IN THE CASE OF:	  

		BOARD DATE:	  12 April 2012

		DOCKET NUMBER:  AR20120004503 


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 payment (monetary compensation) for 34 days of unused Post Deployment/Mobilization Respite Absence (PDMRA).

2.  The applicant states he was deployed during the PDMRA shadow area but received no benefit upon his release from active duty (REFRAD). 

3.  The applicant provides a DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), PDMRA Calculator Worksheet, and mobilization orders in support of this application.  

CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:

1.  The applicant was REFRAD on 7 October 2007 while serving in the Ohio Army National Guard. 

2.  The DD Form 214 for the period ending 7 October 2007 shows the applicant served on active duty from 26 June 2006 through 7 October 2007, with service in Kuwait/Iraq from 16 September 2006 through 11 September 2007.  

3.  The record shows the applicant was not afforded the opportunity to use all or a portion of earned PDMRA and/or an extension on active duty to use earned PDMRA prior to release from active duty (REFRAD) from the period of active duty in which it was earned.  



4.  The following are the governing authority documents for PDMRA:

a.  Secretary of Defense Memorandum. Utilization of the Total Force, dated 
19 January 2007, directed a program be established to recognize members who are required to mobilize or deploy with a frequency beyond policy established rotation goals;

	b.  Under Secretary of Defense Memorandum, Programs to Support Utilization of the Total Force, dated 18 April 2007, established the PDMRA program in response to the Secretary of Defense directive in his 19 January 2007 memorandum; and 

	c.  ALARACT Message 173/2007, dated August 2007, contained the Army’s PDMRA implementation guidance. 

5.  The 2010 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), section 604 provided special authority to monetarily compensate Soldiers who were REFRAD and not able to use PDMRA during the period between PDMRA authorization by the Secretary of Defense on 19 January 2007, and publication of the Army’s PDMRA implementation guidance on 18 August 2007.  This authority expired on 
28 October 2010.  

6.  Department of the Army Personnel Policy Guidance (PPG) contains guidance on the PDMRA program in paragraph 8-10i.  It states PDMRA is designed to give extra time off to Reservists and members of the National Guard to compensate them for too little dwell time at home between deployments.  PDMRA days are also available to Active Component (AC) Soldiers who have deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq, or with certain theater units and other areas as determined by the Secretary of the Army or his designated representative.  

7.  The PPG also contains guidance on Reserve Component (RC) creditable mobilizations/deployments.  These include involuntary mobilization/deployment under Title 10, USC, sections 12301(a), 12302, or 12304; or voluntary qualifying mobilizations under 12301(d).  To qualify a 12301(d) period of duty for PDMRA, the Soldier must provide a leave and earnings statement showing Hostile Fire/Imminent Danger pay to verify period of boots-on-the- ground (BOG) in Iraq, Afghanistan, or Kuwait.   



8.  PPG guidance on PDMRA usage states RC Soldiers may use accrued PDMRA during any authorized R&R leave period, or during current mobilization order/authorized extension of current mobilization order.  Soldiers unable to utilize accrued PDMRA days during their current mobilization order may be voluntarily retained on active duty under the provisions of Title 10 USC section 12301(d), Contingency Operations-Active Duty for Operational Support orders (CO-ADOS), to utilize accrued PDMRA days.  No tax benefits accrue or are attached to days of PDMRA regardless of where they were earned or awarded. PDMRA cannot be sold back at discharge, REFRAD, or retirement. There are no provisions allowing for carry over or monetary compensation for PDMRA days not used during the mobilization/deployment in which they were earned.  

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant's request to be authorized and compensated for unused PDMRA days has been carefully considered and found to have partial merit.  

2.  The evidence of record confirms the applicant earned 34 days of PDMRA during the period in question.  Given implementation of PDMRA policy was sporadic prior to 1 March 2008, it is reasonable to presume the applicant was never afforded the opportunity to use the days during the period of active duty in question, or at the time of his REFRAD.  Therefore, it would be appropriate, in the interest of equity, to authorize the use of the denied PDMRA during the applicant's next qualifying deployment/mobilization as an exception to policy.  This authorization will be void upon the applicant's transfer out of an authorized RC status.  

3.  Authorization for payment of PDMRA for Soldiers REFRAD between 
19 January and 18 August 2007 expired on 28 October 2010, and there have never been any policy or legal authority to authorize payment for unused PDMRA for Soldiers REFRAD subsequent to 18 August 2007.  As a result, there is an insufficient evidentiary basis to support payment of the unused PDMRA in this case.  

BOARD VOTE:

________  ________  ________  GRANT FULL RELIEF 

____x___  ____x___  ____x___  GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF 

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION
BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION:

1.  The Board determined that the evidence presented was sufficient to warrant a recommendation for partial relief.  As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by showing the applicant is authorized to use 34 days of PDMRA upon his next qualifying deployment/mobilization.  Authority to use this PDMRA will expire upon 
the applicant's transfer from an authorized RC status.  

2.  The Board further determined that the evidence presented was insufficient to warrant a portion of the requested relief.  As a result, the Board recommends denial of so much of the application that pertains to monetary compensation for unused PDMRA days.  



      _______ _   _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)                                         AR20120004503



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ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)                                         AR20120004503



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