FINAL DECISION 

 
ANDREWS, Attorney-Advisor: 
 
 
This is a proceeding under the provisions of section 1552 of title 10 of the United 
States Code.  It was commenced upon the BCMR’s receipt of the applicant’s application 
on March 3, 1998. 
 
 
appointed members who were designated to serve as the Board in this case. 
 

This  final  decision,  dated  January  28,  1998,  is  signed  by  the  three  duly  

RELIEF REQUESTED 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

 
Application for the Correction of 
the Coast Guard Record of: 
 
                                                                                        BCMR Docket No. 1998-064 
 
 
   

 
 
The applicant, a xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx on active duty in the Coast Guard, asked 
the Board to correct his military record to show that he had reenlisted for six years on 
July 1, 1997.  The correction would entitle him to receive a Selective Reenlistment Bonus 
(SRB) pursuant to ALDIST 135/97. 
 

APPLICANT’S ALLEGATIONS 

The applicant alleged that on July 1, 1997, he was serving under an extension of 
his  previous  enlistment  contract,  which  was  due  to  end  in  June  1998.    In  June  1997, 
however, he was wrongly advised that he could not cancel his extension to reenlist and 
receive  a  Zone  A  SRB  under  ALDIST  135/97.    In  fact,  under  the  terms  of  ALDIST 
135/97, he was eligible to cancel his extension and reenlist on July 1, 1997, to receive the 
Zone A SRB.1  By the time he discovered the error, on December 12, 1997, it was too late 
                                                 
1    SRBs  vary  according  to  the  length  of  each  member’s  active  duty  service,  the  length  of  the  period  of 
reenlistment or extension of enlistment, and the need of the Coast Guard for personnel with the member’s 
particular skills.  Coast Guard members who have served between 21 months and 6 years on active duty 
are in “Zone A,” while those who have more than 6 but less than 10 years of active duty service are in 

for him to receive the Zone A SRB because he had already completed six years of serv-
ice in the Coast Guard.  The applicant submitted signed endorsements from both the 
officer in charge of his station and his group commander, who supported his allegations 
and recommended that the applicant’s record be changed. 
 

VIEWS OF THE COAST GUARD 

On January 12, 1999, the Chief Counsel of the Coast Guard recommended that 

 
 
the Board grant the applicant’s request. 
 
 
The Chief Counsel explained that July 1, 1997, was the applicant’s six-year anni-
versary  in  the  Coast  Guard.    Under  Section  3.d.9.  of  Enclosure  (1)  to  COMDTINST 
7220.33, he was eligible on that day “to receive an early discharge and be reenlisted for 
up to 6 years . . . for the purpose of qualifying for a Zone ‘A’ SRB.” 
 
 
The Chief Counsel stated that the evidence presented by the applicant supports 
his assertion that he was improperly counseled.  In addition, he pointed to the fact that 
the  applicant  promptly  took  appropriate  action  upon  discovering  the  error  and  was 
willing to reenlist for six years. 
 

SUMMARY OF THE RECORD 

 

On July 1, 1991, the applicant enlisted in the Coast Guard for four years.  On Feb-

ruary 16, 1995, he extended his enlistment for three years, through June 30, 1998. 

 
On December 12, 1997, the applicant wrote a letter to the Commander of the Per-
sonnel Command stating that he had been improperly counseled in June 1997 regarding 
his eligibility for an SRB under ALDIST 135/97.  He stated that he did not discover that 
there may have been an error until his executive petty officer asked him on November 
9, 1997, why he had not applied for the SRB.  On December 12, 1997, he confirmed the 
fact that he had been eligible during a telephone conversation with his PERSRU.  The 
applicant asked the Personnel Command to make the requisite change in his record. 

 
On January 6, 1998, the applicant’s executive petty officer wrote a first endorse-
ment to the applicant’s letter.  The endorsement states that the applicant was improp-
erly counseled regarding his SRB eligibility in June 1997 and that the PERSRU contacted 
the applicant on December 12, 1997, to advise him of his former eligibility. 

 
On January 26, 1998, the applicant’s group commander wrote a second endorse-
ment to the applicant’s letter.  The endorsement recommended approval of the appli-
cant’s request. 
                                                                                                                                                             
“Zone B.”  On July 1, 1997, the applicant was still in Zone A.  Members may not receive more than one 
bonus per zone. 

APPLICABLE REGULATIONS 

 

Section 3.d.9. of Enclosure (1) to COMDTINST 7220.33 states as follows: 

 
 
 

Commanding  officers  are  authorized  to  effect  early  discharge  and  reenlist  members 
within 3 months prior to their 6th, 10th, or 14th year active service anniversary dates (not 
to be confused with the normal expiration of enlistment), for the purpose of qualifying for 
a Zone A, B, of C SRB respectively. 
  
ALDIST 135/97, issued in June 5, 1997, established SRBs for personnel in certain 
skill ratings who reenlisted or extended their enlistments on or after July 1, 1997.  The 
multiple to be used for calculating SRBs for members in the xx rating was one. 
 

FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS 

 
 
The  Board  makes  the  following  findings  and  conclusions  on  the  basis  of  the  
applicant's military record and submissions, the Coast Guard's submissions, and appli-
cable law: 
 

1. 

The Board has jurisdiction concerning this matter pursuant to section 1552 

of title 10, United States Code.  The application was timely. 
 

2. 

The  applicant  alleged  that  he  was  wrongly  counseled  in  June  1997 
regarding his eligibility for a Zone A SRB under ALDIST 135/97.  He alleged that if he 
had been properly counseled, he would have canceled his extension and reenlisted for 
six years on July 1, 1997, to receive the Zone A SRB for his rating.  The applicant submit-
ted two signed statements supporting his allegations. 

The Chief Counsel of the Coast Guard recommended that the Board grant 

the requested relief. 

The  Board  finds  that  because  on  July  1,  1997,  the  applicant  was  within 
three months of his six-year anniversary, he was eligible to be discharged and reenlisted 
for the purpose of receiving a Zone A SRB.  Section 3.d.9., Enclosure (1), COMDTINST 
7220.33.  Under ALDIST 135/97, the applicant, as a xx, would have received a Zone A 
SRB with a multiple of one if he had been discharged and immediately reenlisted on 
July 1, 1997. 

The  Board  finds  that  if  the  applicant  had  been  properly  counseled,  he 

would have canceled his extension and reenlisted for six years on July 1, 1997. 

 
3. 

 
4. 

 
5. 

 

6. 

The Coast Guard erred by improperly counseling the applicant about his 
SRB eligibility under ALDIST 135/97.  It is unjust for the applicant not to receive an SRB 
because of this error. 

 
7. 
 

Therefore, the applicant’s request should be granted. 

 

ORDER 

 

The application for correction of the military record of XXXXXX, USCG, is hereby 
granted.  His record shall be changed to show that, on July 1, 1997, he was discharged 
and immediately reenlisted for a period of 6 years for the purpose of obtaining a Zone 
A SRB.  The Coast Guard shall pay the applicant the sum he is due as a result of this 
correction. 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 

 
Harold C. Davis, M.D. 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
John A. Kern 

 

 

 
 
Betsy L. Wolf