BOARD DATE: 13 May 2014
DOCKET NUMBER: AR20140004219
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 payment of board certification pay (BCP) for the period 1 January 2012 to present.
2. He states:
a. he is an active duty Army physician.
b. he has not received his monthly BCP since December 2011 to the present time, which amounts to 26 months without monthly BCP.
c. he has been continuously boarded in internal medicine since 2001 and was recertified in 2011.
d. he has been double boarded in internal medicine and infectious diseases since 2014.
e. he provided his medical recertification to hospital credentials, but he didn't realize Special Pay Branch also needed a copy.
f. the Special Pay Branch is only authorized to give 12 months back pay so he was advised to apply to this Board.
3. He provides:
* The American Board of Internal Medicine certification for the period 2001 through 2011 as a Diplomate in Internal Medicine
* The American Board of Internal Medicine certification for the period 2004 through 2014 as a Diplomate in Infectious Disease
* The American Board of Internal Medicine certification for the period 2011 through 2021as a Diplomate in Internal Medicine
* Two letters from the American Board of Internal Medicine
CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:
1. The applicant is currently serving on active duty in the rank of colonel/O-6.
2. On 14 April 2003, he was appointed as a Regular Army commissioned officer in the rank of major/O-4.
3. He provided the following certificates which show:
a. The American Board of Internal Medicine, he was certified as a Diplomate in Internal Medicine for the period 2001 through 2011.
b. The American Board of Internal Medicine, he was certified as a Diplomate in Infectious Disease for the period 2004 through 2014.
c. The American Board of Internal Medicine, he was recertified as a Diplomate in Internal Medicine for the period 2011 to 2021.
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 (OTSG). The advisory official stated:
a. A review of supporting documentation and available special pay and finance data indicate the applicant's BCP expired on 31 December 2011.
b. This office authorized retroactive payments commencing 1 March 2013 with current expiration of 31 December 2021. This period is the maximum authority this office has for BCP payments in arrears.
c. There is no record of submission, authorization or payment for BCP for the period 1 January 2012 to 28 February 2013.
d. The applicant is eligible to receive BCP for the 14-month period of 1 January 2012 to 28 February 2013. The retroactive payment for this total period is approximately $5,833 prior to withholding. The exact payment to be determined by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS)-Indiana (IN).
5. A copy of the advisory opinion was forwarded to the applicant for information and to allow him the opportunity to submit comments or a rebuttal. However, he didn't respond within the allotted timeframe.
6. Title 37, U.S. Code, sections 301d, 302, 302f, and 303a, provides for multi-year retention bonuses and special pays for medical officers and health professionals of the Armed Forces. For Army Medical Corps officers (physicians), these special pays include BCP, which is paid monthly to all board-certified Medical Corps officers based upon their date of board certification and their creditable service used to establish the Health Professional Pay Entry Date.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:
1. The evidence of record shows the applicant was recertified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in Internal Medicine for the period 2011 to 2021.
2. However, his service record does not indicate he submitted for or was authorized payment of BCP for the period 1 January 2012 to 28 February 2013. OTSG administratively authorized his BCP, effective 1 March 2013.
3. The Chief of the AMEDD Special Pay Branch supported payment of retroactive BCP agreement for approximately $5,811 effective 1 January 2012 to 28 February 2013.
4. In view of the foregoing, his records should be corrected to show entitlement to this medical specialty pay.
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 issued a BCP contract effective 1 January 2012 with an obligation through 28 February 2013; and
b. paying him based on the contract executed in paragraph a above.
_______ _ 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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