RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
         AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2004-02851
            INDEX CODE:  112.05

      XXXXXXX    COUNSEL:  NONE

      XXXXXXX    HEARING DESIRED: NO


MANDATORY CASE COMPLETION DATE:  30 July 2006


___________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His date of enlistment (DOE) be  adjusted  to  reflect  1  Oct  03,
rather than 25 Sep 03, which would qualify him for  the  Air  Force
Reserve Enlisted Bonus Program and promotion to airman first class.

___________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

He wanted to wait to enlist in Oct 03, but  his  recruiter  assured
him that if Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) 1A2X1 was on the  bonus
list on 1 Oct 03, it would be  retroactive  to  his  enlistment  on
25 Sep 03.  Additionally, when his recruiter made  this  statement,
the officer that took the  Oath  of  Enlistment  was  present.   He
states that he lost out on the bonus and  his  airman  first  class
stripes.

In support of his appeal, applicant submitted a personal statement;
a statement from the loadmaster superintendent and other supporting
documents.

Applicant’s complete submission is Exhibit A.

___________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

Applicant enlisted in the Air Force Reserve on 25 Sep  03,  in  the
grade of airman basic, for a period of six years.  He is  currently
assigned as a loadmaster apprentice and serving  in  the  grade  of
airman first class, with a date of rank of 1 Jul 05.
___________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

HQ AFRS/RSS reviewed this application and recommended denial  based
on a review  of  the  documentation  provided  by  the  member  and
additional  documentation  obtained  by  the  recruiting  operating
location  where  the  recruiter  was  assigned.   After   reviewing
processing documentation maintained in the database by  recruiting,
there is evidence that the recruiter  contacted  several  units  in
attempts to locate the  applicant  a  position  in  the  loadmaster
career field which was the applicant’s second choice.   They  noted
that the applicant was initially interviewed in Jan 03, and did not
enlist until nine months later.

A complete copy of the evaluation is at Exhibit C.

___________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

Applicant states he interviewed for a boom  operator  position  and
was accepted.  The boom operator position came with two stripes and
a bonus, but he decided at the time he wanted to travel and being a
loadmaster would provide more  opportunities  to  travel.   He  did
interview with several units and all of them  accepted  him  for  a
position except for the fact that certain units did  not  have  any
remaining slots.

He reiterates his original contention that his recruiter misled him
into believing that his bonus would be retroactive.

Applicant’s complete response is at Exhibit E.

___________________________________________________________________

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 error or injustice  warranting  a  change  in  the
applicant’s date of enlistment (DOE).  In this regard, we note that
Air Force Reserve bonus listings come out  every  six  months  with
effective dates of 1 October and 1 April.  The applicant states  he
knew the bonus list would be coming out on 1 October, and  that  he
wanted to wait until that date to enlist.  However,  his  recruiter
assured him that if his AFSC was on the bonus  list,  it  would  be
retroactive to his date of enlistment, i.e., 25 September 2003.  We
note the applicant enlisted seven days before the  bonus  list  was
released; however, he did not report to basic training  until  more
than three  months  later  (January  2004).   Had  there  been  any
question regarding  the  enlistment  bonus  being  retroactive,  we
believe the applicant would have delayed his enlistment until after
the list was released, rather than risk losing his  eligibility  by
enlisting earlier.  Accordingly, we recommend that the  applicant’s
DOE be adjusted to 1 October 2003, with entitlement  to  applicable
benefits under the Air Force Reserve Enlisted Bonus Program.

___________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:

The pertinent military records of the Department of the  Air  Force
relating to APPLICANT, be corrected to show that he enlisted in the
Air Force Reserve on 1 October 2003, rather than 25 September 2003,
in the grade of airman first class rather than airman basic, for  a
period of  six  years;  and  at  the  time  of  his  enlistment  on
1 October 2003, he was eligible  for  entitlements  under  the  Air
Force Reserve Enlisted Bonus Program.

___________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket  Number
BC-2004-02851 in Executive Session on 11  August  2005,  under  the
provisions of AFI 36-2603:

      Ms. Marilyn M. Thomas, Vice Chair
      Ms. Sue A. Lumpkins, Member
      Mr. Gregory A. Parker, Member

All members voted to correct  the  records,  as  recommended.   The
following documentary evidence was considered:

     Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 20 Aug 04, w/atchs.
     Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
     Exhibit C.  Letter, HQ AFRC/RSS, dated 8 Jun 05.
     Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 17 Jun 05.
     Exhibit E.  Letter, Applicant, dated 2 Jul 05.




                                   MARILYN M. THOMAS
                                   Vice Chair



AFBCMR BC-2004-02851




MEMORANDUM FOR THE CHIEF OF STAFF

      Having received and considered the recommendation of the Air
Force Board for Correction of Military Records and under the
authority of Section 1552, Title 10, United States Code (70A Stat
116), it is directed that:

      The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air
Force relating to XXXXXXX, XXXXXXX, be corrected to show that he
enlisted in the Air Force Reserve on 1 October 2003, rather than 25
September 2003, in the grade of airman first class rather than
airman basic, for a period of six years; and at the time of his
enlistment on 1 October 2003, he was eligible for entitlements
under the Air Force Reserve Enlisted Bonus Program..






            JOE G. LINEBERGER
            Director
            Air Force Review Boards Agency