IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 5 January 2012 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20110024369 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 the record to show a DA Form 2171-E (Request for Tuition Assistance-Army Continuing Education System) requesting payment for attendance at the Army National Guard (ARNG) Patriot Academy sponsored by Liberty University was approved in Fiscal Year 2011 (FY2011). 2. The applicant states a delay in processing the DA Form 2171-E resulted in the ARNG not having the ability to authorize the funds. 3. The applicant provides a Commandant, ARNG Patriot Academy, Memorandum for Record (MFR), dated 21 October 2011 and a DA Form 2171-E in support of the application. CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant’s record shows while a member of the Indiana ARNG, the applicant was scheduled to attend the ARNG Patriot Academy sponsored by Liberty University from 14 September 2011 to 14 June 2012. The record contains a DA Form 2171-E that shows the tuition assistance request was approved on 8 December 2011. 2. The National Guard Bureau (NGB) Chief, Education, Incentives and Employment Division, provides a memorandum, Subject: Support of Patriot Academy Students DD 149 Applications, dated 9 December 2011. It confirms the DA Forms 2171-E of several students, including the applicant, were not approved during FY2011 for a variety of reasons. 3. The NGB recommends the Board correct the record to show the DA Forms 2171-E on the students involved were approved in FY2011 on 30 September 2011 so that the tuition assistance can be paid out of FY2011 ARNG funds. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The applicant’s request to correct the approval date of the DA Form 2171-E authorizing tuition assistance for the ARNG Patriot Academy to a date in FY2011 has been carefully considered and found to have merit. As evidenced by the 9 December 2011 NGB Memorandum, the DA Forms 2171-E in question were not approved in FY2011 as a result of administrative errors on the part of the involved States. As a result, it would be appropriate to correct these forms to show the tuition assistance in question was approved by proper authority on 30 September 2011 in FY2011 and to provide the Soldiers the tuition assistance due from ARNG funds. 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 DA Form 2171-E was approved on 30 September 2011 in FY2011 and by paying the tuition assistance due as a result from FY2011 Army National Guard funds. _______ _ __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) AR20110024369 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20110024369 2 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1