IN THE CASE OF:	  

		BOARD DATE:  5 November 2013

		DOCKET NUMBER:  AR20130002292 


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, in effect, payment of Health Professions Officer Incentive Pay (HPOIP) at $5,000/year, effective 1 October 2009 to 30 September 2010 and an indefinite HPO Board Certification Pay (HBOBCP) at $6,000/year, effective 1 October 2009.

2.  He states he worked closely with a captain at the U.S. Army Human Resources Command (HRC) until the middle of 2011 through correspondence.  He recently contacted HRC in Kentucky who informed him that even though he had documentation of his application, there was no record of his acceptance into the program.  He has lost access to his military email, but that account will have more correspondence regarding this matter.

3.  He provides an HPOIP contract, HBOBCP contract, DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), and a letter from the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).

CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:

1.  The applicant was appointed as a commissioned officer in the Regular Army on 20 March 2008.  He was honorably discharged on 23 March 2011.

2.  He provided a contract which indicates he submitted a request for HPOIP on 20 August 2010 for $5,000 per year effective 1 October 2009.  The contract was signed by the approval authority and was approved, but the date of approval is not indicated.
3.  He also provided a contract which indicates he submitted a request for a HPOBCP on 20 August 2010 for $6,000 per year for an indefinite period effective 1 October 2009.  The contract was signed by the approval authority and was approved, but the date of approval is not indicated.

4.  In the processing of this case, an advisory opinion was obtained from the Chief, Army Medical Department (AMEDD) Special Pay Branch, Office of The Surgeon General who opined:

	a.  the applicant was authorized a 1-year HPOIP contract at $5,000/year (payable $416.66/month) effective 1 October 2009 to 30 September 2010 and an indefinite HPOBCP contract at $6,000/year (payable $500/month), effective 1 October 2009 to 23 March 2011 (date of separation).

	b.  the applicant is now out of the service and there is no database available to this office to authenticate disbursement of payments by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service - Indiana (DFAS-IN) as described above.  Payment verification and any difference due officer for these contractual periods would need to be determined by DFAS-IN.  

5.  A copy of the advisory opinion was forwarded to the applicant to allow him to comment or provide a rebuttal.  However, he did not respond within the allotted timeframe.

6.  In an email, dated 7 May 2013, DFAS informed an Army Board for Correction of Military Records staff member that there was no record of special pay other than jump pay.

7.  DOD Financial Management Regulation, Volume 7A, chapter 5, provides for various incentive pays, one of which is HPOIP. 

     a.  To be eligible for Incentive Pay, an HPO must be a licensed clinical psychologist, licensed clinical social worker, or physician assistant; have completed specialty qualification before 1 October 2008; sign a written agreement to remain on active duty or in an active status in the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve in a designated health profession specialty for a period of not less than 1 year beginning on the date the contract is signed; and be a Health Care Provider (HCP), possess an unrestricted license (or approved waiver), and be qualified in his or her specialty.  Social workers, clinical psychologists and physician assistants have been designated as HCPs.  


     b.  Subject to acceptance by the Secretary concerned, an HCP must be currently credentialed and privileged at a military treatment facility in the specialty for which the incentive pay is to be paid.  The Secretary concerned may also approve recommendations for incentive pay payments to fully qualified HCPs assigned to positions requiring a substantial portion of time performing military-unique duties under adverse conditions or in remote locations outside the United States, or that preclude the ability to spend appropriate time in a clinical setting.  The monthly incentive pay is shown in Table 5-9.  The HPO incentive pay must be paid in monthly installments. 

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant's service record shows he submitted a contract for a 1-year HPOIP contract at $5,000/year effective 1 October 2009 to 30 September 2010 and an indefinite HPOBCP contract at $6,000/year, effective 1 October 2009 to 23 March 2011 (date of separation).

2.  The Chief of the AMEDD Special Pay Branch stated the applicant was authorized 1-year HPOIP contract at $5,000/year effective 1 October 2009 to 30 September 2010 and an indefinite HPOBCP contract at $6,000/year effective 1 October 2009 to 23 March 2011.  His service record is void of evidence which indicates he received payment of these special pay incentives.  

3.  The 7 May 2013 email from DFAS verifies he did not receive payment for HPOIP or HPOBCP.  Therefore, it would be appropriate to amend his records to show he was authorized a 1-year HPOIP contract at $5,000/year, effective 1 October 2009 to 30 September 2010 and an indefinite HPOBCP contract at $6,000/year, effective 1 October 2009 to 23 March 2011 and to pay him these incentives.

BOARD VOTE:

____X___  ____X___  ___X__ _  GRANT FULL RELIEF 

________  ________  ________  GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF 

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION


BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION:

The Board determined the evidence presented is 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.  amending his records to show he was authorized payment for a 1-year HPOIP contract at $5,000/year, effective 1 October 2009 to 30 September 2010 and an indefinite HPOBCP contract at $6,000/year, effective 1 October 2009 to 23 March 2011; and 

	b.  paying him these special pay incentives 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)                                         AR20130002292





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ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)                                         AR20130002292



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