BOARD DATE:	  22 May 2014

		DOCKET NUMBER:  AR20140003482 


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, in effect, retroactive award of Board Certification Pay (BCP) from 19 November 2011 through 10 February 2013.

2.  The applicant states he has not received the BCP that he is entitled to receive.  He has been eligible for this special pay since 19 November 2011.  He was advised he needed to file a claim through this process.  He is unaware of what has caused the error; however, he has been advised that this has been a fairly common complaint in the Medical Corps so he is assuming it represents a breakdown in the system that processes special pay.

3.  The applicant provides copies of his Board Certification memorandum, Army Medical Department (AMEDD) Special Pay Record Brief, and a BCP payment request.

CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:	

1.  The applicant was appointed in the U.S. Army Reserve, Medical Corps, as a captain, on 21 April 2008, with prior commissioned service.  He was ordered to active duty with a report date of 4 June 2008.

2.  He provided copies of the following:

* Board Certification memorandum, dated 11 December 2012, which shows he was certified with the American Board of Family Medicine on 19 November 2011
* AMEDD Special Pay Record Brief, dated 6 February 2014, which shows he was eligible for several AMEDD special pays to include BCP
* BCP Payment Request, dated 11 February 2014, wherein he requested BCP from 11 February 2013 through 31 December 2012

3.  In an advisory opinion, dated 3 April 2014, the Chief, AMEDD Special Pay Branch, reiterated the applicant's request.  The AMEDD Special Pay Branch official stated:

   a.  Requests for BCP are initiated by the officer through their supporting human resource/personnel office.  A review of the supporting documentation and available special pay and finance data indicated the applicant's BCP was recently authorized retroactive to 11 February 2013 with a current expiration of 31 December 2021; the maximum authority that office had for BCP payments in arrears.  There was no previous record of submission, authorization, or payment of BCP commencing on 19 November 2011.

   b.  The applicant was eligible to receive BCP for the period 19 November 2011 through 10 February 2013.  The Defense Finance and Accounting Service–Indianapolis (DFAS-IN) would need to pay the retroactive period utilizing a Health Professions Pay Entry Date or finance MS-Pay-Date of 3 June 2008 for the correct pay rate level.  The retroactive payment for that total period is approximately $3,100 prior to withholdings; the exact payment is to be determined by DFAS-IN.

4.  The advisory opinion was forwarded to the applicant for acknowledgment and comment on 3 April 2014.  He did not respond.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The evidence shows the applicant was fully eligible for the requested BCP from 19 November 2011 through 10 February 2013.  The AMEDD Special Pay Branch could not initiate corrective action because the period of arrears exceeded that office's authority to authorize payment.  

2.  In view of the foregoing, he is entitled to payment of BCP from 19 November 2011 through 10 February 2013.






BOARD VOTE:

___X_____  __X______  _X___  GRANT FULL RELIEF 

________  ________  ________  GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF 

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION:

The Board determined that the evidence presented was 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 the applicant was approved for BCP from 19 November 2011 through 10 February 2013 and paying him BCP for that period.




      _______ _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.

ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)                                         AR20140003482



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ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)                                         AR20140003482



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