IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 5 December 2017 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20170011183 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: 5 December 2017 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20170011183 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 he was approved for Board Certification Pay and paying him Board Certification Pay in arrears for the period 1 January 2012 through 30 September 2015, using a Health Professions Pay Entry Date or finance Medical Specialty Pay Date of 14 June 1996 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: 5 December 2017 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20170011183 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 1 January 2012 to 30 September 2015. 2. The applicant states he has been board certified in Family Medicine since 2004. His board certification never lapsed, but he did not receive BCP from 1 January 2012 through 30 September 2015. 3. The applicant provides board certification verification in Family Medicine. CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant is currently serving on active duty in the Regular Army in the rank of colonel assigned to Headquarters, U.S. Army Materiel Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. 2. His records show he is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine as of 17 July 2004. The certification is continuous as long as Family Medicine certification requirements are maintained. 3. An advisory opinion was obtained from the Chief, Army Medical Department Special Pay Branch, Office of the Surgeon General, dated 11 October 2017. The advisory official recommends payment of BCP for the period 1 January 2012 to 30 September 2015 and states: a. Requests for legacy BCP for physicians are initiated by the officer through his or her command's supporting Human Resources/Personnel/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 this office authorized retroactive payments for BCP commencing 1 October 2015. The verified missing period of BCP is 1 January 2012 to 30 September 2015. c. The applicant is eligible to receive BCP for the missing 45-month period 1 January 2012 to 30 September 2015, totaling approximately $18,750.00 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 14 June 1996 for the correct pay rates. 4. The advisory opinion was furnished to the applicant for information and to allow him the opportunity to submit comments or a rebuttal. He 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 Family Medicine on 17 July 2004. 2. The advisory opinion states: a. The Army Medical Department Special Pay Branch authorized retroactive payments for BCP commencing 1 October 2015. b. The applicant's missing period of BCP is verified as 1 January 2012 to 30 September 2015. c. The applicant is eligible to receive BCP for the missing 45-month period 1 January 2012 to 30 September 2015, totaling approximately $18,750.00 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 14 June 1996 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) AR20170011183 2 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Enclosure 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20170011183 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Enclosure 2