RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:     

	BOARD DATE:           2 December 2003                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2003087290

	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.  

	Mr. Carl W. S. Chun		Director	
	Mr. Edmund P. Mercanti		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Fred N. Eichorn		Chairperson	
	Mr. Melvin H. Meyer		Member	
	Mr. Patrick H. McGann		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).

THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, STATEMENT, AND EVIDENCE:  

1.  The applicant requests that she be given constructive service credit for her masters degree in pathology.

2.  The applicant states that she had two advanced degrees when she was commissioned as an officer.  She had a masters degree in pathology and a doctor of medicine degree.  She wasn’t aware at the time of her commission that she was eligible for constructive service for her masters degree as well as her doctor of medicine degree.  If her request for additional constructive service is approved, she also requests that she be considered by a standby promotion board for promotion to major under Fiscal Year 2002 promotion criteria.

3.  The applicant provides university documents showing that she was bestowed a masters degree in pathology on 6 June 1997, and documents showing that she was given 4 years of constructive service credit at that time of her commission.

CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 

1.  The applicant’s military records show that, on 21 March 1997, orders were published which show the applicant was commissioned as a captain, Medical Corps, based on 4 years of constructive service credit.  She was to report to fulfill her active Army requirement on 13 June 1997.

2.  On the date the applicant submitted her request to the Board, she was serving on active duty as a captain.

3.  In the processing of this case, an advisory opinion was obtained from the Office of The Surgeon General (OTSG).  The OTSG quotes the law which states that a period of time will only be counted once when computing entry grade credit.  The OTSG continues that in the applicant’s case, she earned and was awarded both degrees simultaneously.  The OTSG recommends no additional service credit be awarded to the applicant.  The applicant was furnished a copy of this advisory opinion and given the opportunity to submit additional matters to the Board.  She opted not to respond.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:

1.  Since a period of time may only be counted once in computing entry grade credit, and since the applicant earned both degrees simultaneously, she is not entitled to any additional constructive service credit.

2.  Unless the applicant can show that her university transcripts are in error, there is insufficient basis in which to grant her request.

BOARD VOTE:

________  ________  ________  GRANT RELIEF 

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

___phm___  ___mhm  ___fne__  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.

		_________Fred N. Eichorn_____________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2003087290	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20031202	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	DENY	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.		
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.