May COA FL 15_FinalColor - Commissioned Officers Association

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VOL. 52, ISSUE 4 A
U.S. P
Salus Populi Suprema Lex Este FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
H
S
May 2015 Congressional Public Health Caucus
Starting a Congressional
Caucus
A
s of 9 April
2015 there is
a Congressional
Public Health
Caucus in the
United States
House of Representatives. I had
worked with several CongressionJames T. (Jim) Currie, al caucuses before
PH.D Colonel, USA (Ret.) I became the
COA/COF Executive Director last year, including
most notably the Congressional
Sportsmen’s Caucus and the Congressional Boating Caucus. I knew
how helpful these informal associations can be in promoting an agenda,
so one of my goals when I became
your Executive Director was to secure the establishment of a Public
Health Caucus in the Congress.
We at COA started working on the
caucus idea back in July 2014 when
Government Relations Director Judy
Rensberger and I began brainstorming about possible caucus cofounders. We knew that we wanted
the caucus to be bipartisan, and we
knew that we wanted co-founders
who were truly interested in public
health. The former, we realized, was
going to be harder than the latter, as
today’s House of Representatives is
(Executive Director, cont’d. on p. 16)
A s related in the COA Execu ve Director’s column this month, the Congressional Public Health Caucus became a reality on 9 April, when co‐chairs and co‐founders Rep. Rob Wi ‐
man (R‐VA) and Rep. Gene Green (D‐TX) released their press state‐
ment announcing the forma on of the caucus. From what COA has been able to learn, the idea of having a Congressional Public Health Caucus stretches back at least twenty‐five years. Public health itself is not a par san is‐
sue, and the fact that this caucus was co‐founded by a Republican and a Democrat reinforces its non
‐par san nature. COA looks forward to reaching out to the caucus leadership with ideas for programs on Capitol Hill that advance Congressional under‐
standing of public health issues. In assis ng these Congressmen and their staffs as they estab‐
lished this caucus, COA has helped create a venue where other health‐related organiza‐
ons can also secure sponsor‐
ship for public health‐related Hill events. You can access the web‐
site for the Congressional Public Health Caucus through the COA homepage. We urge you to ask your member of the U.S. House of Representa ves to join the caucus. COA Member Benefits
Capitol Hill Representation
Efforts on Capitol Hill
continually support all Commissioned Corps officers - active-duty, and retired.
Car Rental Discount Avis & Budget
Members enjoy discount rates
on Avis and Budget rentals.
Frontline
COA’s newsletter reports on
monthly activities and items of
interest about the Corps &
COA.
Insurance Programs - AGIA
Participate in low-cost insurance programs that may continue after leaving the PHS as
long as your membership in
COA remains current.
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.
Scholarship Program
COA offers thousands of
dollars towards college scholarships for children and spouses
of COA members.
MPH@GW/MHA@GW
$7500 scholarships to earn
completely online, accredited
Master of Public Health and
Master of Health Administration degrees
Ribbon
Authorized to be worn on the
PHS uniform by members in
good standing when attending
COA functions.
2
Legislative Update
On the Nation’s Health Policy Agenda:
Public Health Effects of Climate Change
S ome mes in Advocacy World, things line up very nicely. So it is with a new public policy focus on the poten al health effects of climate change. On April 6, the first day of Na onal Public Health Week, the White House announced a new, mul‐
‐part ini a ve on the health impacts of climate change. Later in the week, the American Public Health Associa on (APHA) released a report highligh ng success stories intended to demonstrate that “we are far from defenseless” against climate change. On April 9, Rep. Rob Wi man, a Virginia Republican, and Rep. Gene Green, a Texas Democrat, announced the forma on of a bipar‐
san Congressional Public Health Caucus. (See Execu ve Director Jim Currie’s column in this issue of Frontline.) Meanwhile, a legisla ve proposal introduced earlier by Rep. Lois Capps (D‐CA), a nurse, was a rac ng the support of health ad‐
vocates, but its fate in Congress is uncertain. It calls for a na onal stra‐
tegic plan to combat the deleterious health effects of climate change. Surgeon General
Answer session and invited addi on‐
al ques ons via Twi er. As a White House e‐mail framed it, “The Surgeon General wants to talk to you about climate change.” Legisla ve Proposal
On the legisla ve front, U.S. Rep. Lois Capps (D‐CA), has introduced an ambi ous proposal called the Climate Change Health Protec on and Promo on Act. Also known as H.R. 1275, it would direct HHS to develop, within two years, a na onal strategic ac on plan to “assist health professionals in preparing for and responding to the public health effects of climate change.” The pro‐
posal, intended to bolster CDC efforts, would encourage a focus on popula ons especially vulnerable to the health effects of climate change. It would direct a en on to water‐
borne, food‐borne and vector‐borne infec ons, as well as lung and cardio‐
vascular diseases. The bill would fund academic and regional centers of excellence, and support public outreach and educa on efforts, including “greenhouse gas reduc on behaviors.” Mrs. Capps, a nurse and The White House launch featured ten‐term member of Congress, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, represents California’s 24th Congres‐
who is also expected to play a visible sional District (CD). role later this Spring at a White House summit on the health impacts APHA, the prime mover behind of climate change. VADM Murthy Na onal Public Health Week, circu‐
talked about asthma, a condi on lated a le er of support for the exacerbated by allergens and Capps proposal. COA quickly signed, air‐borne par culate pollutants that along with 20 other health organiza‐
increase with warmer temperatures. ons ranging from the American He also hosted a Ques on‐and‐
(Legisla ve Update, cont’d. on p. 15) Commissioned Officers Association
COA Chair’s Corner
Your COA Directors: What They are Doing for You!
