DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

 
Application for the Correction of 
the Coast Guard Record of: 
 
                                                                                        BCMR Docket No. 1999-178 
 
 
   

FINAL DECISION 

 
ANDREWS, Attorney-Advisor: 
 
 
This  is  a proceeding conducted under the provisions of section 1552 of title 10 
and section 425 of title 14 of the United States Code.  It was docketed on September 13, 
1999, upon the BCMR’s receipt of the applicant’s completed application for correction. 
 
 
appointed members who were designated to serve as the Board in this case. 
 

This  final  decision,  dated  May  18,  2000,  is  signed  by  the  three  duly  

RELIEF REQUESTED 

 

 
 

 

 
 
The applicant, a xxxxxxxxxx on active duty in the Coast Guard, asked the Board 
to  correct  his  military  record  to  make  him  eligible  for  a  selective  reenlistment  bonus 
(SRB)1 under ALDIST 290/98. 
 

APPLICANT’S ALLEGATIONS 

The applicant alleged that he was never counseled concerning SRBs during the 
three months prior to his sixth anniversary on active duty, April 19, 1999.  He alleged 
that such counseling was required by COMDTINST 7220.33 and that if he had received 
it, he would have reenlisted so as to be eligible for the SRB.   

                                                 
1  SRBs vary according to the length of each member’s active duty service, the length of the reenlistment 
or extension of enlistment, and the need of the Coast Guard for personnel in the member’s skill rating.  
Coast Guard members who have served between 21 months and 6 years on active duty are in “Zone A.”  
Those  with  at  least  6  years  but  at  most  10  years  of  active  service  are  in  “Zone  B.”    Members  may  not 
receive more than one bonus per zone. 

SUMMARY OF THE RECORD 

 
The applicant enlisted in the Coast Guard on April 19, 1993, for a term of four 
 
years.    On  February  23,  1996,  he  extended  his  enlistment  for  three  years  and  two 
months, through June 18, 2000, to obligate sufficient service to accept transfer orders.   
 

The applicant’s sixth anniversary on active duty fell on April 19, 1999.  There is 
no document in his record indicating that he was counseled concerning SRBs prior to 
his  sixth  active  duty  anniversary.    On  December  2,  1999,  the  applicant  extended  his 
enlistment  for  another  eight  months,  through  February  18,  2001,  to  accept  transfer 
orders. 
 

VIEWS OF THE COAST GUARD 

 

 

 
 
On March 28, 2000, the Chief Counsel of the Coast Guard recommended that the 
Board grant the applicant’s request for relief by reenlisting him for six years as of April 
19, 1999. 
 
 
The Chief Counsel stated that the record supports the applicant’s allegation that 
he was never counseled concerning SRBs prior to his sixth active duty anniversary.  He 
also  stated  that  the  applicant  is  an  excellent  performer  who  “took  prompt  action  to 
rectify the failure to counsel error after its discovery and is now willing to offer a new 6-
year reenlistment as consideration for the SRB he requests.” 
 

APPLICANT’S RESPONSE TO THE VIEWS OF THE COAST GUARD 

 
On March 29, 2000, the Chairman sent the applicant a copy of the views of the 
 
Coast  Guard  and  invited  him  to  respond  within  15  days.    The  applicant  did  not 
respond. 
 

APPLICABLE REGULATIONS 

Enclosure (1) to Commandant Instruction 7220.33 (Reenlistment Bonus Programs 
 
Administration), Section 3.d.(1), states that “[m]embers with exactly 6 years active duty 
on the date of reenlistment or operative date of extension will be entitled to the Zone A 
multiple in effect for their rating if they are otherwise eligible.” 
 

 
Section 3.d.(9) of Enclosure (1) states that “[c]ommanding 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 expi-
ration of enlistment), for the purpose of qualifying for a Zone A, B, or C SRB respec-
tively.” 
 

 
Enclosure (3) to the instruction states that during the three months prior to their 
6th, 10th, and 14th anniversary dates, members must be counseled concerning their eli-
gibility for an SRB.  The counseling must be memorialized in their records with a Form 
CG-3307 signed by the member. 

 
ALDIST  290/98,  issued  on  November  24,  1998,  authorized  members  in  the  xx 
rating in Zone A who reenlisted or extended their enlistments after November 25, 1998, 
to receive an SRB with a multiple of 2.  ALDIST 290/98 remained in effect until June 14, 
1999. 
  
 

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: 
 

The Board has jurisdiction concerning this matter pursuant to section 1552 

1. 

2. 

5. 

  
6. 

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

3. 

The applicant alleged that he was not properly counseled about his eligi-
bility  to  receive  an  SRB  by  requesting  discharge  and  reenlistment  during  the  three 
months  prior  to  his  sixth  anniversary  on  active  duty.    He  alleged  that,  had  he  been 
properly counseled, he would have reenlisted to become eligible for the SRB.  
 
 
Under  Enclosure  (3)  to  Commandant  Instruction  7220.33,  the  applicant 
had a right to be counseled concerning SRBs prior to his sixth active duty anniversary 
on April 19, 1999.  There is no evidence that the Coast Guard counseled the applicant 
concerning his eligibility for an SRB during the three months prior to that date.  Had he 
been so counseled, a Form CG-3307 should appear in his record, but there is none.   
  

Under Section 3.d.(9) of Enclosure (1) to the instruction, the applicant was 
eligible  to  be  discharged  on  April  19,  1999,  his  sixth  active  duty  anniversary,  and 
immediately reenlisted to qualify for a Zone A SRB.  Under ALDIST 290/98, he would 
have received a Zone A SRB with a multiple of 2 for his newly obligated service.  
 

The Chief Counsel recommended that the Board grant the applicant relief 
by correcting his record to show that on April 19, 1999, he reenlisted for a term of six 
years.  The applicant did not object to this recommendation. 

4. 

The Coast Guard erred by not properly counseling the applicant concern-
ing his eligibility for an SRB on his sixth active duty anniversary.  Had he been properly 
counseled, the Board is persuaded that he would have reenlisted for six years to receive 

the maximum possible SRB, subject to reduction for the remaining obligated service on 
his previous enlistment. 

 
7. 
 
 

Therefore, the applicant’s request should be granted. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

[ORDER AND SIGNATURES APPEAR ON NEXT PAGE]

 
 

 

ORDER 

The  application  of  XXXXXXXX,  USCG,  for  correction  of  his  military  record  is 

hereby granted.   

 
His record shall be corrected to show that on his sixth active duty anniversary, 
April 19, 1999, he was discharged and immediately reenlisted for a term of six years for 
the purpose of receiving a Zone A SRB with a multiple of 2 under ALDIST 290/98. 

 
His  eight-month  extension  contract  dated  December  2,  1999,  shall  be  null  and 

 
The  Coast  Guard  shall  pay  the  applicant  any  sum  he  is  due  as  a  result  of  this 

void. 

 
 

 
 

correction. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 

 
Barbara Betsock 

 

 

 
Sharon Y. Vaughn 

 

 

 
 
Betsy L. Wolf