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Call for Nominations - 2012 Carruth Wagner and Mabel May Wagner Awards
Deadline for Nomination Submission: March 16, 2012

01/31/2012 - The PHS Commissioned Officers Foundation (COF) is pleased to announce a call for nominations for the 2012 Carruth Wagner and Mabel May Wagner Awards. The five Carruth Wagner awards are named in honor of Dr. Carruth Wagner who dedicated his life to improving the health of the Nation. During his 30-year service to the U.S. Government and later contributions to the California Department of Health, he championed the development of medical professionals, future leaders, health policy and innovative public health improvements. He recognized that all levels of health professionals have the capacity to influence, and improve, the health of communities. Dr. Wagner served as the second Director of the Indian Health Service (1962 - 1965), and is credited as a pioneer in developing innovative education and training techniques designed to enhance quality health care providers and proficient management systems to improve health care delivery systems. The Mabel May Wagner award was established in 1979 and is open to all professional nurses in the USPHS who are engaged in clinical nursing practice.

Each of the Carruth Wagner and Mabel May Wagner Awards will include a $1,000 cash award and will require the awardee to complete an Ethics Review Form to be endorsed by their respective agency's Ethics Officer before the cash award can be received.

Click here for the full details. (pdf, 113 KB)

COA/COF Seek Applicants for Deputy Executive Director

01/30/2012 - The combined Commissioned Officers Association and PHS Commissioned Officers Foundation "Enterprise" has announced a search for a Deputy Executive Director. Qualified applicants will have at least a Bachelor's degree, and a working knowledge of and appreciation for the role of the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. Public policy experience is also desired. The full position description and application instructions and deadlines are available at the link below.

Click here for the full position description. (pdf, 66 KB)

Public Health News | Legislative News | Event News | Member News | Other

Public Health

Furloughs - Deja Vu All Over Again!

12/15/2011 - The announcement yesterday by DHHS Secretary Sebelius that, in the event of a government shutdown threatened for Friday, 16 December, the PHS Commissioned Corps would not be exempt from furlough without pay reminds us that DHHS has, once again, not only failed to act in the best interests of public health, but also continues to operate the Commissioned Corps outside the law.

COA's 6 April letter to the Secretary on this matter remains unanswered and we have written her again today seeking a reversal of this ill-informed policy decision. Athough it is entriely reasonable to presume that the reason our earlier letter was ignored is simply because the Department knows it cannot legally justify what it is doing and doesn't want to put it in writing. So much for transparency.

And the decision to furlough Corps officers without pay in the event of a government shutdown is clearly more of a political rather than a policy decision. It is one more unseemly weapon in the ceaseless war of partisan politics playing out in the nation's capital. Threatening to furlough Uniformed Servicemembers without pay (five days before Hanukkah and ten days before Christmas no less)is an undignified - not to mention unforgiveable effort to bring pressure on the other side to cave in on the budget battles. The Secretary's action is an insult to every man and women who has ever served or will serve in uniform.

There is a certain sad irony in the fact that 15 December is the exact date in 1995 when the government began a 21 day shutdown because of political intransigence.

The difference between 1995 and 2011? In 1995, DHHS Secretary Donna Shalala obeyed the law and PHS Commissioned Officers remained on duty throughout the 21 day shutdown protecting the public health security of the American people.

Click here to read COA's letter to Secretary Sebelius... (pdf, 94 KB)

Psychologist Vacancies - U.S. Army Special Operations Command

11/02/2011 - Are you interested in a unique opportunity to work with an elite organization? The United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) is seeking qualified and motivated Public Health Service Psychologists to work with and for Special Forces soldiers and U.S Army Rangers and their families. Each USASOC organization consists of a diverse, loyal, and resilient team focused on the mission both at home and abroad. Over the past five years, there has been a significant shift in addressing the mental health needs of soldiers and their families. Each organization is committed and eager to offer more comprehensive services through an embedded PHS Psychologist who is familiar with the specific needs, deployment history, and missions of the particular unit.

Currently, new positions are open at the 75th Ranger Regiment at Ft. Benning, GA, the 7th Special Forces Group at Eglin Air Force Base, near Destin, FL, and the 3rd Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg, NC. Please contact the USASOC Psychologist, LTC Paul Dean at 910-432-6833 or paul.dean1@ahqb.soc.mil should you have ANY questions about the location, duties, or responsibilities of the position.

Report Emphasizes Vital Role of Public Health in National Defense

09/01/2011 - The Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) have released a new report, Remembering 9/11 and Anthrax: Public Health's Vital Role in National Defense, featuring more than 30 firsthand, on-the-ground accounts of public health professionals (many of them COA members)who were directly involved in the response to the September 11, 2001 and anthrax tragedies.

The stories recall how:

- On September 11th, in a period of uncertainty, officials activated a range of responses, including readying the Strategic National Stockpile, and providing services, including mental health counseling, in the aftermath; and

- Public health officers were at the lead of the anthrax response - diagnosing and treating victims and running more than a million tests on approximately 125,000 samples around the country.

The stories also reflect how these events marked the first time that public health came to be considered central to emergency response and national security on a wide-scale basis; and the stories reflect how these officers were working without adequate resources or training to respond to these types of attacks. A summary of how public health preparedness has evolved in the past 10 years is also included in the report.

While not specifically addressing the role of the PHS Commissioned Corps, the report does emphatically support the fundamental importance of public health to our national security. In so doing, the report makes the case for a uniformed corps of public health professionals; and thus, an expanded PHS Commissioned Corps with a greater purpose in public health emergency preparedness and response; positions long advocated by COA. Click on the link below to read the full report.

Click here to read the TFAH report... (pdf, 2.6 MB)

Get Certified in Public Health (CPH)!

06/28/2011 - Registration is open now for the February 2012 CPH exam. The exam dates are February 3-27, 2012.

Register early for the best price and earliest Scheduling Permit to book your choice of exam date, time, and location. The CPH exam will be administered across the world between February 3 and February 27, 2012. Graduates of and students at public health schools or programs accredited by CEPH are eligible for the February 2012 exam.

For more information, visit http://www.publichealthexam.org

Presidential Commission on Bioethics Seeks Assistance from COA

04/29/2011 - In response to a request for assistance from the Presidential Commission on Bioethics, the Commissioned Officers Association has submitted a statement on the STD research conducted in Guatemala in the late 1940s by PHS officers. COA's statement begins by declaring that "The sexually transmitted disease (STD) research conducted by the U.S. Government and the Government of Guatemala in Guatemala in the late 1940s judged by today's rules and standards for human subject protection cannot be justified."

The statement goes on to note that at the time the research was being conducted, standards for human subject protection in medical experimentation were just beginning to be developed and that the research was fully sanctioned by both the U.S. Government and the Government of Guatemala, as well as the forerunner of the Pan American Health Organization.

COA's statement continues by pointing out the criticality of research into preventing or controlling the spread of STDs in the aftermath of two World Wars. STD infections had a significant impact on medical clearance to serve in the armed forces during both wars. "The priority need to address the issue of venereal disease is mirrored in the fact that venereal disease accounted for 16.3 percent of the total appropriations for the Public Health Service in fiscal year 1947."

COA's statement concludes by commenting on the "role of the U.S. Public Health Service in leading the research to address these public health threats, operating fully within the moral, ethical, and legal constructs in place at the time...[and]the need to improve the existing constructs, which even today are inadequate to fully ensure the protection of human subjects in medical research, especially in international research programs. The U.S. Public Health Service today stands at the forefront of these efforts."

The complete text of COA's statement is available by clicking on the link below.

The Bioethics Commission is interested in locating any individuals who worked in, or had knowledge of, or knew officers who worked in the PHS Venereal Disease Research Laboratory which was originally located at the Staten Island Hospital and later relocated to Georgia. The Commission is conducting an oral history project as part of a presidentially mandated review of venereal disease studies conducted by the PHS in Guatemala in the late 1940s.

All the individuals who conducted the research are deceased. But if you happened to know Dr. John Cutler, Dr. Sacha Levitan, Dr. John F. Mahoney, or Dr. Richard C. Arnold, and are interested in contributing to the oral history project to help further our understanding of public health bioethics, please contact COA's executive director, Jerry Farrell.

Click here for the full text of COA's statement... (pdf, 111 KB)

Call for Nominations - Physician PAC Membership

04/27/2011 -

Click here for the details. (pdf, 14 KB)

ATTENTION NURSES! The DEADLINE for the 2011 Carruth Wagner and Mabel May Wagner Awards Nomination Submission has been Extended until 15 April 2011!

04/11/2011 - The PHS Commissioned Officers Foundation (COF) is pleased to announce a call for nominations for the 2011 Carruth Wagner and Mabel May Wagner Awards. The five Carruth Wagner awards are named in honor of Dr. Carruth Wagner who dedicated his life to improving the health of the Nation. During his 30-year service to the U.S. Government and later contributions to the California Department of Health, he championed the development of medical professionals, future leaders, health policy and innovative public health improvements. He recognized that all levels of health professionals have the capacity to influence, and improve, the health of communities. Dr. Wagner served as the second Director of the Indian Health Service (1962 - 1965), and is credited as a pioneer in developing innovative education and training techniques designed to enhance quality health care providers and proficient management systems to improve health care delivery systems. The Mabel May Wagner award was established in 1979 and is open to all nurses in the Public Health Service (Commissioned Corps and Civil Service) who are engaged in clinical nursing practice.