My Fellow Officers and Friends, can’t say enough about how fantas c the COA staff are for the hard work they do to support all of us in uniform, and many of us will have the opportunity to thank them in person at the Sci‐
en fic and Training Symposium this month. I also want to extend recogni on to our out‐
standing Directors, who, above and beyond their demanding workloads, dedicate their me and energy to support the mem‐
bers of the Associa on. The COA Board of Directors (BOD) is I CAPT Sara Newman, USPHS Board Director elected by YOU for a three‐year term to represent the en re membership of the Associa on. Directors support you in a number of ways. They chair com‐
mi ees to support COA priori es, a end standing mee ngs of the BOD, deliberate and make decisions on issues impac ng our membership, par cipate in impromptu mee ngs, serve on special commi ees to address the unexpected or emerging issues that impact the commissioned corps, and serve as a liaison to our branches and categories to address concerns and recommenda on, provide input and communicate mely is‐
sues impac ng the Corps. We have a phenomenal group of Directors this year and I wanted to ensure all of you know who they are, what their roles are on the board, and what they are doing to further COA priori es. See the table below: PHS Category/Group Commi ee Chair Assigned CDR Allison Adams Nurse CDR Heather Bair‐Brake Veterinarian Communica ons and Public Rela ons CAPT Jose Belardo Field Representa ve CAPT Chris Benne Dental RADM Richard Ber n (Ret) Re red Officer Execu ve Commi ee CAPT Chris Buchanan Environmental Health CAPT Michelle Colledge Field Representa ve Legisla ve and Benefits CDR Blakeley Fitzpatrick Die
Membership CAPT Beth Fritsch Pharmacist Annual Mee ng and Educa on CAPT Brian Lewis Medical CAPT Sara Newman Scien st Chair, Execu ve Commi ee CDR Josef Rivero Field Representa ve Branch Liaison RADM Richard Rubendall (Ret) Re red Officer Re red Officers CAPT Rita Shapiro Therapist Resolu ons and Cons tu on CAPT James Simpson Engineer Awards CAPT Craig Wilkins Health Services Treasurer, Execu ve Commi ee RADM Robert Williams (Ret) Re red Officer COF Board Chair CDR Kofi Ansah MOLC LCDR Robert Kosco JOAG CDR Jonathan Rash Immediate Past Chair Execu ve Commi ee Non‐Vo ng Ex Officio an (COA Chair Corner, cont’d. on p. 5) May 2015 - Frontline
3
Advancing public health and public health leadership for a healthier Na on.
Visit the Founda on online at www.phscof.org.
COF President’s Corner
Todo el mundo es bienvenido!*
I t is May! A me for cele‐
bra on! If you are in tune with Mexican culture, you are very much aware of Cinco de Mayo. Although some have associated this day with RADM Robert C. Williams, “eat all the Mex‐
(Ret.), USPHS ican food you can” and “drink all the margaritas you want,” it actually commemorates the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France at the Ba le of Puebla. It is not, as some may think, Mexican Independence Day, which is in September and celebrates the defeat of the Spanish in the early 1800s. It is considered a rela vely minor holiday in Mexico (except in Puebla). The United States, on the other hand, fully embraces this day of celebra on of Mexican culture and heritage with parades, mariachi mu‐
sic, street fes vals, and fabulous food. Cinco de Mayo is a great way to start the month of May. It means that the 50th annual USPHS Scien fic and Training Symposium at the Sheraton Atlanta is less than two weeks away! We have planned a terrific event for everyone to a end with an expanded agenda from previous years (read this as more con nuing educa on), outstanding plenary speakers, and all the tradi onal opportu‐
ni es for networking with fellow PHS officers and state and local health profes‐
sionals. And, we really would appreciate todo el mundo to a end. Why not set a new record for symposium a endance? The theme of this year's Symposium is Public Health Diversity: Succeeding in a Fla er World. It is a theme with mul ple meanings and mul ple direc ons de‐
pending on a person’s percep on. We 4
have seen in just the past year the “fla er world” play‐out with the re‐
sponse to Ebola. Public health is certain‐
ly no longer geographically isolated. We are well aware of the complexi es of public health in diverse popula ons with diverse needs and demands. The diver‐
sity of public health can be seen in how race or ethnicity, gender, educa on, age, disability, socioeconomic status, and geographic loca on all contribute to an individual’s ability to achieve good health. Public health dispari es are also readily apparent as is the knowledge that achieving public health equity re‐
quires public health diversity. To me, the varied but entwined topics of this year’s symposium theme should provide you with ample opportunity for enlight‐
