IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 18 August 2023 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20230002036 APPLICANT REQUESTS: in effect, retroactive payment of Health Professions Officer Board Certification Pay (HPO BCP) from 27 June 2022 through 30 September 2022. APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENT(S) CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: * DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record) * Certification Letter from National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) * Memorandum, Subject: Request for HPO BCP FACTS: 1. The applicant states, in effect, he needs his HPO BCP to reflect a start date of 27 June 2022 instead of 1 October 2022. He is a Physician Assistant (PA) and was board certified by the NCCPA as of 27 June 2022. As a result, his HPO BCP should reflect that date. However, since he did not get to his unit and begin in processing until the new Fiscal Year (FY) in October, the credentialing officer at U.S. Army Garrison in Bavaria, Germany, stated that they could only back date his HPO BCP to the beginning of the FY, which is 1 October 2022. He needs his HPO BCP updated to reflect his board certification date of 27 June 2022. The reason he did not apply for HPO BCP, when he was first certified in June is because he was instructed to wait until he in-processed his new unit to do so. 2. The applicant's service records contain the following documents for the Board's consideration: a. DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) shows the applicant entered active duty on 11 February 2014 and was honorably discharged from the Army on 10 June 2022 to accept a commission in the Army. b. DA Form 71 (Oath of Office - Military Personnel) shows the applicant completed the oath of office in the Regular Army Army Medical Specialist Corps on 10 June 2022. c. DA Form 1059 (Service School Academic Evaluation Report), dated 10 June 2022 shows the applicant completed the Interservice PA Program phase two. 3. The applicant provides the following documents for the Board's consideration: a. A letter from NCCPA, dated 12 October 2022, which states the applicant was certified by the NCPAA on 27 June 2022 and it would remain valid until 31 December 2024. b. Memorandum, Subject: Request for HPO BCP, dated 29 December 2022, shows the applicant requested and was approved for HPO BCP, effective 1 October 2022, in the amount of $6,000.00 per year prorated monthly in area of concentration 65D (Physician Assistant). 4. On 19 May 2023, the Office of the Surgeon General, Chief, Special Pay Branch, provided and advisory opinion for the Board's consideration, which states, in effect: a. The applicant requests retroactive HPO BCP, effective 27 June 2022. b. A review of supporting documents, policy, special pay, and finance data showed the applicant was eligible to receive HPO BCP effective 27 June 2022, the active date of the PA Certification, per the NCCPA. c. The applicant is eligible to receive the HPO BCP ($6,000.00 per year) in the amount of $1,550.00 for the 27 June 2022 through 30 September 2022 timeframe. The exact arrears payment is determined by Defense Finance Accounting Service. 5. On 23 May 2023, the advisory opinion was provided to the applicant to allow him the opportunity to respond. On 24 May 2023, the applicant responded stating he had received and read the opinion and approved of the advisory opinion given. BOARD DISCUSSION: After reviewing the application, all supporting documents, and the evidence found within the military record, the Board found that relief was warranted. The Board carefully considered the applicant s contentions, the military record, and regulatory guidance. The Board reviewed the terms and conditions of the contract and agreed that the applicant was eligible for Health Professions Officer Board Certification Pay effective 2020627 and that he should be paid accordingly. BOARD VOTE: Mbr 1 Mbr 2 Mbr 3 :xx :xx :xx GRANT FULL RELIEF : : : GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF : : : GRANT FORMAL HEARING : : : DENY APPLICATION BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: 1. The Board determined the evidence presented 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 to show the applicant was eligible to receive Health Professions Officer Board Certification Pay ($6,000.00 per year) in the amount of $1,550.00 for the 27 June 2022 through 30 September 2022 timeframe. 2. The exact amount of the arrears payment to be determined by Defense Finance Accounting Services. 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. REFERENCE: Department of Defense Financial Management Regulation, Volume 7A section 050501 states to be eligible for HPO BCP 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. Have a post-baccalaureate degree in a clinical specialty and be certified by a professional board in a designated health profession clinical specialty. Section 050502 states HPO BCP is payable in an amount of $6,000.00 annually, to be prorated monthly. //NOTHING FOLLOWS// ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20230002036 1 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1