Click here for the full details. (pdf, 34 KB)

PHS Commissioned Corps Status in the Event of Government Shutdown Remains Unclear

04/08/2011 - COA has been inundated with scores of emails and telephone calls from concerned members throughout the day. With our small staff and limited resources we are unable to respond individually to this volume in a timely fashion. Please accept our apologies. All your emails have been read and, in fact, have fueled and informed our efforts on Capitol Hill and throughout the federal government representing your interests and concerns. The information below is provided in an effort to respond to your questions and concerns. As this is posted, there are three hours before a government shutdown. We continue to hope that the President, Senate Majority Leader, and Speaker of the House will pull the rabbit out of the hat before the midnight bell tolls.

There is so much contradictory information being promulgated by government officials regarding the status of the PHS (and NOAA) Commissioned Corps in the event of a government shutdown that it is impossible to know what's accurate, and more importantly, what's legal.

So what do we know - for sure? COA's executive director spent an hour on the telephone with Surgeon General Benjamin, Deputy SG Lushniak, and OSG Chief of Staff Halliday Thursday evening and was assured that they are working around the clock to resolve the issues pertaining to an impending government shutdown - including the status of the PHS Commissioned Corps in such an eventuality. Farrell emphasized the following points:

- The fundamental issue arising from the announcement earlier this week that the Commissioned Corps is not, by virtue of being a uniformed service, exempt from furlough in the event of a government shutdown, is the identity of the Corps as a uniformed service. PHS officers are either members of a uniformed service (Titles 10, 42, et al) or they are not. DHHS cannot have it both ways; using the Corps' uniformed service identity to deploy officers, demand work "24/7", when it suits the Department's needs; and then treat the Corps as civil service when it suits other needs. Such inconsistency breeds confusion, anxiety, and resentment and violates the most fundamental precepts of leadership.

- There are serious questions regarding the legality of Departmental actions regarding the Corps and officers' status in the event of a furlough.

- The Administration's/Department's inability or unwillingness to substantively respond to questions implies either that no one has any answers or that they are under orders not to divulge any information. Neither alternative provides much comfort. HHS OGC refused to discuss the matter with COA, and OMB is no longer answering the phone.

We know that the Surgeon General, in a valiant effort to help provide some clarification on Corps officers' status and calm the growing storm, sent a message to the Corps late Thursday evening. Based on the reaction to that message received by COA on Friday, the Surgeon General's explanation has only added to the confusion and anger among her officers.

Let us emphasize that this is not a criticism of the Surgeon General. Dr. Benjamin is constrained by the information and authorities being provided to her by echelons above. The origin of these policies is as unclear to OSG as it is to COA. The inevitable conclusion is that the authors wish to escape accountability. And we can certainly understand why.

The legal basis for an officer to be on active duty but unpaid was not provided. This is a subject of great concern. Uniformed service active duty pay can only be suspended as a result of judicial or non-judicial punishment or some other form of disciplinary action. The HHS Human Resources Instruction (351-1) that sets forth rules and regulations in the event of a government shutdown, specifically exempts PHS Commissioned Corps officers, to wit: "This Instruction does not apply to employees of the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) Commissioned Corps, the Senior Executive Service (SES), an employee whose appointment is required by Congress to be confirmed by, or made with the advice and consent of the Senate." Note that Corps officers are not only specifically exempted, but also exempt as presidential appointees with the advice and consent of the Senate.

A senior PHS official explained earlier today that OMB is now of the opinion that since Corps officers accrue annual leave, and that constitutes a federal funding obligation, they are not included in this exemption. But all uniformed service officers accrue annual leave and the other five (now six) uniformed services are exempt from furlough - they continue to work (on active duty) and get paid for their work. There is again no explanation why two services (now one)would be treated any differently from the other five and to do so appears illegal on the face of it.

To further complicate the situation, there is conflicting information provided by senior OMB officials. OMB Deputy Director for Management Jeff Zients is quoted on Federal News Radio on Friday morning as saying that "Commissioned officers are working and politically appointed Senate-confirmed folks are working" he said. "Many political appointees will not be working." We are unable to confirm that Mr. Zients' means all commissioned officers or only those not in the PHS and NOAA Corps, since OMB phones go unanswered this afternoon.

There are many statutes and decades of precedent that reaffirm the PHS Commissioned Corps' status as a uniformed service. The legal basis for the designations put forward in Surgeon General Benjamin's message is unknown and perhaps unknowable.

The simple, easiest, least confusing, most efficient and effective, least costly and only certain fully legal course of action is for HHS to be consistent with DoD and DHS (and now the Commerce Dept) where the status of their commissioned officers is concerned and to declare them exempt and excepted and get on with the business of protecting the nation's public health.

Late breaking news. We hear that the NOAA Corps has taken the right approach and declared all NOAA Corps officers exempt. That leaves PHS as the only uniformed service that is not considered a uniformed service.

OSG Confirms that PHS Officers are Subject to Furlough in the Event of a Government Shutdown

04/06/2011 - In an email to the Commissioned Corps sent just after 3PM today, Wednesday 6 April, RADM Boris Lushniak confirmed that an earlier announcement by HHS Secretary Sebelius addressing the question of employee furloughs in the event of a government shutdown does, in fact, apply to Commissioned Corps officers.

This is a significant reversal of the manner in which the Corps was viewed in past government shutdowns when all uniformed service members, regardless of service, were considered as "essential" employees and thus "exempt" from furlough. There is apparently no formal, written communication of this new "legal analysis" lumping the Corps in with the civil service.

Such a finding, of course, is counterintuitive to the Government's oft stated policy that a principal advantage of the Corps is that uniformed service members are on call 24/7/52. The new analysis also contradicts the information posted on the OPM website cited in Secretary Sebelius' letter. The OPM website states that "Other employees ... 'exempt' from furlough... includes employees who are not funded by annually appropriated funds. It also includes those Presidential appointees who are not subject to a Federal employee leave system-i.e., who are entitled to an annual salary without consideration of the hours of duty required and thus cannot be placed in nonduty/nonpay status." All PHS officers, now Regular Corps officers by virture of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, are, therefore, appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The rules cannot be applied on the one hand to exempt political appointees, and the same time not exempt other presidential appointees.

COA has inquired of the HHS Office of General Counsel seeking information about the legal underpinnings of this new analysis which overturns decades of precedent - thus far without any explanation.

Corps officers are understandably concerned and upset by this late-breaking and short fused decision by the Administration. Most of the concern is directed less at the immediate effects if the government shuts down this weekend, and more at the underlying and long term implications of the change where the Corps' identity and utility as a uniformed service is concerned.

Click here to read the OSG message and Secretary Sebelius' letter... (pdf, 136 KB)

Retired PHS Flag Officers Petition Senate HELP Committee for Public Health Science Track Funding

03/25/2011 - Forty-three retired Public Health Service Commissioned Corps admirals have signed a letter to Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Tom Harkin urging him to inquire into the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) failure to implement the Public Health Science Track as required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).

The PPACA was signed into law one year ago and clearly and unequivocally directs the DHHS Secretary to "transfer such sums as necessary" from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund to the Office of the Surgeon General beginning in FY 2010 to implement the Public Health Science Track established in the new law. The Track will provide 850 annual scholarships to students of certain health professions who commit to serving in the PHS Commissioned Corps as payback for their education. The law requires two years of service in the Corps for each year of funded education and is similar to the ROTC programs offered by the other uniformed services.

To date, DHHS has taken no action to comply with the law in this regard.

The 43 retired flag officers signing the letter to Chairman Harkin collectively represent more than 1,000 YEARS of public health expertise, leadership, and service. They express their concern that the "infrastructure for public health and the protection and promotion of our nation's health and well-being are being eroded" by the DHHS lack of action to follow the law.

Click here to read the Admirals' letter to Chairman Harkin... (pdf, 98 KB)

232 Reserve Officers Nominated for a Regular Corps Commission - The List

02/04/2011 - As reported earlier by COA, the White House has formally nominated 232 Reserve PHS officers for commission into the Regular Corps. The names of the 232 officers nominated are available at the link below. Timeline for confirmation by the Senate is undetermined. COA will follow the confirmation process closely and provide updates here.

Click for the names nominated for a commission in the Regular Corps on 2 February... (pdf, 37 KB)

Legislative

Legislative Alert

12/21/2011 - The Senate version of The Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act Reauthorization, S1855, recently passed by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee will seriously further erode the authority and reach of the Office of the Surgeon General. The Senate bill would transfer the civilian Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) program, currently headed by a PHS officer, from the Surgeon General to the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response. The House of Representatives has already passed one version, HR2405, which maintains the Division of the Civilian Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps under the Office of the Surgeon General.

If the Senate version is adopted, this would signal a shift in the MRC program's focus to only emergency preparedness and response. Our senators need to know that fourteen (14) percent of MRC units focus only on emergency response while 83 percent of our units focus on both public health and emergency response. This dual role has been essential to building strong, healthy communities.

Please contact your senators today and urge them to keep the MRC within the Office of the Surgeon General.

Senator McCain Withdraws NDAA Amendment to Increase TRICARE Fees

12/02/2011 - Faced with an overwhelming response from the Uniformed Services and veterans advocacy organizations, including COA, Senator John McCain (R-AZ) late Wednesday evening withdrew his proposed amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would have changed the formula by which future increases to retired service members' annual TRICARE premiums would be calculated. McCain's amendment, opposed by all Uniformed Services and Veterans advocacy groups would have inserted a formula that would almost double the percentage increase for annual TRICARE premiums above the annual COLA increased to retiree retainer pay. The result would have be a slow but steadily increasing erosion of retired service members' retainer pay. This is one small victory in the huge unfolding assault on service members' compensation and benefits.

