SLRP Recruiter Issue

[Franczesca]

My recruiter offered me the SLRP incentive when I decided I'll commission with the Army but for some reason, they changed my recruiter weeks before I signed the contract. The day I signed the contract, I asked for the recruiter to make sure that the SLRP is incorporated in my contract. He told me that the SLRP will be incorporated in my "Officer Contract." He even asked for my PIN and printed out my loan records and incorporated it in my contract. He said it might expedite the process.

I found out through my officer recruiter that there is no such thing as an "officer contract!" When I talked to my enlisted recruiter, he told me that he will send an "exception to policy" letter. In the exception to policy letter, the recruiter stated that he's requesting the "exception to policy" because he was not aware that the SLRP will be in effect the next day. The request got denied!

My issue is that I know there was an SLRP in place. It may not be the same amount as the day after I signed the contract but there was one because my other recruiter talked to me about it and i looked at it the night before! Second, If there really was no SLRP on the day I signed, why did he just not tell me that instead of telling me it will be incorporated on my OCS contract!

HQ is allowing me to file an appeal to their decision through the Army Board of Corrections. I don't know how to go about acquiring evidence on this. Can anyone advice??

[Chris36]

The exact same thing happened to me......end result? NO SLRP. NADA....forget it, can't add it later.

Good luck with the appeal though .....maybe you'll qualify for an accession bonus instead.

[matthew.ritchie]

SLRP requires completion of Basic and AIT. OCS applicants who already had SLRP from a previous contract were allowed to keep it, but based on the scenario you described (i.e., and OCS enlistment) you would never have been eligible in the first place. Perhaps this is a case of recruiter malpractice, although you must at least consider the possibility that you misunderstood. Is it possible that he mentioned several different options and you mingled them together in your mind?

You may wish to register a complaint, but decide now what you want. If SLRP is more important to you than OCS, then you may need to change your military career plans in the short-term by attending AIT, and then OCS in a year or two.

[Chris36]

What I was told, as I have been an 09S from the day of enlistment, was that he could and would get me SLRP, but we would 'add it in' after my commission because then he would be able to get me more. So I was fine with it not being in my contract at the day of signing because my recruiter said he would 'add it in later'. I didn't find out to the contrary until meeting with my OSM and I asked her how they go about adding it in later and how much I was going to get at that point....she looked at me like I had lobsters coming from my ears.

I was also told 'not to worry' about the stress of OCS because if for some reason I didn't make the cut, he was going to 'add a clause' into my contract stating that if I did not make it in to OCS I would have the option of 'opting out' of the National Guard all together rather than attending AIT. Never knowing that he had absolutely no power to do it.

He also never added any GI Bill in my contract despite numerous discussions and there was no 'lack of communication'. I specifically requested Post 9/11 so that in the event I deployed I could pass it on to my children. None of this occurred.

Needless to say when these 'promises' came to light, I had many meeting with my recruiter's boss (at the boss's request) and my recruiter has since gone from an E-6 to an E-5. Apparently, as I have heard, I am not the only recruit this is happened to under his charge nor is this the only practice that got him into trouble.

I just simply didn't know any better, I trusted him and assumed the things he told me he could and would do were possible; I had no reason to go over his head or double check what he was saying. Now I will be drilling for many years solely to pay on $30,000 in student loans.

[ParalegalNCO1]

He also never added any GI Bill in my contract despite numerous discussions and there was no 'lack of communication'. I specifically requested Post 9/11 so that in the event I deployed I could pass it on to my children. None of this occurred.

Post 9/11 isn't something you request or get contracted. If you deploy or get any active service 90 plus days...you get it. Thats all there is to it.

Do this....

Deploy or volunteer for something to get active time. Enroll in graduate school using tuition assitance at 250 an hour. 90 days of active time gets you 40% Gi Bill which will cover the rest of the tuition payment. Use the BAH stipend each and every month to pay off your loans. It will be more then 20K of SLRP that you would have gotten anyways.

[Chris36]

Post 9/11 isn't something you request or get contracted. If you deploy or get any active service 90 plus days...you get it. Thats all there is to it.

Do this....

Deploy or volunteer for something to get active time. Enroll in graduate school using tuition assitance at 250 an hour. 90 days of active time gets you 40% Gi Bill which will cover the rest of the tuition payment. Use the BAH stipend each and every month to pay off your loans. It will be more then 20K of SLRP that you would have gotten anyways.

I have been told I may qualify for the accession bonus after I commission; would what you suggesting be an either/or situation? As in I cannot do/have both? Obviously I would do whichever covers the most.

Thank you for the clarification on the GI Bill, that's all he had to say, rather than promising to put it in my initial contract (along with other things). It would not have deterred my decision to enlist, but it would have been nice to know up front.

[ParalegalNCO1]

I have been told I may qualify for the accession bonus after I commission; would what you suggesting be an either/or situation? As in I cannot do/have both? Obviously I would do whichever covers the most.

Thank you for the clarification on the GI Bill, that's all he had to say, rather than promising to put it in my initial contract (along with other things). It would not have deterred my decision to enlist, but it would have been nice to know up front.

The post 9/11 GI Bill does not affect any other incentives. It is not a National Guard incentive, it is just given to qualifying veterans. If you get the oppurtunity for an accession bonus TAKE IT. (And send the money to your loans of course)

[Chris36]

The post 9/11 GI Bill does not affect any other incentives. It is not a National Guard incentive, it is just given to qualifying veterans. If you get the oppurtunity for an accession bonus TAKE IT. (And send the money to your loans of course)

Of course! But I meant using the accession bonus as well as tuition assistance.

[ParalegalNCO1]

Of course! But I meant using the accession bonus as well as tuition assistance.

Everyone who has a US Army name tape gets 4500 a year for federal tuition assistance funds. This, like the GI Bill is not a SRIP incentive. It is just made available to all members. It will not affect the bonus.

[Chris36]

Everyone who has a US Army name tape gets 4500 a year for federal tuition assistance funds. This, like the GI Bill is not a SRIP incentive. It is just made available to all members. It will not affect the bonus.

Excellent.....thank you.

[Chris36]

Coincidentally, I just spoke with my recruiter who was checking to make sure I was going to next drill, and he STILL swears that once I commission and they 'RE-DO my contract' that he can and will not only add on SLRP but that it will be for a larger amount than if I had it put into my contract at my enlistment. *sigh*

[matthew.ritchie]

Coincidentally, I just spoke with my recruiter who was checking to make sure I was going to next drill, and he STILL swears that once I commission and they 'RE-DO my contract' that he can and will not only add on SLRP but that it will be for a larger amount than if I had it put into my contract at my enlistment. *sigh*

Please get his NCOIC (supervisor) involved. It's better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.

[Chris36]

Please get his NCOIC (supervisor) involved. It's better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.

He (the NCOIC) has been for some time, hence him now being an E-5 rather than the E-6 he was.

As for what he says, I just take it with a grain of salt and drive on.