Commissioned Officers Association>>News

03/03/2010 - On March 2, 2010 the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Hui vs. Castaneda, an important case for PHS Commissioned Corps officers. The central question in the case is "Does 42 USC Section 233(a) make the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) the exclusive remedy for claims arising from medical care and related functions provided by Public Health Service personnel?" COA submitted a "Friend of the Court" brief supporting the positions of the petitioners, PHS officers, that the FTCA does, in fact, protect Commissioned Corps officers from personal lawsuits for actions performed in the line of duty. Without such protection, as clearly recognized by Congress in Title 42, Corps officers would be at risk for malpractice lawsuits wherever they are assigned - a grim and untenable prospect for officers in BOP, Immigration Health Services, and other difficult and often dangerous duty stations. COA's "amicus curiae" brief was joined by the Uniformed Services Academy of Family Physicians, the American Medical Association, and the American Academy of Family Physicians. The official, although not yet finally approved transcript of the oral arguments before the Supreme Court is at the link below. The Supreme Court Justices set no timetable for announcing their decisions; but a judgment is expected before the Court recesses for the summer in June.

03/03/2010 - Washington - U.S. Representative Carol Shea-Porter, Democrat from New Hampshire, has signed on as a co-sponsor of H.R. 3657, the House bill that would extend G.I. Bill transferability to the PHS Commissioned Corps and the NOAA Corps. The popular two-term Congresswoman, who represents her state's First Congressional District (Manchester, Dover, and surrounding areas), signed on to the bill yesterday. The information was reported earlier today on the website maintained by the Library of Congress, http://thomas.loc.gov/.

The COA Legislation and Benefits Committee is encouraging PHS officers to write to their U.S. Senators and Representatives about transferability and then share their letters with COA Government Relations Director, Judith Rensberger at jrensberger@coausphs.org.

COA's informal tally shows that all four of New Hampshire's elected representatives in Congress have heard at least once from PHS officers whose homes of record are in that state.

COA Issues Policy Paper on the Crisis in the Public Health Workforce - Who Speaks for Public Health?

03/01/2010 - The Commissioned Officers Association of the U.S. Public Health Service has issued a policy paper calling for a more independent and strengthened Office of the Surgeon General as well an enhanced PHS Commissioned Corps. The COA paper builds on growing concerns in the public health community about the future capacity of the public health workforce.

02/26/2010 - The United States Public Health Service (USPHS), Nurse Professional Advisory Committee (N-PAC) to the Office of the Surgeon General (OSG) is pleased to announce a call for nominations for the 2010 Carruth Wagner Awards. These five awards (Nurse of the Year Award, Clinical Nursing Support Award, Advanced Practice Nurse Award, Innovative Collaboration in Public Health Award, Nursing Leadership Award) are named in honor of Dr. Carruth Wagner who dedicated his life to improving the health of the nation.

The five Carruth Wagner Awards will be presented to each award recipient by the Chief Nurse Officer (CNO) at the Annual Commissioned Officers Foundation (COF) Symposium on Nurse Category Day.

02/23/2010 - The Junior Officer Advisory Group (JOAG) requests nominations for 9 open positions for voting membership for 2010-2012.

JOAG is the voice for junior officers in the Commissioned Corps and is responsible for advising the Surgeon General on matters that affect junior officers. Voting members serve as the leadership of this organization. Each professional category is represented by one voting member with an additional nine at-large members for a total of 20 voting members. Approximately ten positions are available each year. The JOAG Executive Committee is elected from within the voting membership. Current voting members select incoming voting members based upon published criteria. The voting membership term is two years and will begin on October 1, 2010 and end on September 31, 2012.

The Membership Committee will hold an informational Q&A session about the application process and the duties of a Voting Member on Wednesday, March 3rd from 1200-1300 EST. The call-in number is (712) 432-0111 and the Access Code is #633865. This call will be recorded and transcribed and made available on the JOAG website.

If you know motivated and dedicated junior officers, please encourage them to self-nominate for the following open slots: Therapist Liaison, Nurse Liaison, Health Services Officer Liaison, Engineer Liaison, and At-Large Member (5 openings).

For questions or to submit nominations for voting membership, contact LCDR Robin Toblin, Chair, Membership Committee at rtoblin@bop.gov. Nominations are due no later than COB Friday, March 19, 2010.

02/17/2010 - The January/February issue of Frontline will be the last public issue available to read under "Additional Headlines," to the right. All future issues will be located under the Member's Only website, to the left. If you are not already a COA member and wish to continue reading Frontline, click here for the COA application.

Public Health

Joanne Holbrook Patton Military Spouse Scholarship Program is Now Accepting Applications

12/07/2009 - The National Military Family Association is accepting applications for its Joanne Holbrook Patton Military Spouse Scholarship Program. Scholarships of up to $1,000 are awarded to military spouses to obtain professional certification or to attend post secondary or graduate school. The program consists of a general scholarship, a scholarship for spouses of the wounded, and a scholarship for spouses of the fallen. Thanks to a partnership with the Fisher House Foundation, Folds of Honor Foundation, and BAE Systems, the Association is able to provide scholarships to a larger number of deserving military spouses.

Applications will only be accepted online at www.militaryfamily.org/scholarships and must be submitted by midnight January 31, 2010. Spouses of uniformed service members (active duty, National Guard and Reserve, retirees, and survivors) of any branch or rank are eligible to apply. The scholarship funds may be used to assist with tuition, fees, and school room and board.

The National Military Family Association recognizes that unique challenges like frequent moves and deployments can interfere with military spouses' ability to complete their education. In order to help spouses reach their career and educational goals, the Association has created a web portal stocked with military spouse education resources and information. Visit www.militaryfamily.org/get-info/spouse-education to access the information.

11/06/2009 - The Military Health System(MHS) will host a Web-based town hall on Nov. 10 from 3 to 4 p.m. EST to respond to questions about novel H1N1 influenza.

Uniformed service members, their families, and health care providers and Department of Defense civilians may submit questions, using the comments box at www.health.mil/flu. As many as possible of the questions submitted in advance, as well as questions asked throughout the live event, will be answered during the Web hall. A transcript of all questions and answers will be posted to the site after the event.

"We want to keep service members and their families informed about the H1N1 flu and the Department of Defense's vaccination strategy," said Michael E. Kilpatrick, M.D., director of strategic communications for the Military Health System. "We want to answer your questions directly, so please join us online on November 10."

Subject matter experts from the Army, Navy and Air Force, the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Health Protection and Readiness, the Military Vaccine Agency, TRICARE Management Activity and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are scheduled to participate in the Web hall to provide accurate, up-to-date information about the H1N1 flu and vaccine.

Participants in the Web hall are asked to limit questions to H1N1 flu-related topics and to refrain from disclosing personal information, to protect their privacy. When possible, uniformed service members should contact their chain of command to resolve issues.

