June/July - Sign In - Commissioned Officers Association

Transcription

Commissioned Officers Association of the U.S. Public Health Service
VOL. 51, ISSUE 5
Salus Populi Suprema Lex Este
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
2014 National Nurses Week
Stakeholder Meeting
The Advancement of
Public Health: Carrying
the Fight to Big Tobacco
Health Resources and Services
Administration Administrator
Mary K. Wakefield.
O
ne of the
most
appealing
parts of my
job as your
Executive
Director is that
I have a mandate to advance public
health. I have
worked in
James T. (Jim) Currie, PH.D many other
positions in
Colonel, USA (Ret.)
my lifetime,
the last one being that of chief lobbyist
for the recreational boating industry in
this country. (I know, what a job! Sorry,
but it was abolished last year). Working
for causes into which one can wholeheartedly throw oneself is a rare privilege for anyone. You all get to do that
every working day, or you did that for a
full career, and you do a tremendous
service on behalf of our country. One
issue into which I have found myself
being ever-more drawn is that of tobacco
use. This issue offers us a current opportunity both to advance public health and
to establish our leadership role on an
issue that is vital to public health, not
just in this country, but worldwide, and
we have thrown ourselves into it without
hesitation.
As I mentioned in my last column, my
parents both died of smoking-caused
diseases, so I am personally invested in
(Executive Director, cont’d. on p. 24)
June/July 2014
The invitation-only event
included a presentation by
Michael Hash, Director of the
Office of Health Reform in
HHS. Hash spoke of the progress he believes has been
made in implementing the
Affordable Care Act, suggesting that the next open
enrollment period
would
result in even more individuals
signing up for healthcare insurance through state and federal
exchanges. In response to a
question from the COA/COF
Executive Director concerning
funding for the Health Sciences Track of the ACA and what
(L to R) - Col. Jim Currie, COA/COF Executive
it would take to have it includDirector, RADM Sylvia Trent-Adams, Chief Nurse Officer,
ed in the President’s budget
USPHS, The Honorable Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of
submission, Hash stated that
Health and Human Services, Mary K. Wakefield, AdminHHS supported the Health
istrator, Health Resources and Services Administration
Sciences Track, but that it had
OA/COF Executive Director Jim not received as high an internal priority
Currie was one of twenty-six as had other programs within HHS.
individuals representing some twenty
nursing organizations who recently RADM Sylvia Trent-Adams, Chief Nurse
attended a stakeholders meeting with Officer, U.S. Public Health Service and a
Health and Human Services Secretary COA member, was the final speaker of
Kathleen Sebelius. The meeting, which
the morning. She discussed the many
took place on 9 May in the Executive
Dining Room at the Hubert H. Humphrey contributions made by nurses to
Federal Building, was designed to healthcare in this country.
C
engender discussion with Secretary
Sebelius and HHS staff, including
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.
Financial Services Pentagon Federal Credit Union
PenFed is an on-line credit union
providing full service to members
worldwide.
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.
Publication Public Health Reports
Free subscription to the Journal
Public Health Reports.
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.
Legislative Update
Spotlighting Tobacco Use in the Uniformed Services
H
alf a century after U.S. Surgeon
General Luther Terry laid out the
hazards of smoking in a landmark 1964
report, the PHS Commissioned Corps is
again leading the anti-tobacco effort in a
game-changing way.
Dr. Howard Koh, Assistant Secretary for
Health at DHHS, established the policy
that active-duty PHS officers who smoke
can no longer do it in uniform. PHS is the
first uniformed service to take this step,
and we understand there have been no
infractions so far. Although no other
service has yet followed suit, the issue of
tobacco use in the uniformed services is
now out there, a controversial public
policy issue.
On April 1, Jim Currie took over as COA’s
new Executive Director. Three days later,
a target of opportunity appeared in the
form of taxpayer subsidies of cigarettes
sold at military commissaries and
exchanges. The topic arose during the
regular monthly meeting of The Military
Coalition, in the context of a discussion
about funds to support MWR (morale,
welfare, and recreation) activities and
facilities for service members and their
families. (Exchange profits, including
profits from cigarette sales, are a source
of MWR support.)
Since then, with the COA Board’s
enthusiastic backing, Jim has been flogging the issue in every possible venue.
