PREC 10-99    Mitigating Circumstances-Six Semester Hour Exemption    Citation: Vet. Aff. Op. Gen. Couns. Prec. 10-99,  VAOPGCPREC 10-99, 1999

Should the accelerated course measurement provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 21.4272(g) be used in determining the total number of credit hours for which mitigating circumstances are presumed pursuant to 38 U.S.C. § 3680(a)(3)(B) and 10 U.S.C § 16136(b)? (Note: For convenience, this opinion discusses the regulation’s application to 38 U.S.C. § 3680(a)(3)(B) and does not further reference 10 U.S.C. § 16136(b) since the latter statute merely requires that the former will apply to persons eligible under the chapter 1606, title 10, program.)

VA regulation, 38 C.F.R. § 21.4272(g), which provides a basis (i.e., "equivalent credit hours") for measuring training time when courses are pursued during nonstandard terms, is inapplicable to, and should not be used in determining whether nonpunitive course withdrawals exceed the equivalent of six semester hours for purposes of applying the mitigating circumstances exception under 38 U.S.C. § 3680(a)(3)(B).