RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2006-03083
            INDEX CODE:  112.00

            COUNSEL:  NONE
            HEARING DESIRED:  NO


MANDATORY CASE COMPLETION DATE:  6 APRIL 2008

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His enlistment grade be changed to airman (E-2).

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

He was promised the rank of E-2 prior to his enlistment.  Also,  that  he
would receive the advanced rank of E-3 for enlisting in a  specific  AFSC
(2A5X1L).

On 8 Apr 06, the day of his enlistment he was informed that he would  not
receive the rank of E-3.  He was told that 29 credit hours would  not  be
enough for an increase in rank, and that he needed  30  credit  hours  to
receive E-2.  He was never asked or told that he  needed  to  verify  his
college credit hours.

During his third week of training, he  spoke  with  the  Reserve  Liaison
regarding his rank.  After giving the liaison all the information, he was
told to return during the fifth week of training.  He returned during his
fifth week of training and was informed he would not receive his stripes.
 After talking with other wingmen in his flight, he found out  that  they
had received the rank of E-2, with less hours then him.

Before graduation from BMT, he requested  his  college  transcripts  from
Ball State University.  His father took the transcripts to his  recruiter
at Grissom Air Reserve Base (ARB).  His recruiter told his father that he
had enough credits to qualify for the rank of E-2, and that he would talk
to the folks at Lackland and get back to him, he never did.  He was  also
never informed that all this had to be done before graduation.

On 8 Aug 06, he took the  transcript  and  other  forms  to  the  Reserve
Liaison at Sheppard AFB, and was told that he could not  receive  stripes
because he signed his contract as an E-1.

He had enough college credits to  qualify  for  the  advanced  enlistment
grade of airman (E-2).

He plans to get a degree in Aeronautical Technology and plans to make the
Air Force his career.  He is disappointed because promises were made  and
none of them were kept.

In support of his request, applicant provided his college transcript,  DD
Form 1966, Record of Military Processing – Armed  Forces  of  the  United
States, and DD Form 4, Enlistment/Reenlistment Document – Armed Forces of
the United States.

The applicant's complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A.

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant contracted his enlistment in the Air Force Reserve on 8 Apr
06, in the grade of airman basic (E-1).  He is currently serving  in  the
Air Force Reserve in the grade of airman (E-2) with a date  of  rank  and
effective date of 16 Nov 06.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

HQ  AFRC/RSO  recommends  denial  of  applicant’s  request  to  have  his
enlistment grade  changed  to  E-2.   On  the  date  of  enlistment,  the
applicant did not have enough college credits to  qualify  for  a  higher
enlistment grade.  Qualifying  official  transcripts  were  not  received
prior to graduation from basic training, thus negating the opportunity of
grade correction.

Applicant contacted the AFRC Liaison office  during  his  third  week  of
training in an attempt to adjust his pay grade to E-3.  He was under  the
impression there was in error with his enlistment contract  and  that  he
qualified for advanced pay grade to E-3 under the Stripes for Unit  Bonus
Skills Enlistment Option.  At this time, Recruiting Operations  initiated
an inquiry into his enlistment processing.  The  AFRC  Incentive  Program
Manager determined that the applicant was  not  qualified  based  on  the
current Master Bonus Listing.  No errors  were  made  to  his  enlistment
contract.  Applicant states that he returned to the AFRC  Liaison  during
his fifth week and was told he would not receive his  stripes.   He  also
states that he requested his transcript prior to  graduation  from  basic
training.

AFRCI 36-2001, Air Force Reserve Recruiting Procedures, Table 5-1, Note 5
states:  Documents presented after enlistment may be used as a basis  for
changing the authorized enlistment grade up until the individual’s  Basic
Military Training graduation date.  Recruiters will advise individuals to
obtain documents before enlistment.  However, this policy will  allow  an
applicant who is in the process of completing additional college classes,
etc. that will qualify them for a higher grade, to have  the  opportunity
to have their records updated to reflect the higher grade.

In an addendum to their original advisory, AFRC/RSO states that IAW AFRCI
36-2001, Table 5-1, Rule 7, requires 20  semester  hours  or  30  quarter
hours of college to qualify for E-2. Rule 5, requires 45  semester  hours
or 67 quarter hours of college to qualify  for  E-3  under  “Stripes  for
Education.”  Both roles require verification on or  before  the  date  of
enlistment.  On the date of applicant’s enlistment, he had  fifteen  (15)
semester hours of college; which was short of the minimum of twenty  (20)
required for accelerated grade of E-2.  By his own  admission,  applicant
was not qualified, based on his college credits earned.

Attached with AFRC advisory  is  a  deposition  statement  of  the  facts
surrounding applicant’s enlistment process provided by a senior recruiter
at Grissom ARB.

The AFRC/RSO complete evaluation, with attachment, is at Exhibit C.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

On 9 Mar 07, a copy of the Air Force  evaluation  was  forwarded  to  the
applicant for review and comment within 30 days.  To date, a response has
not been received.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT:

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

2.  The application was not timely filed; however, it is in the interest  of
justice to excuse the failure to timely file.

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 its rationale as the basis for our conclusion  that
the applicant has not been the victim of an error or injustice.   Therefore,
in the absence of 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-2006-
03083 in Executive Session on 17 April 2007, under the provisions of AFI 36-
2603:

      Mr. Richard A. Peterson, Panel Chair
      Ms. Rita J. Maldonado, Member
      Mr. Garry G. Sauner, Member

The following documentary evidence  pertaining  to  Docket  Number  BC-2006-
03083 was considered:

    Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 2 Oct 06, w/atchs.
    Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
      Exhibit C.  Memorandums, AFRC/RSO, dated 7 Nov 06 and 5 Mar
                07, w/atch.
      Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 9 Mar 07.





                                             RICHARD A. PETERSON
                                             Panel Chair