BOARD DATE:	  26 January 2012

		DOCKET NUMBER:  AR20110013544 


THE BOARD CONSIDERED THE FOLLOWING EVIDENCE:

1.  Application for correction of military records (with supporting documents provided, if any).

2.  Military Personnel Records and advisory opinions (if any).


THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, STATEMENT, AND EVIDENCE:

1.  The applicant requests, in effect, transfer of his educational benefits to his dependents under the Post 9/11 GI Bill Transferability Program.

2.  The applicant states:

* He would like to have his remaining dependents (spouse, son, and daughter) added as potential recipients of transferrable education benefits under the Post 9/11 GI Bill
* He retired from active duty on 1 September 2009 after completing 
      28 years, 3 months, and 4 days
* This was one month after the initiation of the Post 9/11 GI Bill
* At the time of his retirement it was his belief he had signed up eligible dependents for transferring education benefits
* He thought he applied to transfer benefits to his four eligible dependents on 19 August 2009 as evidenced by the “screen-capture” he provided 
* Due to the newness of the program, as well as terminal leave and a cross country move, and because he had little/no information available, he was unaware he was supposed to transfer some portion of his benefits to those eligible
* Because he didn’t have education payment demands at that time, he thought that by having them enrolled would be sufficient so that he could transfer benefits at a later time when there might be the need



3.  The applicant provides two pages of a Department of Defense (DOD) Transfer of Education (TEB) document, dated 17 August 2009.

CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:

1.  After completing over 28 years of creditable active service, the applicant retired from active duty on 31 August 2009 in the rank of lieutenant colonel.

2.  He provided two pages, dated 17 August 2009, from the DOD's TEB online database which pertains to the educational benefit program and his eligible dependents.    

3.  During the processing of this case, on 20 September 2011, an advisory opinion was obtained from the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1, Chief, Enlisted Professional Development Branch, who states, in summary:

	a.  Public Law 110-252 establishes legal limitations on the transferability of unused Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits.  The law limits eligibility to transfer unused benefits to those members of the Armed Forces who are serving on active duty or as a member of the Selected Reserve.   

	b.  a Soldier must be currently on active duty or a member of the Selected Reserve at the time of transfer of education benefits to his or her dependent (on or after 1 August 2009).  The applicant’s last day in service was 31 August 2009.  He would have been eligible to transfer the benefit if he transferred before he left the service.

	c.  a Soldier must have at least 6 years of eligible service in order to transfer education benefits to a spouse or at least 10 years of eligible service to transfer to eligible children.  He had more than 28 years of service upon his retirement, so he was eligible to transfer to either his spouse or children (if he completed the request before leaving military service).

	d.  a Soldier may only transfer to eligible dependents.  He had four eligible dependents enrolled in the Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting System.  He did not complete the requirements in the TEB online database because he claims he was not aware of the requirement to transfer prior to leaving service. 

	e.  a Soldier must also agree to serve the prescribed additional service obligation based on the time the Soldier had in service on 1 August 2009.  If the applicant transferred his benefits prior to leaving military service he would have not incurred an additional service obligation because he had more than 20 years of service as of 1 August 2009.
	f.  a Soldier must have no adverse action flag and have an honorable discharge to transfer benefits.  There is no evidence of an adverse action in the applicant's record.  He received an honorable discharge.

	g.  a Soldier should not be granted relief based on unawareness of the law, program rules, or procedures unless they left the service during the implementation phase (first 90 days) of the program.  His last day in the service was 31 August 2009, which was within 90 days after the program’s implementation.

	h.  a Soldier must initially request to transfer benefits on the DOD's TEB online database.  The TEB online was operational 29 June 2009.  Once approved in the TEB online database by the Soldier's service, the approval information is automatically relayed for VA access.  The respective dependent must then submit an application for VA education benefits to request to use the benefits.  The applicant claims he was not aware of the requirement, so none of the required steps to transfer benefits were taken.