Oppose McCain TRICARE Fee Hike

11/29/2011 - The Senate is expected to finish action on the FY2012 Defense Authorization Act (S. 1867) this week.

One of the amendments to be considered soon is a proposal by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) to significantly increase TRICARE Prime enrollment fees over time.

Previously, the full House of Representatives and the Senate Armed Services Committee approved language to specify the percentage increase in Prime fees can't exceed the retired pay COLA percentage in any year.

The McCain amendment would eliminate the COLA cap and let the Pentagon hike fees by some unspecified index of health cost growth (estimated by DoD at 6.5% per year).

Over time, the McCain amendment would increase fees by hundreds of dollars a year.

Time is short, and we need phone calls to fight this inappropriate fee hike.

Please call your senator's offices now and register your opposition to the McCain Amendment. If you don't know how to reach your senators, call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 1-202-224-3121 and ask the Capitol operator to put you through to your senators' offices (to identify your senators, go to http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm).

Please give this short message to the staffer who answers the phone:

"I'm a constituent, and I want my senator to OPPOSE Sen. McCain's defense bill amendment #1230 that would impose further increases in military TRICARE fees."

If you get a busy signal, please try again in a few minutes.

National COA would like to emphasize that officers should NOT be using government resources (e.g. work e-mail, work phone) when contacting senators.

Carmona Declares As Candidate for U.S. Senate

11/11/2011 - 17th U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Richard Carmona has announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate from Arizona. Carmona will run as a Democrat after a lifetime of being registered as a policial independent. Dr. Carmona seeks to replace Senator John Kyl (R-AZ) who is retiring. Both political parties made overtures to Dr. Carmona to be their candidate.

Dr. Carmona brings a powerful and compelling résumé to the race. A high school dropout, Carmona was a combat medic in Vietnam were he was awarded two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star. Completing his GED while in the Army, Carmona went on to earn a BSN and then an MD.

His service as Surgeon General was marked by a commitment to science and evidence based policies and a disdain for the notion that politics should drive public health. Dr. Carmona also embraced the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps as the nation's public health leaders. His efforts to tranform the PHS Commissioned Corps led to many improvements in the Corps' professionalism, responsiveness, and identity as a uniformed service on the frontlines of national health security.

When elected to the Senate, Dr. Carmona is expected to be the PHS Commissioned Corps' champion on Capitol Hill, providing the legislative commitment needed to complete his vision for the future of the Corps and the nation's public health.

DCPR Publishes Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About PHS Senate Confirmation Process

10/21/2011 - The new Division of Commissioned Corps Personnel and Readiness (DCPR)has produced a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) - and more importantly, answers - about the process for obtaining senate confirmation of new accessions in the Regular PHS Commissioned Corps. The FAQs and answers provide a comprehensive and long overdue explanation of the often confusing and always long process.

Click here to read the Senate Confirmation Process FAQs... (pdf, 326 KB)

Protect Military Pensions

09/01/2011 - COA members who are following the discussion about "reform" of the military retirement system may be interested in signing a petition circulating on the Internet. This is a way to make your voices heard early in the debate. Just remember: Do not use government time, resources, equipment or e-mail accounts to do this! Remember, too, there is no official "proposal" out there....yet.

Click here to sign the petition.

Your feedback is valuable! Tell us how you get your prescriptions filled - and what you think about saving 66% or more on the medications you use regularly!

08/11/2011 -

Click here for the questionnaire.

OCCO Issues Transferability Instructions

07/29/2011 - At noon today, the Office of Commissioned Corps Operations issued long-awaited instructions to active-duty PHS officers who wish to transfer their unused VA educational benefits to one or more dependent family members. By law, the benefit becomes accessible to eligible PHS officers on Monday, August 1.

The advice comes in two parts, an e-mail sent at 12:14 p.m. Eastern Time, and a related memorandum, "Transference of Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits," posted on the CCMIS website.

The action comes three years after COA began an all-out legislative campaign to convince Congress to amend the Post -9/11 GI Bill of 2008 to expand the popular transferability benefit to PHS officers. Congress approved the necessary legislation in December of 2010, and the President signed it in early January. The Department of Defense issued the necessary national security certification on June 24.

(pdf, 30 KB)

PHS Post 9/11 GI Bill Transferability - Mission Accomplished!!!

07/07/2011 - "...it is in the national security interest of the United States to authorize such transfers..."

-- Clifford L. Stanley, Under Secretary of Defense

With these words, Under Secretary of Defense Clifford L. Stanley brought to a close an intense, three-year effort by COA to win for active-duty PHS officers the right to transfer their unused GI Bill educational benefits to dependent family members. The good news came in one clear and straightforward paragraph in which the Under Secretary wrote, "I determine that it is in the national security interest of the United States to authorize such transfers." He went on to state that "PHS will administer transferability in accordance with DoD policies and procedures." The memorandum was signed on Friday, June 24.

"I am profoundly grateful to the Under Secretary Defense for authorizing GI Bill transferability for active-duty PHS officers," said COA Executive Director Jerry Farrell. "This attractive benefit will help the Department of Health and Human Services retain and recruit physicians, dentists, and other health professionals at a time when our public health workforce is under tremendous strain because of system-wide shortages of scarce clinicians."

The Defense Department's authorization becomes effective on August 1. To facilitate the implementation process for PHS officers, the Under Secretary has designated Robert E. Clark as the Defense Department's point of contact for PHS. Mr. Clark, an enthusiastic architect and supporter of transferability within the military, has testified in congressional hearings about the promise and effectiveness of the transferability benefit as a retention and recruitment tool.

The original "new G.I. Bill" of 2008 excluded active-duty PHS officers from the transferability benefit. Getting the law amended became COA's top legislative priority.

To develop Congressional support, 300 PHS officers wrote to their own members of Congress explaining why extending G.I. Bill transferability to the PHS made sense. The letter-writing campaign originated in 2009 under the leadership of CAPT Steve Rosenthal, then-chair of the COA Board's Legislation and Benefits Committee. It continued and accelerated through 2010 under the leadership of CDR Jonathan Rash, his successor as chair. Many PHS officers recruited family members, friends, and civilian HHS employees to the cause. COA National staff followed up on the intelligence and contacts these letters generated with face-to-face meetings on Capitol Hill.

Congress approved extending the transferability benefit to PHS in December of 2010. The legislative vehicle was Senate Bill 3447, which was approved by unanimous consent in the Senate. It then passed overwhelmingly in the House with only three dissenting votes. The president signed the bill into law in January, and it became Public Law 111-377, otherwise known as the Post-9/11 Veterans' Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010.

But after the law was passed and the issue moved to HHS, things seemed to stall. For five months, there was no discernible effort by HHS to implement the law's requirement to seek authorization and national security designation from the Department of Defense. Yet, in the statute itself and in a report that accompanied the bill to the Senate floor, the Senate's Committee on Veterans Affairs had made clear that this was a necessary step.

With the law scheduled to take effect on August 1, a jump-start seemed necessary. The COA Board authorized Executive Director Jerry Farrell to go ahead and request the necessary DOD authorization and national defense certification "on behalf of the 6,500 officers of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps." Farrell wrote to the Secretary of Defense on May 12, noting that "protecting the nation's public health is an indisputable and fundamental component of national security." COA also received support from The Military Coalition, MOAA, and senior officials within DoD including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ADM Mike Mullen, and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs, where many PHS officers are assigned. Farrell said that all were receptive and helpful in moving the request forward. This afternoon, DHHS announced the welcome news that PHS officers will be eligible to apply for Post 9/11 GI Bill transferability effective 1 August 2011.

(pdf, 196 KB)

Legislation Proposes to Eliminate Senate Confirmation for New PHS Officers

07/07/2011 - The Senate, on 29 June, passed legislation, S. 679, that will eliminate the "advise and consent" confirmation by the Senate for officers nominated by the President for a commission into the PHS Regular Corps or nominated for promotion to permanent rank in the Corps. The Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act of 2011, introduced by Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) with 17 co-sponsors, would also eliminate Senate confirmation for the NOAA Commissioned Corps; but is silent on Senate confirmation of commissions and officer promotions in the five other Uniformed Services.

While removing the requirement for Senate confirmation of Regular Corps officers might seem an attractive idea (reducing the time required to complete the call-to-duty process, e.g.) - especially in light of recent experience for new Corps officers; the fact that this law explicitly singles out the PHS and NOAA Corps and fundamentally alters the nature of their constitutional status vis-à-vis the other Uniformed Services is a matter of concern.

COA understands that the Office of the Surgeon General (OSG) objected to the language in the bill regarding the PHS Commissioned Corps but the Office of Management and Budget declined to take any action on the Hill supporting OSG's position. COA has written letters expressing our concerns to the Chairs and Ranking Members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and House Oversight and Government Reform Committees. Copies of the letters were provided to Senator Schumer's office as well.

The rest of the legislation is a well-intentioned bi-partisan effort to reduce the overly large number of executive department positions requiring Senate confirmation which too often become political battlegrounds. Contested appointments result in unfilled positions which unnecessarily hamper the ability of the government to function. The vast majority of positions targeted in the legislation are at the level of assistant secretary and below. The PHS Commissioned Corps is not included in the section of the bill that speaks to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The DHHS portion of the bill includes only one position that will no longer be subject to Senate confirmation - the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs. The language addressing the PHS Commissioned Corps is buried amid a listing of minor and obscure commissions, and in fact, the PHS and NOAA Corps are the last two institutions named in the legislation.

