The Most Controversial Post of All Time Resolved? HPSP and FAP Credit in the Reserves
The most controversial post of all time is this post about getting credit for HPSP time in the Reserves. It has over 100 comments, and no other post in 10 years is even close to that many. The issue may have led to an IG complaint and Congressional Inquiry, if not multiple of each!
Yesterday, a reader tipped me off that this may have been resolved. Here is the text from the Navy Personnel Command page:
Physicians, Dentists, Optometrists, Physician Assistants or Clinical Psychologists who participated in the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) and/or Financial Assistance Program (FAP) and drill in a Critical Wartime Specialty, can earn up to a maximum of 4 years towards retirement and a maximum of 50 points per year. DoDI 1215.07 page 14.
In response to SECNAV memo of 23 Jan 25 and ASSTSECNAV MRA WASHINGTON DC e-mail ltr of 28 Jan 25, member is eligible for issuance up to four years of qualifying service due to completion of the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) and validation of critical wartime specialty.
HPSP retirement example*: A CDR, who currently serves in a DoD Critical Wartime Specialty, participated in the HPSP program for 4 years and separated from active duty service with 12 years. Upon accession into the Navy Reserves, the CDR is immediately credited with 4 satisfactory years towards Reserve retirement plus 200 points (50 points per year while in HPSP program). The CDR would need to serve in the SELRES for just 4 more years to reach retirement eligibility.
(Note that they don’t tell you want the asterix means after the word “example” in the above paragraph)
Added 20 MAR 2025:
This file has the most recent publicly available list of critical wartime specialties. It is unclear if this is the list they will use for the above policy:
Joel Schofer's Career Planning Blog 
March 17, 2025 at 14:52
how do you find out what is considered a critical wartime specialty?
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March 17, 2025 at 22:30
It used to be a list of specialties that was updated annually. The original post has a list from back then. I would contact the Reserve Affairs Officer in your Corps Chief’s Office at BUMED.
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March 17, 2025 at 23:34
Wonderful news indeed! However, asking the audience and hoping someone who reads this can provide some insight into the contents of “SECNAV memo of 23 Jan 25 and ASSTSECNAV MRA WASHINGTON DC e-mail ltr of 28 Jan 25.” I was hoping SECNAV memo might be in reference to an ALNAV or NAVADMIN message, but I can’t find any reference to this topic in either collection of messages around those dates. I’m asking because the only reference that I can view – the DoDI – says this on page 14:
“Pursuant to Section 2126(a) of Title 10, U.S.C., service performed while an HPSP/FAP member is not counted in determining eligibility for retirement unless a physical disability is incurred while on active duty as a program member.” … which directly contradicts the example (with an un defined asterisk as CAPT Schofer points out) on the HPSP page from MyNavyHR.
Unless of course the detail is in “disability,” but that naturally begs the question of what qualifies – any rated disability? even zero percent? or specifically a designated “disabled” veteran which some states limit to those veterans with a rating of at least some percent.
I’m hoping for a little more clarity because this is a major, potentially career impacting for many, policy decision change that to this point has only been communicated on a website informational blurb, where the referenced directives are either not available for review or contradicting.
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March 18, 2025 at 05:11
I’m not a lawyer, but I think the answer on the “disability” portion you are asking about is in Section 2126(b) which grants the authority to award credit if you are in a critical specialty.
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March 18, 2025 at 15:01
I now see the link to subsection (b) in “Except as provided in subsection (b)” but that subsection doesn’t define disability. Might be a moot point then so long as it’s additionally granted to those in a critical wartime specialty, but DoDI is probably pointing to the wrong section of the code.
But now I’m wondering, then why isn’t say a Reserve dermatologist eligible, if they have a physical disability?
(a)Service Not Creditable.—Except as provided in subsection (b), service performed while a member of the program shall not be counted—
(1) in determining eligibility for retirement other than by reason of a physical disability incurred while on active duty as a member of the program; or
This might be the real lawyery part
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March 18, 2025 at 15:19
Like I said, not a lawyer. I plan on asking BUMED to send out clarification today. We’ll see if they do.
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