RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2014-00795 COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NO APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: His dependent son’s travel order be corrected to reflect “Student Dependent Travel Order” instead of “In-Place- Consecutive-Overseas-Tour” (IPCOT). APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: The Travel Management Office (TMO) erroneously processed his son’s travel orders to Okinawa, Japan as an IPCOT travel order when it should have been a student dependent travel order. The finance office has deemed it to be an error. The applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A. STATEMENT OF FACTS: The applicant is currently serving in the Regular Air Force in the grade of Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col, O-5). According to an AF Form 899, Request and Authorization for Permanent Change of Station – Military, dated 19 May 11, the applicant was projected for reassignment to Kadena Air Base, Japan with a report no later than date of 10 Jul 11. His dependent son was listed on the order as authorized to travel. AIR FORCE EVALUATION: PPA/ECAF recommends approval. Based on documentation in the case file, it appears the applicant’s son did not travel to his Permanent Duty Station (PDS) due to being enrolled in school. When the applicant applied to have his son travel to the PDS under student dependent travel authorization, the dependent travel order associated with the IPCOT entitlement was used to procure the transportation. However, the Joint Forces Travel Regulation (JFTR) states that COT orders cannot be used for transportation of student travel. Therefore, a student dependent travel order should have been issued. On 11 Jul 13, the applicant was issued dependent travel orders for travel and transportation of his dependents from Lorena, Texas to Kadena AB, Japan, during the months of Jul and Aug 13 in conjunction with an IPCOT at Kadena AB, Japan. In Sep 13, TMO at Kadena AB, Japan, initiated a travel request for the applicant’s son to travel from Dallas, TX on 15 Dec 13 to Okinawa, Japan, returning to Dallas, TX on 5 Jan 14. Upon completion of the travel, the applicant was advised that the IPCOT orders used for the Dec/Jan travel only authorized travel between the months of Jul and Aug, therefore a new or amended orders were required to allow payment for his son’s travel during the Dec/Jan time period. JFTR, Volume 1, paragraph U5208 states that dependent travel and transportation is authorized at government expense from a designated place to the current PDS, if the dependents are command sponsored prior to travel to the current PDS. Paragraph U7010-D.6 further states that COT leave must not be used as student dependent travel. Paragraph U7305-E/F advises that a member permanently stationed Overseas Continental United States (OCONUS), who is authorized to have a dependent reside at/in the PDS, and whose dependent attends school in the U.S. to obtain a formal education that is accredited by a State, region or nationally recognized accrediting agency/association recognized by the Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) is authorized transportation of the dependent between school and place of residence. Paragraph U7305-E2 further states that a dependent student who is separated from school in the U.S. and who has not previously traveled at government expense to the member’s OCONUS PDS, retains the authorization for dependent travel and transportation to the member’s PDS. The complete ECAF 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 18 Aug 14 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. Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of an error or injustice. After a thorough review of this application, we agree with the recommendation of the Air Force office of primary responsibility and adopt the rationale expressed as the basis for our decision that the applicant has been the victim of either an error or an injustice. Accordingly, we recommend his records be corrected as set forth below. THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT: The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force relating to the APPLICANT be corrected to reflect that by competent authority, a student dependent travel order, dated 30 Sep 13, was issued for his son with the appropriate funding for travel from his school in Waxahachie, Texas to Okinawa, Japan and return, during the months of December 2013 and January 2014. The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2014-00795 in Executive Session on 14 Jan 15, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603: , Panel Chair , Member , Member All members voted to correct the records as recommended. The following documentary evidence was considered: Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 8 Feb 14, w/atchs. Exhibit B. Applicant's Available Master Personnel Records. Exhibit C. Letter, PPA/ECAF, dated 8 Aug 14. Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 18 Aug 14.