RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
         AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2003-00802
            INDEX CODE:  110.02

            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  NO


_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

Her narrative reason for separation be  changed  for  the  purpose  of
qualifying for Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) benefits under  Category  III
and Category IV.
_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

The Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) denied her request  for  MGIB
benefits due to the reason for her separation.

She believes she is entitled to receive her GI  benefits  because  her
pay was reduced by $100 a month for 12 months and  her  discharge  was
honorable.  She separated with the intention of going to college while
utilizing her GI Bill.  She would not have separated if she knew  that
she was not entitled to the benefits.

In support of her request, the applicant submits a personal statement,
a copy of her DD Form 214 and a copy of her DD Form  293  (Application
for the Review of Discharge or Dismissal from the Armed Forces of  the
United   States).    The   applicant’s   complete   submission,   with
attachments, is at Exhibit A.
_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

Applicant contracted her enlistment in the Regular  Air  Force  on  14
September 1995 in the grade of airman first class (E-3) for  a  period
of four years.  On  28  September  1995,  she  signed  DD  Form  2366,
Montgomery GI Bill Act of 1984 (MGIB),  for  enrollment  in  the  MGIB
program.

The applicant was released from active duty on 30  December  1997  and
transferred to the Air Force Reserve under the provisions  of  AFI-36-
3208 (Interdepartmental Transfer).  She had completed  a  total  of  2
years, 3 months and 17 days of active service and was serving  in  the
grade of E-3 at the time of  separation.   On  23 February  2003,  the
applicant was relieved from the Obligated Reserve  Section  (ORS)  and
honorably discharged from the Air Force Reserve.
_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

HQ AFPC/DPPAT recommends the application be denied.  DPPAT states that
the applicant was honorably separated after serving 27 months  and  17
days of active duty.   The  law  allows  the  Department  of  Veterans
Affairs (DVA) to award benefits if an individual  leaves  active  duty
after 24 months and affiliates with the Selected Reserve for at  least
four years.  The Air Force requires the  individual  to  work  with  a
recruiter to seek  affiliation  with  the  Selected  Reserve  (SELRES)
within one  year  of  the  separation.   At  the  time  the  applicant
separated from active duty, there was no available SELRES position  in
her Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC), or another  in  which  she  could
retrain,  so  she  accepted  the  Individual   Ready   Reserve   (IRR)
assignment.  DPPAT found no record of the applicant  ever  affiliating
with the SELRES.  The  DVA  may  also  award  month-to-month  benefits
(Category III eligibility) for service less  than  30  months  if  the
individual separates for disability, hardship, reduction in force,  or
other involuntary separation reason.   Category  IV  applies  only  to
certain individuals who first entered active duty  between  1  January
1977 and 30 June 1985 and participated in  a  conversion  opportunity;
the DVA cannot qualify the applicant as a Category IV participant.

DPPAT states that the applicant did not meet the legal requirement for
receiving MGIB benefits nor did she seek the  affiliation  that  would
allow her to qualify for the benefits.  If her  separation  reason  is
changed to one allowing benefits for service of less than  30  months,
the applicant may reapply for benefits.   The HQ AFPC/DPPAT evaluation
is at Exhibit C.
_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

A copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to  applicant  on  23
May 2003 for review and response.  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.  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 opinion and recommendation of the Air Force
office of primary responsibility and adopt the rationale expressed  as
the basis for our decision that the applicant has  failed  to  sustain
her burden that she has suffered either  an  error  or  an  injustice.
Additionally, even  though  there  may  not  have  been  an  immediate
position available with the Selected Reserve (SELRES), no evidence has
been presented showing the applicant made any attempts to work with  a
recruiter to find a position within one year of  her  separation.   In
view of the above and absent evidence to  the  contrary,  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 Docket  Number  BC-2003-
00802 in Executive Session on 31 July 2003, under  the  provisions  of
AFI 36-2603:

                  Mr. Philip Sheuerman, Panel Chair
                  Ms. Brenda L. Romine, Member
                  Mr. James W. Russell III, Member

The following documentary evidence was considered:

   Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 14 Mar 03, w/atchs.
   Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
   Exhibit C.  Letter, HQ AFPC/DPPAT, dated 13 May 03.
   Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 23 May 03.




                                   BRENDA L. ROMINE
                                   Acting Panel Chair