The goal is not a ban on smoking by all
service personnel, but a sharp reduction
in the subsidies that make cigarettes so
irresistibly cheap, attractive, and accessible. At the same time, COA is promoting
TRICARE’s “Quit Line” and other stepped
-up efforts to help motivated service
members kick their deadly habit. For full
details, see Jim’s Executive Director’s
column in this issue.
Other Issues:
National Defense Authorization Act
On May 22, the Senate Armed Services
Committee reported its version of the
National Defense Authorization Act for
FY 2015. Just hours earlier, the full
House approved its own version of the
NDAA. Sometime in the Fall, the Senate
committee bill will go to the floor for a
vote by the full Senate. Then, the bills
passed by both chambers must be reconciled by a House-Senate Conference
Committee.
Between now and then, four members
of COA’s Legislation and Benefits Committee will scrutinize all NDAA provisions
approved thus far in either chamber.
The volunteers are CAPT Beth Fritsch,
CDR Ann Vu, CDR Theresa Baptiste, and
LCDR Matthew Johns.
The reason for this word-by-word review
is that provisions may appear in the
massive NDAA that ignore or disadvantage the PHS and NOAA relative to
the armed services. Several years ago,
for example, the NDAA included paternity leave for new fathers serving in the
armed forces. We learned about it too
late to try to get PHS fathers included.
This year there is another concern. The
House-passed NDAA contains a provision prohibiting the Defense Department or the military services from
restricting the sale of tobacco in exchanges and commissaries. COA’s goal is
to dissuade Senators from either
accepting the House position or voting
for a floor amendment that would do
the same thing.
(Legislative Update, cont’d. on p. 27)
2
Commissioned Officers Association
COA Chair’s Corner
Converging in Harmony
A
s officers in the USPHS Commissioned Corps, we stand
abreast several worlds which comprise different aspects of
our identity.
1.
As members of a uniformed service, we must embody discipline. Uniformed service implies centralized commandand-control and well-defined hierarchical structures.
2.
Regardless of category or field of expertise, our work rests
on a foundation of science. Many PHS officers work directly with current ongoing scientific investigation, and the rest
of us work in fields built upon past scientific progress.
3.
We all provide customer service, whether to individual
patients, communities, or entire populations. Understanding and empathy have to be part of the equation to be successful in this environment.
4.
We all work for the government, where efficient use of
limited funds is a key metric. We follow political leadership
and must know how to manage change and maintain our
core mission functions
I don’t mean to imply that these are the only worlds we live in,
but these four fields are common to every Corps officer. They
can be thought of as legs of a stool – all four are needed for
balance and true success as an officer.
These different worlds sometimes conflict with each other. The
efficiency sought in maximizing limited government resources
may make it difficult to give an appropriate level of attention
and service in a patient care setting. How do you strike a
balance between how many people you serve and the quality of
service you render? The strict hierarchy expected of a uniformed service may not match well in a scientific setting, where
open inquiry and evidence-based conclusions carry more
currency.
Somehow, we Corps officers have to live with the
contradictions that come with different elements of our identity. Do we experience this as dissociative identity disorder and
keep our separate worlds locked in different boxes? Can we
harmonize these different worlds into a complementary and
functional single identity? I would argue that is a fundamental
question of living as a USPHS Commissioned Corps officer, one
that every officer will approach slightly differently, but which
does have a clear answer.
With a hat tip to theoretical physicist Brandon Carter, I would
offer that the Corps’ existence and success is indeed proof that
such harmony is possible – a sort of “weak anthropic principle”
of the Public Health Service. If you doubt that uniformed
service, science, government, and customer service can
converge to a point of harmony, look no further than us, ladies
and gentlemen!
This harmony is no accident. It is
the collective result of each of
our individual identities working
together under the yellow and
blue flag of the U.S. Public Health
Service. Maybe some of us are a
little bit more comfortable with
the uniformed service identity,
some with the science or government or customer service identities. I would argue nobody is a
perfect embodiment of all four,
but we should all strive to live in
each world as fully as possible.
While each of us individually CDR Jonathan K. Rash, USPHS
might not embody the ideal,
collectively we are pretty darn close!
