RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS


	IN THE CASE OF:	


	BOARD DATE:	  6 February 2007
	DOCKET NUMBER:  AR20060010105 


	I certify that hereinafter is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in the case of the above-named individual.  


Mr. Carl W. S. Chun

Director

Ms. Joyce A. Wright

Analyst


The following members, a quorum, were present:


Mr. James E. Anderholm

Chairperson

Mr. Jerome L. Pionk

Member

Mr. Edward E. Montgomery

Member

	The Board considered the following evidence: 

	Exhibit A - Application for correction of military records.

	Exhibit B - Military Personnel Records (including advisory opinion, if any).


THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, STATEMENT, AND EVIDENCE:

1.  The applicant requests, in effect, that he be awarded constructive service credit for his Master of Public Health Degree (MPH).

2.  The applicant states that he successfully completed his MPH from Boston University in January 2002 and was not given any credit to his military record for this degree to this date.  He was told over 5 years ago, that his MPH had in fact been credited to his record since it had been posted to the official HPSP (Health Professions Scholarship Program) Website.  Last year, after discovering this degree had not been reviewed, he requested that an official transcript be sent to the GME (Graduate Medical Education) office.  Recently, he was told that he had to draft a petition to ask that his military record be corrected to include his master’s degree.

3.  The applicant provides a copy of his official transcripts, a copy of his degree, and a copy of his active duty orders, in support of his request.

CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:

1.  The applicant’s military records show that he was appointed in the United States Army Reserve, as a second lieutenant (2LT/O-1), with an effective date of 3 December 2001.

2.  He was awarded an MPH degree from Boston University on 25 January 2002.

3.  He was appointed in the Army Medical Corps (MC), effective 14 April 2005, in the rank of captain (CPT/O-3).  

4.  The applicant was awarded a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine on 5 June 2005.

5.  The applicant was ordered to active duty on 9 June 2005, for 48 months, to fulfill his active Army requirement, with assignment to Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii.

6.  In the processing of this case, an advisory opinion was requested of the Office of The Surgeon General (OTSG), Chief, Graduate Medical Education Division.



7.  An opinion was provided on 19 December 2006.  The OTSG stated that the applicant was requesting constructive credit for a degree in public health.  DOD policy under DOD Directive 6000.13 is the governing directive in granting constructive service credit.  In accordance with this directive, paragraph 6.1.2.2.2., no additional credit may be given for more than one advanced degree in a single field or closely related field.  According to official record, the applicant’s MPH degree overlapped with his medical degree.  Therefore, it was recommended that the applicant not be granted additional credit.

8.  The OTSG indicated that the applicant was currently in a Preventive/ Occupational Medicine (POM) Residency Program which was a 3 year training program.  The first year of training is completion of a MPH degree.  Upon being selected for this program, it was determined that this prior MPH degree did not meet the requirements for the program and that he would have to repeat the degree.

9. The applicant was provided a copy of this opinion for possible comment prior to consideration of his case.

10.  In his rebuttal, the applicant stated that in accordance with paragraph 6.1.2.2.2. of [DOD (Department of Defense) Directive 6000.13], no additional credit may be given for more than one advance degree in a single field or closely related field.  He did not understand how obtaining his medical degree from Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Valley, California, and his MPH with a concentration in International Health from Boston University can be deemed "a single field or a closely related field."  While there were overlays between the two degrees, these two separate degrees were obtained from distinctly separate and different schools and for distinctly different fields of education.  

11.  The applicant elaborated on the reason for his request and reasons for defending his MPH.  He commented on the statement "Upon being selected for this program, it was determined that his prior MPH degree did not meet requirements for the program and that he would have to repeat the degree." Upon being selected for the POM residency, he asked the director, that he not be selected to pursue the Master of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (MTMH) degree at USUHS (Uniform Services University of the Health Sciences).  He was not currently trying to obtain a second MPH as the OSTG stated.  He felt that the Army would benefit most from pursuing a postgraduate degree that would augment his prior studies of medicine and public health.  For these reasons, he fulfilled the requirements of DOD Directive, paragraph 6.1.2.2.3.  He is not asking to set precedence in receiving credit for a MPH in addition to his medical degree. He is aware of numerous current preventive medicine officers, who had successfully obtained constructive credit for MPH degree in addition to their medical degree.  