10/30/2009 - At 7:03PM on Thursday evening, October 29th, Dr. Regina Benjamin was unanimously confirmed as the 18th U.S. Surgeon General by the full United States Senate. After three long years, the Commissioned Corps once again has a duly confirmed leader and the nation has an fully empowered "Top Doc." Dr. Benjamin's confirmation comes after weeks of a Senate Republican hold on her confirmation in a dispute with DHHS Secretary Sebelius over her order to insurance companies to refrain from sending their beneficiaries what the administration characterized as false and misleading information about the impact of proposed health reform legislation. The Senate Republican's called it a "gag order." That issue has obvioulsy been overcome. Dr. Benjamin's confirmation comes little more than 24 hours after Rear Admiral Don Weaver, USPHS, was named Acting Surgeon General and on the same day as Rear Admiral Steven Galson's formal retirement ceremony. Admiral Galson officially retired from the PHS Commissioned Corps on 1 October 2009 after having served two years as Acting Surgeon General. The Commissioned Officers Assocation extends our congratulations to Surgeon General Benjamin and pledges our full support to ensure her success in this critical time for the nation's public health. COA looks forward to working with Vice Admiral Benjamin to enable the PHS Commissioned Corps to achieve its full potential as the nation's public health leaders under her command.

09/23/2009 - PHR is sponsoring a webinar on lessons-learned from the 1918 influenza pandemic. It is scheduled for November 30, 2009 at 1pm-2:15 pm ET.

07/16/2009 - The PHS Commissioned Officers Foundation is pleased to announce that applications from PHS Commissioned Corps officers for RADM Jerrold Michael Fellowships are now being accepted. PHS officers may apply for a Fellowship to begin graduate studies in Global Health, starting in September of 2009 at the University of Maryland, School of Public Health in College Park, Maryland. Fellowships will cover the tuition costs of two of the four courses leading to a graduate certificate. As part of the Foundation’s negotiated agreement with the University of Maryland, tuition for the remaining two courses will be charged at the reduced military (in-state) rate for PHS officers regardless of state of residency. Applications will be accepted through August 31st.

07/13/2009 - The Law Enforcement And Public Safety channel (LEAPS), a 100% Internet-based channel, will be presenting two online programs on July 22, 2009 at 4 p.m. and August 11, 2009 at 4 p.m EST. Both live broadcasts will be followed by four weeks of on-demand 24x7 reruns, all at no cost to the viewer.

The first program on July 22 is titled "Responder Preparedness: Issues, Policies and Preparations," which will have participation by Captain Robert J. Tosatto, Director, Medical Reserve Corps, Office of Force Readiness & Deployment, USPHS. Click here for details on this program.

The second program on August 11 is titled "Public Health Resources for Law Enforcement And Public Safety," which will be moderated by Rear Admiral David Rutstein, Director, Office of Force Readiness & Deployment, USPHS. Click here for details on this program.

07/13/2009 - At a news conference scheduled for 11:40 A.M this morning, President Obama will nominate Dr. Regina Benjamin as the 18th Surgeon General. In 1990 Dr. Benjamin founded the Bayou La Batre Rural Health Clinic to serve the Gulf Coast fishing community of Bayou La Batre, Alabama, a village of approximately 2,500 residents devastated twice in the past decade by Hurricanes Georges, in 1998, and Katrina, in 2005. She has served in leadership positions in such health-related organizations as the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Family Physicians. Regina Benjamin received a B.S. (1979) from Xavier University of Louisiana, attended Morehouse School of Medicine from 1980 to 1982, and received an M.D. (1984) from the University of Alabama at Birmingham; she also holds an M.B.A. (1991) from Tulane University. She completed her residency in family practice at the Medical Center of Central Georgia (1987). The CEO of the Bayou La Batre Rural Health Clinic since its founding in 1990, Benjamin has also served as the associate dean for rural health at the University of South Alabama's College of Medicine and as president of the State of Alabama Medical Association (2002-2003). Dr. Benjamin is a 1998 Mandela Award Winner, a former Kellogg National Fellow, has been featured as ABC Television's Person of the Week, and in 1996 was chosen by CBS This Morning as Woman of the Year. She is a 2008 MacArthur Fellow. Dr. Benjamin's nomination must be confirmed by the Senate.

06/29/2009 - One week after his June 19th confirmation as the new Assistant Secretary for Health (ASH), Dr. Howard K. Koh sent an open letter to all officers of the PHS Commissioned Corps, alluding to an "ambitious agenda" for the Office of Public Health and Science. He praised the Corps for its "remarkable history of service" and "unparalleled integrity," and he thanked PHS officers for their commitment to public health.

Dr. Koh, a former Massachusetts Health Commissioner, has won widespread praise for accepting the Assistant Secretary's post while at the same time declining the four-star rank that is offered along with it. COA Executive Director, Jerry Farrell, endorsed the decision, noting that it represents a welcome departure from recent history. The two previous Assistant Secretaries elected to become "instant admirals" despite the fact that neither had served in the PHS Commissioned Corps or any other U.S. uniformed service.

In addition to his service as the top public health official in Massachusetts, Dr. Koh's professional background includes clinical practice, academic medicine and public health, and scientific research.

Washington Post Reports Retired RADM Susan Blumenthal Rumored as Next Surgeon General

06/12/2009 - According to Al Kamen's "In The Loop" column (June 12), a regular feature on the Federal Page of the Washington Post, retired PHS Rear Admiral Susan Blumenthal "is emerging as a leading candidate to be surgeon general." Most recently honored as COA's Health Leader of the Year, RADM Blumenthal retired from the PHS Commissioned Corps several years ago after a twenty year career in the Public Health Service. A strong advocate for women's health, she rose to be the first ever Deputy Assistant Secretary for Women's Health and a senior global health advisor in the Department of Health and Human Services. Admiral Blumenthal's name has been mentioned as a potential candidate for surgeon general since Dr. Sanjay Gupta withdrew his name from consideration several weeks ago. The nation has been without a senate confirmed surgeon general since VADM Rich Carmona stepped down in August, 2006. Since then, this key leadership position for the nation's public health has been ably filled by Acting Surgeons General RADM Ken Moritsugu (2006-2007) and RADM Steve Galson (2007-present). At a time when the nation and world are threatened by a global influenza pandemic and the nexus of public health and national security is more clearly understood, we have never needed a presidentially nominated, senate-confirmed surgeon general who is an experienced public health professional more than we do now. As a retired career officer of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Rear Admiral Blumenthal fulfills COA's principal criteria for the post. We urge the President to avoid further delay and act promptly to nominate the 18th Surgeon General.

06/11/2009 - The one hour LEAPS web program, Vaccinations in a Pandemic, , takes the viewer through the steps of establishing an optimum point of distribution for vaccine and is especially timely due to the increases in occurrences of the swine flu in the United States within the last several weeks.

In November 2008, the Town of Sandwich, Massachusetts (population 25,000) constructed and tested a drive thru flu vaccine clinic as a verification of the town's pandemic preparedness. The test was considered a success with a total of 1,000 citizens vaccinated over a 7 hour period, which means that with only a single Point of Distribution (POD) site the entire young adult and adult population could have been vaccinated within a week.

