Carolina Army National Guard. 2. The DD Form 214 for the period ending 16 July 2007 shows the applicant served on active duty from 8 May 2006 through 16 July 2007 with service in Iraq from 19 July 2006 through 2 July 2007. 3. The record shows the applicant separated from the period in which PDMRA was earned during the defined shadow area and as a result was denied the opportunity to use earned PDMRA prior to REFRAD from the period of active duty in which it was earned. 4. The following are the governing authority documents for PDMRA: a. Secretary of Defense Memorandum. Utilization of the Total Force, dated 19 January 2007, directed a program be established to recognize members who are required to mobilize or deploy with a frequency beyond policy established rotation goals; b. Under Secretary of Defense Memorandum, Programs to Support Utilization of the Total Force, dated 18 April 2007, established the PDMRA program in response to the Secretary of Defense directive in his 19 January 2007 memorandum; and c. ALARACT Message 173/2007, dated August 2007, contained the Army’s PDMRA implementation guidance. 5. The 2010 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), section 604 provided special authority to monetarily compensate Soldiers who were REFRAD and not able to use PDMRA during the period between PDMRA authorization by the Secretary of Defense on 19 January 2007, and publication of the Army’s PDMRA implementation guidance on 18 August 2007. This authority expired on 28 October 2010. 6. Department of the Army Personnel Policy Guidance (PPG) contains guidance on the PDMRA program in paragraph 8-10i. It states PDMRA is designed to give extra time off to Reservists and members of the National Guard to compensate them for too little dwell time at home between deployments. PDMRA days are also available to Active Component (AC) Soldiers who have deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq, or with certain theater units and other areas as determined by the Secretary of the Army or his designated representative. 7. The PPG also contains guidance on Reserve Component (RC) creditable mobilizations/deployments. These include involuntary mobilization/deployment under Title 10, USC, sections 12301(a), 12302, or 12304; or voluntary qualifying mobilizations under 12301(d). To qualify a 12301(d) period of duty for PDMRA, the Soldier must provide a leave and earnings statement showing Hostile Fire/Imminent Danger pay to verify period of boots-on-the- ground (BOG) in Iraq, Afghanistan, or Kuwait. 8. PPG guidance on PDMRA usage states RC Soldiers may use accrued PDMRA during any authorized R&R leave period, or during current mobilization order/authorized extension of current mobilization order. Soldiers unable to utilize accrued PDMRA days during their current mobilization order may be voluntarily retained on active duty under the provisions of Title 10 USC section 12301(d), Contingency Operations-Active Duty for Operational Support orders (CO-ADOS), to utilize accrued PDMRA days. No tax benefits accrue or are attached to days of PDMRA regardless of where they were earned or awarded. PDMRA cannot be sold back at discharge, REFRAD, or retirement. There are no provisions allowing for carry over or monetary compensation for PDMRA days not used during the mobilization/deployment in which they were earned. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: 1. The applicant's contention that earned PDMRA should be authorized has been carefully considered and found to have merit. 2. The evidence of record confirms the applicant earned 30 days of PDMRA during the period of active duty in question, as evidenced by the calculator sheet provided. 3. The record further shows the applicant was REFRAD within the defined shadow area and as a result it is logical to presume the opportunity to use earned PDMRA was not offered. Therefore, although the legal authority to compensate the applicant for unused PDMRA has expired and is no longer an available remedy, it would be appropriate to authorize the use of earned PDMRA during the applicant's next qualifying deployment as defined in the PPG. Monetary compensation is not authorized as result of this action. BOARD VOTE: ___X____ ____X___ ____X___ GRANT FULL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING ________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The Board determined that the evidence presented was 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 applicant is authorized to use 30 days of PDMRA upon his next qualifying mobilization/deployment. This recommendation carries with it no authority for monetary compensation. __________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) AR20110001697 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20110001697 4 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1