RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

 AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

 

IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2012-03441 

 COUNSEL: NONE 

 HEARING DESIRED: NOT INDICATED 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

THE APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 

 

He be allowed to transfer his Post-9/11 GI Bill educational 
benefits to his daughter. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

THE APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 

 

He completed the submission portion of the Transfer of 
Educational Benefits (TEB) for his daughter in Sep or Oct 09, 
transferring 100 percent of his benefits at that time. However, 
he has now found out that there is no record of his submission. 

 

He inquired during his Transition Assistance Program (TAP) 
briefings on whether he needed to take any additional actions; 
he was told the actual transfer of benefits portion is completed 
through the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA). 

 

The applicant’s complete submission is at Exhibit A. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

STATEMENT OF FACTS: 

 

On 31 Dec 10, the applicant was relieved from active duty with a 
reason for separation of Voluntary Retirement: sufficient 
service for retirement. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

AFPC/DPSIT recommends denial, noting the applicant did not 
provide adequate justification or documentation. On 13 Sep 10, 
he received pre-separation counseling, including education 
benefits, prior to his retirement. In Sep or Oct 09, he 
"transferred" his education benefits to his daughter, but there 
is no record of him doing the transfer. 

 


DPSIT notes, he also had the opportunity to ask questions about 
the TEB when he out-processed through the Education Center on 
30 Sep 10. If the Board finds there was an injustice to the 
extent that the member did not receive adequate pre-separation 
counseling, as required by law and Department of Defense (DoD) 
regulation, and was not personally notified about the need to 
transfer while serving in the Armed Forces, the Board may 
approve his request. 

 

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

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF THE AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

He called the education office on Yokota AB back in Sept or 
Oct 2009, to ask what he needed to do to transfer Post-9/11 GI 
Bill benefits to his dependent daughter. He was instructed to 
access the Air Force Portal to complete the transfer portion and 
that the rest is handled thru the DVA. He followed their 
instructions and accessed the site thru the Air Force Portal 
back in Sept or Oct 09, and distinctly remembers entering a 
database with his wife and daughter's names being visible with a 
drop box underneath their names displaying number percentages. 
He selected 100 percent underneath his daughter's name and 
completed the process. Subsequently, he had a permanent change 
of station in Oct 09 but never received any emails or 
correspondence after completing the transfer of benefits 
process. 

 

He did received pre-separation counseling on 13 Sep 10 for 
educational benefits prior to retirement; however, the 
counseling only covered what benefits were available and to whom 
and also that transfer of benefits needed to be accomplished 
while on active duty. Since, he had completed that portion of 
the process the information was not new to him. His issue is 
that at no time during the pre-separation briefing or out-
processing the Education Center did anyone inform him how to or 
the need to verify his transferal status. He had no visible 
indicators that the transfer had not been successful. 

 

He provides a copy of his education record, DD form 214 and out-
processing checklist prior to retirement. Under the Education 
Center portion it states "Out-process the education center if 
you are currently enrolled in classes or have outstanding grades 
or tuition reimbursement," these were the requirements to out 
process that area. They never discussed or presented his Post-
9/11 GI Bill status, as a matter of fact the only status 
indication on his USAF education records is for the Montgomery 
GI Bill. There is no indication of the Post-9/11 GI Bill status 


on his DD form 214. He is not claiming he was not aware of the 
requirement to transfer benefits while on active duty, he 
believed he had done so, but there was nothing visible to make 
him aware of what his status actually was in this regard. He 
would hope that his 26 years of honorable service would inform 
the Board of his truthfulness in explaining the circumstances in 
this matter and help correct this grievous error. 

 

The applicant’s complete response, with attachments, 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. While we note 
the steps the Air Force office of primary responsibility 
indicates were taken to inform eligible personnel of this new 
benefit, it appears that through no fault of the applicant he 
was not properly counseled regarding the steps necessary to 
transfer his benefits to his dependents. We do not find it 
reasonable that he would have knowingly elected not to pursue 
use of this important entitlement. As such, in the interest of 
justice we find the evidence is sufficient to recommend approval 
of his request. Therefore, we recommend the record be corrected 
as 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 on 
31 Dec 10, he elected to transfer his Post-9/11 GI Bill 
Educational Benefits. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket 
Number BC-2012-03441 in Executive Session on 9 May 13, under the 
provisions of AFI 36-2603: 

 

, Panel Chair 

, Member 

, Member 


 

All members voted to correct the records, as recommended. The 
following documentary evidence pertaining to AFBCMR Docket 
Number BC-2012-03441 was considered: 

 

 Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 23 Jul 12. 

 Exhibit B. Letter, AFPC/DPSIT, dated 14 Aug 12, w/atchs. 

 Exhibit C. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 28 Aug 12. 

 Exhibit D. Letter, Applicant, undated, w/atchs. 

 

 

 

 

 Panel Chair