04/30/2009 - Acting U.S. Surgeon General Rear Admiral Steven Galson has released a statement on the current outbreak of swine or H1N1 influenza. In the statement, Surgeon General Galson says the “H1N1 flu virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. However, at this time, it not known how easily the virus spreads between people. The incubation period is 24 to 48 hours.” The Surgeon General goes on to provide precautions that will help spread the flu including: Wash your hands with soap and water often; cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze; avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth; and avoid close contact with others who may be sick.

Legislative

12/01/2009 - Post-9/11 GI Bill 'transferability' for PHS officers? Congressman Ciro Rodriguez of Texas has introduced a bill to include PHS and NOAA officers in this popular entitlement. It is H.R. 3657, and it is now before the Veterans' Affairs Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives.

10/07/2009 - Meeting in executive session on 7 October, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee voted unanimously to send Dr. Regina Benjamin's nomination as Surgeon General to the full Senate for confirmation. Both the Committee Chair, Senator Tom Harkin (D-ID) and Ranking Member, Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY) entered supportive comments for Dr. Benjamin into the record of the proceedings. There does not appear to be any opposition to Dr. Benjamin's nomination and full Senate confirmation could happen at any time. That's the good news. The other news is that an op-ed piece by Ruth Marcus in this morning's Washington Post confirmed rumors we have heard that eight Republican Senators, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) have gone on record that they "will not consent" to Senate floor action on any HHS nominations - including the U.S. Surgeon General - until the department rescinds what they call a "gag order" on health insurers. So it is difficult to speculate when Dr. Benjamin"s confirmation might actually occur.

09/04/2009 - COA executive director Jerry Farrell has written to President Obama seeking his intervention to have the PHS and NOAA Commissioned Corps included in the transferability entitlement of the Post 9/11 GI Bill. The letter was precipitated by remarks President Obama made in early August marking the official implementation of the new law. The President promised to fix problems with the law that currently omits some National Guardsmen from the entitlement. The President also specifically noted the popularity of the transferability option for which tens of thousands of service members have already applied. Subsequent to the letter, Farrell met with DHHS Assistant Secretary Koh on August 26th and transferability was at the top of the agenda. Now COA has learned that Congress is preparing to draft "technical correction" legislation to fix many of the problems with the Post 9/11 GI Bill. Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee staff have made it clear that they are not opposed to considering the PHS and NOAA Corps for transferability; but that the Departments of Health and Human Services and Commerce will have to notify the Committee of their support. While individual officers rightly see this issue as one of fairness and parity, Congress is more concerned about matching retention and recruiting needs to tools the Congress can provide such as transferability. Senior HHS officials have for years lamented the decline in Corps physicians and unmet needs for almost all categories of public health professionals in IHS and other agencies. Surely, these are requirements that transferability will help to address. Farrell continues to urge senior Departmental leadership to engage with the Senate VA Committee and make the case for the PHS Commissioned Corps and transferability.

Did you apply for benefits under the New GI Bill and get turned down? Were you told that PHS officers aren't eligible? Did you get an annoying letter to this effect?

A legislative proposal to exempt uniformed services retirees from state income taxes was introduced in Ohio's House of Representatives on May 19. It is House Bill 188, sponsored by Rep. Peter J. Stautberg, a Cincinnati Republican, and Rep. Peter Ujvagi, a Toledo Democrat.

To move this bill forward it is essential for all Ohio PHS officers, both active-duty and retired, to make their voices heard. HB 188 is now before the House Committee on Financial Institutions, Real Estate, and Securities. Winning the approval of this key committee is the first hurdle.

04/30/2009 - Beginning 1 May 2009, the VA Education Service will begin taking applications to determine service members' eligibility for the Post-9/11 GI Bill program, which commences on 1 August 2009. A copy of VA's 'timeline' slide and other info is at the link below. The VA's website has additional information and a link to the application at http://www.gibill.va.gov/.

04/23/2009 - The Commissioned Officers Association of the USPHS has joined the Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (STOP) Obesity Alliance - a collaboration of consumer, provider, government, labor, business, health insurers and quality-of-care organizations united to drive innovative and practical strategies that combat obesity. Based at The George Washington University Department of Health Policy, the STOP Obesity Alliance is run by a Steering Committee that includes 17th U.S. Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona, M.D.; American Diabetes Association; the American Heart Association; American Medical Group Association; America's Health Insurance Plans; Canyon Ranch Institute; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity (DNPAO); DMAA: The Care Continuum Alliance; National Business Group on Health, National Quality Forum; Partnership for Prevention; Service Employees International Union; National Business Group on Health; Reality Coalition; and Trust for America's Health.

In its role as an Associate Member, COA will participate in efforts to remove the barriers preventing greater national progress on managing and preventing the obesity epidemic.

03/31/2009 - This morning, the Veterans Administration published its final regulations on the new GI Bill. Referencing formal comments that COA submitted in January, the VA states [emphasis ours]:

"We agree that commissioned officers of PHS and NOAA are eligible for benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.In a digested opinion from 1985, our General Counsel read the provisions of 42 U.S.C. 213 regarding PHS and 33 U.S.C. 857-1 and 857-3 (now in 33 U.S.C. 3002 and 3072, respectively) regarding NOAA as expanding the definition of 'Armed Forces' in 38 U.S.C. 101(10) to also include PHS and NOAA for purposes of benefits administered by VA. See VADIGOP, 6-26-85 (8-28 Reentry in Active Service). Therefore, service as a commissioned officer of PHS or NOAA meets the 'active duty in the Armed Forces' service requirement in section 3311 of title 38, U.S.C."

What about 'transferability?' The VA says that here its hands are tied; eligibility is entirely up to the Defense Department. Confirming what VA officials told COA earlier, today's ruling states:

"While VA is responsible for administering payment of transferred benefits, the Department of Defense (DoD) is responsible for determining eligibility for transfer of entitlement to dependents. Specifically, the statute provides that the Secretary of Defense may authorize the Secretary of the Army, Secretary of the Navy, Secretary of the Air Force, and the Secretary of Homeland Security (with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy) to determine if individuals serving in the Armed Forces in their respective departments are eligible to transfer entitlement to dependents."

Bottom line:There is now no question that PHS officers are eligible for all benefits in the new GI Bill except transferability. Fixing that remaining problem requires a change in the law. The COA campaign will continue until it happens.

COA, PHS Commissioned Corps Score Legislative Victory - Regular Corps Cap Raised to 4000

03/16/2009 - In a significant legislative victory for the Commissioned Corps and COA, the FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Bill passed by Congress and signed into law last week by the President, raises the cap on the size of the Regular Corps from 2800 to 4000. This is the first time since 1992 that the size of the Regular Corps has been adjusted. It was recommendation Number One when COA's executive director called on Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-HI) in January. Constraints on the size of the Regular Corps were impeding overall Corps growth as a disincentive to both recruitment and retention. Since the Corps was at or near the 2800 limit last year, annual Assimilation Boards were indefinitely postponed. COA anticipates that these important career path boards will be able to resume in the near future. Also included in the Appropriations bill was funding of $14.8 Million for Corps transformation. While this is less than half the requested amount of $30 Million, it is also a $10.7 Million increase over FY2008 funding for Corps transformation - clearly a small step in the right direction. COA is working on building on these successes in the FY2010 appropriations legislation currently under development on Capitol Hill.