Exactly how the PHS and NOAA Corps came to be included in this bill is unknown at this time. Their placement at the very end of the bill, and not with other positions in DHHS and the Department of Commerce indicates the two Corps were added as an afterthought. For now, we can only speculate on the motives and persons involved.

The PHS and NOAA Corps combined represent about three percent of regular service active duty commissioned officers in the seven Uniformed Services. If the intent of this legislation is really to ease the workload of the White House and the Senate, one has to wonder why 97 percent of the workload was left intact. The fact is that delays in achieving Senate confirmation for PHS officers do not occur in the Senate. The delays are exclusively the domain of DHHS where nominations lists are routinely misplaced, mishandled, overlooked or flat out lost in the department's executive secretariat.

COA has long advocated for the PHS Commissioned Corps' parity with the other Uniformed Services in areas of performance standards, legal protections, compensation and benefits. Removal of the requirement for Senate confirmation of Corps officers has the potential to seriously undermine the Corps' aspirations for such parity. This legislation could be used to justify further attacks on Corps' parity in terms of compensation and issues such as the status of the Corps in the event of a government shutdown.

The legislation now goes to the House where it is expected to pass quickly despite COA's protests. COA members are encouraged to contact their congressmen in the House of Representatives and express your concerns about the implications of S. 679 for the PHS Commissioned Corps and urge the House to amend the bill by removing the section addressing the PHS Commissioned Corps. You are also encouraged to express your concerns to COA board members, your PAC Chairs and CPOs, and appropriate officials in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health.

COA will continue to explore ways to have this legislation amended before becoming law or to include language in future legislation that will negate S. 679's effect on the PHS Commissioned Corps.

FDA: New Cigarette Warnings Omit Attribution to Surgeon General

06/21/2011 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has decided to drop references to the U.S. Surgeon General in the graphic new warning labels that it will require cigarette manufacturers to include on all packs and advertisements beginning in September of next year. The change was made clear in an agency regulation announced today. The regulation implements a key provision of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009.

Why drop the Surgeon General brand? The short answer from FDA regulators is that Congress no longer requires it. The longer, muddier answer is that research findings are inconsistent as to whether some sort of attribution to "government" enhances or detracts from the underlying message.

For the Commissioned Officers Association (COA) and all former Surgeons General, the change was expected but unwelcome. In November, FDA published a proposed rule that indicated the Surgeon General Brand would be dropped, even though the agency did not say so outright, much less explain its thinking.

COA protested the move in lengthy comments it submitted in January, and the former Surgeons General opposed the change in a separate letter of their own. Both submissions were referenced in the final rule made public today. Click here for COA's comments.

The new messages, illustrated and blunt, will still carry the word WARNING but their content will not be sourced. So it will not be clear who is saying, for example, "Cigarettes cause cancer." The idea behind what the agency terms "fear-inducing" messages is to reinvigorate health warnings that the Institute of Medicine, among others, said had become invisible and therefore ineffective in convincing adults to stop smoking or discourage children from starting.

FDA acknowledged the long and successful run of the Surgeon General brand, even as it offered a somewhat tortured explanation for abandoning it. The agency cited many of the comments it had received during the two-month public comment process. It noted that ever since Surgeon General Luther Terry's 1964 report highlighting the adverse health effects of tobacco use, the Office of the Surgeon General has been inextricably linked to smoking prevention. It mentioned the reduction in smoking rates since that initial report, and it cited public confidence associated with the Surgeon General's recommendations.

"We agree with comments highlighting the benefits of the Surgeon General's work in the area of smoking prevention," FDA regulators wrote, "but we decline to add the 'Surgeon General' attribution to the required warnings at this time. Congress did not include an attribution to the Surgeon General as it has done in the past."

FDA regulators said their decision was also based on a lack of evidence that attributions enhance credibility. The rule cites study findings on both sides of this question. "Given the inconsistency in the available research and the potential tradeoffs associated with including a government source attribution in the required warnings," FDA regulators wrote, "we conclude that there is insufficient evidence to support addition of an attribution at this time."

The agency said it will continue to conduct research on the efficacy of required warnings. And if its research suggests that citing the Surgeon General will improve efficacy, then "we will consider adding a government attribution [emphasis added] as part of a future rulemaking to update the warnings."

The Military Coaltion Urges SECDEF to Support PHS and NOAA Officers for Post 9/11 GI Bill Transferability

05/24/2011 - The Military Coalition (TMC), a consortium of some 30 uniformed service and veterans organizations representing more than 5.5 million current and former service members has written to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates urging his authorization that it is in the national security interests of the United States for PHS and NOAA Commissioned Corps officers to take advanatge of Post 9/11 GI Bill transferability as a retention incentive.

The TMC letter states that the Coalition "firmly believes that the transfer authority is needed to ensure that the PHS and NOAA Corps can sustain their manpower programs with highly qualified officers and carry out their vital missions that support the security of the nation."

The TMC letter comes only days after COA sent its own letter to SECDEF Gates urging his prompt action to provide the required national security certification before the law making PHS and NOAA officers eligible for transferability takes effect on 1 August 2011.

Click here for the full text of the TMC letter to SECDEF... (pdf, 426 KB)

COA Asks SECDEF to Provide Post 9/11 GI Bill National Security Certification

05/16/2011 - On Thursday, May 12, COA sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates asking him to authorize that PHS and NOAA officers' transfer of unused educational benefits to eligible family members under the Post 9/11 GI Bill is in the national security interests of the United States. Public Law 111-377, the Post 9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010 includes PHS and NOAA officers in the transferability option, but also stipulates that the "Secretary concerned may exercise the [transferability] authority...when authorized by the Secretary of Defense in the national security interests of the United States." Six months after the law was passed, Health and Human Services Secretary Sebelius has yet to seek the required authorization from SECDEF. With the law scheduled to become effective on 1 August 2011, the COA Board of Directors determined that any further delay in seeking SECDEF action will jeopardize PHS officers' ability to take advantage of the law on time.

COA's correspondence to SECDEF Gates notes that "protecting the nation's public health is an indisputable and fundamental component of national security." COA has also appealed for support from The Military Coalition, MOAA, and senior officials with DoD Health Affairs where many PHS officers are assigned. The association is also working with Members of Congress seeking their support.

Post 9/11 GI Bill transferability is a retention incentive targeting mid-career service members with critical skills. Transferability has proved to be hugely successful in DoD and is expected to be equally so in the PHS Commissioned Corps. The crisis in the public health workforce is well-documented; nowhere more so than in the PHS Commissioned Corps where retention of physicians, dentists, and others is a matter of grave concern. Transferability is one measure to help retain these highly trained professionals in the Corps and contributing to national security on multiple levels.

Click here for the full text of COA's letter to SECDEF... (pdf, 215 KB)

Regular Corps Nomination Lists 2 and 3 Received in Senate

05/12/2011 - Two lists of names nominated by the President for commissions into the Regular Corps of the U. S. Public Health Service were recevied in the Senate on May 11 and referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Nomination 527-112, that COA has labeled List Number 2, consists of 68 names and nomination 528-112, COA's List Number 3, contains 258 names. Both lists are available at the link below.

List Number 1 took exactly one month to move from receipt to confirmation by the full Senate, from 2 February until 2 March. We hope that the Senate will move a bit more expeditiously with these new nominations.

COA believes that at least one, and perhaps more, list(s) have been forwarded from OSG to the Secretary of DHHS. We will continue to monitor the progress of these lists until the process appears routine and efficient.

Click here to see the names on both lists... (pdf, 53 KB)

DoD to Link Retirees' TRICARE Fees to Health Care Inflation

05/02/2011 - In a heads-up conference call Wednesday morning, military health leaders told uniformed services organizations that, beginning in FY 2013, retirees enrolled in TRICARE Prime can expect to see fee increases that are tied to health care inflation.

This news was not well received. It was the latest development in an argument that has been raging for 15 years about how, or even whether, to make retirees pay more for their health care and thereby help the Department of Defense control its health care spending.

The Defense Department frames the issue as choosing the best of several possible ways to tie future fee increases to health care inflation, and says it has consulted stakeholder groups.

But the 33 stakeholder groups in the Military Coalition are united in their opposition to tying fee increases to health care inflation. Some of them do not support any fee increases under any circumstances ever. Others, including COA, accept the need for modest increases but insist that any and all future increases should reflect no more than cost-of-living adjustments, or COLAs.

The Defense Department's next step will be to write its chosen index into federal regulations. The Military Coalition's next step will be to ask Congress to make certain that doesn't happen. In any event, an issue that military health officials had hoped to put to rest, once and for all, will continue to fester.

Click here to read the Defense Department's explanation of its choice of index. (pdf, 78 KB)

'TRICARE 26' Health Coverage Explained

04/28/2011 - The Department of Defense has finalized plans to expand medical coverage for the adult children of parents in the uniformed services. Detailed information about what the Department terms a "full-cost, premium-based program" for adult children up to age 26 is contained in an interim final rule published in yesterday's Federal Register. The new program, called TRICARE Young Adult, will become available on May 1. For those who elect it, the cost is $186 per month for beneficiaries enrolled in TRICARE Standard, and $213 per month for those enrolled in TRICARE Prime.

A TRICARE coverage option for adult children up to age 26 was mandated by a COA-backed provision in the National Defense Authorization Act, which Congress approved in December.

The extended coverage is limited to unmarried dependent children who are not eligible for medical coverage under employer-sponsored plans. In some cases, coverage retroactive to January 1 is possible if premiums are paid back to that date.

