IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 25 August 2022 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20210015611 APPLICANT REQUESTS: amendment of his Health Professions Officer Incentive Pay (HPO IP) effective date. APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: * DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record) * American Board of Radiology Core Exam Results, dated February 2021 * Memorandum for Record – Subject: Graduate Medical Education, dated 22 September 2021 FACTS: 1. The applicant states he is currently serving on active duty as a Physician and as a Radiologist with entitlement to HPO IP. He contests that his HPO IP was supposed to be initiated upon completion of his residency effective the date that he was credentialed at William Beaumont Army Medical Center. However, due to a clerical error at Brooke Army Medical Center, his credentialling was delayed by approximately 1 week resulting in the loss of approximately $1,000.00 of his HPO IP entitlement. He argues that the error/delay made was not his fault because he proactively and diligently provided all required documentation to initiate his HPO IP. 2. A review of the applicant's available service records reflects the following: a. On 30 July 2012, the applicant was commissioned in the Regular Army as a Medical Service Corps Officer enrolled in the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center at the rank of second lieutenant (2LT). b. On 17 May 2017, U.S. Army Garrison Fort Detrick Army Element, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center issued Orders Number 137-04 reassigning the applicant to the Student Detachment at Brooke Army Medical Center with a 10 July 2017 report date. c. On 5 May 2015, the applicant completed the Basic Office Leader Course. d. On 21 May 2016, the applicant graduated from USUHS with his Doctor of Medicine degree and was subsequently commissioned in the Medical Corps at the rank of captain. e. On 7 June 2021, Headquarters, U.S. Army North (Fifth Army) issued Orders Number 158-707 reassigning the applicant from Brooke Army Medical Center to the 31st Medical Field Hospital in area of concentration 61R (Diagnostic Radiologist) with duty at Beaumont Army Medical Center with a report date of 2 August 2021. 3. The applicant provides: a. American Board of Radiology Core Exam Results dated February 2021, reflective of the applicant scoring a 430 (minimum passing score = 350) on the Radiology core exam. b. Memorandum for Record – Subject: Graduate Medical Education dated 22 September 2021 provided by the Registrar's office, San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium regarding the completion of the applicant's residency and the processing of his credentialing. Ms. provides that the applicant completed his residency on 30 June 2021 and was subsequently granted his privileging as a Radiologist on 17 August 2021 4. The applicant's records are void of a request for HPO IP for any period. 5. On 9 May 2022, the Office of the Surgeon General, Chief, Army Medical Department, Special Pay Branch provided an advisory opinion citing a review of the applicant's relevant supporting documentation, special pay and finance data indicates that the HPO IP effective date criteria is the latter date of qualifying training plus 3 months or date of privileging. The applicant completed his residency on 30 June 2021 and his effective date of privileging is 21 August 2021. The applicant's records are void of any evidence that supports amending this date any further. Therefore, the requested relief is not supported and the applicant is not owed any additional funds. 6. On 19 May 2022, the applicant was provided with a copy of the advisory opinion and afforded 15 days to provide comments. In response, the applicant disagreed with the advisory opinion citing that a memorandum was provided from the administrator (Registrar) who made the clerical error detailing the sequence of events that led to his delay in privileging. This error resulted in the loss of a substantial sum of money (approximately $1,000.00) calculated from the yearly specialty pay divided by 54 weeks. BOARD DISCUSSION: 1. After reviewing the application, all supporting documents, and the evidence found within the military record, the Board found relief is not warranted. 2. The Board concurred with the conclusion of the advisory official that the evidence does not support an earlier start date for HPO IP in this case. Based on a preponderance of the evidence, the Board determined the applicant’s HPO IP start date is not in error or unjust. BOARD VOTE: Mbr 1 Mbr 2 Mbr 3 : : : GRANT FULL RELIEF : : : GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF : : : GRANT FORMAL HEARING :X :X :X DENY APPLICATION BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The evidence presented does not demonstrate the existence of a probable error or injustice. Therefore, the Board determined the overall merits of this case are insufficient as a basis for correction of the records of the individual concerned. 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. Department of Defense Financial Management Regulation, Volume 7A section 050602 states to be eligible for HPO IP a member must be serving in an Active Component or Reserve Component of a Military Service and entitled to basic pay under Title 37, United States Code (USC), section 204 or compensation pursuant to Title 37, USC, section 206; Serving on active duty or in an active Reserve status in a designated health professional specialty. Table 5-4 provides that a Radiology Diagnostic (61R) is entitled to $59,000.00 per year prorated monthly. 2. Army Active Component Health Professions Officer Special and Incentive Pay Plan reflects that to be eligible for the HPO IP, an HPO must: (1) Execute an IP agreement, and have at least one-year retainability on Active Duty beginning on the effective date. (2) If a Healthcare Provider (HCP), Active Component and HPOs must be currently credentialed, privileged, and practicing a minimum of 40-hours/year at a facility designated by the Army, in the specialty for which the HPOIP is being paid. (3) The HPO must possess a current, valid, unrestricted license 3. Army Regulation (AR) 15-185 (ABCMR) paragraph 2-9 states the ABCMR begins its consideration of each case with the presumption of administrative regularity. The applicant has the burden of proving an error or injustice by a preponderance of the evidence. //NOTHING FOLLOWS// ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20210015611 1 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1