ened study, invigora ng discussion, and lively networking to improve the future of public health. But, to enjoy these opportuni es – you need to be at the Symposium! May is also Mental Health Awareness Month. Since 1949, na onal a en on has been directed toward mental health in May. We con nue that focus with several sessions at the symposium. Na‐
onal Mental Health Month raises awareness about mental illness and related issues in the United States. You may remember Surgeon General Satcher issued the first Surgeon Gen‐
eral’s Report on Mental Health in 1999. The Report was a departure from the prevailing mental health field’s focus on mental illness, which sought to serve individuals who were most severely affected. The Report embraced these topics and also served to intensify inter‐
est in disease preven on and mental health promo on. Subsequent Sur‐
geons General have con nued this em‐
phasis. Commissioned Officers Association
Over the past 15 years, the general popu‐
la on’s nega ve a tudes and s gma as‐
sociated with mental health appear to have decreased and there has been grow‐
ing acceptance towards mental health issues and support for people with them. The Commissioned Corps is much aware of the changing a tudes toward mental health issues having been at the forefront of leadership efforts at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Admin‐
istra on and immersed for a number of years with Department of Defense mental health ac vi es. At this year’s symposi‐
um, you will hear how the Commissioned Corps has taken a leadership role in ensur‐
ing that mental health perspec ves are fully considered as a part of deployments and responses. For us, force protec on is no longer just personal protec ve equip‐
ment and security, it means protec ng our minds as well. I hope just a er reading this column that you will be finalizing your plans to be in Atlanta. The Symposium is the biggest PHS “family reunion” each year surround‐
ed by a fantas c educa onal and training venue. You will be glad that you came. Whether you are new to the Corps, or have been a ending the Symposium for years, when you a end this event you come away energized. So come join us for a celebra on of life, public health, and the Commissioned Corps – everyone is wel‐
come! Say hello and let me shake your hand! Yours in public health, Bob Williams, P.E., DEE RADM, USPHS (ret) President PHS Commissioned Officers Founda on *How my Mexican friends say “Everyone is welcome!” (COA Chair’s Corner, cont’d. from p. 3)
Although I don’t have space in this ar cle to describe all the great work our Directors are doing, I have asked a few of them to briefly describe their commi ee work to en ce you to get involved! I hope you will feel free to contact one of them, or me (saranewman55@gmail.com) to get involved in any of our commi ees. Legisla ve and Benefits Commi ee: Chair: CAPT Michelle Colledge. The L&B Commi ee has had a busy year. Our diverse commi ee includes 24 members from over 10 differ‐
ent agencies and every category. Beyond keeping an eye on a number of other legisla ve priori es, in FY15 our commi ee has provided cri cal review for the COA Board of the 2015 Na onal Defense Authoriza on Act (NDAA) and the very re‐
cent release of the Military Compensa on and Re rement,; Moderniza on Commission (MCRMC) report to Congress. The NDAA has the poten al to affect budget line items that impact the USPHS Commissioned Corps opera ons annually, and the MRCMC is a proposal to overhaul the en re pay and benefits system of the uniformed services. The L&B commi ee is also working on other issues, including Tricare/health benefits, the appropria ons for the Office of the Surgeon General, and providing input on COA’s Tobacco Ini a ve. If you are interest‐
ed in joining the L&B Commi ee, please contact CAPT Colledge at: Michelle_colledge@yahoo.com Membership Commi ee: Chair: CDR Blakeley Fitzpatrick. The Membership Commi ee is devoted to increasing the member‐
ship of and involvement in the COA. Approximately 60 % of COA’s revenue comes from membership dues. Unfortunately, the number of COA members has been on a gradual decline in recent years. The commi ee is working to make officers aware of the benefits of COA membership and the importance of ac ve membership throughout their career and beyond. We plan to begin a phone campaign soon to contact junior officers who received a “complimentary” membership to COA during their first year in the Commissioned Corps, but who chose not to con nue their membership when the complimentary period ended. We then plan to expand the phone campaign to all officers and re rees who are not currently members of COA. Our biggest challenge is ge ng accurate contact informa on for officers and re rees. We encourage ac ve members, like you, to reach out to your fellow officers who are not currently members to encourage them to join. We also encourage you to log into the COA “Members Only” website so that you can update your rank and contact informa on on a regular basis. We currently have 27 commi ee members, but will need addi‐
