IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 10 October 2017 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20170009795 BOARD VOTE: ___x_____ ___x___ ___x____ GRANT FULL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING ________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION 2 Enclosures 1. Board Determination/Recommendation 2. Evidence and Consideration IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 10 October 2017 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20170009795 BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The Board determined the evidence presented is sufficient to warrant a recommendation for relief. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by showing she was approved for Board Certification Pay and paying her Board Certification Pay in arrears for the period 1 January 2015 through 30 September 2016, using a Health Professions Pay Entry Date or finance Medical Specialty Pay Date of 7 June 1997 for the correct pay rates. ___________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. IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 10 October 2017 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20170009795 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 Board Certification Pay (BCP) for the period January 2015 to October 2016. 2. The applicant states she has been board certified in Pediatrics since 2000 and Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine since 2003. Her certification never lapsed, but her BCP stopped in December 2014. 3. The applicant provides: * board certification in General Pediatrics * board certification in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine * certification verification CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant is currently serving on active duty in the Regular Army in the rank of lieutenant colonel assigned to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. 2. Her records show: a. She is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in General Pediatrics as of 24 October 2000. The certification is ongoing contingent upon her continuing to meet the requirements of Maintenance of Certification. b. She is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine as of 17 November 2003. The certification is ongoing contingent upon continuing to meet the requirements of Maintenance of Certification. 3. An advisory opinion was obtained from the Chief, Army Medical Department Special Pay Branch, Office of the Surgeon General, dated 11 August 2017. The advisory official recommends payment of BCP for the period 1 January 2015 to 30 September 2016 and states: a. Requests for legacy BCP for physicians, which is considered under the entitlement category of Title 37, U.S. Code, section 302, are initiated by the officer through his or her command's supporting Human Resources, Personnel, or S-1 Office. If board certification renewals or Maintenance of Certifications are issued, the officer must also submit renewal documentation to ensure BCP continues uninterrupted. Receipt of monthly BCP can be verified by the officer by reviewing his or her monthly leave and earnings statement entitlements column. Immediate action should be taken if payments are not visible or stop abruptly. b. A review of supporting documentation and available special pay and finance data indicates BCP stopped on 31 December 2014 and this office authorized payments for BCP commencing 1 October 2016. The verified missing period of BCP is 1 January 2015 to 30 September 2016. c. The applicant is eligible to receive BCP for the missing 21-month period 1 January 2015 to 30 September 2016, totaling approximately $10,500.00 prior to any withholding. The exact payment would be determined by Defense Finance and Accounting Service-Indianapolis utilizing a Health Professions Pay Entry Date or finance Medical Specialty Pay Date of 7 June 1997 for the correct pay rates. 4. The advisory opinion was furnished to the applicant for information and to allow her the opportunity to submit comments or a rebuttal. She did not respond. REFERENCES: Title 37, U.S. Code, sections 301d, 302, 302f, and 303a, provide for multi-year retention bonuses and special pays for medical officers and health professionals of the Armed Forces. For Army Medical Corps officers (physicians), these special pays include BCP, which is paid monthly to all board-certified Medical Corps officers based upon their date of board certification and their creditable service used to establish the Health Professions Pay Entry Date. DISCUSSION: 1. The evidence of record shows the applicant: * received board certification by the American Board of Pediatrics in General Pediatrics on 24 October 2000 * received board certification by the American Board of Pediatrics in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine on 17 November 2003 2. The advisory opinion states: a. The applicant's BCP stopped on 31 December 2014 and the Army Medical Department Special Pay Branch authorized payments for BCP commencing 1 October 2016. b. The applicant's missing period of BCP is verified as 1 January 2015 to 30 September 2016. c. The applicant is eligible to receive BCP for the missing 21-month period 1 January 2015 to 30 September 2016, totaling approximately $10,500.00 prior to any withholding. d. The exact payment would be determined by Defense Finance and Accounting Service-Indianapolis utilizing a Health Professions Pay Entry Date or finance Medical Specialty Pay Date of 7 June 1997 for the correct pay rates. //NOTHING FOLLOWS// ABCMR Record of Proceedings AR20150000953 Enclosure 1 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20170009795 2 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Enclosure 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20170009795 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Enclosure 2