BOARD DATE: 1 December 2015 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20150014154 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 Board Certification Pay (BCP) for the period 1 January 2013 through 31 August 2014. 2. The applicant states: * she is a board certified physician and was receiving BCP until 31 December 2012 * the pay stopped despite the fact her board certification had not lapsed 3. The applicant provides: * Board Certificate * Subspecialty Board Letter * certification status letters for 2012, 2013, and 2014 * Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant's records show, after having had prior service in the U.S. Army Reserve (USAR), she was appointed as a USAR Medical Corps commissioned officer and executed her oath of office on 18 May 2001. 2. She has served in a variety of positions, to include a deployment to Afghanistan. She is currently on active duty in the rank of major. 3. On 6 April 2011, the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology certified her in the field of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Reproductive Endocrinology/Infertility. 4. An advisory opinion, dated 16 October 2015, was received from the Office of the Surgeon General (OTSG) in the processing of this case. The OTSG official stated: a. Requests for BCP are initiated by the officer through their command's supporting human resources office. If board certification renewals are issued, they must also be submitted to ensure BCP continues uninterrupted. A review of the supporting documentation and available special pay and finance data indicates, upon notification that BCP was not being paid, OTSG authorized retroactive payments for BCP commencing 1 September 2014 with a current expiration of 31 December 2015. There is no record of submission, authorization, or payment of BCP for the missing period from 1 January 2013 to 31 August 2014. b. With proper submission of credentials through their command, the applicant would have been eligible to receive BCP for the missing 20-month period from 1 January 2013 to 31 August 2014, totaling approximately $6,416.00. Utilizing a Health Professions Pay Entry Date (HPPED) or Medical Special Pay (MSP) date of 1 July 2001 for the correct pay-rate level, the retroactive payment for this total period will be determined by Defense Finance and Accounting Service. 5. The advisory opinion was forwarded to the applicant for her review and comment. In her response, she wrote, in effect, that, while she did not entirely understand what the OTSG official had recommended, she believed it essentially supported her contention she was eligible for retroactive payment of BCP. 6. The applicant provides letters showing she has maintained her board certification from 2011 through 31 December 2015. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The OTSG database shows the applicant was board certified and was eligible for but did not receive BCP from 1 January 2013 to present. Based on her request, finance data, and the supporting documentation, OTSG officials found no record of submission, authorization, or payment of BCP for the missing period of 1 January 2013 through 31 August 2014. In view of the foregoing, it would be appropriate to correct her records as recommended below. BOARD VOTE: _X_______ _X_______ __X___ GRANT FULL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING ________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION 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 the applicant applied for and was authorized payment of BCP for the period 1 January 2013 through 31 August 2014, utilizing an HPPED or MSP date of 1 July 2001 for the correct pay-rate level. _______ _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) AR20150014154 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20150014154 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1