onal assistance with our upcoming phone campaigns. If you are interested in joining the COA Membership Commi ee, please contact CDR Blakeley Fitzpatrick at blakeleyd@hotmail.com Communica ons and Public Rela ons Commi ee, Chair: CDR Heather Bair‐Brake. We are embarking on several projects to increase awareness of the USPHS and par cularly the COA. First, we are working on developing social media to post onto COA’s Facebook and twi er accounts. Our officers are combing through archived copies of Frontline to pull out major achievements throughout the history of COA. Our plan is to post these major achievements on Facebook for “throwback Thursday” and indicate to officers that COA could not have accomplished those tasks without the financial support of PHS officers through membership. One member is looking through a recent survey to create a list of the top 10 reasons people become members of COA. We also have an ini a ve to high‐
light the good work of our fellow officers through wri ng and publishing officer profiles in Frontline and eventually on our new COA Website. The commi ee is also ac vely involved in the design of the new website and our members have contrib‐
uted comments and sugges ons to the web design company for shaping the site’s look and u lity. Finally, we have embarked on a grass roots ini a ve, which allows officers to be interviewed for ar cles in their hometown newspa‐
pers. Approximately 30 officers have volunteered so far. We plan to meet with the interested candidates and offer them media training before reaching out to their hometown papers to propose an interview. There are 21 members of the Com‐
munica on and Public Rela ons Commi ee at this me. To get involved contact CDR Bair Brake at hhb9@cdc.gov. Local Branch Commi ee, Chair: CDR Josef Rivero. The mission of our 15‐member commi ee is to improve the vitality of local COA branches and to strengthen es between local branches and na onal COA. This mission is conducted primarily by facili‐
ta ng communica on and collabora on among local branches and na onal COA. Our objec ve is to provide local branches with guidance and informa on to enhance their structure and opera ons in order to keep them ac ve and viable. Our major ini a ves include quarterly teleconferences for branch leader‐
ship, an annual Symposium branch leadership workshop, a branch leadership mentor program, and support for the na‐
onal COA awards program. We have successfully engaged local branch leaders through our quarterly na onal local branch teleconferences. The 2015 COF Symposium Branch Leadership Workshop agenda will be held on Monday, May 18, 2015, 0800‐1300. The annual local branch ac vity report iden‐
fies local branch best prac ces in membership, educa on, community service, and readiness and will include accomplish‐
ments to determine this year’s local COA branch of the year. If you would like to join this na onal COA local branch commi ee, contact the Chair CDR Josef Rivero at rivero.josef@gmail.com and co‐Chair CDR Thomas Pryor at Thomas.Pryor@cms.hhs.gov. Of course our Board members are ac ve on many other commi ees, including awards, annual mee ng and educa on, (COA Chair Corner, cont’d. on p. 8) May 2015 - Frontline
5
Commissioned Officers Foundation
Acknowledges Donations Received March 16-April 15, 2014
GOLD RADM Christopher G. Halliday, (Ret.) RADM Richard A. Rubendall, (Ret.) SILVER RADM Richard J. Ber n, (Ret.)
CAPT Gregory J. Glahn, (Ret.) RADM Dawn L. Wyllie, (Ret.) BRONZE CAPT Frank A. Bell, Jr., (Ret.) CDR Thomas B. Ellis CAPT Michelle T. Hall, (Ret.)^ CAPT Michael R. Lilla^^ RADM Gary R. Noble, (Ret.)^ CAPT Astrid L. Szeto^^ CAPT Craig S. Wilkins^ 6
FRIENDS LCDR Angela R. Ba ese
CAPT Robert J. Branagan, (Ret.)^ CAPT George A. Durgin, Jr. LCDR Harlem J. Gunness CAPT John J. Henderson, (Ret.) CDR James L. Kenney, III CAPT Dianne T. McRae, (Ret.)^ LT Joyce E. Ogbu LCDR Ma hew R. Palo^ CDR William F. Pierce^^ CAPT Charlo e A. Spires ^C. Evere Koop Living Legacy ^^Michael Tarosky Memorial Fund Commissioned Officers Association
Donations Can be Made
at Several Levels:
Leadership Society .... $10,000
President’s Society .... $5,000
Founder’s Society .... $2,500
Platinum .... $1,000
Gold .... $500
Silver .... $250
Bronze .... $100
Visit www.phscof.org/giving to
donate online today!