We don’t get to pick and choose which of our Corps values to
follow; we must embody Leadership, Service, Integrity, and
Excellence all in complete measure. Similarly, we have to live in
different worlds with different identities, and we have to
embody each one as completely as possible. You can’t choose
to be a scientist first and an officer secondarily (or vice versa of
course). You can’t choose to be a patient care provider first and
a government official when convenient. Synthesizing and integrating many different worlds is who we are in the USPHS
Commissioned Corps. Make lots of room on your head for all
the hats you’re going to wear as an officer.
If you are reading this, chances are pretty good you are a USPHS
Commissioned Corps officer. You are a scientist, or a doctor, or
an EHO, etc. You are a government official. You are a provider
of service to a population. You are an expert in your field.
Notice I’m not saying, “Your job is…” or “You do [such and such]
…” All the worlds, all the different identities you straddle at
work are part and parcel of your identity as a person, not just
something you work on between 8 am and 5 pm. You may
think of it as “just a job,” but your peers, your customers, and
your fellow Corps officers do not. It is who you are, not just
what you do.
If you don’t see it that way, maybe you need to seek a different
career path. Do you know any Marines who stop being Marines
when they go home for dinner at night? Or even when they
retire? We should have that same reputation – so dedicated
that we never stop wearing the PHS hat, even in retirement and
beyond. RADM Jerry Michael understands this. CAPT Bob
Lathrop understood this. If you live your whole life, and deep
down in your bones you never stop being a USPHS Corps
officer, you are in exceptional (but hopefully not rare) company.
Your challenge is to be a pharmacist, an engineer, etc., to be
June/July 2014 - Frontline
(COA Chair Corner, cont’d. on p. 27)
3
Advancing public health and public health leadership for a healthier Nation.
Visit the Foundation online at www.phscof.org.
COF President’s Corner
Leadership! Geno’s Top 10 COF Leadership Secrets — Featuring -A Case in Point: Leadership at the Two-Mile High Level; Plus, The
Work of COF via Committee Reports
statements are the guiding light for
an organization or as I commonly
refer to them as that beacon in a
storm. They bring clarity for a bright
future or what could be – the potential to create.
T
his is my last
COF
President’s Corner. I
will have completed my 2-year term
at the conclusion of
the 2014 USPHS
Scientific and Training
Symposium.
Serving as the COF
CAPT Gene Migliaccio, President has been
(Ret.), USPHS
an honor and privilege, certainly one of the many highlights
of my professional career. I had the
opportunity to work with dedicated COF
Trustees, a committed former Executive
Director (Jerry Farrell), an eager/new
Executive Director (Jim Currie), current
and former SGs, and my most beloved
mentor – COF Emeritus Trustee RADM
Jerrold Michael, (Ret).
3.
4.
For today’s column, I want to talk about
three specific leadership areas: first, I
want to share my (Geno’s) top 10 COF
leadership secrets; second, I have a case
in point: leadership at 2-miles in the sky
(a skydiving adventure with PHS leaders);
and, finally, I want to share with you the
work of COF from our recent quarterly
Trustee meeting.
Geno’s Top 10 COF Leadership Secrets
1.
COF’s Mission: (COF’s purpose of
existence - is about us!) “Building
leadership in public health through
advocacy, education, research, partnerships and program support.”
2.
COF’s Vision statement is: “Advance
public health and public health leadership for a healthier nation.” Vision
4
5.
Leadership vs. Chickenship. It’s
all about leadership! Leadership is
the key that will drive each of us to
make significant contributions to
the work we all do in public health.
What I admire most is genuine and
authentic leaders that mobilize
people to thrive and survive to make
a difference, to take on the tough
challenges, to be creative and innovate in their approach, and add
value that sustains communities.
Creating a Future as Noble as Our
Past – its working. COF was established in 2000 to provide support for
public health professionals nationwide, to support U.S. Public Health
Services Commissioned Corps Officers in their professional development, and to sustain the Corps into
the future. In the past 14 years, we
have contributed to the nation’s
health. As we look to the future
there is much work to be done,
but we have a solid foundation to
build on.
Donate. The work of the COF
continues through your generous
donations. Since 2000, COF has
provided more than one million
dollars in scholarships, educational
grants, and fellowships to PHS officers and their family members. Without your support our training,
leadership symposiums, and other
noteworthy initiatives that advance
public health to the nation would not
be possible. Call it a legacy investment or a chance to give back - our
officers are amazing!
