APPLICANT REQUESTS:  That she be given the Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP).

APPLICANT STATES:  She was entitled to the SLRP based on her reenlistment and, therefore, retention personnel should have included the SLRP addendum in her reenlistment contract.

EVIDENCE OF RECORD:  The applicant's military records show:

She enlisted in the USAR in pay grade E-1 with no prior service on 13 April 1987.

She was advanced to pay grade E-4 and reenlisted for 6 years on 28 March 1993.  In conjunction with her reenlistment she completed a cash bonus addendum for $2,500.00.  No other addenda were attached to her reenlistment contract.

The Student Loan Repayment Program provides for the repayment by the Government of a designated portion of any outstanding student loan(s) secured after 1 October 1975.  The loan amount to be repaid is 15 percent of the original balance of the loan plus accrued interest not paid by the Department of Education, or $500.00 plus the accrued interest not paid by the Department of the Education, whichever is greater.  Payments will be made for each year of satisfactory service in the Selected Reserve.  The maximum amount of loans against which the 15 percent is computed will not exceed $10,000.  This equates to a maximum annual repayment of $1,500 plus interest.  If the amount set for repayment is less than $500.00, then $500.00 becomes the calculated amount for repayment that year.  To be eligible for the SLRP incentive, a person must contractually obligate himself to service satisfactorily, must serve in the Selected Reserve for a full term of the contractual agreement and must further obligate himself to continue to serve in the same component and the same MOS unless excused for the convenience of the Government.  Entitlement to the SLRP will stop if the soldier contracted for an MOS authorized by Department of the Army for SLRP entitlement and moves to an ineligible MOS, or is reclassified.  A soldier will not be eligible for any initial or subsequent loan repayments until he or she has completed initial active duty for training, is military occupational specialty (MOS) qualified, and has been awarded a high school diploma. Each complete satisfactory year of service performed under this SLRP agreement establishes an anniversary date.  As with the bonus incentive the SLRP is tied to service in a valid position vacancy.

DISCUSSION:  Considering all the evidence, allegations, and information presented by the applicant, together with the evidence of record and applicable law and regulations, it is concluded:

1.  The applicant was not offered the SLRP when she reenlisted.  The SLRP is an incentive to reenlist, not an entitlement, and need not be offered.  Obviously, the applicant did not need any additional incentives to reenlist.

2.  In addition, she has not submitted any documentation which would substantiate her contention that either her MOS or her unit was on the list of those approved for the SLRP.

3.  In view of the foregoing, there is no basis for granting the applicant’s request.

DETERMINATION:  The applicant has failed to submit sufficient relevant evidence to demonstrate the existence of probable error or injustice.

BOARD VOTE:

                       GRANT          

                       GRANT FORMAL HEARING

                       DENY APPLICATION




						Karl F. Schneider
						Acting Director