03/16/2009 - After a vigorous campaign, COA was able to confirm last week with the Department of Veteran's Affairs (VA) that PHS and NOAA Commissioned Corps officers are now eligible for most of the entitlements provided by the Post 9/11 GI Bill. The one exception is transferability of the educational benefit to family members. Because of the way the law is written, including PHS and NOAA officers in the transferability option will require a change in the statute. Currently, the law provides that SECDEF will set the rules for who (in DoD) will be eligible to transfer the education entitlement to family members. Since PHS and NOAA officers are not subject to DoD authority, we need to get the law changed to authorize SECHHS (for PHS) and SECCOMMERCE (for NOAA)to set the rules for their officers. There has been some confusion on this issue since the VA FAQ website prematurely changed last week to reflect that PHS and NOAA officers were fully eligible for all benefits of the new GI Bill. That question and answer have now disappeared entirely from the VA website. Language on the website which tends to speak exclusively to "veterans" which clearly includes PHS officers could be interpreted at various points to the effect that all elements of the Post 9/11 GI Bill apply to PHS officers. COA is working with VA to clear this up and working with the Senate Veteran's Affairs Committee to win an technical change to the Post 9/11 GI Bill which includes transferability of the benefit as an option for PHS and NOAA officers.

Event

Acting Surgeon General Steven K. Galson Visits Nicaragua to Recognize Continuing Promise 2009

07/08/2009 - Acting Surgeon General Steven K. Galson, M.D., M.P.H., visited U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (USPHS) officers and other U.S. uniformed personnel during the humanitarian mission Continuing Promise 2009's final stop in Nicaragua. On July 4, 2009, Rear Adm. Galson toured the U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort and recognized its medical and public health personnel as they visit communities to deliver health care services and exchange ideas and practices with local health professionals.

Continuing Promise 2009 is one of the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Health Diplomacy initiatives designed to increase the operational capacity of U.S. government personnel to deliver humanitarian assistance, perform public health assessments, conduct public health infrastructure repair and provide health care training of indigenous health care workers. This is the second year the USPHS has supported Continuing Promise 2009 through deployment of its officers.

"I am honored to be in Nicaragua to celebrate partnerships and friendships that extend across international boundaries to fight against and prevent disease," said Rear Adm. Steven K. Galson, acting Surgeon General. "Missions such as Continuing Promise 2009 illustrate how our officers stand ready to assist, protect and promote better access to health care at home and abroad." Galson is the head of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.

The USNS Comfort departed Norfolk, VA, April 1 for its four-month deployment to Antigua, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Panama. Since Continuing Promise 2009's first stop this past April, its crew, including medical professionals from the USPHS, Navy, Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, and nongovernmental organizations have treated more than 75,000 patients.

Since the launch of the Partnership for the Americas mission in 2007, the USPHS has provided 14 rotating teams encompassing 239 officers. For more information on the USPHS role in Continuing Promise 2009 please visit www.usphs.gov.

06/08/2009 - The 44th annual US Public Health Service Scientific and Training Symposium attracted more than 1265 participants - a record high - during the first week in June in Atlanta, GA. Opening ceremonies on Monday morning, June 1st, were followed by plenary session presentations with the Acting Surgeon General, Rear Admiral Steven Galson, and the Acting Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Richard Besser. RADM Galson awarded Dr. Besser the Surgeon General's Medallion (see photo above) for his outstanding leadership during the H1N1 influenza outbreak in the weeks immediately preceding the symposium. Following lunch, the Luther Terry Lecture was delivered by Doctor Chip Rice, President of the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences. The Luther Terry Lecture was introduced by Michael Terry, youngest son of former Surgeon General Terry, who provided some personal context for his famous father's important work. Monday was capped off the the Anchor and Caduceus Dinner celebrating the PHS and Commissioned Corps' birthdays with the Dr. C. Everett Koop Honorary Lecture delivered by 16th Surgeon General, Dr. David Satcher. The rest of the week was full of interesting and informative presentations including a closing keynote by the Army Surgeon General, LTG Eric Schoomaker who spoke at length on the importance of public health to military medicine. If you missed the 2009 conference, you won't want to miss the 2010 event which will be held in San Diego, CA during the last week in May. Make plans to attend now!

05/18/2009 - The Veterinary Category has planned an exciting informal (ie, no uniforms needed) social event to be held the evening of June 2nd for ALL conference participants and their families following Category Day. Tickets are $65 a person and include dinner*, dessert, tea/lemonade and a cash bar at the world's largest aquarium, along with admission to the aquarium. Children under 3 when accompanied by an adult will be provided free entry. It is important to note that wristbands will be required for entry and that representatives of the veterinary category will be delivering the purchased wristbands to each category day meeting room on the morning of June 2nd.

You may purchase tickets through the pay pal link below until 4pm ET May 26th, 2009. Because we must provide a final count to the aquarium ahead of time, no onsite tickets can be sold. We are excited about this unique opportunity for socializing and networking with colleagues and we look forward to seeing everyone in Atlanta and at the aquarium! This evening is sure to be the highlight of your trip to Atlanta. For more information and to purchase tickets, please go to http://sites.google.com/site/usphsdinnerattheaquarium/.

If the paypal link embedded in the google site does not work, or you have additional questions, please contact LCDR Heather Bair-Brake at hhb2@cdc.gov.

*Buffet dinner overlooking the beluga whales includes burgers, veggie burgers, hot dogs, buttermilk fried chicken, baked beans, potato salad and yummy desserts. The food at the aquarium is excellent!

The aquarium will be open for viewing from 5:30-7:30 pm and dinner will be served from 6:30-8:30 pm.

04/30/2009 - The Commissioned Officers Association of the U.S. Public Health Service (COA) is pleased to announce Susan J. Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.A., a retired Rear Admiral and Assistant Surgeon General in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, as the recipient of the Association’s 2009 Health Leader of the Year Award. The COA Health Leader of the Year Award was established in 1987 to recognize individuals who have made notable contributions to the health of the Nation. Contributions can be in research, administration, service delivery or some other area of public health.

Rear Admiral Blumenthal is recognized for her lifetime achievements and leadership in raising national awareness and scientific attention to women’s health issues as well as a range of other critical public health concerns. As the first Deputy Assistant Secretary of Women’s Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Admiral Blumenthal stimulated and coordinated women’s health issues across federal agencies and pioneered many innovative initiatives including the National Centers of Excellence on Women’s Health at universities across the country to serve as models for research, training and care, the National Women’s Health Information Center, and the “Missiles to Mammograms” program that transferred imaging technology used for space exploration and intelligence purposes to improve the early detection of breast cancer.

She also served as a White House advisor on health issues, as Senior Global Health Advisor in HHS, as the top medical advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, as Chief of the Behavioral Medicine and Basic Prevention Research Branch and Chair of the Health and Behavior Coordinating Committee at the National Institutes of Health.

