DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY 

BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

 
Application for the Correction of 
the Coast Guard Record of: 
 
                                                                                        BCMR Docket No. 2004-005 
 
 

 

 
 

FINAL DECISION 

 
ULMER, Chair: 
 
 
This is a proceeding under the provisions of section 1552 of title 10 and section 
425 of title 14 of the United States Code.  It was docketed on October 20, 2003, upon the 
BCMR’s receipt of the applicant’s completed application. 
 
 
members who were designated to serve as the Board in this case. 
 

This  final  decision,  dated  June  30,  2004,  is  signed  by  the  three  duly  appointed 

APPLICANT’S REQUEST AND ALLEGATIONS 

 
 
The applicant asked the Board to correct his military record to make him entitled 
to a Zone B selective reenlistment bonus (SRB)1 with a multiple of 2.5 instead of the 2.0 
multiple he actually received.  He alleged that upon reenlisting on May 22, 2003, he was 
promised an SRB with a multiple of 2.5.    However, after reenlisting he was paid a Zone 
B SRB with a multiple of 2.0 because the higher 2.5 multiple did not become effective 
until July 1, 2003.   
 

The  applicant's  yeoman  stated  that  the  applicant  was  told  that  he  would  be 
involuntarily extended at the expiration of his then current enlistment (May 27, 2003). 
The yeoman further stated that if the applicant had not been told that he would have 

                                                 
1 SRBs vary according to the length of each member’s active duty service, the number of months of service 
newly obligated by the reenlistment or extension of enlistment contract, and the need of the Coast Guard 
for personnel with the member’s particular skills, which is reflected in the “multiple” of the SRB author-
ized for the member’s skill/rating, which is published in an ALCOAST.  Coast Guard members who have 
at  least  6  but  no  more  than  10  years  of  active  duty  service  are  in  “Zone  B.”  Article  3.C.,  Coast  Guard 
Personnel Manual. 
 

been  involuntarily  extended  on  active  duty,  he  would  have  opted  to  enlist  in  the 
Reserve and not to remain on active duty.    
 
 

SUMMARY OF THE RECORD 

 
 
On August 8, 1995, the applicant enlisted in the Coast Guard for a term of four 
years and has served continuously since that time.  On May 28, 1999, he reenlisted for 
four years. On May 22, 2003 he reenlisted for six years wherein he was promised a Zone 
B SRB with a multiple of 2.5.   
 

VIEWS OF THE COAST GUARD 

 
 
In  March  2004,  the  Judge  Advocate  General  (TJAG)  of  the  Coast  Guard 
recommended  that  the  Board  grant  relief,  as  follows:  (1)  void  the  May  22,  2003 
reenlistment contract; (2) extend the applicant for two months on May 28, 2003; and (3) 
reenlist the applicant for six years on July 28, 2003, thereby qualifying him for the 2.5 
SRB multiple under ALCOAST 182/03.  
 
TJAG  stated  that  the  record  supports  the  applicant's  contention  that  he  was 
 
erroneously  counseled  about  the  SRB  multiple.    He  further  stated  that  the  record 
supports  the  claim  that  the  applicant  would  have  been  involuntarily extended by the 
command upon the expiration of his then current enlistment.   
 

APPLICANT’S RESPONSE TO THE COAST GUARD’S VIEWS 

On March 15, 2004, a copy of the Coast Guard views was mailed to the applicant 

 
 
for his response.  He did not submit a reply. 
 

APPLICABLE REGULATIONS 

 
Coast Guard Personnel Manual 
 
 
 

Article 3.C.6. (Change in Multiple) states the following: 

All Agreements to Extend Enlistments signed before the effective date of 
the change will be at the old multiple level.  All agreements made on or 
after the effective date of the change will be at the new level.  Members 
desiring to extend their enlistments or reenlist early to take advantage of a 
higher bonus multiple may do so within the provisions of this chapter and 
or Articles 1.G.14 and 12.B.7 [of this instruction].   

 
Pertinent ALCOASTS 
 

ALCOAST 182/03 was issued on April 24, 2003, and became effective on July 1, 
2003.  It established SRB multiples for personnel in certain skill ratings who reenlisted 
or  extended  their  enlistments  for  at  least  three  years  and  up  to  six  years.    Under 
ALCOAST 182/03, BM2s were eligible for a Zone B SRB calculated with a multiple of 
two and were entitled to an additional .5 multiple for having certain competency codes.   

 
ALCOAST 329/02 was issued on July 3, 2002 and was effective from August 5, 
2002 through June 30, 2003.  It established a multiple of 2 for BM2s and above but did 
not authorize the additional .5 for having certain competency codes.  
 
 

 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  10  U.S.C. 

§ 1552.  The application was timely. 
 

2.  When the applicant reenlisted on May 22, 2003, his then enlistment was due to 
expire on May 27, 2003.  Therefore, he was required either to extend his enlistment or 
reenlist  by  the  expiration  date  of  his  then  current  enlistment,  or  he  would  have  been 
discharged from the Coast Guard, unless involuntarily extended.   There is evidence in 
the record that the applicant's command intended to involuntarily extend him on active 
duty at the expiration of his enlistment.   

 
3.  The  applicant  decided  to  reenlist  for  six  years  after  he  was  erroneously 
counseled  that  he  would  be  entitled  to  a  Zone  B  SRB  with  a  2.5  multiple.    After  he 
reenlisted on May 22, 2003, he was paid a Zone B SRB with a multiple of 2.0 because the 
higher multiple did not become effective until July 1, 2003.  The applicant's reenlistment 
contract  and  an  administrative  remarks  (page  7)  entry  erroneously  advised  the 
applicant that he would receive a multiple of 2.5.     

 
4.    If  the  applicant  had  been  properly  counseled,  he  would  have  been  advised 
that because he was being involuntarily extended on active duty for the convenience of 
the Government, he was eligible for a short-term extension.  The applicant should have 
been further counseled that the 2.5 multiple did not become effective until July 1, 2003 
and  that  since  he  was  being  involuntarily  extended,  he  was  eligible  for  a  short-term 
extension.  Accordingly, it would not violate the regulation to extend the applicant for 
two months effective May 28, 2003 and subsequently to reenlist him on July 28, 2003 so 
that he is eligible to receive a Zone B SRB, with a multiple of 2.5.  
 
 

5.  Accordingly, the applicant is entitled to the relief discussed above. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

ORDER 

 

 

 
 

 
 

 

 
 Philip B. Busch 

 

 
 

The application of XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, USCG, for correction of his military 
record  is  granted.    His  record  shall  be  corrected  to  show  that  he  was  involuntarily 
extended for the convenience of the government for two months effective May 28, 2003.  
His May 22, 2003 reenlistment contract shall be corrected to show that he reenlisted on 
July 28, 2003, for six years for which he was entitled to a Zone B SRB with a multiple of 
2.5  under  ALCOAST  182/03.    The  Coast  Guard  shall  pay  the  applicant  the  sum  to 
which he is entitled as a result of this correction.   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 Suzanne L. Wilson 

 
 Richard Walter