IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 4 February 2016 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20150010603 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 retroactive payment of Health Professions Officer Board Certification Pay (HPOBCP) at the rate of $500.00 per month for the period 18 August to 30 September 2014. 2. The applicant states she is owed payment of this pay for August and September 2014. She wants her contract updated to reflect those two months. She tried to resolve this issue and she was told the correction has to be done by officials at the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS). 3. The applicant provides: * BCP Contract signed on 19 January 2015 * Email exchange with Office of The Surgeon General (OTSG) * American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Board CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant was appointed as a Reserve commissioned officer of the Army and executed an oath of office on 20 May 2003. She completed the Army Medical Department Basic (AMEDD) Officer Leader Course (BOLC). 2. She served in a variety of assignments and she was promoted to major in June 2012. Her Certification by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners is dated 18 August 2014 and her Veterinarian Certificate was also renewed through 31 May 2015. 3. On 19 January 2015, she executed an agreement in which the Army agreed to pay her BCP at the rate of $6,000/year, paid on a monthly basis upon the execution of this agreement. The Approval Authority approved it. Her HPOBCP commenced on 1 October 2014. 4. An advisory opinion was received from OTSG on 18 August 2015 in the processing of this case. An OTSG official stated: a. Applicant is requesting retroactive payment of the HPOBCP at $6,000/year for which she claims no payments for 18 August 2014 through 30 September 2014. She indicates that she was eligible for the HPOBCP from date of certification; however, due to lack of local support, contract was not created until the next fiscal year and back dated to 1 October 2014. b. In accordance with All Army Activities (ALARACT) Message 195/2010; Subject: ALARACT Army Special Pay Plan for Licensed Clinical Psychologist(s), Social Workers, Physician Assistants(s), and Veterinarians; paragraph 4, General Eligibility Criteria for the HPO special pays indicates officer must be a commissioned HPO who is a graduate of the AMEDD Officer Basic Course (OBC), and fully qualified by award of area of concentration (AOC) in the specialty. Additionally, subparagraph 4(C)(5) indicates that officer, as a Health Care Provider (HCP), must be currently credential and privileged, or actively seeking privileges at a Medical Treatment Facility (MTF) in the specialty for which the HPO is to be paid. Since all HPO special pays are discretionary, and require execution and acceptance of the appropriate contract, failure to submit the contract with the proper effective date and/or in a timely manner can subject officer to not receiving all the special pay they may have been eligible to receive. c. A review of her records, special pay and finance data indicates she met eligibility criteria for completion of BOLC/OBC, and the credential and privileges criteria are not required as a Veterinarian since she is not an HCP by definition. Her initial HPOBCP discretionary contract at $6,000/year; payable $500/month commenced 20141001. Additionally, her initial HPO contracts for incentive and retention special pays commenced 20101001. d. She was eligible for discretionary HPOBCP at $6,000/year; payable $500/month, for the period commencing upon board certification on 20140818. The Board should consider favorable resolution based on issues that delayed her from completing the HPOBCP contract in a timely manner. The 42-day period of arrears is approximately $700. e. In accordance with Army Regulation 37-104-4, Military Pay and Allowances Policy, 8 June 2005, Chapter 20, Settlement Actions Resulting from Correction of Records by the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR); only the Director, DFAS-IN may make settlement actions affecting the military pay accounts of Soldiers as a result of correction of records by the ABCMR per provisions of AR 15-185. Therefore, any ABCMR relief granted should be addressed for action to the Corrections - Claims Section, DFAS-IN. 4. The applicant was provided with a copy of this advisory opinion on 21 August 2015 but she did not respond. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: 1. The OTSG database shows the applicant was eligible for discretionary HPOBCP at $6,000/year; payable $500/month, for the period commencing upon her board certification on 20140818. However, based on her request, finance data, and the supporting documentation, OTSG officials determined there were issues that delayed her from completing the HPOBCP contract in a timely manner. 2. Her contract was not signed until 19 January 2015, commencing on 1 October 2014. That left a 42-day period of unpaid arrears at nearly $700. The OTSG official opined the applicant met the criteria and recommended she receives HPOBCP in arrears for the period 18 August to 30 September 2014. 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 executed her initial HPOBCP discretionary contract at $6,000/year; payable $500/month commencing on 18 August 2014 * showing the applicant is authorized payment of HPOBCP in arrears for the period 18 August 2014 through 30 September 2014 _____________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) AR20150010603 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20150010603 4 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1