D isney hypocrisy? Here is Jim Currie’s third le er to the Chairman of The Disney Corpora on. He based this le er on a photo, sent to him by a COA member, which showed how Disney uses the sterling reputa on of the U.S. Public Health Service to reassure its cruise ship passengers, all the while denying parity to officers in the PHS. You can see the placard, which was mounted in a passageway on a Disney cruise ship, on the COA website at h p://
www.coausphs.org/images/Disney_cruise_ship_placar_001.jpg May 2015 - Frontline
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COA Membership Meeting
Monday, May 18 at 1:00‐1:45 p.m. USPHS Symposium at the Sheraton Atlanta Learn from COA Board Chair CAPT Sara Newman and Execu ve Director Jim Currie about the latest improvements to your Associa‐
on. Hear about what COA is doing to represent the interests of all Public Health Service officers and promote the impact of the PHS Commissioned Corps. R ead the book so many are talking about. Check out the contro‐
versial recommenda ons the author shares about the future of the Surgeon General. COA members can receive a 30% discount on journalist Mike Stobbe’s new book. Use discount code 14W5566 at the online checkout. Addi onal informa on about the book is avail‐
able online. COA staff have read the book and carefully reviewed the author’s sugges on of doing away with the posi on of Surgeon General. We reject his conclusion and look forward to hearing the author’s argument as the Luther Terry lecturer during the Anchor and Caduceus Dinner at the Symposium in Atlanta. Join us for a discussion about the value of the Surgeon General to improve pub‐
lic health. "Mike Stobbe's history of the U.S. Surgeon General is more than a grand tour of American medicine. It is a though ul and engaging analysis of what the Surgeons General did and do while pursuing the not always so straight line of advancing the public's health." — Howard Markel, M.D., Ph.D., The University of Michigan Mike Stobbe is a na onal medical correspondent for The Associated Press and is based in New York City. He covers the CDC and writes on a range of health and medical topics. He has a doctorate in pub‐
lic health policy and administra on from the University of North Carolina. (COA Chair’s Corner, cont’d. from p. 5)
and others, so please contact us to get involved in any one of these commi ees. Also, so you can easily spot them, our Directors a ending the COF Symposium will be wearing a ribbon. Please introduce yourself, share your concerns and ideas and offer your support on the commi ees they chair. We will also look forward to welcoming our new Directors following the elec ons. 8
Commissioned Officers Association
COA Branch Activities
A Sunshine of Enthusiasm – South Florida COA
By CDR Luis O. Rodriguez, USPHS ENTHUSIASM!
We always wanted to write an ar cle for the Frontline but incredibly enough, we did so much this year that by the me we wanted to write about an ac vity, we had other ac vi es going on. It was a bit frustra ng un l we decided to do a year in re‐
view ar cle. That way we could tell much of what we did and accomplished. This ar cle is full of enthusiasm and you will see why. MEMBERSHIP
Increasing COA Membership is Na onal COA #1 Priority. It is as impera ve to us. We have been successful retaining our members and also increasing our membership. In June 2014, our membership consisted of 23 officers. As of April 10, 2015, we have increased our membership to 32 officers ac vely par cipa ng in our conference calls and ac vi es. BRANCH ACTIVITIES & COMMUNITY OUTREACH
In September 2014, the branch hosted the first in‐person mee ng in years. It was a social gathering where everyone met each other. The networking and connec ons made that day gave grounds for a successful re‐birth of a branch that was in need of enthusiasm. Since then the South Florida COA Branch has experienced a magical transforma on to a very ac ve branch. The branch’s efforts also translated into monthly mee ngs. These monthly mee ngs have allowed for having updated bylaws, a welcome packet for officers new to our South Florida area, a newsle er, a presenta on about the U.S. Public Health Service Athle cs, among others. In October 2014, we offered the first‐ever Basic Life Support course opportunity. In November 2014, the branch showed its volunteer spirit by showing up at the public television channel “WPBT Pledge Drive” where the theme was related to public health. The branch found that the con nued challenge was to maintain a high engagement and commitment of members in branch ac vi es while maintaining the high performance that was expected at the duty sta ons. For this reason, in January 2015 the branch approved its first ever 5‐year Strategic Plan based on the Na onal COA Strategic Plan. This local strategic plan addresses the issue that we all move on a same direc on and all have responsibili es to ac‐
