IN THE CASE OF:  	  

		BOARD DATE:  25 June 2015	  

		DOCKET NUMBER:  AR20140013900 


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 correction of her records to show she contracted for a Registered Nurse (RN) Incentive Special Pay (ISP) bonus at $5,000/year effective 15 September 2013.

2.  The applicant states:

	a.  She and a few others submitted for the RN ISP bonus last year.  Some of their applications were returned because the authorizing officials were looking for a specific card which contains the number proving they took the Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) certification.

   b.  The authorizing officials also informed them that they should have received a specific card after they took the certification.  She provided proof that indicated her certification number, but her application was still denied because they were looking for a specific document.

	c.  Two people from their group received the bonus, but most of them did not.  She thinks the person who decided to return their applications is not experienced enough in this type of bonus submission.  She is now at William Beaumont Army Medical Center (WBAMC), and the person who took care of their bonus told them that any document with their certification number would suffice to apply for the RN ISP bonus.



3.  The applicant provides:

* Request for Specialty RN ISP, dated 25 June 2013
* Officer Record Brief, dated 21 June 2013
* CCRN certificate and certification card
* All Army Activities (ALARACT) Message 365/2010

CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:

1.  At the time the applicant submitted her application, she was serving on active duty in the rank of second lieutenant (2LT) in the Army Nurse Corps.

2.  The applicant was appointed on 13 September 2011 as a Reserve officer in the rank of 2LT in the Army Nurse Corps.

3.  On 29 May 2013, she was reappointed as a 2LT in the Regular Army.

4.  She provided the following documents:

   a.  A request for Specialty RN ISP, dated 25 June 2013, shows she applied for a $5,000/year RN ISP bonus, effective 29 July 2013.  This document indicates that she was nationally certified as a CCRN by the American Association of the Critical-Care Nurse (AACN) (certification number 000012384827 and expiration date 31 December 2014).  The request was not signed by the approval authority.
   
   b.  A license shows she was an active Registered Nurse (expiration date 28 February 2014).

   c.  A certificate shows she successfully completed all requirements for certification in Acute and Critical Care Nursing Adult and was certified as a CCRN through 31 December 2014.

5.  On 26 September 2013, she submitted a second request for a Specialty RN ISP at $5,000/year effective 15 September 2013.  The request was approved by the commanding officer of the 187th Medical Battalion.

6.  On 26 September 2014, an advisory opinion was obtained from the Chief, Army Medical Department (AMEDD) Special Pay Branch, Office of The Surgeon General.  The advisory official stated:

	a.  The applicant is requesting a retroactive 1-year specialty RN ISP contract at $5,000/year effective 15 September 2013.  The applicant indicates they were unable to execute the contract because they did not have the correct certification information and failed to receive processing support.

	b.  Paragraph 6 of ALARACT Message 365/2010 indicates basic eligibility for the RN ISP, which includes: fully qualified in specialty; credentialed to the basic standards of the specialty in accordance with Army Regulation 40-66 (Medical Record Administration and Health Care Documentation), without prejudicial restriction of clinical privileges; possession of a full, unrestricted license or waiver; and performs the duties of specialty RN for sufficient time during the contract period to allow for the full maintenance of professional skills in that specialty.  

	c.  A review of special pay records shows the applicant enrolled in the Long-Term Health Education and Training (LTHET) Program under the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA-AOC (area of concentration) 66F) training program, and is currently not performing duties as a Critical Care Nurse (AOC 66H8A) for which the RN ISP contract was executed per basic eligibility criteria.

	d.  The applicant was ineligible to execute an annual RN ISP contract as a Critical Care Nurse (AOC 66H8A) since she did not meet all eligibility criteria, as determined by U. S. Army Human Resources Command, Fort Knox. 

7.  A copy of the advisory opinion was forwarded to the applicant for information and to allow her the opportunity to submit comments or a rebuttal.  She submitted comments in response to the advisory opinion.  She stated:

	a.  When she initially submitted her application for the RN ISP, she was informed, along with six others in her program that she was missing a card that would suffice for the application.  Their applications were returned to them, but the card they were asking for did not exist anymore.  The document she and the others provided should be sufficient for the information the authorizing officials are looking for as proof for passing CCRN was indicated in the paper.  The submission of their application got delayed because of this reason.

	b.  A few of them got their RN ISP bonus of $5,000 because only a few submitted their application on their own and one apparently had the card they were looking for.  She views this as an unfair distribution of the bonus.  Their applications were returned due to a specific card (that does not exist anymore) and the paper they submitted had the CCRN number and proof to show they passed the certification.  

	c.  The second attempt to resubmit the application was too late due to the new memorandum that came out about the RN ISP that denied them the bonus.  If the proof they submitted initially was accepted, they could have received their bonus as well.  

8.  On 13 April 2015, she submitted another Request for Specialty RN ISP at $5,000/year, effective 2 April 2015.  The request was approved by the Deputy Commander for Patient Services/Nursing, WBAMC.

9.  The Department of Defense Financial Management Regulation (DODFMR), volume 7A, chapter 21, states that in order to be eligible for the RN ISP for nurses, a person must:

	a.  be an officer of the Nurse Corps of the Army or Navy, or an officer of the Air Force designated as a nurse; and

	b.  be serving on active duty under a call or order to active duty for a period of not less than 1 year;

	c.  be a fully-qualified registered nurse with an active, full, unrestricted license in a designated specialty of:

* preoperative nursing
* critical-care nursing
* emergency nursing
* obstetrics/gynecological nursing
* medical-surgical nursing
* psychiatric/mental health nursing
* community/public health nursing
* pediatric nursing
* neonatal intensive care nursing
* nurse midwife
* any nurse practitioner

	d.  hold a nationally-	recognized certification in one of the clinical nursing specialties listed above;

	e.  have completed a specialty nursing course approved by the service surgeon general or graduate program in one of the clinical specialties listed above; and

	f.  execute a written agreement to remain on active duty for a period of not less than 1 year which is accepted by the Secretary concerned.
10.  ALARACT Message 365/2010, subject:  Army Nurse Corps ISP Policy, Plan, and Rates, states the effective date for the 1-year CRNA ISP agreement is the date the officer is fully qualified in the specialty or any date thereafter that the officer desires to establish as their effective date.  The officer may sign the agreement 90 days in advance, but not later than 30 days from the effective date.  Agreements signed greater than 30 days from the effective date will be effective upon the date of signature.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant requests correction of her records to show she contracted for an RN ISP at $5,000/year effective 15 September 2013.

2.  The evidence of record indicates she submitted a 1-year RN ISP contract in which she signed the agreement indicating she understood the effective date she agreed to serve was 29 July 2013.  However, the contract was not approved.

3.  The applicant contends that she and others submitted for the RN ISP, but some of their applications were returned because the authorizing officials were looking for a specific card which contains the number proving they took the CCRN certification.

4.  The evidence of record shows the applicant fulfilled the requirements for certification as a CCRN during the period 1 January 2012 through 31 December 2014.  However, based on the AMEDD advisory opinion, the applicant enrolled in the LTHET under an AOC 66F training program, and is currently not performing duties as a Critical Care Nurse (AOC 66H8A) for which the RN ISP contract was executed per basic eligibility criteria.  Since the applicant did not meet all the requirements for a 1-year RN ISP beginning 15 September 2013, there is no basis for granting the applicant's request.

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.

ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)                                         AR20140013900



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ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)                                         AR20140013900



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