12.  DOD Directive 6000.13, in pertinent part, prescribes the policies and procedures for the award of prior commissioned service credit.  Paragraph 6.1.2.2.2, specifies credit for master’s and doctorate degrees in health profession other than medicine and dentistry, whether it is the primary degree or an education of up to two years for a master’s degree and up to four years for a doctorate.  Credit may not include time spent in attainment of baccalaureate or other lower degrees.  No additional credit may be given for more than one advanced degree in a single field, or closely related field.  The total credit allowed for having both a master’s and doctorate degree may not exceed the maximum allowed for a doctorate.

13.  Paragraph 6.1.2.2.3, of the same directive, specifies that the additional degree must add adjunctive skills to the primary specialty and must contribute directly to performance in the anticipated position in the military service concerned.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:

1.  In view of the circumstances in this case, the applicant is not entitled to constructive service credit for his MPH.

2.  The evidence shows that the applicant completed a MPH degree and is requesting constructive service credit for this degree.  However, according to DOD Policy under DOD Directive 6000.13, paragraph 6.1.2.2.2 of this directive, no additional credit may be given for more than one advanced degree in a single field or closely related field.  The OTSG determined that his MPH degree overlapped with his medical degree.   

3.  The applicant is currently enrolled in a POM Residency Program, a 3 year training program; in which the first year of training is completion of a MPH degree.  Prior to selection for this program, it was determined this his prior MPH did not meet the requirements for the program and that he would need to repeat the degree.  





4.  It is apparent that the applicant did not agree with the OTSG's overall assessment and was not asking to set precedence in receiving credit for a MPH in addition to his medical degree.  The applicant stated, in his rebuttal, that he did not understand how obtaining his medical degree and MPH could be deemed "a closely related field".  Both degrees were obtained from distinctly separate and different schools and for distinctly different fields of education.  He thought that the Army would benefit most from pursuing a postgraduate degree that would augment his prior studies of medicine and public health and he fulfilled the requirements of DOD Directive 6000.13, paragraph 6.1.2.2.3.

5.  In order to justify correction of a military record the applicant must show to the satisfaction of the Board, or it must otherwise satisfactorily appear, that the record is in error or unjust.  The applicant has failed to submit evidence that would satisfy this requirement.

6.  In view of the foregoing, there is no basis for granting the applicant's request.

BOARD VOTE:

_A______  __JP___  __EM__ _  GRANT FULL RELIEF 

________  ________  ________  GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF 

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION:

1.  Notwithstanding the staff DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS above, the Board unanimously determined during their review that the applicant’s Masters Degree from Boston University meets the requirement for constructive service credit as outlined in the Department of Defense Instructions (DODI) and should be awarded constructive service credit accordingly. 

2.  The Board further recommends that The Office of the Surgeon General conduct a line by line review of the Boston University transcript and the Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine transcript to ensure that there is not 




an overlap of constructive service time credit between the master’s period and the medical school period as may be applicable under DODI 6000, paragraph 6.1.2.2.3.




_____James E. Anderholm_____
          CHAIRPERSON




INDEX

CASE ID
AR20060010105
SUFFIX

RECON
YYYYMMDD
DATE BOARDED
20070206
TYPE OF DISCHARGE
(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR)
DATE OF DISCHARGE
YYYYMMDD ACTIVE DUTY
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY
AR . . . . .  
DISCHARGE REASON

BOARD DECISION
DENY
REVIEW AUTHORITY

ISSUES         1.
102
2.

3.

4.

5.

6.