RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

 AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

 

IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2012-03705 

 

 COUNSEL: NONE 

 HEARING DESIRED: NO 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 

 

Her Reserve status from 30 Jul 08 to 31 Mar 12 be changed back 
to the Selected Reserve. 

 

By letters, dated 10 Oct 12 and 15 Oct 12, the applicant amended 
her request as follows: 

 

1. Her Reserve status from May 09 to 31 Mar 12 be changed back 
to Selected Reserve. 

 

2. Validate and make it a matter of record that her record was 
miscoded by ARPC through no fault of her own. 

 

3. The debt she owed to TRICARE be forgiven based on undue 
financial hardship and a coding error out of her control. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 

 

She was erroneously coded as being a member of the Selected 
Reserve four years ago which made her eligible for the TRICARE 
Reserve Select program. During those years she utilized TRICARE 
and because of the Air Force error she will be held financially 
responsible for all TRICARE costs. 

 

Even though the coding error happened in 2008 she did not become 
aware of the error until 22 May 12. 

 

By letter, dated 10 Oct 12, the applicant indicated that she 
received a letter from the TRICARE Management Activity, noting 
that they are holding her family financially responsible for all 
healthcare costs due to an administrative error on part of the 
Air Force that allowed her TRICARE eligibility. In addition, 
she noted that the eligibility period was from May 09 to 
31 Mar 12 rather than 30 Jul 08 to 31 Mar 12. 

 

By letter, dated 15 Oct 12, the applicant further explained the 
circumstances surrounding the error and that she never 
misrepresented herself or her duties. Her duties as a member of 
the Participating Individual Ready Reserve (PIRR), requires her 


to have a Common Access Card (CAC) card, to log in for duty, 
training and other situations and has been the same since she 
left active duty. 

 

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

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

STATEMENT OF FACTS: 

 

On 30 Jul 08, the applicant resigned her Regular Air Force 
commission. On 31 Jul 08, the applicant was appointed in the 
Reserve of the Air Force, in the grade of captain, with an 
assignment in the PIRR. The applicant was promoted to the grade 
of major with an effective date and date of rank of 2 Jun 10. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

THE AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

ARPC/DPTT recommends TRICARE waive recoupment for the specified 
time frame, stating, in part, that these administrative errors 
were no fault of the applicant. 

 

The following is an analysis of the circumstances surrounding 
the case: 

 

a. The applicant's request to have her status changed to 
Selected Reserve is not warranted because she was appointed as a 
Category E Participating IRR member effective 31 Jul 08. 

 

b. On 10 Apr 09, the HQ ARPC/DEERS Project Office updated the 
applicant in the Defense Enrollment and Eligibility Reporting 
System (DEERS) Real-Time Automated Personnel Identification 
System (RAPIDS) Program Management RAPIDS as a Selective 
Reservist for the sole purpose of obtaining a CAC identification 
card. This update however, made her incorrectly eligible to 
enroll in TRICARE, which she did. On 14 May 09, the Defense 
Manpower Data Center (DMDC) changed her Reserve Category Code 
(RSVCC) back to IRR/Drill Status code "A" (identifying her as 
PIRR). The applicant then contacted DMDC on 29 Jun 09 
questioning why she was no longer eligible for Tricare Reserve 
Select. DMDC explained she was in the PIRR and referred her 
back to the ARPC/DEERS Project Office. On 2 Jul 09, the 
ARPC/DEERS Project Office changed her back to Selected Reserve, 
once again making her eligible for TRICARE. The applicant 
remained coded eligible for TRICARE until 9 Apr 12. 

 

c. On 10 Apr 12, DMDC changed her status back to IRR/Drill 
status code "A." On 24 Apr 12, DMDC requested verification of 
the applicant's status from the Air Force Reserve Liaison. On 
18 May 12, DMDC received confirmation that the applicant was in 


the PIRR, and not eligible for TRICARE. On 22 May 12, the 
applicant's record was incorrectly updated a third time to 
Selected Reserve status by the ARPC/DEERS Project Office, and 
then immediately changed back to the IRR. 

 

d. On 23 May 12, DMDC removed all invalid entries made by 
the HQ ARPC/DEERS Project Office. When questioned, HQ 
ARPC/DEERS Project Office personnel were not sure what source 
document caused the conflict. However, email traffic reveals 
assignment orders created incorrectly could have been a basis of 
the misunderstanding. 

 

The complete DPTT evaluation, with attachments, is at Exhibit B. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF THE AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

A copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to the 
applicant on 26 Nov 12, for review and response. As of this 
date, no response has been received by this office (Exhibit C). 

 

Pursuant to the Board’s request, the applicant was contacted to 
provide a copy of the letter of indebtedness she received from 
the TRICARE Management Activity. 

 

The applicant’s complete response, with attachment, is at 
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. Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to 
demonstrate the existence of error or injustice. After careful 
consideration of the applicant’s complete submission, we believe 
that partial relief is warranted. In this respect, we note the 
comments by the Air Force Reserve office of primary 
responsibility; however, the Board does not choose to adopt 
their recommended relief, which, given the complexity of the law 
in this area, would raise questions in other agencies about how 
to implement the Board’s intent. Instead, the Board recommends 
a more targeted method for relief of the TRICARE debt. Based on 
the evidence, it appears that ARPC erroneously updated the 
applicant’s status in DEERs to reflect that she was assigned as 
a Selected Reservist for the sole purpose of obtaining a CAC ID 
card. Consequently, this made the applicant incorrectly 
eligible to enroll in Tricare Reserve Select, in which she did. 
However, the applicant is now being held accountable for actions 


that were beyond her control. Therefore, we find it equitable 
that her record be corrected to reflect that she was assigned to 
the Selected Reserve for the limited purpose of determining 
eligibility for TRICARE Reserve Select during the period 14 May 
09 thru 31 Mar 12. Moreover, this recommended correction to her 
record is not intended to convey any other rights or privileges 
associated with Selected Reserve status. In view of the 
foregoing, and to preclude an injustice to the applicant, we 
recommend the applicant’s record be corrected to the extent 
indicated below. 

 

_______________________________________________________________ 

 

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT: 

 

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air 
Force relating to APPLICANT, be corrected to show that, for the 
limited purpose of determining TRICARE Reserve Select 
eligibility, she was assigned to the Selected Reserve from 
14 May 09 to 31 Mar 12. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket 
Number BC-2012-03705 in Executive Session on 18 and 19 Jun 13, 
under the provisions of AFI 36-2603: 

 

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

 

 Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 10 Aug 12, w/atchs. 

 Exhibit B. Letter, ARPC/DPTT, undated, w/atchs. 

 Exhibit C. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 26 Nov 12. 

Exhibit D. Email, Applicant, dated 19 Jun 13. 

 

 

 

 

 Panel Chair