RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
         AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  02-00628
            INDEX CODE:  128.05

            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  NO


_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

He be granted the Selective Reenlistment Bonus (SRB) in his new career
field (3E0X2) rather than the  SRB  from  his  previous  career  field
(3E5X1).

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

He should be entitled to the SRB for the new career field he was in at
the time he actually entered his enlistment extension.

In support of his  request,  the  applicant  submits  a  copy  of  his
retraining  package.   The  applicant’s  complete   submission,   with
attachments, is at Exhibit A.

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant contracted his enlisted in the Regular Air Force  on  17
Jul 96 for a period of 4 years.  On 15 Nov 99, the applicant submitted
an application for enlisted retraining.  On 26 Jan 00,  the  applicant
submitted an application requesting that his  enlistment  be  extended
for  a  period  of  48  months  for  the  purpose  of  “attaining   US
citizenship.”  The applicant’s request was approved, “as an  exception
to policy to pursue citizenship” by the approval authority  on  1  Feb
00.  His 26 Jul 00 date of separation (DOS) was extended to 16 Jul 04.
 The effective date  of  applicant’s  new  Air  Force  Specialty  Code
(3E032) is 1 Apr 00.  The applicant has been progressively promoted to
the grade of staff sergeant (E-5), with an effective date and date  of
rank of 1 Jul 01.

The remaining relevant facts pertaining to this application, extracted
from the applicant’s military records, are  contained  in  the  letter
prepared by the appropriate office of the Air Force at Exhibit C.
_________________________________________________________________


AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

HQ AFPC/DPPAE recommends the  application  be  denied.   DPPAE  stated
that, in Jan 00, the applicant signed an enlistment extension  for  48
months in order to attain his citizenship, which  entitled  him  to  a
Selective  Reenlistment  Bonus  (SRB).   In  Apr  00,   he   completed
retraining from the 3E551 career field to the 3E032 career field.   In
accordance with AFI 36-2606, airmen qualify for an SRB entitlement  on
the day they sign the extension, provided they remain qualified.   The
applicant extended prior to obtaining his 3-skill  level  in  the  new
career field.  The SRB is based  on  what  Air  Force  Specialty  Code
(AFSC) the member held as of the time he signed  the  extension  form,
not what AFSC he held as of when he entered  the  extension.   The  HQ
AFPC/DPPAE evaluation is at Exhibit C.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

A copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded  to  applicant  on  7
June 2002 for review and response.  As of this date, no  response  has
been received by this office (Exhibit D).

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ADDITIONAL AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

Pursuant to the Board’s request, the following  advisory  opinion  was
provided concerning the Career Airman Reenlistment Reservation  System
(CAREERS) retraining issue.

HQ AFPC/DPPAE recommends the application be denied.  DPPAE stated that
the applicant extended his enlistment  prior  to  being  approved  for
retraining.  The extension was  not  for  Career  Airman  Reenlistment
Reservation System (CAREERS) retraining.  Therefore, the SRB is  based
on what AFSC the member held as of the time he  signed  the  extension
form, not what AFSC he held as of when he entered the  extension.   If
the applicant had  extended  for  CAREERS  retraining,  then  once  he
obtained his  3-skill  level  and  citizenship,  he  would  have  been
eligible to reenlist in his new AFSC with that SRB.  The HQ AFPC/DPPAE
evaluation is at Exhibit E.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF ADDITIONAL AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The applicant reviewed the advisory opinion and indicated that he  had
already been approved to retrain into the 3E0X2 career field as of  21
Jan 00 and he signed the extension request on 25 Jan 00.  He was  only
waiting for a class date, which happened to be after the extension was
signed.  From what he understands, he would have had to extend anyway,
in order to have retainability, even if it  was  not  for  citizenship
reasons.  It now seems that, had he only waited a period  of  probably
only 90 days to sign the extension, he would have  been  approved  for
the higher SRB.  He does not wish to place blame on anyone other  than
himself and his ignorance of how the system works as well as his faith
that the Personnel Flight  would  have  advised  him  of  all  aspects
concerning his retraining and extension paperwork.  Although it  seems
that the numbers are working against his favor, he believes the  right
thing to do would be to grant his request.

The  applicant’s  complete  submission,  with   attachments,   is   at
Exhibit G.

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THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT:

1.    The applicant has exhausted all remedies  provided  by  existing
law or regulations.

2.    The application was timely filed.

3.    Insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate
the  existence  of  error  or  injustice.   We  took  notice  of   the
applicant's complete submission in judging the  merits  of  the  case.
However, we  agree  with  the  opinions  and  recommendations  of  the
appropriate Air Force office of primary responsibility and  adopt  the
rationale expressed as the basis for our decision that  the  applicant
has failed to sustain his burden that he has suffered either an  error
or an injustice.  In this respect, we noted that, since  the  SRB  was
not for CAREERS  retraining,  the  SRB  was  based  on  the  AFSC  the
applicant held at the time he signed the extension form, which  is  in
accordance with the governing Air Force instruction.  In view  of  the
above and absent evidence by the applicant  which  would  lead  us  to
believe he was provided inaccurate or misleading  information  at  the
time he executed  his  extension,  we  find  no  compelling  basis  to
recommend granting the relief sought in this application.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT:

The  applicant  be  notified  that  the  evidence  presented  did  not
demonstrate the existence of material error  or  injustice;  that  the
application was denied without a personal  appearance;  and  that  the
application will only be reconsidered upon  the  submission  of  newly
discovered relevant evidence not considered with this application.

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board considered in Executive Session  on
9 January 2003, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

                  Mr. Wayne R. Gracie, Panel Chair
                  Mr. Grover L. Dunn, Member
              Mr. Thomas J. Topolski Jr., Member

The following documentary evidence was considered in  connection  with
AFBCMR Docket Number 02-00628.

   Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 12 Feb 02, w/atchs.
   Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
   Exhibit C.  Letter, HQ AFPC/DPPAE, dated 31 May 02.
   Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 7 Jun 02.
   Exhibit E.  Letter, HQ AFPC/DPPAE, dated 30 Sep 02.
   Exhibit F.  Letters, AFBCMR, dated 2 Oct 02 and 19 Nov 02.
   Exhibit G.  Letter from applicant, dated 20 Nov 02, w/atchs.




                                   WAYNE R. GRACIE
                                   Panel Chair