1. Purpose. This memorandum provides instructions for handling requests concerning compensation, leave, and grade/rank.

2. Cancellation. This memorandum cancels NPRC 1865.101A and figs. 5, 11, 31, and 40 of NPRC 1865.69, Miscellaneous inquiries not covered in individual memorandums.

3. Reason for revision. This memorandum has been revised to incorporate processing instructions for requests pertaining to various types of compensation, leave, and grade/rank.

4. Applicability. The provisions of this memorandum are applicable to personnel in correspondence operations.

5. Instructions. The instructions for handling requests concerning compensation, leave, and grade/rank are contained in the Attachment.

6. Forms. This memorandum provides for the use of the following forms:

NA Form 13008, Loan or Transfer of Records
NA Form 13018, Reply to Inquiry (NCP)
NA Form 13053, NPRC Acknowledgement/Referral
NA Form 13060, Referral
NA Form 13074, Verification of Mustering-Out Pay
NA Form 13075, Questionnaire About Military Service
DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty
WD AGO Form 100, Separation Qualification Record
 

DAVID L. PETREE
Director

1. Request for highest grade held. Inquiries are received from military offices requesting an individual's highest grade held, the period such grade was held, and whether or not the service was satisfactory. This information is requested as a result of the Comptroller General's decision that a military person can be retired in the highest grade held, regardless of the branch of service in which such grade was held. Send the request with the record to the appropriate service department using NA Form 13008, Loan or Transfer of Records. Notify the requester of the referral using NA Form 13053, NPRC Acknowledgement/ Referral.

2. Terminal leave. Requests are received concerning pay for military leave not used at time of separation. Most members receive lump sum payment for this leave. By law, service members discharged after August 31, 1946, who have unused leave may be compensated for such leave. Most members receive a lump sum payment in cash based on basic pay and allowances applicable on the date of discharge. If the requester asks for copies of documents for the purpose of settling a claim for the payment of unused leave, furnish releasable documents/information, and refer the requester to the appropriate finance office using NA Form 13060, Referral. See app. A for a list of addresses. See latest revision of NPRC 1865.73, Military finance center requests, for further information.

3. Armed Forces Leave Bond. These bonds were issued to World War II veterans who were discharged between Jan. 1, 1943, and Sept. 30, 1946. The face amount of the bond represented the dollar value of the leave not used at time of separation. Military personnel records and final pay vouchers do not reflect issuance of a leave bond. Veterans requesting information on how to redeem bonds should be advised to contact the nearest Federal Reserve Bank. Veterans requesting information on whether or not a bond was received or cashed should contact the Bureau of Public Debt, 399 13th St., SW, Washington, DC 20239. Advise requester to provide the name and service number shown on the bond, the date the bond was issued, and the denomination of the bond.

4. Eligibility for retirement pay or pension. State, county, and municipal governments sometimes allow credit for military service toward retirement. NPRC does not have the authority to make an official determination regarding eligibility for retirement pay or pension.  If there is no evidence in the service record to suggest that the veteran may be drawing a pension or retirement allowance, use NA Form 13018, Reply to Inquiry (NCP), and state:

"The subject veteran's service record contains no indication that pension or retirement benefits were allowed as a result of the period of service cited in your inquiry. We have no information regarding eligibility for a pension or retirement benefits that may have been allowed subsequent to the date the record was retired to our physical custody."

"According to the information on file at this Center, the subject veteran (retired from the (branch of service) after _____ years of service) (was placed on the temporary disability retired list in (year). Such a status ordinarily entitles the veteran to receive benefits. However, we have no information regarding this veteran's current benefits in this regard. Should you care to investigate this matter further, we suggest you direct your inquiry to: (address of service department)."

5. Puerto Rico and Guam retirement statutes. In order to determine the creditability of military service toward retirement, citizens of the Government of Guam and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico request documentation of service. In some cases the individual requests the amount of actual salary paid and/or dates of promotions.

a. Requests for information for Puerto Rico retirement. Persons seeking information for Puerto Rico retirement should be furnished a copy of the DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, or equivalent separation document, WD AGO Form 100, Separation Qualification Record, or any proof of the last grade, rank, and/or rate held by the claimant. Using NA Form 13018, state:

"The attached document(s) is/are furnished in response to your request. We have been informed by the Office of Personnel, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, that this is sufficient evidence of your military service for their purposes in processing your application for retirement."

"We have been informed by the Office of Personnel, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, that the Retirement Division no longer requires the information requested in the attached inquiry. Instead, they will use information contained in any of the documents furnished to you at time of discharge, such as your Discharge Certificate, Report of Separation (DD Form 214 or similar form), Separation Qualification Record (WD AGO Form 100), etc.

You should forward any of the above documents in your possession to the office in Puerto Rico handling your application. In the event you have none of these documents, or any others which show your rate or rank at time of discharge, please complete the attached form and return it to this Center. We will then take action to supply the needed documentation.

If you do find it necessary to return the form to us, be sure to supply as much as possible of the information called for on the form and BE SURE TO RETURN THIS CORRESPONDENCE."

b. Requests for information for Guam retirement. A person seeking information for Guam retirement purposes should be furnished the dates of his/her promotions. Using NA Form 13018, state:

"Information about the actual amount of salaries paid is not available at this Center. The dates of your military promotions and active duty service are provided below. The Department of Administration, Government of Guam, will make the necessary computations of earnings when you provide them this information."