Click here for more information. (pdf, 46 KB)

COA Seeks Support for PHS Growth in FY 2012

04/18/2011 - In an effort to save two critical PHS provisions in the embattled health care reform legislation of last year, COA submitted a formal statement on Friday to the House Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Labor and Health and Human Services. Congressional appropriators are debating the President's proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2012.

COA requested funding for a scaled-back version of the U.S. Public Health Sciences Track. It its original form, the Track would have funded scholarships for a total of 850 medical, dental, nursing, and other students each year at several academic medical centers. All students would commit to careers in the PHS Commissioned Corps. The smaller pilot program would be based initially at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS).

COA also requested funding for a PHS Ready Reserve, which Congress also authorized last year. At the time, the expectation was that the Department of Health and Human Services would implement both provisions as directed, but that did not happen.

Click here to read the full statement. (pdf, 182 KB)

COA Expresses Serious Concern Regarding Possibility of Corps Furloughs to DHHS Secretary Sebelius

04/06/2011 - The Commissioned Officers Association has written to Secretary Sebelius to express its alarm and concern regarding the revised policy that will remove Corps officers as "exempt" employees in the event of a government shutdown and subject them to furlough. As previously reported, COA believes this policy reversal, which has been announced without further explanation, to be a significant alteration of decades of policy regarding the Corps; inconsistent with existing federal law, rules, and regulations; and an inappropriate response to the current government funding debacle that only further places the public health and national security of the nation at unnecessary risk.

Click here to read COA's letter to the Secretary... (pdf, 100 KB)

PHS Commissioned Corps' Status Changing in Event of Government Shutdown

04/05/2011 - COA has learned that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Department of Justice (DOJ) have issued a legal finding that significantly changes the way the Commissioned Corps is viewed in the event of a government shutdown. The Office of the Surgeon General has informed non-HHS Corps liaison officers that "Corps officers cannot be exempted from furlough based solely on their status as active duty members of a Uniformed Service. Instead, exceptions for Corps members must be decided on the same basis as exceptions for civil service employees - if they are involved in obligations authorized by law, or involved in the safety of human life or the protection of property."

While a government shutdown beginning this Friday at midnight is far from certain, the inability of the Administration and Congress to reach an agreement to fund the government for the rest of the fiscal year - already more than half over - makes a shutdown appear increasingly likely. What that means - exactly - for federal employees, now including PHS officers, is not at all clear since the Administration has refused to issue instructions. Generally, if employees are classified as "non-exempt," then they will not be allowed to work in the event of a furlough and no work means no pay - unless Congress passes a law to retroactively pay employees for the period during which they were furloughed.

A government shutdown this weekend would not be first time for such an occurrence; but as far as COA is able to determine, the new OMB/DOJ finding means it would be the first time the PHS Commissioned Corps will be treated differently from the other uniformed services in such an eventuality. The legal finding is, sadly, yet another example of the Administration's ongoing failure to acknowledge the critical - essential - role of public health in providing national security and the Commissioned Corps' essential role in that equation.

COA Joins with MOAA and Other Associations in HASC Testimony on TRICARE Fees

03/10/2011 - COA has joined with MOAA and eleven other organizations in submitting testimony to the House Armed Services Committee concerning DoD proposals to raise TRICARE fees for under age 65 uniformed service retirees. DoD proposes to raise TRICARE Prime annual enrollment fees for under age 65 retirees by as much as 12% in FY 12 and then index annual increases after that to a yet-to-be-decided formula. COA's position is that annual indexing should be no more than the annual COLA driven increase to retired pay.

Click here for the full testimony... (pdf, 59 KB)

Senate HELP Committee to Consider PHS Regular Corps Nominations

02/09/2011 - COA has learned that the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee is scheduled on Wednesday, February 16th, to consider the first list of individuals nominated for a commission in the PHS Regular Corps following the passage of the Affordable Care Act last year. Following approval by the HELP Committee, the nominations must still be approved by the full Senate.

This first list of nominations for a Regular Corps commission consists primarily, if not exclusively, of officers commissioned into the Ready Reserve component under a special Presidential authorization last year. These officers were in a unique situation since the operating policies and procedures for the new Ready Reserve have yet to be approved. This placed these officers at a disadvantage for promotion and other similar professional considerations for which they might otherwise be eligible.

COA's understanding is that there is now a routine process in place by which names of individuals proposed for a Regular Corps commission will be forwarded by DHHS to the White House for further nomination by the President to the Senate for confirmation as required by law. This includes all reserve officers on active duty and all new accessions to the Commissioned Corps.

The names of the 232 Ready Reserve officers that will be considered by the Senate HELP Committee on February 16th are at the link below.

Click for the names nominated for a commission in the Regular Corps on 2 February... (pdf, 37 KB)

Event

Greater New York COA 2011 Events

12/27/2011 - Have you ever wondered what a small COA Branch could accomplish in one year? Take a look at what one Branch with 63 members managed to achieve in 2011!

The USPHS Scientist category is looking for retired Scientist officers in the Maryland/DC area who would be interested in participating in a panel discussion during the 2012 USPHS Scientific and Training Symposium (June 19-21) in College Park, MD.

12/01/2011 -

2012 USPHS Symposium Call for Abstracts Announced

11/30/2011 - The Scientific Program Committee for the 2012 USPHS Scientific & Training Symposium invites officers and civilians to submit an abstract for presentation at the Symposium, which will be held June 19 - 21 at the University of Maryland, College Park, in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. The theme for the 2012 Symposium is Prevention Strategies for a Healthy Nation: Building on the Basics of Public Health. The deadline for submissions is December 21, 2011. Visit http://www.phscofevents.org/agenda/speakerinf.cfm for more information or to submit.

Deputy Surgeon General To Keynote Occupational & Environmental Medical Conference

08/31/2011 - The Deputy Surgeon General, Rear Admiral Boris Lushniak will be in Las Vegas, NV on 9 September keynoting the Western Occupational and Environmental Medical Association (WOEMA) annual conference. The conference is being held at the Bellagio Hotel and the Admiral will speak at 8 AM on the morning of 9 September. Admiral Lushniak will also be available at 10:45 AM for an informal meeting with COA members attending the conference. Contact COA for more information.

PHS Ensemble Wows the Crowd at Capital Mall Concert

08/01/2011 - In a first ever appearance on the National Capital Mall in Washington, DC the PHS Ensemble and Chorale won a standing ovation from the crowd of PHS officials, friends of the Corps and tourists. On a sweltering hot evening in the nation's capital, the PHS musicians and singers performed in the Uniformed Services Summer Concert Series at the World War II Memorial on Saturday, 30 July.

As the only Uniformed Service group that consists of all-volunteer, amateur musicians and singers, the performance was especially notable. The memorial director said at the conclusion of the concert, that the PHS was at the top of all the groups to perform at the memorial in the last two years. He immediately invited the PHS Ensemble and Chorale to return for another performance next year.

The groups selections were a musical tribute to the "Greatest Generation" who fought in World War II and featured songs popular in the 1940's. Their rendtion of Summertime from Porgy and Bess was particularly awesome. In an historic first, the Ensemble added something new to the traditional salute to the Uniformed Services. This medley of service songs usually includes only the songs so familar to us from the five Armed Services. On this evening, the PHS Ensemble, for the first time ever by any musical group, included the PHS March and the NOAA Commissioned Corps Service Song in the medley.

We look forward to next year's concert!

Poster Results from the 2011 USPHS Scientific and Training Symposium

07/31/2011 -

Click here for the full details.

2011 USPHS Conference Photos

07/12/2011 -

Click here for the photos that were taken and are being collected by the DC COA Branch.

Check out this video, it highlights the the 2011 COF & BCOAG Community Outreach Project in NOLA -- put together by CDR Nwaba & her daughter.

06/28/2011 -

Click here for the video.

2011 USPHS Scientific and Training Symposium

06/28/2011 -

Click here for the Poster Competition Results. (pdf, 8 KB)

PHS Symposium Underway

06/20/2011 - The 2011 PHS Symposium went underway with pre-onference sessions on Sunday, June 19. CDR Sara Newman, COA Director, briefs COA Local Branch Presidents in one of several pre-conference sessions in New Orleans as the 46th annual US PHS Scientific and Training Symposium begins.

PHS Symposium Travel Waiver Granted - Early Bird Registration Deadline Extended

05/18/2011 - COA has just learned that the Department of Health and Human Services has issued a travel waiver for the 2011 PHS Scientific and Training Symposium in New Orleans from 20- 23 June.

In view of the late travel waiver notification, the PHS Commissioned Officers Foundation has graciously and generously agreed to extend the Earlybird (reduced rate) Registration Deadline for the symposium through 19 May. Sign up on the symposium website without delay at http://www.phscofevents.org/.

Click here to read the travel waiver issued by HHS... (pdf, 87 KB)

Early Bird Discounts Will End on May 18 for USPHS Symposium

05/16/2011 - In anticipation of the release of a cap waiver announcement, the Early Bird Deadline to receive discounted rates for the 2011 USPHS Scientific and Training Symposium has been extended to May 18. No further extensions are expected. Sign up today and take advantage of these great rates! Then join us in New Orleans June 20-23 for:
- Continuing Education credits
- Networking
- The latest information on a wide array of critical public health topics
- Career guidance
- And much, much more.

Early Bird Deadline Extended for USPHS Symposium

05/09/2011 - The deadline to obtain Early Bird discounted registration rates for the 2011 USPHS Scientific and Training Symposium is May 15. Visit http://www.phscofevents.org/registration.cfm and sign up today! The room block at the conference hotel, the New Orleans Sheraton, also is more than 90 percent sold out! Visit http://www.phscofevents.org/location/location.cfm to reserve a room at the federal per diem rate.

