PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           30 March 2000                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000037524

	I certify that hereinafter is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in the case of the above-named individual.  

	Mrs. Nancy Amos		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Barbara J. Ellis		Chairperson	
	Mr. Hubert O. Fry, Jr.		Member	
	Mr. Ernest W. Lutz, Jr.		Member	

	The applicant and counsel if any, did not appear before the Board.

	The Board considered the following evidence:

	Exhibit A - Application for correction of military 
                records
	Exhibit B - Military Personnel Records (including
	            advisory opinion, if any)

FINDINGS:

1.  The applicant has exhausted or the Board has waived the requirement for exhaustion of all administrative remedies afforded by existing law or regulations.

2.  The applicant requests that she be paid board certification pay (BCP) retroactive to 1988.

3.  The applicant states that she thought her BCP was part of her Variable Special Pay (VSP) but recently discovered it was not.

4.  The applicant’s military records show that she entered active duty on 23 June 1985 in the grade of rank of captain, Medical Corps.  She became board certified as a Diplomate in Internal Medicine on 15 September 1988.

5.  In the processing of this case, an advisory opinion was obtained from the Army Medical Department Special Pay Branch.  That office reviewed the applicant’s pay account and determined that she has not received BCP although she was eligible effective 15 September 1988.  That office initiated payment of BCP effective 1 January 2000 through 31 December 2002; however, payment of arrears exceeds their authority.  That office recommended she be authorized BCP in arrears for the period 15 September 1988 through 31 December 1999, utilizing a Health Professions Pay Entry Date of        22 June 1985 for the correct pay level.  A copy of the advisory opinion was provided to the applicant for comment. She did not respond within the given time frame.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The Board concludes that an injustice has occurred in this case.  The evidence of record and the advisory opinion show that the applicant was eligible for BCP when she became board certified on 15 September 1988 but never received this pay until it was initiated on 1 January 2000.

2.  In view of the foregoing, it would be in the interest of justice to correct the applicant’s records as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by paying to the applicant board certification pay retroactive to 15 September 1988 through 31 December 1999 utilizing a Health Professions Pay Entry Date of 22 June 1985 to determine the correct pay level.

BOARD VOTE:  

__bje___  __hof___  __ewl___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

			Barbara J. Ellis
		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000037524	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20000330	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(GRANT)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	128.14	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.