complish the mission and vision of the branch. All officers can showcase leadership, even out of leadership roles. February 2015 was a very special month for our branch. First, the branch par cipated in the very successful Walk to Defeat ALS in Davie FL. Second, we par cipated in a huge Habitat for Humanity, Miami‐Dade Chapter Blitz Build. In this opportunity, we also interacted with a sister service, the US Coast Guard. The team of USPHS and USCG officers was assigned to the same house and we worked in a spirit of friendly good‐fellowship and camaraderie. Third, a total of three boxes containing a variety of care items were sent at the end of February to Monrovia to fellow PHS officers deployed to Liberia in response to the Ebola outbreak. The packages included personal care items, dry snacks, table games (cards, dominos, etc.), reading books, school supplies, and toys for children. Last, the branch also hosted a dinner with Surgeon General RADM Vivek Murthy where he discussed with us his plans for the Corps but most importantly he wanted to hear from us. That was the first‐ever opportunity for most of us to speak one‐on‐one with our Surgeon General. In March 2015, the branch also provided to Surgeon General Murthy an aide‐de camp for his visit with President Clinton to South Florida where he was a guest speaker for a panel discus‐
sion at University of Miami presented by Clinton Global Ini a‐
ve University. In addi on, the branch served dinner to the homeless at the Broward Outreach Center. In April 2015, the branch had the opportunity to get a special invita on to the USNS Comfort for a behind‐the‐scenes tour. The USNS Comfort is one of the two US Navy hospital ships. The ship came to Miami from Norfolk to be here just a few days before beginning her next humanitarian mission. The ship is an impressive hospital. Physical fitness is paramount for USPHS officers to maintain officer readiness and support USPHS missions. Also, the elimina‐
on of the President’s Challenge as a way to maintain officer readiness presented addi onal opportuni es. As a result, in April 2015, the branch is offering our first ever Annual Physical Fitness Test. April 11, 2015 was a very busy day for the branch. For the first me ever, our officers prepared and served breakfast for par c‐
ipants in the ‘Adopt a Meal’ program at the Ronald McDonald House in Miami‐Dade County. Also, the branch hosted the first ever South Florida COA Family and Friends Day at the Oleta State Park. Both huge successes. In all these public appearances we have proudly worn either (South FL, cont’d. on p. 10 ) May 2015 Frontline
9
COA Branch Activities
(South FL, cont’d. from p. 9) our uniforms or t‐shirts iden fying us as USPHS Commissioned Corps Officers. Visibility is of utmost importance to the USPHS and it is certainly a priority to our branch members. The branch has also recognized and promoted member par cipa on in community service ac vi es. OTHER COLLABORATIONS
Central Florida and South Florida COA branches have also been in communica on. This has led to open doors for collabora on and partnerships. As men oned earlier, USCG and USPHS offic‐
ers worked together in a Habitat for Humanity Blitz. Members of our Membership Commi ee are also members of the Na onal COA Membership Commi ee. The South Florida COA Branch will also par cipate on the 50th annual USPHS Scien fic and Training Symposium. CONCLUSION
The efforts of the officers currently working in our commi ees have led to unprecedented ac vity and accomplishments. The South Florida COA Branch is stronger than ever and has shown a huge improvement. Members have great enthusiasm, have made notable community outreach, have successfully interacted with other branches and services, have been visible by all means, and have brought awareness of who are the USPHS Commissioned Corps and the Commissioned Officers Associa‐
on. For this reason, we firmly believe we have a very bright future ahead of us! Members of South Florida COA at different events. NOTICE TO COA BRANCHES
C OA Execu ve Director Col. Jim Currie has indicated that he is seeking opportuni es to visit COA Branches and tell members about COA ac vi es and bring them up‐to‐date on happenings in Washington. He says that he would prefer Branches to combine mee ngs so he can reach the largest number of COA members at one me. Jim can be reached at jcurrie@coausphs.org or 301 731‐9080. 10
Commissioned Officers Association
COA Branch Activities
BLUE STAR MUSEUMS
h p://arts.gov/na onal/blue-star-museums, "Blue Star Museums is a collabora on among the Na onal Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and more than 2,000 museums across America to offer free admission to the na on’s ac ve‐duty military personnel and their families, in‐
cluding Na onal Guard and Reserve, from Memorial Day, May 25, 2015 through Labor Day, September 7, 2015." Note that they include the PHS Corps in this program, see h p://arts.gov/news/2014/blue-star-museumsoffers-free-admission-military-families-2000-museums-na onwide, "The free admission program is available to any bearer of a Geneva Conven on common access card (CAC), a DD Form 1173 ID card (dependent ID), or a DD Form 1173‐1 ID card, which includes ac ve duty U.S. military ‐ Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, as well as members of the Na onal Guard and Reserve, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, NOAA Commissioned Corps ‐ and up to five family members. Some special or limited‐ me museum exhibits may not be included in this free admission program. For ques ons on par cular exhibits or muse‐
ums, please contact the museum directly. To find par cipa ng museums and plan your trip, visit arts.gov/
na onal/blue-star-museums." May 2015 - Frontline
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12
Commissioned Officers Association
COA’S RECOGNITION OF CFC PLEDGES
Members: LCDR Ma hew Palo CAPT Lynn Bullard LCDR John W. Diehl CAPT William G. Lotz CAPT Teresa A. Seitz Are you currently receiving National COA’s monthly e-mails? If
not, please visit the COA Members Only website
(www.coausphs.org) to update your contact information,
including your current email address.
You may be missing valuable COA/COF communication!