Don't miss out on this unparalleled opportunity to:
- Network with hundreds of your colleagues
- Obtain continuing education credits
- Gain valuable career advice
- Participate in plenary and workshop sessions covering the latest information on clinical topics, public health trends, leadership, deployment and emergency response, health literacy, best practices, international health, electronic tools, prevention of disease and disability, mental and behavioral health, and much more!
- Take part in Critical Needs Pre-Conference Training Workshops

Visit http://www.phscofevents.org/agenda/ag_glanceSelect.cfm to view the detailed Symposium agenda.

Early Bird Deadline Near for USPHS Symposium

05/03/2011 - The deadline to obtain Early Bird discounted registration rates for the 2011 USPHS Scientific and Training Symposium is May 15. Visit http://www.phscofevents.org/registration.cfm and sign up today! The room block at the conference hotel, the New Orleans Sheraton, also is more than 90 percent sold out! Visit http://www.phscofevents.org/location/location.cfm to reserve a room at the federal per diem rate.

Visit http://www.phscofevents.org/agenda/ag_glanceSelect.cfm to view the detailed Symposium agenda.

2011 New Orleans Community Outreach Project

04/19/2011 - The PHS Commissioned Officers Foundation and Black Commissioned Officers Advisory Group (BCOAG) are pleased to present a community outreach project in conjunction with the 2011 USPHS Scientific and Training Symposium.

The project is designed to bring together USPHS officers from all categories and the New Orleans, Louisiana (NOLA) community.

This is an outstanding opportunity to reach out to the New Orleans community and, ultimately, contribute to the public health needs of New Orleans. Dates that the service project will be held are Sunday, June 19, from 1 pm - 6 pm, Thursday, June 23, from 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm, and Friday, June 24, from 8 am - 12 pm. Registration will be available April 29, 2011.

Click here for more information.

Speakers Needed for an Epidemiology Interest Group Panel Session

02/10/2011 - The PHS Epidemiology Interest Group is soliciting speakers for an Epi Interest Group (EIG) panel session to be held on Wednesday, June 22nd from 3:45pm-5:45 PM during the COF Symposium in New Orleans. The focus of the panel is "The Role of Epidemiology During PHS Deployments."

To be considered as a potential speaker, we ask that you submit a brief Statement of Interest (SOI) describing a deployment you served on within the last five years in which you applied epidemiologic techniques (surveillance, data collection, data analysis, coordinating with states and localities, etc). Statements should be submitted by the end of March and the deadline may close earlier if we identify 4-5 panelists before this date. We are looking for a diverse range of panelists in terms of locations and kinds of deployments, officer rank, and agency in which officers are assigned. Deployments can be through OFRD, your agency, or other mechanisms.

Click here for the full details. (pdf, 82 KB)

Member

Call for Nominations for PPAC Physician Awards for 2012

01/13/2012 -

Click here for the full details. (pdf, 21 KB)

First African-American Rear Admiral
in the USPHS Passed Away;
RADM Edgar N. Duncan, (Ret.)

12/20/2011 - Rear Admiral Edgar N. Duncan, USPHS, (Ret.), 79, of Pittsburgh, PA, and a COA Life Member, passed away on December 17, 2011 from pancreatic cancer. Admiral Duncan was the first African-American to attain flag rank in the U.S. Public Health Service.

RADM Duncan was also the first African-American graduate of Duquesne University's pharmacy school and the first African-American to graduate from the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public Health. He achieved the rank of Rear Admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service before he turned 40.

The son of a schoolteacher and a tailor in Monessen, RADM Duncan rose to the highest levels of the U.S. Public Health Service, serving five years as the first black Assistant Surgeon General and supervising major government programs.

Following his career in the PHS Admiral Duncan held high-level positions with the Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance company and the city of Newark, NJ. He went on to study at the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public Health and earned a Ph.D. from Pitt's School of Education.

As an Associate Dean at the Graduate School of Public Health, he made a name for himself through his finesse with thorny administrative issues, and in his unparalleled devotion to students - particularly minority students.

In 2002 - at age 70 - RADM Duncan took the highly unusual step of getting relicensed as a pharmacist. Until just a couple of years ago, when his cancer treatments made work too difficult - he worked part time as a practicing pharmacist. "He couldn't stop working, ever," said his son. "He never stopped talking about going back to work again."

RADM Duncan is survived by his wife, Lauraine; his sons David of Pittsburgh, PA, Eric of Washington, DC, Conrad of Ellicott City, MD; sisters Dorinda of Greensboro, NC, and Rose of Willingboro, NJ; and two grandchildren.

COA Seeks Nominations for Board of Directors

12/01/2011 - The following seats on the COA Board of Directors will be up for election this spring: Dental, Engineer, Environmental Health, Scientist, one Retired Officer, and one Field Officer. Incumbents in the Engineer, Environmental Health, Scientist, and Field Officer seats are completing their first three years and are eligible for re-election to a second term. Incumbents in the Dental and Retired Officer seats are completing their second three-year terms of office and are ineligible to stand for re-election. The Retired Officer and Inactive Reserve Officer members of the COA Board of Directors also serve as appointed Trustees of the PHS Commissioned Officers Foundation.

Candidates may be nominated by others or self-nominate. All candidates for a Board position are required to submit the following information to the COA office by March 1, 2012 (sooner if possible). The nomination shall include the following and must be limited to one page (10 pt font, no attachments):

- Name/Rank/(Active Duty, Retired or Inactive Reserve) *
- Board Position for which nomination submitted (e.g. Dietitian, Field Rep., Retired)
- Daytime Phone
- E-mail Address
- Current PHS position (or Retired/Inactive Reserve) and location *
- Previous PHS positions *
- Related Professional Activities *
- PHS Awards/Honors Received *
- COA Offices Held or Membership on Board Committees (include dates)
- Position Statement (not to exceed 200 words) *
- Statement of understanding and willingness to abide by Board Participation Guidelines

Those items with an "*" next to them will be included in Frontline for consideration by the general membership. To the extent possible, the nominee should submit his/her nomination by email or on a computer disk to facilitate reproduction in Frontline.

Click here for the Board guidelines and the nomination form. (doc, 33 KB)

COA Seeks Nominations for Board of Directors

Click here for the Board guidelines and the nomination form. (doc, 33 KB)

COA Branches March in Veterans Day Parade

11/14/2011 - In what is likely an historic first, members of the Greater New York, New England, South Jersey Seashore, and D.C. COA Branches marched in the New York City's Veterans Day Parade on November 11th. Proudly representing both the PHS Commissioned Corps and the Commissioned Officers Association, COA Branch members let all New Yorkers know the important role the PHS Commissioned Corps has in protecting national security and their service as uniformed service veterans. National COA extends a hearty WELL DONE to the Greater New York COA Branch for their leadership in this endeavor! For more photos click here.

COF Announces Scholarship Winners for Academic 2011-12

10/25/2011 -

Click here for the winners. (pdf, 322 KB)

Retirees to Receive 3.6 Percent Cost of Living Allowance Increase

10/21/2011 - Effective in December to show up in January retainer pay checks, PHS retired officers will receive a 3.6% COLA increase in retainer/retired pay. COLA increases in federal retired pay and Social Security allowances are based on the Consumer Price Index and calculated as of the end of the federal fiscal year (September 30th). This is the first time in three years that retirees will receive a COLA increase. The last COLA increase in 2008 was more than 5%; but the CPI was flat or negative in 2009 and 2010 resulting in no COLA increases in retiree paychecks.

The index used to calculate retired pay and social security payments is one of the items under scrutiny and likely to be changed as a result of the ongoing federal budget deficit issues facing the country. Recommendations to adjuct the COLA calculation downward by a half-percent or more are receiving serious consideration. The financial impact of such a reduction will vary widely depending on the retired service member's rank and base pay at retirement and the number of years the defined benefit is received.

COA Requests HHS Inspector General Investigation of Officer Furlough Legality

09/27/2011 - COA has asked Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General (IG) Dan Levinson to investigate the legality of decisions rendered in April by DHHS that PHS officers will be subject to furlough in the event of a government shutdown.

COA was prompted to act by a lack of responsiveness to COA inquiries, including a 6 April letter to HHS Secretary Sebelius, and renewed possibility of a government shutdown before the end of the year.

In his letter to the IG, COA executive director Jerry Farrell cites three factors leading to the request for an investigation: clear evidence and ample precedent that furloughing commissioned officers without pay is illegal; lack of accountability in DHHS for the decision; lack of transparency within HHS in the department's failure to be responsive to legitimate and approporiate inquiries from the association on behalf of its members.

Click here to read COA's letter to the IG... (pdf, 186 KB)

Announcement of N-PAC Nominations for Publication Awards

09/14/2011 -

Click here for the details.

Giberson Named Director of Reorganized Division of Commissioned Corps Personnel and Readiness

08/09/2011 - Rear Admiral Scott Giberson has been appointed Director of the newly reorganized Division of Commissioned Corps Personnel and Readiness. Admiral Giberson currently serves as the National HIV/AIDS propgram Principal Consultant in the Indian Health Service. He is also the PHS Chief Professional Officer for the Pharmacy Category and a COA member.