6.
COF Trustees. Our past, honorary,
and current Trustees continue to
serve without fanfare for the sole
purpose of advancing public health
for the nation and the world.
7.
Life Membership in COA! Be
committed to a lifetime of values in
our pursuit of public health for the
Nation, and consider becoming a COA
Life Member. The cost benefit analysis makes sense for all active duty
members at any stage in their careers.
For retired officers, becoming Life
Members is a commitment to stay
involved and engaged in our profession of public health.
8.
Leadership and Mentorship are the
keys to success for the populations we
serve and how we need to take care
of and serve each other. The road of
leadership can be challenging and
lonely, but if you have mentors along
the journey – it is much easier.
9.
Officers Always –Lifetime Commitment to Public Health and COA/COF.
The future of COA/COF belongs to
you! With your support, our organizations can continue to build a
strong future. It is with your help via
donations, serving on committees,
attending training symposiums,
mentoring, and recruiting new members that we can continue to grow
and add value for a stronger Corps.
COF President’s Corner, (cont’d. from p. 4)
10. COF survives and thrives because of
the giants within our PHS Officer
Corps (Active and Retired) who everyday are Building Leadership in
Public Health!
3.
Taking the first step out of the
plane into the whirlwind of 120 mph
freefall is like taking the first step
toward an important, but challenging – even risky! – new program or
project. In leadership, we have all
experienced the freefall, but if we
trust our team, trust our leaders, and
trust our training, there is a sense of
control as we take the plunge.
4.
Skydiving for me was facing my fear
of the unknown, but to remain courageous. Sometimes we really don’t
know what to expect, but we know
we have to take that first step. Leadership takes courage. And courage is
critical to facing your fears.
5.
Skydiving can broaden one’s
perspective. Sometimes our focus is
too narrow. But when our parachute opens, our field of vision is
panoramic.
A Case in Point: Leadership at the TwoMile High Level (with PHS Leaders)
I recently learned that a delegation of
officers, led by the Acting Surgeon General, were planning a skydiving trip. As
the story goes, my daughter, LCDR Kate
Migliaccio, called me up to say that she
was going and asked if I was interested
since skydiving was on my bucket list for
years. With confidence, I eagerly said
yes. I was also thrilled to hear that
RADM Boris Lushniak was skydiving, too.
As the date approached, I prepared
myself for the jump by reviewing videos
of skydivers, talking to people who had
jumped, and even learned about physics
and aerodynamics (the effects of relative
wind) on skydiving. On jump day, it was
another story – it was about all the
components of leadership: courage,
risk-taking, growing, inspiration, trust,
followership, taking care of one another,
decision-making, thriving, preparation,
and planning.
On a cool and sunny day in late May,
eight public health professionals met for
their first jump event at a remote Northern Virginia location, climbed into a tiny
airplane, and – two miles above the fruited plain – took a leap of faith into the
great unknown. To call it a life-changing
experience would be an understatement.
I’d like to share a few of my leadership
“takeaways” from this remarkable and
memorable event:
1.
2.
A tremendous amount of teambuilding took place before we went
airborne – giving us a much-needed
confidence boost before venturing
two miles up into the sky. In leadership it’s all about the team.
Like any new venture, prior planning, preparedness, communication,
and execution of the mission are key
steps to success.
host more server capacity in the cloud at
a cheaper rate. Staff will budget $10,000
annually over five years for the next expected server and database upgrades.
The board also approved an expenditure
of $8,000 for printing the second edition
of the book PHS Officer’s Guide and
instructed staff to plan for recouping the
costs through sales of the book.
Development Committee, chaired by
RADM Marlene Haffner. John McElligott
presented the Foundation report on
behalf of RADM Haffner and RADM Grim.
He shared FY14 fundraising data to date
and plans for donor receptions on May 5
at the Haffners and June 10 at the USPHS
Symposium in Raleigh.
Education Committee, chaired by RADM
Richard Bertin who provided an update
At the end of the day, we all made
successful jumps and had great stories to share. But the most important
story is that we all shared an amazing
experience together and with
our fearless leader -- RADM Boris
Lushniak. Go Team PHS!
