IN THE CASE OF:	  

		BOARD DATE:  19 January 2012

		DOCKET NUMBER:  AR20110018968 


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 that his date of rank (DOR) to chief warrant officer four (CW4) be changed from 6 September to 19 March 2011 on his Federal recognition orders.

2.  The applicant states:

* Prior to the 2011 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Army National Guard (ARNG) officers were promoted by the Chief, National Guard Bureau (NGB)
* After the 2011 NDAA, the authority was elevated from the Secretary of the service to the President of the United States
* When the new policy was signed into law, many officials were unaware of the significant changes it entailed
* The change led to a delay by the NGB in processing promotion actions
* In his case, a Federal Recognition Board (FRB) held by the California ARNG (CAARNG) on 17 February 2011 recommended his promotion to CW4 
* His State published orders on 23 February 2011 promoting him to CW4 with an effective date of 19 March 2011
* His State forwarded the appropriate documents to the NGB on 24 February 2011
* The NGB published the Federal recognition order with an effective date of 6 September 2011 as compared to the DOR of 19 March 2011 shown on his State orders 

3.  The applicant provides:

* NGB Form 89 (Proceedings of a Federal Recognition Examining Board)
* Orders 54-1139 issued by the CAARNG, dated 23 February 2011
* Three pages titled Federal Recognition Packet Entry
* NGB Special Orders Number 212 AR, dated 7 September 2011

CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:

1.  Having prior enlisted service in the ARNG, the applicant was appointed as a Reserve warrant officer (WO) in the CAARNG and executed an Oath of Office on 19 March 1999.  

2.  He attended and successfully completed the Military Personnel the Technician WO Basic Officer Course and he was awarded specialty 420A (Military Personnel Officer).  He was promoted to chief warrant officer three (CW3) and extended Federal recognition with a DOR and effective date of 19 March 2006.

3.  He successfully attended and completed the WO Staff Course from 14 November to 18 December 2010 at Fort Rucker, AL.

4.  On 17 February 2011, an FRB was held by the CAARNG to determine if the applicant was qualified to be awarded Federal recognition as a CW4.  The proceedings indicated the applicant was satisfactory in his physical qualifications, moral character, and general qualifications.

5.  On 23 February 2011, the CAARNG published Orders 54-1139 promoting him to CW4 with a DOR and effective date of 19 March 2011. 

6.  On 7 September 2011, the NGB published Special Orders Number 212 AR extending him Federal recognition for promotion to CW4 effective date of 6 September 2011.

7.  Title 10, U.S. Code, section 1211 (Officers: ARNG of the U.S.) states when an officer of the ARNG to whom temporary Federal recognition has been extended is appointed as a Reserve for service as a member of the ARNG of the United States, his appointment shall bear the date of the temporary recognition and shall be considered to have been accepted and effective on that date.

8.  National Guard Regulation (NGR) 600-101 (Warrant Officers - Federal Recognition and Related Personnel Actions) prescribes policies and procedures for ARNG WO personnel management.  Chapter 7 states that promotion of WO's in the ARNG is a function of the State.  As in original appointments, a WO promoted by State authority has a State status in the higher grade under which to function.  However, to be extended Federal recognition in the higher grade, the officer must satisfy the requirements for this promotion.  Promotions will be based on the Department of the Army proponent duty MOS certification via satisfactory completion or constructive credit of appropriate level of military education, time in grade, demonstrated technical and tactical competence, and potential for service in the next higher grade as determined by an FRB.

9.  A WO must complete the minimum years of promotion service as shown in Table 7-1 and the education requirements of Table 7-2 of NGR 600-101 to attain eligibility for promotion and receive Federal recognition in the higher grade.  Table 7-1 states, in pertinent part, that the minimum time in grade for promotion to CW4 is 5 years in the lower grade.  Table 7-2 states, in pertinent part, that the minimum military education requirement for promotion to CW4 is completion of the WO Staff Course. 

10.  NGB Policy Memorandum 11-015, Subject:  Federal Recognition of WO's in the ARNG, dated 14 June 2011, states that ARNG WOs are initially appointed and are also promoted by the State or Territory to which the officer is assigned.  The Chief, NGB, reviews and approves those actions.  Title 10, U.S. Code, sections 571b and 12241b introduce a requirement that all WO appointments and promotions to chief WO grades in the ARNG be made by the President of the United States.  As a result, effective 7 January 2011, all initial appointments of WOs and promotion to higher grades, by warrant or commission, will be issued by the President (delegated to the Secretary of Defense).  Requests for appointment will be staffed through the Department of the Army, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1.  This requirement may add 90 days or more to the process for approval for appointments or promotions to be completed.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The evidence of record shows the applicant's DOR as a CW3 was 19 March 2006 and he completed the WO Staff Course in December 2010.  He met the minimum time-in-grade requirements for promotion to CW4 on 19 March 2011 and he was favorably considered by an FRB that found him fully satisfactory in his physical qualifications, moral character, and general qualifications.  He was also issued a State order promoting him to CW4 effective 19 March 2011.  The NGB issued him Federal recognition orders for promotion to CW4 effective 6 September 2011.

2.  However, as a result of the 2011 NDAA, the promotion of a CW3 to CW4 is now issued by the President of the United States and is delegated to the Secretary of Defense.  

	a.  The delay in the applicant's promotion resulted from a statutory change in the procedures for the promotion of WOs that was mandated by the 2011 NDAA that WOs be placed on a scroll and staffed to the President (delegated to the Secretary of Defense) for approval.  The law took effect on 7 January 2011.  There followed a period of time during which the procedures for processing WO appointment and promotion scrolls were developed and refined.

	b.  Although this process was modeled on the existing process of scrolling commissioned officer appointments and promotions, there was still a period during which the WO scrolling process was being perfected.  This development process did result in the delay of the promotions of all ARNG WOs, and probably WOs from other components, recommended for promotion during the months immediately following the enactment of the scrolling requirements.  

	c.  The delay in question was not the result of an error or an injustice as much as it was the inherent consequence of elevating the appointment and promotion authority for WOs to such a high level.  While it is true the processing time has been materially reduced as the service learned how to streamline the new process, the fact remains that the delay is an organic feature of the new scheme mandated by Congress and not an error or an injustice specific to the applicant.

3.  In view of the foregoing evidence and the change in law, the applicant's effective date of promotion seems appropriate and reasonable and should not change.

BOARD VOTE:

________  ________  ________  GRANT FULL RELIEF 

________  ________  ________  GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF 

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

____X __  ___X____  __ _X     _  DENY APPLICATION





BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION:

The evidence presented does not demonstrate the existence of a probable error or injustice.  Therefore, the Board determined that the overall merits of this case are insufficient as a basis for correction of the records of the individual concerned.



      _______ _   _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)                                         AR20110018968



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ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)                                         AR20110018968



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