Additionally, RADM Blumenthal has been an international leader in global health including AIDS, emergency preparedness issues such as bioterrorism and pandemic flu, mental illness, suicide, violence, disease and obesity prevention. She fostered numerous international collaborations on health diplomacy including establishing a Middle East Health Initiative and was the U.S. representative to the World Health Organization’s Global Commission on Women’s Health. Admiral Blumenthal has been at the forefront of applying information technology to improve health, providing national leadership as one of the first in the government to use the internet for health education, envisioning and establishing several award-winning websites including 4woman.gov, safeyouth.org, nutrition.gov, globalhealth.gov, and 4collegewomen.org.,Additionally, she is the author of numerous scientific publications, served as the health columnist for national magazines and as the host and medical director for an award winning television series on health.

Upon her retirement from active duty with the PHS Commissioned Corps after 20 years of service, Admiral Blumenthal was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal of the U.S. Public Health Service "for distinguished and pioneering leadership, groundbreaking contributions, and dedicated public service that has improved the health of women, our Nation, and the world." She has received honorary doctorates for her innovative work in identifying and championing understudied public health problems, and marshaling the resources of the government to address them.

Dr. Blumenthal is now Director of the Health and Medicine Program at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, where she leadsleads its Commission on Charting New Directions in the field. She is also the Senior Policy and Medical Advisor at amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, Chair of the Global Health Program at the Meridian International Center and a Clinical Professor at Georgetown and Tufts Schools of Medicine.

Previous recipients of the Health Leader of the Year Award have included former U.S. Surgeons General Antonia Novello, C. Everett Koop, Richard Carmona, and Acting Surgeon General Kenneth Moritsugu; Senators Bill Frist, John Warner, and Tim Hutchinson; Human Genome pioneer Dr. Francis X. Collins; NIH NIAID Director RADM Anthony Fauci, and many other distinguished public health leaders.

The Health Leader of the Year Award will be presented to RADM Blumenthal at the annual Awards Luncheon of COA on Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009 in Atlanta, GA during the 44th US PHS Scientific and Training Symposium sponsored by the PHS Commissioned Officers Foundation. For more information, visit http://www.phscofevents.org.

04/01/2009 - The Annual Retiree Breakfast will be held at 7:15 a.m., Thursday, June 4th at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis Hotel. This breakfast will be in conjunction with the 44th annual Public Health Service Scientific and Training Symposium, June 1st-4th 2009 in Atlanta, GA.

Hosted by the PHS Commissioned Officers Foundation, the annual retiree breakfast has become one of the highlights of the Symposium. Admiral Steven Galson, U.S. Surgeon General (Acting) will be the featured speaker. This affair is free and open to all retired USPHS Commissioned Officers and guests.

We invite you to renew old acquaintances, make new friends, and learn about the vitality of the Corps today and future plans for enhancing that strength. Please note you will have to register separately for the rest of the symposium agenda.

If you do plan to attend the Retiree Breakfast, please reserve your seat with Brian McSheffrey or Julia Veeder via e-mail at bmcsheffrey@coausphs.org or jveeder@coausphs.org or by phone at 1-866-366-9593.

Member

02/12/2010 - The following seats on the COA Board of Directors will be up for election this spring: Pharmacist, Therapist, Veterinarian, Inactive Reserve Officer, Retired Officer, and one Field Officer. Incumbents in all six seats are completing their first three year terms and are eligible for re-election to a second term. 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, 2010 (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. Pharmacist, Field Rep., Inactive Reserve, 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.

02/03/2010 - This afternoon VADM Regina Benjamin for the first time exercised her authority as Surgeon General and commander of the PHS Commissioned Corps. In a letter to the Corps announcing the beginning of a process to select a new permanent Deputy Surgeon General, Admiral Benjamin revealed that she has "asked individuals within the Immediate Office of the Surgeon General to resume the official duties of the billets they encumber." In that regard, RADM Robert Williams will step down as Acting Deputy Surgeon General and resume his permanent duty as the Office of Surgeon General (OSG) Chief of Staff. Admiral Williams will be replaced as Acting Deputy SG by RADM David Rutstein who has been serving as Director, Office of Force Readiness and Deployment (OFRD). Admiral Williams has been Acting Deputy SG since August, 2006. Captain Carol Romano, who has been the Acting Chief of Staff for almost three years, will retain what had been a concurrent assignment as Director, Office of Reserve Affairs. Captain Daniel Beck will take over as OFRD's acting director. It comes as no surprise that VADM Benjamin selected RADM Rutstein to be her deputy since they are long time friends having been medical school students together. But the rank inversion of a one-star deputy and a two-star chief-of-staff is, at best, curious for a uniformed service. RADM Rutstein is more than well qualified to serve as Deputy Surgeon General. In fact, his name was put forward as a candidate for Surgeon General to the Obama Administration by several sources last year. COA salutes RADM Bob Williams for his more than three years of service as the Corps' deputy. Admiral Williams was, quite literally, the glue that held OSG and the Commissioned Corps together during a prolonged and difficult period of transition. COA also salutes CAPT Carol Romano for her service as acting Chief of Staff. At one point, CAPT Romano held three huge jobs at the same time - OSG Chief of Staff, Chief Nurse, and Director of ORA! We wish RADM Rutstein all the best as he takes up his new responsibilities and we offer COA's unstinting support.

02/01/2010 - For a limited time, NEW MEMBERS joining COA for the first time can enjoy FREE membership for 4 months through the payroll deduction method!

Fill out the New Member Application available at http://www.coausphs.org/wwejoincoa.cfm. Under Payment Options, select Payroll Deduction & type in "FREE" in the signature line. You will receive a Payroll Deduction form which must be completed and returned to COA within 30 days to obtain membership.

To take advantage of this offer, you MUST type "FREE MEMBERSHIP" in the email subject line!

01/27/2010 - The Junior Officer Advisory Group (JOAG) is requesting nominations for three awards - Junior Officer of the Year Award, JOAG Excellence Award, and VADM Richard H. Carmona Inspiration Award - to be presented at the annual USPHS Scientific and Training Symposium to be held in San Diego, CA, from May 24-27, 2010.

01/20/2010 - The United States Public Health Service (USPHS) Professional Advisory Committee for Nursing (N-PAC) is seeking nominations for the Minnegerode Awards for Nursing Excellence (MANE) and for three Publication Awards. These awards recognize and honor contribution(s) by Commissioned Corps, Civil Service, and Tribal Direct hire nurses of outstanding and sustained nature, which have had a substantial impact on the mission of the USPHS.

