IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 20 October 2016 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20160011192 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: 20 October 2016 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20160011192 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 is authorized payment of Board Certification Pay (BCP) in arrears for the period 2 July 2012 to 30 June 2015 at the applicable pay rate. ___________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: 20 October 2016 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20160011192 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 authorization of retroactive payment of medical officer Board Certification Pay (BCP) for the period 2 July 2012 to 30 June 2015. 2. He states he maintained board certification status throughout the period in question. Documentation of his board certification status was maintained by his hospital credentialing office. For unknown reasons his BCP stopped. Staff at the Army Medical Department (AMEDD), Special Pay Branch authorized him BCP from 1 July 2015 to the present day. He was told he had to apply to this Board for arrears pay. He should be eligible for retroactive BCP for the period in question. 3. The applicant provides copies of his Vascular Surgery Board Certification Certificates: * issued on 17 May 2004 and expiring on 1 July 2014 * issued on 15 September 2014 and expiring on 31 December 2024 CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant, a Regular Army Medical Corps colonel, received BCP until 1 July 2012 when it was stopped for unknown reasons. 2. The applicant provides evidence of his board certification in vascular surgery. 3. During the processing of this case an advisory opinion was obtained from the Office of The Surgeon General (OTSG). The Chief, AMEDD, Special Pay Branch stated: a. When the case was called to their attention, they were able to verify entitlement and authorize the applicant BCP staring on 1 July 2015. However, a two and a half?month gap in the applicant's board certifications was noted. Liaison with the American Board of Surgery indicated the applicant was actually certified without the noted time gap [as indicated by the American Board of Surgery's letter attached as an enclosure to the AMEDD opinion]. b. Requests for the entitlement of BCP (Title 37, U.S. Code, section 302(a)(5)) are initiated by the officer through his/her command's supporting human resources office. If board certification renewals are issued, they must also submit the renewal documentation to ensure BCP continues uninterrupted. The officer concerned can verify if he/she is receiving monthly BCP by reviewing his/her monthly leave and earnings statements by checking the entitlements column. The officer should take immediate action if payments stop. c. With submission, renewals, and monitoring, the applicant would have been eligible to receive BCP for the missing period of 2 July 2012 through 30 June 2015, an estimate of approximately $18,000.00 prior to any withholdings. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) would determine the exact payment, based on the applicant's Health Professions Pay Entry Date, or Medical Special Pay Date of 21 May 1994. 3. The Case Management Division, Army Review Boards Agency, provided a copy of the advisory opinion to the applicant for review and comment on 25 August 2016. He did not respond. REFERENCES: 1. Title 37, U.S. Code, sections 301d, 302, 302f, and 303a, provides 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 Professional Pay Entry Date. 2. Army Regulation 37-104-4 (Military Pay and Allowances Policy), chapter 20 (Settlement Actions Resulting from Correction of Records by the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR)), only the Director, DFAS, may execute settlement actions affecting the military pay accounts of Soldiers as a result of correction of records by the ABCMR. Thus, any relief granted should be directed to DFAS. DISCUSSION: The applicant was qualified for and should be authorized BCP for the period 2 July 2012 to 30 June 2015. //NOTHING FOLLOWS// ABCMR Record of Proceedings AR20150000953 Enclosure 1 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20160011192 2 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Enclosure 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20160011192 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Enclosure 2