	i.  changes to the amount of months allocated to dependents can be made at anytime, to include once you leave military service, provided the service member allocates at least 1 month of benefits prior to separation.  If the service member allocates 0 months, and subsequently leaves military service, they are not authorized to transfer unused benefits.  The TEB website shows no action was taken by the applicant to transfer any benefits.            
  
	j.  the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) is restricted to pay for education benefits by compensating no more than one retroactive year from the date a claim is received by DVA.  No evidence was provided by the applicant that his dependents made a previous claim to DVA.  If the applicant is granted relief the beginning date for his dependents to use the transferred benefits will be the date granted relief unless previous specific claims were submitted to DVA (verified by DVA upon approval). 

4.  The advisory official recommends administrative relief for the applicant because he left service within 90 days of the implementation of the program.  He states although significant measures were taken to disseminate the information to all Soldiers within Army components during the initial phase of the program, many Soldiers that left service during the first 90 days of the program were not fully award of the requirement to transfer prior to leaving military service.




5.  The advisory opinion was forwarded to the applicant for information and to allow him the opportunity to submit comments or a rebuttal.  He responded on 
23 September 2011.  In summary, he stated:

* he appreciates the attention given to the matter, as well as the advisory opinion
* he hopes the ABCMR will look favorably upon his request
     
6.  On 22 June 2009, Department of Defense (DOD) established the criteria for eligibility and transfer of unused education benefits to eligible family members.  The policy states any member of the Armed Forces on or after 1 August 2009 who, at the time of the approval of the individual's request to transfer entitlement to educational assistance under this section, is eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill and:

	a.  has at least 6 years of service in the Armed Forces on the date of election and agrees to serve 4 additional years in the Armed Forces from the date of election; or

	b.  has at least 10 years of service in the Armed Forces (active duty and/or Selected Reserve) on the date of election, is precluded by either standard policy (service or DOD) or statute from committing to 4 additional years, and agrees to serve for the maximum amount of time allowed by such policy or statute; or

	c.  is or becomes retirement eligible during the period 1 August 2009 through 1 August 2013.  A service member is considered to be retirement eligible if he or she has completed 20 years of active duty or 20 qualifying years of Reserve service.

7.  The policy further states the Secretaries of the Military Departments will provide active duty participants and members of the Reserve Components with qualifying active duty service individual pre-separation or release from active duty counseling on the benefits under the Post 9/11 GI Bill and document accordingly and maintain records for individuals who receive supplemental educational assistance under Public Law 110-252, section 3316.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The evidence of record shows the applicant was fully eligible to transfer his education benefits under the Post 9/11 GI Bill Transferability Program prior to his retirement.  Although he thought he had registered his dependents for the program on 17 August 2009 via the DOD TEB online database, the proper steps required to transfer benefits were not taken.
2.  The advisory opinion points out:

* many Soldiers that left the service during the first 90 days of the program were not fully aware of the requirement to transfer Post 9/11 benefits prior to leaving military service
* the applicant’s last day in service was 31 August 2009
* he would have been eligible to transfer the benefit if he transferred before he left the service

3.  The applicant retired on 31 August 2009, which was within 90 days after the program’s implementation.  Therefore, per the advisory opinion recommendation, it would be appropriate to correct his military records to show he elected to transfer benefits under the Post 9/11 GI Bill Transferability Program to his eligible dependents prior to his retirement date.

BOARD VOTE:

___x___  __x______  ___x_____  GRANT FULL RELIEF 

________  ________  ________  GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF 

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION:

The Board determined that the evidence presented was sufficient to warrant a recommendation for relief.  As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by correcting his military records to show he elected to transfer benefits under the Post 9/11 GI Bill Transferability Program to his eligible dependents prior to his retirement date.



      _______ _  x _______   ___
       	   CHAIRPERSON
      
I certify that herein is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in this case.



ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)                                         AR20110013544





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ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)                                         AR20110013544



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