PHS Commissioned Corps "Activated" for Haiti Relief; Corps Officers Begin Deploying

01/14/2010 - The Assistant Secretary for Health on 13 January "activated" the PHS Commissioned Corps for Haiti earthquake relief operations and the Office of the Surgeon General/Office of Force Readiness and Deployment (OFRD) is fielding multiple requests from all echelons of DoD for Commissioned Corps support. A Public Health Advance Team, consisting of three PHS officers is embarked in USS Bataan (LHD 5), underway on 14 January for Haiti. Bataan, a large-deck amphibious assault ship will be accompanied by two other amphibious warships. PHS officers have extensive deployment experience in this class of ship as a result of three previous years of health diplomacy deployments in similar ships. OFRD is also working with the Navy and the hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) to determine the size of the PHS detachment to be embarked when Comfort gets underway from Baltimore for Haiti on 16 January. The Corps' pre-configured Ready Response Teams have been alerted to stand by for deployment orders. OFRD is also supplying Corps officers to staff the Secretary's Operation Center (SOC) and the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Emergency Operations Group in the SOC. The SOC and ASPR teams will monitor the Haiti relief operations. A particular strength (one among many) of the PHS Commissioned Corps in operations such as the one now unfolding is the Corps' diversity. Some 25 Creole speaking officers have already been identified. Cultural sensitivity and linguistic ability will be important factors in providing effective public health relief for the devastated country. COA has received inquiries from Inactive Reserve Officers about activating for Haiti relief operations. Inactive Reserve officers interested in supporting this mission should contact the OSG Office of Reserve Affairs.

Vice Admiral Regina M. Benjamin, Formally Sworn into Office as the Nation's 18th Surgeon General

01/12/2010 - Vice Admiral Regina M. Benjamin, USPHS, was formally sworn into office as the nation's 18th Surgeon General in an elaborate ceremony in front of several hundred family members, colleagues, former patients, and PHS Commissioned Corps officers at the Ronald Reagan Building in downtown Washington, DC on Monday afternoon, January 11th. The ceremony included a brief change-of-command during which 16th Surgeon General David Satcher, and 17th Surgeon General Richard Carmona presented the new VADM Benjamin with the Great Seal of the PHS Commissioned Corps - the Anchor and Caduceus - symbolically passing command of the Corps to Admiral Benjamin. Administration of the PHS Commissioned Corps is the only function of the Surgeon General mandated by law in Title 42 of the US Code. The ceremony was presided over by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Deputy Secretary William Corr, and Assistant Secretary for Health Howard Koh. In her remarks, VADM Benjamin committed to raising the profile of the PHS Commissioned Corps and increasing awareness of the critical role the Corps has in protecting the nation's public health - goals the COA shares and strongly endorses.

Click here to watch VADM Regina Benjamin's interview on ABC's Good Morning America just prior to her public swearing in as the 18th Surgeon General.

11/11/2009 - By law, all PHS Commissioned Corps officers are veterans and entitled to all benefits administered by the Department of Veteran's Affairs. As we pause to honor our nation's veterans and recall their many sacrifices to keep the United States healthy and free, COA recommits to defending our member's status as full and equal partners with their peers in all the uniformed services.

2nd Annual Wounded Warrior 5K Fun Run in Chevy Chase, MD.

When: Sunday, November 22, 9:00 AM
(Packet pickup begins at 8:00 AM)

Where: Meadowbrook Recreation Center
7901 Meadowbrook Lane, Chevy Chase, MD 20815

Registration: $35

Sponsored by the Class of 2012 at the Uniformed Services University Medical School

All proceeds will be used to purchase supplies for the wounded soldiers recovering at Walter Reed or National Naval Medical Center

To Register Online, Visit: www.HealersHelpingHeroes.org.

Any questions, please contact 2LT Mary Alice Pass, '08 at maryalice.pass@gmail.com.

10/20/2009 - COA is pleased to introduce our first online member survey. Have you ever wanted to let the Association leadership know what you think? Do you have suggestions for how COA can improve member services? Now's your chance to let us know! With only 25 questions, the survey takes only a few minutes to complete. We would like to have as many members as possible complete the survey which will be available until the end of November. Please click on the link to the right or the left here on COA's homepage and help us make COA better!

50 Year History of the Indian Health Service, "Caring & Curing" has Been Published!

10/07/2009 - The PHS Commissioned Officers Foundation's third book has been published!! Caring & Curing: A History of the Indian Health Service is written by James P. Rife, a senior historian with History Associates, and CAPT Alan J. Dellapenna, Jr., USPHS of the Indian Health Service. This thoroughly researched volume chronicles the history of Indian Heath Service (IHS) from its earliest beginnings, as part of the Department of the Interior, through multiple reorganizations including the 1955 transfer to the U.S. Public Health Service. Focusing upon the intense, often shifting political, tribal, and healthcare dynamics; Caring & Curing traces IHS's evolution over time. The book follows the agency through myriad trials and triumphs in its long-running fight to elevate Indian health to a level comparable to that of the rest of the nation. Brought to life through compelling personal stories, a crisp narrative, and archival imagery, the book not only looks at past successes and failures of Indian health care, but keeps an eye towards the future and the remaining work to be done by the agency in consultation and cooperation with American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Caring & Curing is hardcover, with 170 full color pages, and measuring 8 ½ x 11 inches. Place your single book orders for a retail price of $34.95. If you are interested in purchasing wholesale, 22 or more copies, you will always receive 15% off per book ($29.71). Please keep in mind, the shipping cost and a $2 handling charge will be added to all orders under 10 copies. For 10 or more copies, the handling price will go up to $25.

10/02/2009 - The Supreme Court, on Wednesday, September 30th, granted a petition for a "writ of certiorari" in two related cases involving PHS Commissioned Corps officers with significant implications on tort liabilty for all Corps officers. Granting "cert" means that the Supreme Court will review the decision of a lower court, in this case the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The issue in the case is whether or not PHS Commissioned Corps officers are protected under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) from civil suits for actions performed in the line of duty, as provided for in Title 42 of the U.S. Code. The original case is "Castaneda versus the United States, et. al." and arises from death of a person (Castaneda) shortly after being released from a Department of Homeland Security detention facility, where he is alleged to have received inadequate health care leading to his death. The Castaneda estate seeks to hold liable the officers, who held varying levels of supervisory authority in DHS Immigration Health Services at the time. Because of the broad and serious potential impact on the Corps if the FTCA protections are overturned, the Commissioned Officers Association filed an "amicus curiae" or "friend of the court" brief supporting the Supreme Court review. Oral arguments have not yet been scheduled, but are expected early next year.

10/01/2009 - The HSO Responder of the Year Award was established in 2004 to recognize a Health Services Officer who has made extraordinary contributions to the Public Health Service and the Health Services Category with regard to responding to critical events impacting the health of others.

09/28/2009 - On August 15, 2009 during the annual Board Retreat and Workshop, the COA Board of Directors gave final approval to a new, five year strategic plan. Two years in preparation, the 2009 - 2014 Strategic Plan identifies five major issues facing the Association and provides detailed and specific goals and objectives addressing each. The Plan is intended to be a "living plan" and will be periodically reviewed and updated to ensure its completeness and currency over the next five years. Individual COA members are encouraged to reveiew the Plan and submit comments and recommendations for improvement. All suggestions for changes to the Plan will be reviewed by the COA Board of Directors. The new Plan replaces the 2002-2007 Strategic Plan which proved to be a highly successful roadmap for COA. More than 80 percent of the individual objectives in the plan were successfully achieved.

09/25/2009 - RADM Steven K. Galson, USPHS, Acting Surgeon General, sent out a farewell message to the Commissioned Corps.