Follow COA on Facebook
and Twi er @coausphs
May 2015 - Frontline
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PHS Equal Employment Opportunity Complaint Process
E very PHS officer is en tled to legal protec ons from the ills of workplace discrimina on based upon their race, color, religion, sex, na onal origin, age and disability. If you think you have been the vic m of dis‐
crimina on, there are a few things you must know about the PHS Equal Employment Opportunity complaint process. You have the right to an a orney at all stages of the process. Hiring experienced legal counsel early in the process could make the difference in your case. However, you must no fy your designated EEO Officer in wri ng as soon as possible. The PHS encourages informal resolu on but it is not mandatory. The officer or their representa ve may make an informal complaint by consul ng an EEO officer or the officer’s first line supervisor preferably within 15 days of the incident. Whether taking informal ac on is best in your case depends on a number of factors, and a legal representa ve can help you make the best decision. A formal complaint must be filed in wri ng with an EEO officer within 60 days a er the offending incident
but the deadline may be extended in certain circumstances. The success of your case depends on the quali‐
ty of your formal complaint. You must clearly state the basis and the date of the discrimina on. Your com‐
plaint must be in “narra ve form” and should be as specific as possible. If you need more me to file your formal complaint, you must ask. If you elected to ini ate the informal resolu on process, the 60‐day deadline to file your formal complaint can be extended by 30‐days pending resolu on of the informal complaint. Otherwise, you must demonstrate that your failure to submit the com‐
plaint within 60 days was due to circumstances beyond your control. Once the complaint is filed, the EEO officer must designate an outside inves gator and create a Report of
Inves ga on (ROI) within 90 days. However, the deadline can be extended 45 days upon agreement by all par es. You have 30 days to review, comment, and supplement the ROI. This is an important step in the process because it is your last chance to make your case before the ma er goes before the Surgeon General for a fi‐
nal decision. It is vital that you review the ROI carefully to iden fy any factual errors or missing informa on. Based on all the materials generated in the inves ga on, the EEO will recommend a decision to the Surgeon General. The Surgeon General has 30 days to render a final decision, order further inves ga on, or convene an
Equal Opportunity Review Board (EORB) that will recommend a decision. The EORB, which is a diverse col‐
lec on of senior level officers and civilian employees, has 30 days to make its decision. The Surgeon General may or may not adopt the EORB’s recommenda ons but has 30 days to render a final decision. You have the right to be free from reprisal for alleging discrimina on. The PHS takes acts of reprisal very seriously. If at any point you believe you are being harassed or treated unfairly for exercising your rights, you must no fy the EEO Officer within 15 days of the alleged occurrence. Disclaimer: This is an adver sement. This informa on is not offered as legal advice and should not be used as a subs tute for seeking professional legal advice or familiarizing yourself with applicable regula ons. Con‐
tact the Law Offices of David P. Sheldon, PLLC to see how they can help you with your unique case. PAID ADVERTISEMENT 14
Commissioned Officers Association
(Legislative Update, cont’d. from p. 2)
Academy of Pediatrics, to Trust for America’s Health. The le er closed Friday, April 10, the last day of Na on‐
al Public Health Week. ‘Adapta on in Ac on’
Also during Na onal Public Health Week, APHA re‐
leased Adapta on in Ac on. It is a primer on the health effects of climate change and a call to communi es to prepare for what now seems inevitable. The language is blunt. “The scien fic consensus is clear: climate change is happening [and] the environmental consequences associated with climate change pose serious threats to human health.” The report describes pioneering efforts of state and local public health departments across the country to deal with extreme heat, increased rainfall and flooding, and greater concentra ons of allergens and air pollu‐
tants. It says work is well underway to find new, low‐cost, and crea ve ways to adapt to challenges of climate change and protect communi es from related disease and injury. The report features seven success stories. Each describes a specific threat to human health and a prom‐
ising adapta on, devised by a local or state health de‐
partment. The stories spotlight efforts in two major ci es (San Francisco, New York) and five states (Arizona, California, Maine, Michigan, and Minnesota). To learn more about climate change and human health, visit www.cdc.gov/climateandhealth. Congressional Public Health Caucus
The U.S. House of Representa ves has a new, bipar ‐
san Congressional Public Health Caucus, led by Congressman Rob Wi man, who represents Virginia’s 1st CD, and Congressman Gene Green, who represents the 29th CD in Texas. Although there are scores of disease‐related congres‐
sional caucuses already in existence, this is the very first to focus broadly on public health. The idea is to “elevate the conversa on on the importance of a robust public health system,” according to the two founders. They announced forma on of the new cau‐
cus on Thursday, April 9, the fourth day of Na onal Public Health Week. Within hours, the news was being spread within the health advocacy community. To state the obvious, COA is wildly enthusias c about the new caucus. We commit to doing everything possi‐
ble to support it, and we thank Congressmen Wi man and Green for making it happen. We are also asking individual COA members to support the caucus. How? Please write or call your own U.S. Representa ve and ask him or her to join. The press release can be found on Rep. Wi man’s website. Here’s the link h p://
www.wi man.house.gov/latest-news/wi man-greenannounce-congressional-public-health-caucus/ All in all, it was a pre y good week for public health awareness and ac on. --Judy Rensberger
May 2015 Frontline
15
From the Executive Director, from p. 1
hardly a model of bipartisanship.
By September we had decided on the first Republican we
were going to approach: Rep. Rob Wittman, a Republican
from Virginia. I had worked closely with Rep. Wittman in
my previous job as chief lobbyist for the recreational boat
manufacturing industry in this country and knew him as a
reasonable and well-respected member of the House of
Representatives. I also knew that he has an MPH degree
and that he had worked public health issues for the Commonwealth of Virginia before being elected to Congress.
He is also in a safe Republican district and figures to stay
in the House for as long as he wishes.
maintaining the unofficial website for it at
www.congressionalpublichealthcaucus.org. We will also
be working with the staffers for the two caucus co-chairs
(Wittman and Green) in suggesting possible educational
events for the caucus to sponsor.
Where you come in is recruiting members for the caucus.
We ask every person who receives this newsletter to reach
out to your member of the U.S. House of Representatives
and ask them to join the Congressional Public Health Caucus. You can do that by accessing your Congressman’s
website, which can be found through the website for the
United States House of Representatives (www.house.gov).
