MEMORANDUM OF CONSIDERATION

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:  5 March 2002
	DOCKET NUMBER:  AR2001062799

	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	
	Mr. Paul A. Petty		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Fred N. Eichorn		Chairperson	
	Mr. Donald P. Hupman		Member	
	Mr. Thomas B. Redfern		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:  In effect, that he be given 2 years constructive credit on his medical officer effective date of rank (DOR) for his adjunctive skills, a Master of Arts in Chemistry.

APPLICANT STATES:  That he was not credited with constructive credit for his adjunctive skill degree, Master of Arts in Chemistry.  Biochemistry was his principal field of study.  The knowledge he obtained in graduate school has proven to be invaluable in understanding the molecular basis of disease and modern pharmacology.  He provided a copy of his transcript for the Master of Arts in Chemistry and his graduate research proposal, “Understanding Life at the Molecular Level: The mechanism of recognition of ribosomal protein L11 by the 23SrRNA.”

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

That he received a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Houghton College on 10 May 1993, a Master of Arts in Chemistry from Johns Hopkins University on 
25 May 1995, and a Doctor of Medicine from Eastern Virginia Medical School on 19 May 2000.  He was appointed a captain in the Medical Corps, U. S. Army Reserve (USAR), with concurrent call to active duty, on 24 July 2000, with an effective date of 19 May 2000.  His assigned military specialty is 61H9D, Family Physician.

Army Regulation 135-101 (Appointment of Reserve Commissioned Officers for Assignment to Army Medical Department), table 3-1 (Constructive Service Credit) shows that Medical Corps officers may be given credit for additional advanced degrees that add adjunctive skills to their primary specialty and contribute directly to their performance in anticipated duty positions.  This additional degree must not have been earned concurrently with the primary medical degree.  One year of credit is given for each year required for the advanced degree.  Paragraph 3-1b states that constructive service credit will be granted for periods of professional training and experience accrued after receipt of the basic qualifying degree.  Table 3-4 lists the additional advanced degrees, which include basic science and biochemistry, that may be accepted for additional constructive credit.

The Chief of the Medical Corps Division, Headquarters, United States Army Recruiting Command, provided an advisory opinion that the applicant’s Master of Arts in Chemistry does not qualify for adjunctive skill constructive credit since it was earned before completing his medical degree which qualified him for his Medical Corps officer appointment and that it does not contribute directly to his primary specialty.  The applicant was provide a copy of the opinion for rebuttal but he has not provided a response.

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.  The applicant’s Master of Arts in Chemistry degree does not qualify for adjunctive skills constructive credit.  In accordance with AR 135-101, the chemistry degree is not authorized for such credit since he received it before he received his basic medical degree that qualified him for appointment.  The chemistry degree is not a biochemistry degree identified in the regulation as qualifying for adjunctive skills constructive credit.  Medical authority has also determined that the chemistry degree does not add adjunctive skills that contribute to his primary specialty.

2.  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

___fe___  ___dh___  ___tr____  DENY APPLICATION

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

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2001062799	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20020305	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	DENY	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	112.07 – Constructive Credit	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.