Membership

The Commissioned Officers Association is an organization whose members are:

• active regular
• active reserve
• inactive reserve
• retired
• former Commissioned Officers of the USPHS
• students in the field of public health

COA is the only organization working exclusively on behalf of PHS Commissioned Corps Officers.

We are committed to you.

Interested in Renewing your Membership?

Click here to access the dues renewal form.

Interested in Applying?

Click here to access the online membership application.

For a list of local branches, click here.

Why join COA?

COA offers its members a number of benefits.

Capitol Hill Representation
COA legislation on Capitol Hill continually supports all Commissioned Corps officers - active duty, inactive reserve and retired.

Local Representation
COA branches generate new venues for meeting fellow officers within your local area while providing a forum for the discussion of concerns within the Commissioned Corps.

Financial Planning Seminars
COA sponsors periodic financial seminars organized by our local branches to help our uniformed service members, active and retired, plan for the future.

Annual Meeting
With a mixture of business and pleasure, COA's annual meeting invites colleagues from around the country to gather to discuss new scientific presentations while stimulating open forums about health related issues.

Insurance Programs
COA enables members to participate in several low-cost insurance programs, including Group Term Life, Long-Term Disability (LTD), In-Hospital Cash Plan, and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D). With the exception of the LTD plan, participation in these programs may continue after leaving the PHS as long as membership in COA remains current.

Communications
FRONTLINE - Winner of the 2004 APEX Award for Publication Excellence - is COA's newsletter which provides reports on monthly activities and items of interest to COA members about the Corps and the Association.

Members Web Site
COA members have access to a members only section of the web site that offers up-to-date member news and resources.

Scholarship Program
COF and the PHS Women's Club have joined together to offer thousands of dollars in college scholarships for children and spouses of COA members.

COA Ribbon
The COA ribbon is authorized to be worn on the PHS uniform by members in good standing when attending COA functions.

Avis & Budget Rental Discounts

COA members can enjoy discount rates on Avis and Budget rentals.

Public Health Foundation Publication Discounts

Targeted at the American Eagle Series of books about diabetes in Native American communities, COA members will receive a 50% discount on bulk purchases (packages of 68) of “Through the Eyes of the Eagle,” “Knees Lifted High,” Plate Full of Color,” and “Tricky Treats” and a 20% discount on “Eagle book series & Educational Guide: Tools for Community Diabetes Prevention.”

Ordering code for the 50% discount is COA081; and for the 20% discount, use ordering code COA082.  Visit the Public Health Foundation on-line bookstore at http://bookstore.phf.org/.

Public Health Report Discounts

Public Health Reports (PHR) is the journal of public health of the US Public Health Service and the US Surgeon General. PHR is the oldest journal of public health in the US and second oldest in the world. PHR is an informative and accessible resource for practitioners, teachers, and students of public health. The Journal provides important research and key discussions on the major issues confronting the public health community:
• Up-to-date information on disease prevention, health promotion, public policy, and interventions
• Articles on contemporary issues such as tobacco control, immunization, civilian preparedness, drug policy, lead screening, Native American health, tuberculosis control, occupational disease injury, and environmental justice
• Original, peer-reviewed research and public health practice articles, as well as thoughtful commentary Click here for the order form and more information. (222KB, pdf)

Sex, Sin, and Science Discount

John Parascandola, Former PHS Historian, just published Sex, Sin and Science: A History of Syphilis in America is being offered to COA members by the publisher (Praeger) at a discount of 20% off the list price.  Dr. Parascandola is the retired Public Health Service Historian and a current Trustee of the Commissioned Officers Foundation.  Dr. Parascandola's fascinating book traces the history of syphilis in America from Colonial times to the present, as well as providing a background chapter on the origins and spread of syphilis.  The important role of the PHS Commissioned Corps is prominently featured through his narrative.  In his foreword to the book, 17th U.S. Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona calls the work "a thoughtful, powerful and revealing treatise...that the general public, historians, politicians, and science can benefit from."  Click here to learn more about the book and to receive the 20% discount by using discount code F238.

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