BOARD DATE: 22 September 2009
DOCKET NUMBER: AR20090002808
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 that she be granted additional entry level credit for earning a Master's in Public Health.
2. The applicant states her degree in Public Health was not considered at the time of her entry onto active duty following receipt of her medical (doctoral) degree.
3. The applicant provides copies of her Master's in Public Health Degree Certificate (MS), her Tufts University Transcript, her 14 December 2000 appointment orders, 21 May 2006 appointment documents, and 14 March 2006 active duty orders.
CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:
1. The applicant was appointed a branch unassigned U.S. Army Reserve (USAR) second lieutenant on 14 December 2000.
2. She attended Tufts University and received a Medical Doctorate (MD) degree. She concurrently completed an MS degree in Public Health with both degrees being awarded on 21 May 2006 .
3. On 21 May 2006, she accepted appointment as a captain in the Medical Corps and signed her Oath of Office on the same date.
4. Department of the Army, U.S. Total Army Personnel Command, St. Louis, Missouri, Orders A-03-606245, dated 14 March 2006, ordered the applicant to active duty, in the rank of captain, for 7 years to fulfill her active Army requirement as a Medical Corps (MC) physician. At this time the applicant received 4 years of constructive credit for the completion of the MD degree. No credit was afforded her for her MS degree since it was obtained concurrently with her MD degree.
5. In the development of this case an advisory opinion was obtained from the Program Manager, Graduate Medical Education Division, Office of the Surgeon General. It was recommended that the applicant's request be denied. The reason for denial was stated as in accordance with Department of Defense Directive 6000.13, paragraph 6.1.2.2.2, states that 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 a master's and a doctorate degree may not exceed the maximum allowed for a doctorate.
6. A copy of the opinion was forwarded to the applicant. No response has been received from the applicant.
7. Department of Defense Instruction 1312.03 (Service Credit for Commissioned Officers) paragraph 6.1 (Entry Grade Credit) states that the entry grade and date of rank or promotion service credit in grade of a commissioned officer (other than an officer in the health professions) shall be determined by the entry grade credit awarded upon appointment. The entry grade credit that is awarded shall be the sum of the prior commissioned service allowed and the amount of constructive service credit allowed. A period of time shall be counted only once when computing credit.
8. Department of Defense Instruction 6000.13 (Medical Manpower and Personnel), dated June 30, 1997, provides that a prospective health professions officers entry grade and rank within grade shall be determined by the number of years of entry grade credit awarded on original appointment, designation, or assignment as a health professions officer. The entry grade credit to be awarded shall equal the sum of constructive service credit and prior commissioned service credit (other than as a commissioned warrant officer), except in cases where the total exceeds the maximum credit allowed. A period of time shall be counted only once when computing entry grade credit, and qualifying periods of less than one full year shall be proportionately credited to the nearest day. Credit of one-half year for each year of experience, up to a maximum of three years of constructive credit, may be granted for experience in a health profession, if such experience is directly used by the Military Service concerned. Creditable experience cannot predate the receipt of licensure, registration, or certification.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:
1. The applicant states her degree in Public Health was not considered at the time of her entry onto active duty following receipt of her medical (doctoral) degree.
2. The applicants MS degree was obtained concurrently with her MD degree and as such cannot be used to afford her additional constructive credit.
3. At the time of her initial appointment as a Medical Corps officer, the applicant received 4 years of constructive credit for having completed an MD degree. This is the maximum amount of constructive credit authorized.
4. 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.
BOARD VOTE:
________ ________ ________ GRANT FULL RELIEF
________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
__x_____ ____x___ ___x____ DENY APPLICATION
BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION:
The evidence presented does not demonstrate the existence of a probable error or injustice. Therefore, the Board determined that the overall merits of this case are insufficient as a basis for correction of the records of the individual concerned.
_______ _ __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.
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