BOARD DATE:	  22 July 2014

		DOCKET NUMBER:  AR20140008049 


THE BOARD CONSIDERED THE FOLLOWING EVIDENCE:

1.  Application for correction of military records (with supporting documents provided, if any).

2.  Military Personnel Records and advisory opinions (if any).


THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, STATEMENT, AND EVIDENCE:

1.  The applicant requests retroactive payment of Health Professions Officer Incentive Pay (HPOIP) for the period 13 January 2012 through 13 January 2014.

2.  The applicant states that while she was stationed at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii she attempted to obtain her HPOIP and due to her deployment to Afghanistan and permanent change of station to Fort Campbell, KY she was unsuccessful in doing so. 

3.  The applicant provides copies of her license to practice as a psychologist and her Officer Record Brief (ORB).

CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:

1.  The applicant was commissioned as a Regular Army captain in the Medical Service Corps on 18 July 2010.  She completed her officer basic course at Fort Sam Houston, TX and she was transferred to Hawaii for her first assignment, where she deployed to Afghanistan for a period of 9 months and performed duties as a clinical psychologist.

2.  In the processing of this case a staff advisory opinion was obtained from the Office of the Surgeon General (OTSG) Special Pay Branch which stated there are no records of HPOIP contracts for the period 20120113 - 20140113, a period in which she was eligible to receive $5000.00 per year payable at $416.66 per month.  

3.  The advisory opinion was provided to the applicant for information and to allow her the opportunity to submit comments or a rebuttal.  While she did not provide comments, she provided copies of email traffic showing her attempts to initiate HPOPIP contracts.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:

1.  Notwithstanding that it is the officer’s responsibility to initiate action to receive an approved HOPIP contract, the applicant did perform the duties of a clinical psychologist during the period 20120113 – 20140113 and she was eligible to receive the pay.

2.  Additionally, the advisory opinion from OTSG states she was eligible to receive $5000.00 per year payable at $416.66 per month for the period 20120113 – 20140113.

3.  Therefore, as a matter of equity, the applicant’s record should be corrected to show she submitted her contracts to OTSG for HPOIP for the period 20120113 – 20140113 in a timely manner.

4.  Accordingly, OTSG should accept and authorize retroactive payments of HPOIP for the period 20120113 – 20140113.

BOARD VOTE:

___X_____  _X_______  __X___  GRANT FULL RELIEF 

________  ________  ________  GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF 

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION:

The Board determined that the evidence presented was sufficient to warrant a recommendation for relief.  As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by:

   a.  showing she timely submitted her applications for HPOIP for the period 20120113 – 20140113,

	b.  showing the appropriate office timely received and processed her applications for HPOIP for the period 20120113 – 20140113, and

	c.  paying her HPOIP for the period 20120113 – 20140113 as a result of these corrections.



      __________X_____________
       	   CHAIRPERSON
      

I certify that herein is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in this case.



ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)                                         AR20140008049





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ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)                                         AR20140008049



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