09/23/2009 - PHS Commissioned Officers Foundation for the Advancement of Public Health (COF) has been approved to participate in the 2009 Combined Federal Campaign of the National Capital Area (CFCNCA).

The designation (catalog) number assigned to the Foundation is 42884. Please keep COF in mind when you support the 2009 Combined Federal Campaign.

09/01/2009 - MOAA is hosting two career fairs one in Washington, DC and one in San Diego, CA open to all servicemembers - active duty, retired and former members and their spouses.

07/27/2009 - Uniform Regs for PHS officers are changing. COA member CAPT Bruce Tierney has put together a comprehensive presentation on what is current, what has moved to the dustbin of history, and what the future may hold.

07/27/2009 - Experiencing withdrawal pangs over the loss of an old, comfortable, and practical friend? Concerned about what to wear to the office after July 31st? A COA member has penned his lamentations for all to share.

07/22/2009 - Captain Maurice Sheehan, USPHS, (pictured in the photo at the top of the page and on the right in the photo above) has been awarded the Bronze Star Medal by the Secretary of the Army for his service while forward deployed with the 82nd CJTF in the mountains of Afghanistan from 2008 to 2009. Captain Sheehan's citation reads in part for "Exceptional meritorious service in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Captain Sheehan's personal courage and commitment to mission accomplishment in a combat zone, under the most extreme of circumstances, greatly contributed to the success of Operation Enduring Freedom. Captain Sheehan's performance reflects great credit on him, Task Force Duke, Combined Joint Task Force-101, and The United States Central Command." Might we also add the PHS Commissioned Corps! Captain Sheehan was also awarded the Combat Medical Badge earned while providing aid, under heavy fire, to an Afghan National Army Soldier. Captain Sheehan spent a year deployed to Afghanistan working with Pashtoon refugees, non-government organizations and the US Department of State. A past director of COA, Captain Sheehan is a Nurse Officer assigned to FDA. A COA grand salute and Bravo Zulu to Captain Sheehan - a PHS hero!

07/16/2009 - The National Military Family Association (NMFA) has revamped their Military Family of the Year Award program to include the PHS Commissioned Corps. More information about the award program and the online nomination form can be found at: http://www.militaryfamilyaward.org/. NMFA is member along with COA of The Military Coalition and a strong supporter of the PHS Commissioned Corps and our members' families. We are most pleased to have them include the PHS Commissioned Corps in this recognition. The award includes a cash prize and one family from each of the seven uniformed services will be selected as finalists and receive a paid trip to the Awards Ceremony in Washington, DC in October, 2009. COA would like to see a PHS Commissioned Corps family represented at this ceremony to further demonstrate the Corps' identity as a uniformed service. Nominations will close on August 7, 2009.

CAPT Russell W. Hart, (Ret.) Passes Away: One of COA's Oldest Life Members and a Past President of COA

06/22/2009 - Captain Russell W. Hart, USPHS, (Ret.), 102, of Dunwoody, GA, and one of COA's oldest life members, passed away on June 16, 2009.

Born in Alexandria, KY, July 14, 1906, he grew up in Cincinnati, OH. While attending the University of Cincinnati, he earned five varsity letters in basketball and baseball. In 1938, he received a Masters in Sanitary Engineering from the University of Michigan. As chief sanitary engineer for Atlanta in the early 1940's, he cleaned up the milk industry for the Atlanta area, helping to eradicate tuberculosis, undulant fever and other diseases affecting whoever drank the raw milk. In 1942, he became a commissioned officer in the U.S. Public Health Service. After a year in New Orleans, he was transferred to Kansas City, MO, where he spent 13 years before being assigned to San Francisco, CA, where he remained until his retirement in 1969.

One of his fortes was public speaking. He had an extensive vocabulary. On more than one occasion his listeners would comment, "Russ Hart sounds great! I just wish I knew what he was talking about." His areas of expertise included communicable diseases and water pollution. He spent his career seeking answers to improve environmental and health issues for the benefit of the public.

In 1965, he was awarded the prestigious Meritorious Service Medal by the Surgeon General of the U.S. In 1966, the California Conservation Council honored him with an award for his efforts in water conservation with the state water project. He served as national president of the Commissioned Officers Association of the U.S. Public Health Service. In 2004, the Armed Forces Benefit Association honored him as their oldest living member. He was married for 74 years to the former Goldie Kelleher Hart of Albany, GA, who died in 2005. Retiring to St. Pete, FL, in 1969, he spent the next 40 years golfing, playing the stock market, tending to his yard and enjoying his family. When he moved to Atlanta in 1981 he joined the Mt. Vernon Baptist Church in Sandy Springs. His cheerful personality will be missed by all who knew him.

He is survived by his daughters, Nancy Battaglia and Betsy Prewette; grandson, Eric Brast; and two great grandchildren, Ingrid and Owen Brast.

The funeral was held on Sunday, June 21, in the Arlington Chapel of H.M. Patterson & Son, 173 Allen Road, Sandy Springs, GA 30328 (404) 851-9900. Entombment followed at Arlington Memorial Park on Mt. Vernon Highway.

06/11/2009 - Acting Surgeon General Rear Admiral Steve Galson has named Captains Sharon Williams-Fleetwood and Michael Welch as, respectively, the next PHS Chief Scientist and Chief Environmental Health Officers. Captain Williams-Fleetwood will relieve Rear Admiral Helena Mishoe as Chief Scientist Officer on August 1, 2009. Captain Welch will relieve Captain Craig Shepherd as Chief Environmental Health Officer on November 1, 2009. CAPT Williams-Fleetwood is assigned to the Division of Health Assessments and Consultation, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry; she serves as the Deputy Director of the Division. Her previous assignments were as Acting Division Director and Branch Chief, Superfund Site Assessment Branch, at ATSDR. CAPT Welch is assigned to the Phoenix Area Office, Indian Health Service where he serves as the Acting Associate Area Director, Office of Environmental Health and Engineering. His previous assignment was as the Director, Division of Environmental Health Services, Phoenix Area Office. Both are long term members of COA and we extend our hearty congratulations and best wishes for success in these important positions. COA also extends our congratulations to Rear Admiral Mishoe and Captain Shepherd as they complete their terms as Chief Professional Officers. They have provided outstanding leadership for their Categories and the entire Corps during often difficult and demanding times. COA is especially pleased once again to see two key leaders who are COA members replaced by officers who are also COA members continuing the strong correlation between COA membership and leadership in the Commissioned Corps.

05/14/2009 - CAPT Fortuine received his medical degree from McGill University in 1960 and his Masters of Public Health from Harvard University in 1968. He served with the United States Public Health Service from 1961 until his retirement in 1987. He first came to Alaska in 1963. He served as Service Unit Director for USPHS Alaska Native hospitals in Dillingham (1963-64); Bethel (1964-67); and Anchorage (1971-77); and as Deputy Chief of Family Medicine at Alaska Native Medical Center (1980-87). Fortuine was active in several national and Alaskan medical professional associations, as well as the American Society for Circumpolar Health and the International Symposium for Circumpolar Health.