The Work of COF via
Committee Reports
(L – R) LCDR Tomas Bonome, CAPT Gene Migliaccio,
(Ret), LCDR Kate Migliaccio, Shirley Desaussure,
LT Angelica Chica, RADM Boris Lushniak, Ebony
Andrews, LT Cody Thornton
As COF continues to build a future as
noble as our past it certainly has been
a busy time with our work on development, the 49th Annual USPHS Scientific
and Training Symposium, and other
business. On 23 April 2014, the Foundation’s Board of Trustees held its quarterly meeting. I have important updates to
share with you all, as follows:
Finance Committee, chaired by RADM
Mike Milner who presented the Balance
Sheet and Profit & Loss summary
through February 2014. He noted some
outliers and confirmed the Foundation
is fiscally sound. The Board approved a
$50,000 withdrawal from the investment portfolio to use for upgraded IT
hardware and a membership database.
The board directed staff to investigate
whether the Foundation and COA could
on registration and agenda plans for the
2014 Symposium. Staff and meeting contractor Leading Edge are moving ahead
with plans to host the 2015 Symposium in
Atlanta. Negotiations continue with potential hotels, with the goal of announcing the dates and location at the 2014
Symposium. Applications for the 2014
Dependent Scholarship increased slightly
since a reminder to all COA members and
the deadline is May 2. The Foundation
has $5000 to award.
Nominations Committee, chaired by CAPT
Bill Haffner who reported no activity.
Studies and Research Committee, chaired
(COF President’s Corner, cont’d. on p. 10)
5
Commissioned Officers Foundation
Acknowledges Donations Received April 16, 2014 — May 15, 2014
FOUNDERS
Atlanta Branch^^
PLATINUM
James Currie, Colonel, USA (Ret.) ^
RADM Thomas J. McGinnis, (Ret.)*
GOLD
RADM John T. Porvaznik, (Ret.)
Rio Grande Branch^^***
CAPT Astrid L. Szeto^
RADM John G. Todd, (Ret.) ^^^
SILVER
CDR Angelina M. Albert ^^^
CAPT George J. Ceremuga^^^
CAPT Thomas J. DeCaro, (Ret.)
Mr. John Di Maggio^^^
CAPT Kenneth L. Dominguez
CAPT Margaret J. Howe, (Ret.)*
CAPT Robert C. Lloyd, Jr.^^^
CAPT Kristen L. Moe
CAPT Thomas M. Tarpley, (Ret.)
BRONZE
RADM Richard J. Bertin, (Ret.)^
CAPT Kenneth L. Dominguez^^^
CAPT Kenneth R. Envall, (Ret.)^**
LCDR Patricio C. Garcia^
CAPT William H.J. Haffner, (Ret.) ^^^
6
RADM Marlene E. Haffner, (Ret.) ^^^
CAPT Mary R. Ingram^
CAPT Robert C. Lloyd, Jr.^
CAPT Marian P. Mehegan, (Ret.)^^^
RADM, Michael R. Milner, (Ret.)^^^
CAPT Sara B. Newman^^^
CAPT Joseph F. Piffat, (Ret.)
RADM George A. Reich, (Ret.)^
RADM Carol A. Romano, (Ret.)^
RADM Richard A. Rubendall, (Ret.)^^^
CAPT Holly A. Williams^^^
FRIENDS
LT Omobogie Amadasu
CAPT Bradley L. Austin^^^
CDR David A. Bates, (Ret.)^^^
LT Angela R. Battese^^^
LT Renee Cannon ^^^
CAPT George A. Durgin, Jr.
CDR Blakeley D. Fitzpatrick^^^
LCDR Cynthia H. Fredette, (Ret.)^^^
CDR Jefferson Fredy^^^
CDR Cristino J. Gavarrete^^^
LT Tracy Glascoe^^^
LCDR Harlem J. Gunness
CDR Elizabeth A. Hastings^^^
CAPT John J. Henderson, (Ret.)
