IN THE CASE OF:
BOARD DATE: 29 April 2014
DOCKET NUMBER: AR20140002365
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 Board Certification Pay (BCP) for the period 18 November 2012 to 17 November 2013.
2. The applicant states that:
a. He graduated from Madigan Army Medical Center in September 2011. The written boards for General Surgery are only once a year in August. He received orders with deployment starting in June 2012. Due to this he was unable to register for the Qualifying Examination until May 2013 which he did, and he passed his written boards in August 2013. He immediately registered for the oral boards and passed these in November of 2013, a year after he initially intended to take his boards.
b. He would have been board certified earlier had he not been deployed. He was advised that he could get reimbursed for this after he successfully passed his boards.
3. The applicant provides copies of:
a. A 4 April 2003 Office of the Surgeon General (OTSG) memorandum, forwarding a Letter of Instruction (LOI) for Medical Board Examinations to the field;
b. Pages 5-11 of Department of Defense Financial Management Regulation (DoDFMR) Volume 7A, Chapter 5;
c. An American Board of Surgery letter, dated March 2011, Subject: 2011 General Surgery Qualifying Examination;
d. A 14 November 2011 email note, Subject: (Applicant's) Deployment;
e. Orders KX-086-0001, Headquarters, U.S. Army Installation Management Command, Fort Knox, Kentucky, dated 26 March 2012; and
f. An American Board of Surgery letter, dated 21 November 2013.
CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:
1. The applicant is a Regular Army Medical Corps major (MAJ).
2. In support of his request he provides copies of:
a. A 4 April 2003 LOI allowing for retroactive board pay for medical officers who were unable to schedule or take the examinations due to operational requirements provided they successfully complete the board examination at the next available date after return from the contingency operation.
b. Email notes showing he would receive back pay if he could not take the BCP tests prior to deployment if he passed the tests after deployment.
c. Orders showing he was scheduled for deployment to Afghanistan on
26 May 2012 for a period not to exceed 149 days.
d. A 21 November 2013 letter showing he was board certified starting
18 November 2013 with an expiration of 1 July 2024.
3. In the processing of this case, an advisory opinion was obtained from the Chief, Army Medical Department (AMEDD), Special Pay Branch. The opining official stated:
a. The applicant indicated he was unable to take the certification examination due to deployment. Upon return the applicant completed the examination requirements and was awarded board certification effective 18 November 2013. DoDFMR 7000.14-R, paragraph 050603 allows the effective date for BCP to be established retroactive to the date he would have been originally certified.
b. Based on the waiver authority the applicant is eligible to receive BCP retroactive to 18 November 2012. Utilizing a Health Professions Pay Entry Date (HPPEDD) of 17 June 2005 for the correct pay level, the retroactive payment for the 1-year period of 18 November 2012 through 17 November 2013 is approximately $2,500; exact payment to be determined by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS).
4. A copy of the advisory opinion was sent to the applicant for his information and comments. A response was not received.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:
The available evidence shows the applicant is fully qualified and eligible for retroactive payment of BCP during the period requested. Accordingly, he should be paid.
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 he was granted a waiver to receive retroactive payment of BCP for the period 18 November 2012 through 17 November 2013; and
b. DFAS determining the amount of BCP due for the above period and paying him all monies due.
______________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) AR20120020711
3
ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
1
ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20140002365
2
ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
1
ARMY | BCMR | CY2014 | 20140002365
The applicant requests retroactive payment of Board Certification Pay (BCP) for the period 18 November 2012 to 17 November 2013. A 4 April 2003 LOI allowing for retroactive board pay for medical officers who were unable to schedule or take the examinations due to operational requirements provided they successfully complete the board examination at the next available date after return from the contingency operation. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2005 | 20050011605C070206
The applicant had been scheduled for the oral certification examination on 13 April 2003 but had declined the examination due to his military deployment. In this advisory opinion, the Chief, AMEDD Special Pay Branch, states that the applicant is requesting retroactive BCP for the period 13 April 2003 through 17 November 2004 due to the applicant's contingency mission deployment and his inability to take his board certification until he returned from his mission. The Special Pay Branch...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2007 | 20070010643C071029
In August 2005, a letter was written in behalf of the applicant to the American Board of Emergency Medicine requesting that he be assigned to the Fall 2006 oral certification examination due to his deployment in Iraq at the time. The evidence shows the applicant successfully completed the written certification examination on 7 November 2004. At the time the applicant was scheduled for his oral certification examination, he was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2014 | 20140004867
Application for correction of military records (with supporting documents provided, if any). The applicant requests payment of Board Certification Pay (BCP) from 31 December 2012 to 7 February 2013. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected showing he applied for and was authorized payment of BCP for the period 1 January 2013 through 7 February 2013 utilizing an HPPED or MSP date of 30 June 1995 for the correct...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2014 | 20140004867
Application for correction of military records (with supporting documents provided, if any). The applicant requests payment of Board Certification Pay (BCP) from 31 December 2012 to 7 February 2013. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected showing he applied for and was authorized payment of BCP for the period 1 January 2013 through 7 February 2013 utilizing an HPPED or MSP date of 30 June 1995 for the correct...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2014 | 20140006109
BOARD DATE: 2 September 2014 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20140006109 THE BOARD CONSIDERED THE FOLLOWING EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant requests payment of Non-Physician Board Certification Pay (NPBCP) from August 2012 to March 2013. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by showing the applicant applied for and was authorized payment of NPBCP for the period 1 August 2012 to 19 March 2013 utilizing an HPPED or MSP date of 26 March...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2014 | 20140004266
The applicant requests payment of Board Certification Pay (BCP) from 1 January 2010 through 29 January 2013. His diploma, dated 9 January 2004, shows his certification was from 9 January 2004 through 31 December 2009. Although the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology certification for the period 1 January 2010 through 20 November 2010 was not available for review, the advisory opinion rendered by OTSG clearly shows he was fully qualified and eligible for BCP during the period 1...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2012 | 20120020711
The applicant requests, in effect, retroactive payment of Board Certification Pay (BCP) for the period 24 July 2011 to 23 July 2012. Once board certified, he is entitled to receive BCP in the amount of $2,500.00 per year. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by: a. showing he requested and was granted BCP for the period 24 July 2011 to 23 July 2012, b. directing DFAS to audit his pay record, and c. paying him all...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2013 | 20130013193
The applicant requests, in effect, retroactive Health Professions Officer Board Certification Pay (HPOBCP) at an annual rate of $6,000.00/year as a Physician Assistant (PA) for the period of his Reserve Component (RC) mobilization from 11 September 2011 through 18 September 2012. The applicant states he was mobilized and deployed with 3 months remaining to complete his Masters of Science degree as a PA and based on All Army Activities (ALARACT) Message 195/2010 (Army Special Pay Plan for...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2015 | 20150000039
The applicant requests retroactive payment of Board Certification Pay (BCP) for the period 1 January 2012 to 30 November 2013. The applicant provides email correspondence which shows she attempted to have her non-receipt of BCP matter resolved with the assistance of her local personnel office and the Army Medical Department (AMEDD) Special Pay Branch, Office of The Surgeon General (OTSG), and was advised to seek relief by applying to the Army Board for Correction of Military Records. ...