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AF | BCMR | CY2004 | BC-2004-01847
Original file (BC-2004-01847.DOC) Auto-classification: Denied




                       RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
         AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2004-01847
            INDEX CODE:  136.00

            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  YES


_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

She be returned to active duty on an Active Guard Reserve  (AGR)  tour
to Lackland AFB or Randolph AFB in San Antonio, TX, and  that  she  be
allowed to complete 20 years of Total Active Federal Military  Service
(TAFMS) and retire.

She be paid all back pay and allowances from 22 Feb 00 to the present.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

She was in the sanctuary zone when she entered the Air  Force  Reserve
on 3 Dec 99.  She completed Active Duty for Special Work (ADSW)  tours
over a period of 14 months and never had an approved waiver on file at
HQ ARPC.  She was utilized as an active duty asset and  was  paid  for
those active duty days but was never briefed that she had the right to
invoke sanctuary protection and to  stay  on  active  duty  until  she
reached 20 years of TAFMS.  She believes the Air Force Reserve  should
correct this situation now that they are aware of the problem.

In support of her appeal, the applicant provided  copies  of  her  pay
calendar, point credit summary, active duty orders, leave and  earning
statements, and other  documents  associated  with  the  matter  under
review, to include personal statements, and letters from the Assistant
Vice Commander, Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC/ACV) and the Inspector
General, Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC/IGQ).

Applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A.

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

Applicant’s available military personnel records indicate she enlisted
in the Regular Air Force on 24 Nov 75.  She was released  from  active
duty on 18 Jan 94 under the provisions of  AFR  39-10  (Early  Release
Program - Special  Separation  Benefit  (SSB)),  with  entitlement  to
$60,043.88 in  separation  pay.   She  was  credited  with  18  years,
1 month, and 25 days of active service.

She was assigned to the Air Force Reserve on 3 Dec 99  in  Information
Management.

AF  Forms   938,   Request   and   Authorization   for   Active   Duty
Training/Active Duty Tour, indicate that from 24 Feb 00 to  13 Apr 01,
she performed Special Active Duty for Support (ADS) tours  in  support
of the 433d Logistics Group.

In May 03, the applicant submitted a claim for  sanctuary  protection.
On 13 Jan 04, the  applicant’s  claim  for  sanctuary  protection  was
denied by AFRC/ACV.  The applicant filed an IG complaint  and,  on  21
May 04, AFRC/IGQ determined  that  there  was  no  violation  of  law,
regulation, or  procedure  regarding  the  denial  of  her  claim  for
sanctuary protection.

Information extracted from the Personnel  Data  System  indicates  the
applicant is currently serving in the Air Force Reserve in  the  grade
of master sergeant, having been promoted to that grade on  1  Apr  02.
She was credited with 23 years of  satisfactory  Federal  Service  for
retirement.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFRC/DPX recommended denial indicating the applicant made no claim for
sanctuary protection while serving on  active  duty  (other  than  for
training).  Therefore, she did not meet the  eligibility  criteria  to
invoke a claim to sanctuary  proctection.   Her  claim  for  sanctuary
protection was denied on 13 Jan 04 in accordance  with  the  governing
law and Air Force instruction.

A complete copy of the AFRC/DPX evaluation is at Exhibit B.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

A copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to  applicant  on  16
Jul 04 for review and response.  As of this date, no response has been
received by this office (Exhibit C).

_________________________________________________________________

ADDITIONAL AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPPRRP provided an advisory opinion concerning  the  implications
connected with accepting an SSB.   They  indicated  the  law  requires
recoupment of  the  applicant’s  SSB  payment  of  $60,043.88  if  she
receives  an  active  duty  retirement,  a  Reserve   retirement,   or
disability compensation based on service for which  she  received  the
SSB.  According to AFPC/DPPRRP, the applicant  did  not  indicate  she
understood the implications of having signed the SSB agreement; one of
them being that she agreed not to request or apply for reenlistment in
a Regular  component  of  a  military  service;  the  other  that  SSB
recoupment would occur if and when she received retired pay.

A complete copy of the AFPC/DPPRRP evaluation is at Exhibit D.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF ADDITIONAL AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

Applicant reviewed the additional  advisory  opinion  and  provided  a
response indicating she is not disputing the  fact  she  accepted  the
SSB, and understands she will have to repay the money.   However,  her
dispute is the fact she was placed on active duty orders,  without  an
approved waiver, over a period of 15 months and  that  the  procedures
stated in the Air Force instruction were not  followed.   Because  the
policy pertaining to her as a sanctuary candidate  was  not  followed,
she was not permitted to claim sanctuary protection after she had been
identified “after the fact.”  If the procedures had been followed, she
would have claimed sanctuary protection and would still be  on  active
duty.  Although she would have to repay the SSB, she would be eligible
for an active duty retirement.

Applicant’s complete response is at Exhibit F.

_________________________________________________________________

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.   The  applicant's  complete
submission was thoroughly  reviewed  and  her  contentions  were  duly
noted.  However, we do not find the  applicant’s  assertions  and  the
documentation  provided  in  support  of   her   appeal   sufficiently
persuasive to override the rationale provided by  AFRC/DPX.   We  note
the applicant elected to separate  from  active  duty  under  the  SSB
program after having served for over 18 years.  She  was  subsequently
assigned to the Air Force Reserve  where  it  appears  she  served  on
Special ADS tours for many months.  She believed she was  entitled  to
sanctuary protection, and eventually made such a claim.   However,  it
appears her claim for sanctuary protection  was  not  submitted  until
more than two years after she last served on her ADS tours.  Her claim
was eventually  denied  by  ARPC/ACV  because  she  did  not  make  an
affirmative request for sanctuary protection while serving  on  active
duty (other than  for  training).   Furthermore,  notwithstanding  the
applicant’s allegations, an IG investigation  of  the  denial  of  her
claim determined  there  was  no  violation  of  law,  regulation,  or
procedure.  In view of the foregoing, and in the absence of sufficient
evidence to the contrary, we agree with the recommendation of ARPC/DPX
and adopt their rationale as the  basis  for  our  decision  that  the
applicant has failed to sustain her burden  of  establishing  she  has
suffered either an error or an injustice.   Accordingly,  we  find  no
compelling basis to recommend  granting  the  relief  sought  in  this
application.

4.  The applicant's case is adequately documented and it has not  been
shown  that  a  personal  appearance  with  or  without  counsel  will
materially  add  to  our  understanding  of   the   issues   involved.
Therefore, the request for a hearing is not favorably considered.

_________________________________________________________________

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  this  application  in
Executive Session on 18 November 2004, under the provisions of AFI 36-
2603:

      Mr. Richard A. Peterson, Panel Chair
      Ms. Dorothy P. Loeb, Member
      Ms. Jan Mulligan, Member

The following documentary evidence pertaining to AFBCMR Docket  Number
BC-2004-01847 was considered:

    Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 7 Jun 04, w/atchs.
    Exhibit B.  Letter, AFRC/DPX, dated 6 Jul 04.
    Exhibit C.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 16 Jul 04.
    Exhibit D.  Letter, AFPC/DPPRP, dated 16 Sep 04.
    Exhibit E.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 24 Sep 04.
    Exhibit F.  Letter, applicant, undated.




                                   RICHARD A. PETERSON
                                   Panel Chair



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