BOARD DATE: 30 July 2020 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20180000597 APPLICANT REQUESTS: Board Certification Pay (BCP) for the months from 1 August 2017 to 18 October 2017. APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: * DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record) * Board Certification in Clinical Social Work * Request for Health Professions Officer (HPO) BCP * Board Certified in Clinical Social Work certificate * Master's Degree in Social Work * Transcripts FACTS: 1. The applicant states he requests back pay from 1 August 2017 to 18 October 2017 BCP. It was not given to him from the activation date of his BCP of 1 August 2017. 2. The applicant’s available service records contain the following documents for the Board's consideration: a. A DA Form 71 (Oath of Office - Military Personnel), which shows he was appointed a Reserve commissioned officer on 8 August 2003. b. A certificate showing he received a Master's Degree in Social Work on 2 December 2011. c. A document entitled License/Certification Verification which shows he is licensed in Clinical Social Work from 6 March 2014 through 30 June 2019. d. A certificate showing the applicant is a Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work as of 1 August 2017. e. A letter from the American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work, dated 29 August 2018, which shows the applicant is in good standing as a Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work as of 15 July 2018. f. A memorandum for the Surgeon General requesting BCP, which shows the applicant was entering into the BCP agreement effective 1 August 2017 and expiring on 31 August 2018 at the rate of $6,000 per year. He and the approving authority signed the document on 19 October 2017. g. A memorandum for the Surgeon General requesting BCP, which shows the applicant was entering into the BCP agreement effective 1 September 2018 and expiring on 31 August 2019 at the rate of $6,000 per year. He and the approving authority signed the document on 6 September 2018. 3. The applicant provides the following documents for the Board's consideration: a. A letter from the American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work, dated 29 August 2017, which states the applicant was in good standing as a Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work. b. A memorandum for the Surgeon General Requesting HPO BCP, for the time period of 1 August 2017 through 31 August 2018, which was present in the applicant's service record. c. His Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work certificate that was present in the applicant's service record d. His Master of Social Work Certificate, which was present in the applicant's service record. e. The applicant's transcript from Fayetteville State University. 4. See applicable regulatory guidance below under REFERENCES. BOARD DISCUSSION: 1. After reviewing the application and all supporting documents, the Board found that relief is warranted. 2. The Board agreed that the applicant became eligible for BCP on the date he became board certified, i.e., 1 August 2017, but likely was not paid BCP for the period 1 August 2017 through 18 October 2017 because he did not sign his BCP agreement until 19 October 2017. The Board determined the record should be corrected to show the applicant was approved to receive BCP effective 1 August 2017 and he should be paid any BCP he is due as a result of this correction. BOARD VOTE: Mbr 1 Mbr 2 Mbr 3 :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 he was approved to receive Board Certification Pay effective 1 August 2017 and he should be paid any monies he is due as a result of this correction. 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. REFERENCES: 1. The Assistant Secretary of Defense, Health Affairs, Memorandum, Subject: HPO IP, recognizes a Diplomate in Clinical Social Work requirements to result in entitlement to Board Certification Pay (BCP) at the 1 year rate of $6,000.00 prorated monthly. Eligible officers must be a graduate of a school of social work. Active Component Health Profession Officers (HPO) must be currently credentialed and practicing at a facility designated by the military Service, in their specialty for which the Incentive Pay is being paid. 2. Title 37 U.S.C. 335 (Special Bonus Incentive Pay) states that the Secretary of the Army may pay a health professions bonus under this section to an officer in the uniformed services, who is a graduate of an accredited school in a health profession and who accepts a commission or appointment as an officer in a regular or reserve component of a uniformed service, or affiliates with a reserve component of a uniformed service, and agrees to serve on active duty in a regular component or in an active status in a reserve component in a health profession; accepts a commission or appointment as an officer and whose health profession specialty is designated by the Secretary of Defense as a critically short wartime specialty; or agrees to remain on active duty or continue serving in an active status in a reserve component in a health profession. The Secretary of the Army may pay Health Professions Incentive Pay to an officer in a regular or reserve component of a uniformed service who is entitled to basic pay under section 204 of this title or compensation under section 206 of this title and is serving on active duty or in an active status in a designated health profession specialty or skill. Board Certification Incentive Pay may not exceed $6,000 for each 12-month period of obligated service. Board Certification Incentive Pay under this section to an officer in a regular or reserve component of a uniformed service who is entitled to basic pay under section 204 of this title or compensation under section 206 of this title. The officer must be board certified in a designated health profession specialty or skill; and serve on active duty or in an active status in such designated health profession specialty or skill. //NOTHING FOLLOWS// ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20180000597 4 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1