"We are unable to locate the records needed to answer your inquiry. If you are able to provide the Department of Administration, Government of Guam, with your promotion dates, they will make the necessary computations of earnings. They will use information contained in any of the documents furnished to you at time of discharge, such as your Discharge Certificate, Report of Separation (DD Form 214 or similar form), Separation Qualification Record (WD AGO Form 100), etc.

In the event you have none of these documents, or any others which show your rate or rank at time of discharge, please complete the attached form and return it to this Center. We will take action to supply the needed documentation."

6. New York State real property tax exemption using mustering-out pay. New York State law allows a limited exception from real property taxes for veterans who use the proceeds of certain Federal or State government payments toward the purchase of real property in the state. Mustering-out pay (MOP) is eligible for the real property tax exemption.

a. Periods of active service. If any active service was performed during the periods December 7, 1941, through June 30, 1947, or June 27, 1950, through January 31, 1955, then the veteran may have been eligible to receive MOP. (See app. B for exceptions to entitlement.)

b. Character of service. The veteran's service must have been honorable or under honorable conditions.

c. Amount of MOP. Compute the amount of MOP in $100.00 increments as follows:

• $300.00 was provided when the veteran had at least 60 days of active service, and served any part of that period outside of the continental United States. (Alaska and Hawaii are outside the continental U.S.)

• $200.00 was provided when the veteran had at least 60 days of active service, all of which was within the continental United States.

• $100.00 was provided when the veteran had less than 60 days active service.

d. MOP not awarded. There are many circumstances under which MOP is not awarded. Although a particular veteran may meet the basic requirements, the veteran may not actually be entitled to MOP. See app. B.

e. Instructions. Using NA Form 13074, Verification of Mustering-Out Pay, furnish MOP information from the separation document, service record, or auxiliary/organizational records. (See fig. 1.)

For veterans who served between Dec. 7, 1941, and Jun. 30, 1947, (Public Law 225).

No mustering-out payment shall be made to:

1. Any member of the Armed Forces who, at the time of discharge or relief from active service, is receiving base pay at a higher rate than the base pay of the third period as prescribed in section 1 of the Pay Readjustment Act of 1942, as amended;

2. Any member of the Armed Forces who, at the time of discharge or relief from active service, is transferred or returned to the retired list with retirement pay or to a status in which he receives retirement pay;

3. Any member of the Armed Forces for any active service performed prior to the date of his discharge or relief from active service on his own initiative to accept employment or, in the case of any member so relieved from active service, for any active service performed prior to the date of his discharge while in such inactive status, unless he/she has served outside the continental limits of the United States or in Alaska;

4. Any Air Corps Reserve officer who is entitled to receive a lump-sum payment under section 2, as amended of the Act of June 16, 1936;

5. Any member of the Armed Forces whose total period of service has been as a student detailed for training under: the Army specialized training program; the Army Air Forces college training program; or any similar program under the jurisdiction of the Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard;

6. Any member of the Armed Forces for any active service performed prior to the date of his/her discharge from such forces for the purpose of entering the United States Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy, or the United States Coast Guard Academy;

7. Any member of the Armed Forces whose sole service has been as a cadet at the United States Military Academy or the United States Coast Guard Academy, or as a midshipman at the United States Naval Academy, or in a preparatory school after nomination as a principal, alternate, or candidate for admission to any of said Academies, and

8. Any commissioned officer unless he/she is discharged or relieved from active service within three years after the termination of the present war as proclaimed by the President.
 

For veterans who served between Jun. 27, 1950, and Jan. 31, 1955, (Public Law 550).

No mustering-out payment shall be made to:

1. Any member of the Armed Forces who, at the time of discharge or relief from active service, is in a pay grade higher than 0-3;

2. Any member of the Armed Forces who, at the time of discharge or release from active service, is entitled to severance pay or is transferred or returned to the retired list with retired pay, retirement pay, retainer pay, or equivalent pay, or to a status in which he receives such pay: Provided, that this paragraph shall not apply upon retirement or separation pursuant to Title IV of the Career Compensation Act of 1949;

3. Any member of the Armed Forces for any active service performed prior to the date of his discharge or relief from active service on his/her own initiative to accept employment or, in the case of any member so relieved from active service, for any active service performed prior to the date of his/her discharge while in such inactive status, unless he/she has served outside the continental limits of the United States or in Alaska;

4. Any member of the Armed Forces whose total period of service has been as a student assigned by the Armed Forces to a civilian institution for a course of education or training which was substantially the same has established courses offered to civilians;

5. Any member of the Armed Forces for any active service performed prior to the date of his discharge from such forces for the purpose of entering the United States Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy, or the United States Coast Guard Academy;

6. Any member of the Armed Forces whose sole service has been as a cadet at the United States Military Academy or the United States Coast Guard Academy, or as a midshipman at the United States Naval Academy, or in a preparatory school after nomination as a principal, alternate, or candidate for admission to any of said Academies;

7. Any commissioned officer unless he/she is discharged or relieved from active service within three years after such date as shall be determined by Presidential proclamation or concurrent resolution of the Congress; and

8. Any member of the Armed Forces who is ordered to active service for the sole purpose of training duty or a physical examination, or for a period of less than sixty days.