If you do not know the name of the person who represents
So, Judy and I met with his health staffer and were pitching you in the U.S. House of Representatives, you can plug
the idea of her boss co-founding a public health caucus
your zip code into the following: http://www.house.gov/
when Rep. Wittman himself walked in. As I said, he and I representatives/find/ and it will tell you his/her name.
knew each other well, and I was able to tell him what we
Many of you claim one state as home while serving on achad in mind. He was open to the idea, he said, but he want- tive duty in another. It would be fair, we think, to contact
ed time to consider it.
both members of the House with whom you have an affiliation and ask them to join the caucus.
Within a couple of weeks his staffer told us that Wittman
would co-found the caucus. The Congressman wanted to
take his time in identifying a Democratic House member
The “ask” does not have to elaborate, and you can do it
with whom he was compatible. Wittman eventually
electronically through the member’s website. I would start
reached out to Rep. Gene Green, a Texas Congressman
by identifying yourself and telling them how you are affiliwith whom he had worked on several issues in the past.
ated with them (you vote in their district; you are stationed
Green thought the caucus idea was a good one, and he
in their district). I have posted a sample email on the COA
agreed to co-found it.
website at http://www.coausphs.org/documents/
Sample_email_to_Member_of_Congress_re_public_
Wittman’s staffer let Judy and me know that Green had
health_caucus.pdf . You can certainly feel free to modify it
been recruited, and Judy and I reached out to Green’s
as you see fit, being sure to include your affiliation with
health staffer. It was a superb meeting, during which we
their district and the names and email addresses of the two
established that her boss was very interested in public
staffers.
health issues and regarded this as a terrific idea.
The next step was registration of the proposed new caucus
with the Clerk of the House of Representatives, and Wittman’s staffer took care of that in March of 2015. It then
became a matter of timing, and on 9 April, during National
Public Health Week, the two Congressional offices announced the establishment of the caucus via a press release
(http://www.wittman.house.gov/latest-news/wittman-greenannounce-congressional-public-health-caucus/ ).
It’s that simple. If you have questions about doing this,
please contact me at jcurrie@coausphs.org or 301 7319080. You can make this request even if you are an active
duty member of the Public Health Service without clearing
it with anyone in your chain of command, as your right to
contact your member of Congress is enshrined in the First
Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Be sure not to use
your government computer to send the email; send it from
home using a personal computer. Please let us know when
We are absolutely delighted by this development, as the
you succeed, and we’ll print your name and the name of
Congressional Public Health Caucus will provide a venue your U.S. Representative in Frontline. Let’s strive to get all
for educating members of Congress and their staffs on pub- 435 members of the House of Representatives into this
lic health issues. We do not believe the caucus will be in a caucus!
position to advocate for specific legislation—though that
will be up to the elected members of the caucus. We at
COA have no role in directing the caucus, but we are
16
Commissioned Officers Association
May 2015 - Frontline
17
Welcome
New COA Members
$7500 Scholarships for GW Degrees
T hanks to a partnership with the George Washington Milken Ins tute School of Public Health, COA members are eligible to receive a $7,500 scholarship to a end one of GW’s renowned online master’s degree pro‐
grams: MPH@GW — A Master of Public Health that develops leaders who impact the health of communi es worldwide. Learn more. MHA@GW — An Execu ve Master of Health Administra on for profes‐
sionals with three or more years of experience in the health care or health services industry who are seeking leadership roles in their organi‐
za on. Request more informa on. Both of these online programs blend top‐level curricula, face‐to‐face interac ons and real‐world experiences to help you advance your career without pu ng it on hold. LCDR James Lee, Golden Gate CDR Reginald Smith, Unaffiliated COA DONATIONS
CDR Sara E. Gillis Frequently Asked Questions
COA staff is o en contacted with ques ons about a
variety of subjects by our members and even by
PHS officers who are not members. To help
facilitate communica ons with our members,
we’ve updated the Frequently Asked Ques ons
(FAQ) “Quicklink” on the le side of the COA web‐
site homepage (www.coausphs.org). We’ve gone
from five FAQs to 30. If you have an urgent, burn‐
ing ques on for COA staff, odds are it’s been asked
before.
COA encourages you to visit the FAQ site before you call or email.
18
Commissioned Officers Association
INCREASING COA
MEMBERSHIP IS OUR #1
PRIORITY!
HELP COA GROW AS THE
COMMISSIONED CORPS
GROWS —
RECRUIT A NEW/
FORMER MEMBER
TODAY!
May 2015- Frontline
19
The COA Frontline (ISSN 10937161) is published monthly except
a combined issue January/February and July/August by the
Commissioned Officers Association of the United States Public
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A report of timely information concerning activities of the
Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service.
Distributed exclusively to Association Members.
Executive Director
Jim Currie
jcurrie@coausphs.org
Program Assistant
Donna Sparrow
dsparrow@coausphs.org
Deputy Executive Director
John McElligott
jmcelligott@coausphs.org
Administrative Assistant
Erica Robinson
erobinson@coausphs.org
Chief Financial Officer
Teresa Hayden Foley
thayden@coausphs.org
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Judith Rensberger
jrensberger@coausphs.org
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Frontline Editor
Malissa Spalding
mspalding@coausphs.org
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