The Division of Commissioned Corps Personnel and Readiness (DCCPR) will merge the Office of Commissioned Corps Operations (OCCO), Office of Commissioned Corps Force Management (OCCFM), and the Office of Force Readiness ad Deployment (OFRD) under the authority of the Office of the Surgeon General. The reorganization is the result of a year long Management Review orchestrated by the Assitant Secretary for Health last year. Realignment of OCCFM under the Office of the Surgeon General is a long sought COA goal.

Giberson will take up his new responisbilities on 1 September.

New Corps' Promotion Instruction Does Not Alter Policy

07/25/2011 - The newly issued Commissioned Corps instruction on promotions CC 122.01 is exceptional in that this is the first instruction relevant to the PHS Commissioned Corps signed by HHS Secretary Sebelius in her two years in office.

The instruction is not exceptional in that CC122.01 contains no changes to existing promotion policy. COA confirmed this with Corps senior leadership on 22 July.

The new promotion instruction was prepared following passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act last year. The Affordable Care Act eliminated any numerical cap on the size of the Regular Corps and authorized a Corps Ready Reserve Component. Unfortunately, the companion instruction referenced in CC122.01, CC43.4.2 "Force Management" that was supposed to be revised and reissued at the same time, has not yet been approved by the Secretary. This disconnect between the two instructions has caused some confusion.

The "Force Management" instruction will replace the old instruction issued in 2006 that provides the authorized permanent grade distribution - but is based on a then Corps size of 2800 Regular Corps officers. Not clear yet is what the new "Force Management" instruction will specify; but as COA has long argued, the Corps must adapt a billet based force management system in order to determine the numerical and skill set requirement for the total PHS Commissioned Corps. Until this is accomplished, determination of "vacancies" for permanent grade promotions will be based on the somewhat arbitrary allocation by rank provided in the "Force Managment" instruction.

For now, however, it is important for all COA members to understand that the newly revised promotion instruction really changes nothing in regard to promotion policy. This despite the unattributed concerns stated in the online anonymous "PHSChat" forum.

Call for Nominations - Nurse Responder of the Year Award

07/12/2011 -

Click here for the details.

Post 9/11 GI Bill Transferability - Additional Information

07/08/2011 - Some questions have arisen following yesterday's announcement that PHS officers will be able to apply to transfer unused Post 9/11 GI Bill educational benefits to eligible family members beginning on 1 August.

To clarify, the transferability option is an active duty retention incentive and, therefore, is not available to retired service members. The Office of the Surgeon General (OSG) will issue detailed implementing instructions as quickly as possible in order to have all rules in place well before 1 August.

PHS implementation of transferability is expected to mirror the policies currently in place in DoD. DoD policies set the service member's eligibility to apply for transferability at a minimum of six years of service plus at least four more years of obligated service since 2001. So PHS officers who have yet to complete six years of active duty are not (yet) eligible to apply. OSG is expected to permit all officers who attain the minimum time-in-service requirement to apply for transferability.

To meet the requirement of an eligible dependent family member to receive the transferred educational benefit, the family member must be enrolled in DEERS.

PHS officers may find additional information about the Post 9/11 GI Bill and transferability on links available on this website and on the Department of Veterans Affairs wesbite. OCCO is the PHS office responsible for managing Post 9/11 GI Bill issues for Commissioned Corps officers. PHS officers should not contact Mr. Robert Clark in DoD about PHS eligibility for Post 9/11 GI Bill transferability.

USPHS Music Ensemble to Perform at the National WWII Memorial in
Washington, DC July 30, 2011 from 1900 - 2000 hrs

07/01/2011 -

Asian Pacific American Officers Committee - Call for Self-Nominations

06/28/2011 -

Click here for the details. (pdf, 8 KB)

Two Former National COA Board of Directors Author PHR Supplement Guest Editorial

06/03/2011 - CAPT Hugh M. Mainzer and CAPT Daphne B. Moffett, former National COA Board of Directors, authored the Guest Editorial, in Public Health Reports, Volume 126/Supplement 1, titled "Introduction to Health People in a Healthy Environment." This supplement covers a spectrum of topics about the relationship between health and the environment - from animals as sentinels of environmental and public health to the effect of nature contact on employees in the workplace.

If you are an active COA member, you can utilize one of your COA membership benefits by reading the Public Health Reports via the COA Members Only website. National COA encourages all COA members to take advantage of this COA membership benefit.

"Volume 126/Supplement 1" can be viewed here.

COA Publishes Frontline< Special Edition

05/06/2011 - What makes the May, 2011 issue of COA's Frontline special? The fact that this issue is being made publicly available to PHS Commissioned Corps officers, whether or not they are COA members. The reason? The grave concern about the future of the PHS Commissioned Corps as a uniformed service arising as a result of the Department of Health and Human Services' decision to treat the Corps differently from the other six uniformed services in the run up to the threatened government shutdown in April. Click on the link at the right to read the May Frontline. Encourage all officers, especially those who are not COA members, to visit the website and read this public issue of Frontline.

ATTENTION NURSES! The DEADLINE for the 2011 Carruth Wagner and Mabel May Wagner Awards Nomination Submission has been Extended until 15 April 2011!

04/04/2011 - The PHS Commissioned Officers Foundation (COF) is pleased to announce a call for nominations for the 2011 Carruth Wagner and Mabel May Wagner Awards. The five Carruth Wagner awards are named in honor of Dr. Carruth Wagner who dedicated his life to improving the health of the Nation. During his 30-year service to the U.S. Government and later contributions to the California Department of Health, he championed the development of medical professionals, future leaders, health policy and innovative public health improvements. He recognized that all levels of health professionals have the capacity to influence, and improve, the health of communities. Dr. Wagner served as the second Director of the Indian Health Service (1962 - 1965), and is credited as a pioneer in developing innovative education and training techniques designed to enhance quality health care providers and proficient management systems to improve health care delivery systems. The Mabel May Wagner award was established in 1979 and is open to all nurses in the Public Health Service (Commissioned Corps and Civil Service) who are engaged in clinical nursing practice.

Click here for the details.

2011 Operation Purple Camps is Now Accepting Applications

03/31/2011 - The National Military Family Association is now accepting applications for its popular Operation Purple Summer Camps. This free summer camp program was developed by the Association to support military children, ages 7-17, dealing with the stress of war. Each camp is "purple" and open to children of active duty, National Guard or Reserve service members from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, or the Commissioned Corps of the US Public Health Service and NOAA. Applications will only be accepted online.

In this eighth summer of the program, Operation Purple camps will host more than 3500 children at 40 weeks of camp in 25 states as well as one overseas location:

States: Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia

Overseas: Okinawa, Japan

Information about the camp program, specific camp locations, ages, and dates is available on their website at www.militaryfamily.org/op.

Applications will be accepted until midnight EDT April 29th. Priority is given to military children with a parent deployed or deploying anytime between September 2010 and December 2011 who have not had the opportunity to attend an Operation Purple camp in the past. Camps are free to all participants thanks to support from Goldman Sachs Gives, the Sierra Club, and The Sierra Club Foundation.

TRICARE Beneficiaries Urged to Try Pharmacy Home Delivery

03/25/2011 - PHS Rear Admiral Tom McGinnis, Director of TRICARE Pharmacy Operations for the DoD TRICARE Management Activity is urging all TRICARE beneficiaries to try the Pharmacy Home Delivery option for prescription renewal as both a cost saving measure and to improve efficiency for both the beneficiary and TRICARE. Click on the link below to read Admiral McGinnis' reasoning and recommendation. COA supports the Admiral's position and we urge our member's to give the home delivery pharmacy a try.

Click here for more information on TRICARE Home Delivery... (pdf, 20 KB)

Call for Nominations - BCOAG - George I. Lythcott Award

03/16/2011 -

Click here for the details. (doc, 64 KB)

Call for Nominations - BCOAG - Hildrus A. Poindexter Award

03/16/2011 -

Click here for the details. (doc, 72 KB)

Call for Nominations - BCOAG - Retired PHS Officer's Recognition Award

03/16/2011 -

Click here for the details. (doc, 58 KB)

Attention Retired Officers! MOAA Announces Career Fair

03/16/2011 -

Click here for the flyer. (pdf, 337 KB)

Call for Nominations - Juan Carlos Finlay Award

03/11/2011 -

Click here for the details. (doc, 77 KB)

Position available as Senior Public Health Advisor, to serve as the Editor of the Public Health Reports (PHR) within the Office of the Surgeon General

03/03/2011 - This position is located within the Office of the Surgeon General (OSG). The Surgeon General serves as America's chief health educator by providing Americans the best scientific information available on how to improve their health and reduce the risk of injury. The OSG, under the direction of the Surgeon General, oversees the operations of the 6,500-member Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) and provides support for the Surgeon General in the accomplishment of her mission. The Surgeon General is appointed by the President of the United States with the advice and consent of the United States Senate for a 4-year term of office. In carrying out all responsibilities, the Surgeon General reports to the Assistant Secretary for Health, who is the principal advisor to the Secretary on public health and scientific issues. The OSG is part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health (OASH) in the Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The incumbent serves as the Editor of Public Health Reports (PHR), the official scientific/medical/public health journal of the USPHS. PHR is one of the Nations leading professional and technical journals in the health science field. The incumbent serves as a senior official of the OSG, providing executive-level recommendations to the Surgeon General on content for national publications, establishment of editorial policies, decision-support for selection of articles, and execution of publication of material.

The work requires an extensive breadth of public health research knowledge, intensity of efforts, and the managing of multiple projects operating concurrently. The incumbent serves as a nationally and internationally recognized authority, advisor, and administrator for a leading national public health journal.

