MEMORANDUM OF CONSIDERATION

	IN THE CASE OF:   

	BOARD DATE:           9 August 2001      
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2001057453

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

	Mr. Carl W. S. Chun		Director	
	Ms. Wanda L. Waller		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Irene N. Wheelwright		Chairperson	
	Mr. Fred N. Eichorn		Member	
	Ms. Gail J. Wire		Member	

	The Board, established pursuant to authority contained in 10 U.S.C. 1552, convened at the call of the Chairperson on the above date.  In accordance with Army Regulation 15-185, the application and the available military records pertinent to the corrective action requested were reviewed to determine whether to authorize a formal hearing, recommend that the records be corrected without a formal hearing, or to deny the application without a formal hearing if it is determined that insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of probable material error or injustice.

	The applicant requests correction of military records as stated in the application to the Board and as restated herein.

	The Board considered the following evidence:

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

APPLICANT REQUESTS:  That she receive Non-Physician Board Certification Pay (NPBCP) for the period February 1996 to February 2000.   

APPLICANT STATES:  That she has served as an Advanced Practice Nurse credentialed as a Clinical Nurse Specialist/Nurse Practitioner since 1988.  She contends that she received certification from the American Nurses’ Association and the American Nurses Credentialing Center in January 1990 and became eligible to collect NPBCP in February 1996.  In support of her application, she submits certification from the American Nurses’ Association and the American Nurses Credentialing Center; and copies of initial credentials at the Lyster U.S. Army Community Hospital in Fort Rucker, Alabama.  

EVIDENCE OF RECORD:  The applicant's military records show:

That she was commissioned as a Reserve officer in the Nurse Corps on 11 June 1979.  She was ordered to active duty on 18 July 1979 and was appointed an officer in the Regular Army in the Army Nurse Branch effective 5 January 1989.  The applicant was promoted to lieutenant colonel on 1 April 1994.

Section 4 (Years of Creditable Service) on the applicant’s Application Form for Board Certification Pay shows that she was not privileged to practice as a Clinical Specialist during her tour at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) for the period June 1996 through June 2000.  

The applicant provided a certificate from the American Nurses’ Association which shows that she was certified as a Clinical Specialist in Adult Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing for the period 1 January 1990 to 31 December 1994.

The applicant provided a certificate from the American Nurses Credentialing Center which shows that she was certified as a Clinical Specialist in Adult Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing for the period 1 January 1995 to 
31 December 1999.

The applicant also provided a certificate which shows that she is board certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center as a Clinical Specialist in Adult Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing with an effective date of 1 January 2000.

In the processing of this case an advisory opinion was obtained from the Chief of the Army Medical Department (AMEDD) Special Pay Branch of the Office of the Surgeon General.  That office cannot support the applicant’s request for NPBCP based on current policy and procedures.

The advisory opinion noted that NPBCP was first authorized for registered nurses who met the eligibility criteria effective 10 February 1996.  The opinion points out that a review of the applicant’s pay account indicates that the AMEDD Special Pay Branch initiated her NPBCP effective 1 January 2000 with an expiration of 31 December 2004 and that all payments have been disbursed to date.  The applicant did not receive NPBCP for the period 10 February 1996 to 31 December 1999.  

The opinion also points out that in order to receive NPBCP, an Army Nurse Corps officer is required to be board certified, earned a clinical Master’s Degree in their specialty, privileged and actively working (20 hours/week minimum) in the clinical specialty for which NPBCP is requested.  This information is presented by completion of the Application Form For Board Certification Pay, which requires portions to be completed by the officer and the command and forwarding to the Army Nurse Corps Branch of PERSCOM for review and approval.  In turn, the officer’s approved NPBCP data is provided to this office for submission and payment by the Defense Finance & Accounting Service.

The opinion further states that the Army Nurse Corps Branch of PERSCOM reviewed the documentation provided as part of this petition, as well as documentation in the applicant’s Career Management Information File, and there is no indication of approved privileges for the period 10 February 1996 to 
31 December 1999.  Specifically, the applicant’s application for Board Certification Pay shows that she was not privileged to practice as a Clinical Specialist during her tour at WRAMC for the period June 1996 – June 2000. 
 
The advisory opinion was furnished to the applicant for review and possible rebuttal.  The applicant did not respond within the given time frame. 

DISCUSSION:  Considering all the evidence, allegations, and information presented by the applicant, together with the evidence of record, applicable law and regulations, and advisory opinion(s), it is concluded:

1.  Evidence of record shows that the applicant was not privileged to practice as a Clinical Specialist during the period June 1996 to June 2000.  Therefore, based on current policy and procedures, the applicant is not entitled to receive NPBCP for the period February 1996 to February 2000.      

2.  In order to justify correction of a military record the applicant must show to the satisfaction of the Board, or it must otherwise satisfactorily appear, that the record is in error or unjust.  The applicant has failed to submit evidence that would satisfy this requirement.

3.  In view of the foregoing, there is no basis for granting the applicant's request.
DETERMINATION:  The applicant has failed to submit sufficient relevant evidence to demonstrate the existence of probable error or injustice.

BOARD VOTE:

________  ________  ________  GRANT

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

INW____  FNE____  GJW_____  DENY APPLICATION

		    Carl W. S. Chun
		    Director, Army Board for Correction
    of Military Records

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2001057453	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20010809	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	 	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(DENY)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	128.1400	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.