His last book "A Century of Adventure in Northern Health: The Public Health Service Commissioned Corps in Alaska (1879-1978)," (2006) was published by the PHS Commissioned Officers Foundation for the Advancement of Public Health.

05/01/2009 - Acting Surgeon General Rear Admiral Steve Galson has named Captains Claire Helminiak and Edith Clark as, respectively, the next PHS Chief Medical and Chief Dietitian Officers. Captain Helminiak will relieve Rear Admiral David Rutstein as Chief Medical Officer. Captain Clark will relieve Captain Jan Huy as Chief Dietitian Officer. Captain Huy is a former national COA board member. Captain Helminiak is assigned to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Emergency Response where she is the Coordinating Director for Medical Programs. She was previously assigned as the Medical Advisor for Homeland Security Affairs, in the Office of the Vice President of the United States. Captain CLark is assigned to the Indian Health Service, Phoenix Indian Medical Center as the Director, Nutrition Services and Internship Director, Southwestern Dietetic Internship Consortium. She was previously posted as Community Dietitian with the Phoenix Indian Medical Center. Captains Helminiak and Clark will take up their new collateral duties on June 1st, 2009. Both are long term members of COA and we extend our hearty congratulations and best wishes for success in these important positions. COA also extends our congratulations to Rear Admiral Rutstein and Captain Huy as they complete their terms as Chief Professional Officers. They have provided outstanding leadership for their Categories and the entire Corps during often difficult and demanding times. COA is especially pleased once again to see two key leaders who are COA members replaced by officers who are also COA members continuing the strong correlation between COA membership and leadership in the Commissioned Corps.

04/13/2009 - The recent stimulus plan reduces federal income taxes up to $400 for working individuals and $800 for couples via smaller tax withholding from their paychecks. Non-working PHS retirees or survivors are not eligible for the tax reduction yet they are still subject to the reduced withholding in their retired pay or survivor annuities.

The Commissioned Corps Compensation Branch is required to use the new tax withholding tables published by the IRS for retired paychecks or annuities.

To add to the confusion, the stimulus bill also provides a $250 payment to those drawing Social Security or VA disability compensation. So if a retiree or survivor draws VA disability or Social Security, he/she will get the $250 payment on top of the reduced income tax withholding. A working retiree who also draws Social Security or VA disability compensation will get the $250 payment and will also have the additional $400 ($800 married filing jointly) withheld from BOTH PHS retired pay AND employer pay.

There will be some rude awakenings next year when retirees or survivors discover they have been "under-withheld" and owe an unexpectedly large tax bill on their 2009 taxes. Check out some examples and how you can protect yourself.

Retirees should check with their tax preparer/accountant or can submit a W-4 to the Compensation Branch to modify their withholding to make their necessary adjustment to their retired pay or annuity to avoid a bigger 2009 tax bill.

- Non-working PHS retiree with Social Security or VA disability compensation
> Will end up having $400/$800 (singe/married) less withheld from their retirement checks this year, but will still owe that money when they file taxes next year.
> SOLUTION: After the Compensation Branch executes the new withholding, retirees in this category can submit a new W-4 to the Compensation Branch to adjust the withholding amount.

- Working PHS retirees who DO NOT receive Social Security or VA disability compensation
> Will have $400/$800 less withheld from BOTH their PHS retired pay AND from their employer's pay - a total of $800/$1,600 less withheld, which means they will have to pay $400/$800 of that back when they file their 2009 taxes next year (you can only get the tax credit once).
> SOLUTION: People who do not want that to happen can submit the required W-4 to EITHER the Compensation Branch or their employer to adjust the withholding amount.

- Working PHS retirees who DO receive Social Security or VA disability compensation
> Will get the $250 payment soon and will ALSO have $400/$800 less withheld from BOTH their PHS retired pay AND from their employer's pay - a total of $800/$1,600 less withheld. BUT the total tax credit they can qualify for will be $400/$800. That means they will end up having to pay back $650 (single) or $1,050 (joint filer) of that money when they file their 2009 taxes next year.
> SOLUTION: If they do not want that to happen, they should ask the Compensation Branch and/or their employer to increase their withholding an extra $100-$180/month for the rest of the year so they come out even.

If you have any questions, we recommend you check with your accountant, financial planner or tax preparer.

03/23/2009 - The United States Public Health Service (USPHS), Nurse Professional Advisory Committee (N-PAC) is pleased to announce a call for nominations for the 2009 Carruth Wagner Awards. These five 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 Carruth Wagner Awards will be presented to each award recipient by the Chief Nurse Officer (CNO) at the Annual Commissioned Officers Foundation (COF) Symposium, June 2, 2009 during Nurse Category Day. Each award is accompanied by $1000 cash award which requires the nominee to complete an Ethics Form which needs to be endorsed by the Ethics Office from their respective Agency. (Please see the last two pages of the nomination form)

03/19/2009 - Earlier this week, in a significant step toward the deveopment of a billet based force management system, the Commissioned Corps announced the launch of the new Officer Profile Database. When complete, this database will define the current Corps, a necessary step before attempting to define the future Corps. Eventually the OP database will be combined with a defined billet database in the Coast Guard's Direct Access personnel management system. Ultimately, these merged systems will become the billet based force management system for which COA has so long advocated. This system will serve two important functions. First, it will enable the Corps to determine a numerical requirement - an essential entering argument when seeking appropriated funding on Capitol Hill. Second, it will enable the development and identifcation of clear career paths for PHS officers from cradle to grave of their commissioned service. Voluntary for now, COA strongly urges all our members to log on to the Officer Profile website and participate fully in this new program. This is your opportunity to take control of your career and be a participant in the transoformed Corps of tomorrow.

Other

06/10/2009 - Colorado Springs, July 28-31. This seminar, sponsored by the Engineer Professional Advisory Committee, follows a previously used very successful format of (1) leadership training by Harry Chambers of Trinity Solutions (www.trinitysol.com), (2) guest lecturers by noted leaders, (3) small group table-top exercises, and (4) a field trip. Participation is limited to 80. This training is applicable to all categories and all grades.

Among the guest lectures will be a briefing on NORTHCOM/NORAD operations in Colorado Springs, and a lecture on leadership in the Air Force with a focus on leadership training at the Air Force Academy. Attendees will participate in one of two field trips; a tour of the Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center (a high security location) or a guided tour of the Air Force Academy featuring areas not available to the general public. These tours are not optional, but intended to add value to the leadership training.

The registration fee includes the training, tours, a reception, and buffet lunch each day. The Crowne Plaza Hotel has rooms costing $88 per night single or double occupancy (per diem rate) and includes a free hot buffet breakfast, free WiFi, and free airport shuttle. This is a great opportunity to learn about leadership while your family enjoys the amenities at the hotel and surrounding natural attractions.

A detailed course agenda will be published soon. Register online now to reserve your place in the class. The contact person for additional information is LCDR Vivian Porter at vivan.porter@ihs.gov or (301) 443-4752.

Seminar Registration is at www.regonline.com/usphs (this is the only way to register), Hotel Reservations is at www.cpcoloradosprings.com/, 719-576-5900 or 1-800-981-4012 (block: Public Health Service Leadership).