Click here for the full description of the position. (pdf, 21 KB)

Nominations Now Accepted for 2011 Family Award

02/25/2011 - The National Military Family Association is now accepting nominations of outstanding military families for its 2011 Family Award program. One finalist family from each of the seven Uniformed Services will receive an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, DC for the award ceremony at the Association's 2011 Leadership Luncheon. At the event, one of the seven families will be named 2011 Family of the Year and will receive a cash prize of $1,000.

Friends and family members can visit http://www.militaryfamily.org/our-programs/military-family-award-program/ to nominate their military family or a military family they know. This is the time to tell personal stories and achievements or recognize a special family. Active duty, Reserve Component, retiree, or surviving families of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Commissioned Corps of NOAA or PHS are eligible to receive this award.

Nominations are being accepted now through midnight EST March 31. Visit http://www.militaryfamily.org/our-programs/military-family-award-program/ to nominate or learn more about the award and previous winners. This award is made possible thanks to the generosity of the Association of Military Banks of America.

Surgeon General Benjamin To Receive NAACP Chairman's Award

02/23/2011 - Vice Admiral Regina M. Benjamin, 18th Surgeon General, has been named the recipient of the NAACP 2011 Chairman's Award as announced on 22 February by the NAACP. This prestigious award will be presented on Friday March 4th, during a live broadcast from Los Angeles' historic Shrine Auditorium. The event will be televised on FOX from 8PM - 10PM EST.

The Chairman's Award, chosen by NAACP Chairman Roslyn M. Brock, is bestowed in recognition of special achievement and distinguished public service. Past honorees include Tyler Perry, Former Vice President Al Gore and Dr. Wangari Muta Maathai, Aretha Franklin, Bono, President Barack Obama, The Dave Matthews Band, Danny Glover, Aaron McGruder and Janet Jackson.

Click here to read the entire press release... (pdf, 95 KB)

Facebook & Twitter

02/17/2011 - Dear COA Members,

On behalf of the COA Board of Directors, I am pleased to announce that we have joined the social media era! National COA is officially on Facebook, and it can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/coausphs.

The COF Annual Conference also has Facebook and Twitter pages. They are located at: http://www.facebook.com/USPHSConference and http://twitter.com/@USPHSconference. The Annual Conference pages will include up to the minute updates before and during the conference.

Please "LIKE" us on Facebook, and "FOLLOW" us on Twitter!

Thank you,
CAPT Dan Hickey
USPHS, COA Board Chair

Branch of the Year Nominations Sought

02/11/2011 - Nominations for the Branch of the Year Award will be accepted from any COA member in good standing. The most likely sources of nominations will be individuals most knowledgeable of branch activities, e.g. COA Board liaisons, branch officers and agency managers. All nominations must be transmitted in writing to Teresa Hayden Foley, Director of Administration, by e-mail to thayden@coausphs.org. Each shall consist of a transmittal letter that summarizes the basis for the nomination and such additional material as is required to support the nomination. The supporting material should reflect activities and accomplishments that are considered deserving of special recognition, (e.g. notable community or facility-based projects, unusual efforts to inform and encourage branch member participation, successful interactions with other branches, and effective advocacy for commissioned officer interests, etc.).

Selection Determinants and Weighting

The Awards Committee will consider all material provided with the nomination transmittal letter. The Committee will pay special attention to the size of the branch relative to its accomplishments. The Committee will give additional weight to accomplishments of branches that have been in existence five years or less.

In considering the merits of the respective nominees, the Awards Committee will give about 50% weighting to a global assessment of Branch esprit, enthusiasm, and the relative impact of Branch activities/accomplishments as described in the nomination. Examples are: notable community or facility-based projects, successful interfaces with other Branches, effective local and/or national advocacy for commissioned officer interests. Note that the emphasis should be on activities that are completed or substantially underway, rather than planned future activities. Special consideration will be given to Branches that have improved dramatically over past years.

In addition, the Awards Committee will give about 50% weighting cumulatively to the following factors:
1. The percentage of officers in the local area who are COA members. *
2. The frequency of Branch meetings. This may include other than face-to-face meetings with adequate description.
3. The degree of participation and scope of topics presented at general meetings of the Branch.
4. The extent to which the national COA Office has received positive and/or negative feedback on Branch activities from members or others. *
5. The responsiveness of Branch officers/members to requests for information, administrative documentation, proxy selection, etc. as requested by the national COA Office or the Board of Directors. *
6. The extent to which the Branch participates in the Meeting of the Assembly (e.g. presenting resolutions, participating on committees).
* This information is available from the COA National Office.

To ensure consideration, nominations must be received by April 15, 2011.

Other

Overseas Service Photography Project Launched

11/17/2011 - Any current or former military (this includes USPHS Commissioned Corps Officers) or foreign service member's single most compelling photo from service abroad since 2000 - an image taken from daily life, friendship, places, faces, loss or triumph - may be one of approximately a thousand selected for display in a special photography exhibition planned for the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Pentagon and other prominent national and international venues. Submissions will be accepted through Presidents Day, February 20, 2012.

For more information, please visit http://www.ourmilitary.mil/their-eyes/serving-abroad-through-their-eyes/ .

COF Approved for CFC 2011

11/15/2011 - PHS Commissioned Officers Foundation for the Advancement of Public Health (COF) has been approved to participate in the following 2011 Combined Federal Campaigns:

- Chesapeake Bay Area (CBACFC)
- National Capital Area (CFCNCA)
- Northern Shenandoah Valley (CFCNSV)
- Potomac CFC (PCFC)

The designation (catalog) number assigned to the Foundation for these four CFCs is 42884. Please keep COF in mind when you support the 2011 Combined Federal Campaign.

COA Celebrates 60th Anniversary!

10/14/2011 - On October 16th, COA will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the association's incorporation in 1951. While COA's roots can be traced back much earlier than that, this date in 1951 marks the beginning of COA as a formal, legally recognized organization of Corps officers dedicated to advocacy for themselves, the institution of the Corps, and through the Corps, the nations public health.

Today's Corps officers owe a great debt to COA's founding fathers - John M. McInerney, George F. Archambault, and Thomas A. Foster. Their vision and commitment to advancing the health of the nation through the work and leadership of the PHS Commissioned Corps has had a significant and lasting affirmative impact on public health. One of the first actions undertaken by the newly incorporated COA was the publication in 1951 of Rear Admiral Ralph Chester Williams' authoritative history, The United States Public Health Service 1798-1950.

COA stands alone today as the only organization focused solely and exclusively on advocacy for the Commissioned Corps. Over the last six decades COA has been at the forefront of actions to protect the Corps as an institution and to advocate for Corps officers' conditions of employment. Many battles have been won; some had less desirable outcomes. Looking back, hindsight tells us that the fights lost would have been better for the country if won.

COA was instrumental in defeating a measure in the mid-1960s to close the PHS hospitals. The Association vigorously, but unsuccessfully, also opposed actions by the Administration in the mid-'60s to strip the Surgeon General of his authority over the Commissioned Corps and the Public Health Service. That fundamental change in the way the United States approached public health, subordinating public health and prevention to political priorities and confusing public health and health care, marks the beginning of the decline of the public health infrastructure and workforce that persists today. Organization matters and the decentralized and fragmented public health system left in the wake of the 1960's actions have had a deleterious effect on public health progress to this day.

In the 1970s, a strong movement got underway to abolish the PHS Commissioned Corps. COA again organized and led the successful opposition to this effort. In the 1980s, COA opposed, this time unsuccessfully, the closure of the PHS Hospitals. Were those hospitals in existence today, they would provide one solution to the growing problem of health care delivery to underserved populations. Later in the decade of the 1980s, COA enthusiastically supported Surgeon General Koop's initiatives to revitalize the Corps.

COA also worked to ensure that PHS Commissioned Corps physicians were included in any special pays given to physicians in the armed services and assisted Senator Warren Magnuson in securing passage of the National Health Service Corps legislation. Efforts to maintain parity with the other unformed services pay and benefits that remain in place today.

In the 1990s, COA again successfully opposed proposals to decommission the entire Commissioned Corps. More recently, COA has successfully protected the Corps' compensation; supported Surgeon General Rich Carmona's efforts to transform the Corps; championed legislation to remove artificial limits on the size of the Corps and provide for scholarship programs to support Corps accessions; and ensure that Corps officers shared equally in veterans benefits provided by the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

Throughout its 60 year history, COA has regularly reviewed the structure, governance, and programmatic activity of the Association. Modifications were approved as necessary and in 2000, as a result of a two-year review; significant changes in the governance structure were adopted. At the same time, COA established the PHS Commissioned Officers Foundation for the Advancement of Public Health to provide funding support for officer's advanced education and other charitable and educational purposes.

In the 1960s, the COA House of Delegates combined its annual meeting with the PHS Clinical Society's annual conference. This joint COA/Clinical Society meeting format continued until 1974 when the Clinical Society disbanded and COA continued the annual meeting on its own. In 2006, primary sponsorship for the annual meeting was transferred to the PHS Commissioned Officers Foundation and renamed the PHS Scientific and Training Symposium. The symposium continues to be the only annual event that highlights the role of the PHS Commissioned Corps as public health.

COA has a long and proud legacy of service, support to, and advocacy for the Corps and our members. Efforts the association will continue to provide into the future to further enhance the role of the Commissioned Corps as the nations public health leaders.

Happy 60th Anniversary COA!

COA Remembers 9-11-01

09/10/2011 -

Attention Commissary Shoppers

05/03/2011 -

Click here to participate in the survey.

Media

Events

Revised 01/31/2012