IN THE CASE OF:	  

		BOARD DATE:	  21 May 2013

		DOCKET NUMBER:  AR20130002300 


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 additional constructive service credit for a master's degree to ratify her rank as captain (CPT).

2.  The applicant states:

	a.  she feels the rank on her active duty orders is incorrect.  She is currently listed as a first lieutenant (1LT) but her rank should be CPT.

	b.  she was awarded entry into the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) while obtaining her master's degree in psychiatric nursing.  She was informed before starting HPSP by Army Medical Department (AMEDD) recruiters that because of her 5 years of work experience, the completion of her master's degree, and her acceptance into HPSP, she would swear in to the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) as a 1LT, while in school, and then access on to active duty as a CPT.  However, her active duty orders mistakenly listed her rank as 1LT.

3.  The applicant provides:

* American Nurses Credentialing Center certification
* Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Practitioner license
* University of Pennsylvania transcript
* Work/experience history 


CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:

1.  The applicant's DA Form 61 (Application for Appointment) shows she was awarded her Bachelor of Science in Nursing on 11 May 2007.

2.  She was appointed as a 1LT in the U.S. Army Reserve on 18 November 2011 and she was enrolled in the HPSP.

3.  She was awarded her Master of Science in Nursing on 10 August 2012.

4.  A DA Form 5074-1-R, dated 4 December 2012, shows she received 1 year, 
9 months, and 28 days of constructive credit for professional experience for the period 10 September 2007 to 6 May 2011.

5.  She was appointed as a 1LT in the Regular Army (RA), Nurse Corps, on 
8 January 2013.  On 31 January 2013, her date of rank (DOR) was adjusted to 
8 September 2012.

6.  In the processing of this case, on 12 March 2103, an advisory opinion was obtained from the Nurse Program Manager, U.S. Army Recruiting Command (USAREC), Fort Knox, KY, dated 12 March 2013.  The advisory official recommended approval of the applicant’s request and pointed out:

	a.  the applicant was commissioned in the RA Nurse Corps with the HPSP incentive to complete her advanced practice nursing degree.  She was issued her Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Practitioner license in 2012.

	b.  she would qualify for 2 years of constructive credit for her master's degree in accordance with Department of Defense Instruction (DODI)  6000.13 (Medical Manpower and Personnel), paragraph 6.1.2.2.2.  The total constructive credit awarded meets the active duty phase line for the rank of CPT as she should have been awarded 2 years constructive credit for her master's degree that was not annotated on the constructive credit form (it appears they mean the DA
Form 5074-R).

7.  On 12 March 2013, a copy of the advisory opinion was forwarded to the applicant for information and to allow her the opportunity to submit comment or a rebuttal.  She did not respond.

8.  On 16 May 2013, additional information pertaining to the AMEDD Promotion Timing for Fiscal Year 2013 was obtained from the Nurse Program Manager, 


USAREC, Fort Knox, KY.  She stated 3 years and 6 months of constructive credit is required for an Active Duty CPT.

9.  DODI 6000.13, paragraph 6.1.2.2.2., states credit for master's and doctorate degrees in a health profession other than medicine and dentistry, whether it is the primary degree or an additional advanced degree, shall be awarded based on actual full-time equivalent education of up to 2 years for a master's degree and up to 4 years for a doctorate degree.  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 a doctorate degree may not exceed the maximum allowed for a doctorate.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant contends her rank is incorrect and should be CPT according to her education.

2.  DODI 6000.13 states 2 years of constructive service credit shall be granted for completion of a master's degree.

3.  The AMEDD Promotion Timing for Fiscal Year 2013 states the appointment grade of an individual with entry grade credit of 3 years and 6 months is CPT.

4.  She completed her master's degree in August 2012.

5.  She was appointed as a 1LT in the RA, Nurse Corps, on 8 January 2013 and awarded 1 year, 9 months, and 28 days of constructive credit for her professional experience but she was not awarded constructive service credit for her master's degree.

6.  The advisory opinion states she qualifies for 2 years of constructive credit for her master's degree that was not annotated on her constructive credit form and the total constructive credit awarded meets the active duty phase line for the rank of CPT.  Therefore, her military records should be corrected to show she received a total of 2 years of constructive service credit for her master's degree and she was appointed as a CPT in the RA on 8 January 2013.  

7.  Based on the above correction, officials at the Health Services Directorate, USAREC, Fort Knox, should review her records to determine if her DOR should be adjusted accordingly.


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.  amending her military records to show she received 2 years of constructive credit for her master's degree;

	b.  showing she was appointed a CPT in the RA on 8 January 2013; and

	c.  after the above corrections are made, USAREC officials should review her records and adjust her DOR, if appropriate.



      _______ _   _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)                                         AR20130002300



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ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)                                         AR20130002300



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