CAPT Sherlene B. Jacques^^^
CDR James L. Kenney, III
LCDR Lynda L. Lee-Bishop^^^
LCDR Tamy Leung^^^
CDR Andrew K. Meagher^^^
CAPT Michael A. Noska^^^
CDR Renee M. Pazdan^^^
CAPT Paul L. Reed^^^
LT Kimberley A. Ricketts^^^
CDR Sophia L. Russell^^^
CAPT Pamela M. Schweitzer^^^
CAPT Betty J. Shuler, (Ret.)^^^
RADM Nadine M. Simons^^^
CAPT Charlotte A. Spires
LCDR Martin J. Stephens^^^
RADM Zachary Taylor, III^^^
CAPT Sumathy Vannarth, (Ret.)^^
CAPT Joyce B. Watson, (Ret.)^^^
^C. Everett Koop Living Legacy
^^Dependent Scholarship Program Fund
^^^Emerging Leaders Scholarship Fund
*In honor of CAPT Jerry Farrell, (Ret.)
**In memory of ASG Delbert S. Barth
***In honor of RADM Josephone Waconda
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!
CBRNE Training – Are You Prepared?
By CDR April D. Kidd, USPHS
T
raining and education on the effects and care of causalities affected by chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) agents is a vital component of domestic and international preparedness in our post 9/11 society. As “America’s
Health Responder,” Commissioned Corps Officers have the unyielding responsibility of recognizing and responding in a CBRNE
event. Whether as a member of a designated Public Health Service (PHS) Response team, or as a Tier 3 member, anytime a PHS
officer assists on a response mission, there is always the potential of a CBRN encounter. Therefore, it is critically important for
Officers to be knowledgeable of CBRNE effects, symptoms, caring for patients in a CBRNE environment, as well as personal protection. The Department of Defense (DoD) offers CBRNE training that is available free to PHS officers through the following Institutes:
Through Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute (AFRRI), the Medical
Effects of Ionizing Radiation (MEIR) Course is offered to provide information on acute radiation syndrome, assessing and treating
radiation casualties, short and long-term radiation effects in humans, understanding radiation exposure risks and perceptions, and
managing mental health effects. The 3-day MEIR course is taught on the road across the country and at U.S. military sites abroad.
Over 25 courses are instructed annually. Officers can enroll in the course at http://www.usuhs.edu/afrri/outreach/meir/meir.htm.
The MEIR course is free to Officers and civilians with a .mil or .gov email address; a $200 fee is required for others.
Through a collaborative effort of both the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) and U.S. Army
Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense (USAMRICD), three in-residence courses are offered at Aberdeen Proving Ground,
MD and Fort Detrick, MD.
Field Management of Chemical and Biological Casualties (FCBC) Course: This 5-day course provides pre-hospital training for early
responders and health care personnel.
Medical Management of Chemical and Biological Casualties (MCBC) Course: This 6-day course provides post-graduate training for
definitive health care providers.
Hospital Management for CBRNE Incidents (HM-CBRNE) Course: This 5-day course is a post-graduate course for emergency
planners, hospital administrators, clinicians, and emergency planners. Course highlights include: principles of hospital emergency
management, regulatory framework, equipment and procedure demonstrations, and multi-station practical exercises. AFRRI/
MEIR provide the radiological expertise for this training.
Contact USAMRICD’s Chemical Casualty Care Division with questions about the tree courses or to register at 410-436-2230 or
http://ccc.apgea.army.mil/default.htm.
These DoD offered courses are fully accredited and health providers receive continuing education credit for attendance.
Personnel from all Uniformed Services (active-duty and civilian) are encouraged to attend. Be sure you are prepared!
INCREASING COA MEMBERSHIP IS OUR #1 PRIORITY!
HELP COA GROW AS THE COMMISSIONED CORPS GROWS —
RECRUIT A NEW/FORMER MEMBER TODAY!
7
COA/COF Executive Director Attends Capitol Hill Briefing on E-Cigarettes
used, she said, anywhere that regular cigarettes are prohibited,
including restaurants, bars, and public parks. Dr. Jonathan
Fielding, Director of Public Health and Health Officer for Los Angeles County, discussed the problems inherent in setting standards in a geographical area with more than eighty independent
cities, all of which set their own rules for e-cigarette use. “What
do the following have in common?” he posed. “Tesla Motors,
Facebook, I-phone Apps, and e-cigarettes? They are all exploding in popularity,” he said, “and that’s a real problem with
e-cigarettes.” Dr. Hearne pointed out that no one knows exactly
what is in e-cigarettes, but all of them contain nicotine, and
she mentioned that as an epidemiologist, she knows just how
n May 1, COA/COF Executive Director Jim Currie attended a addictive that substance is.
Capitol Hill briefing on e-cigarettes. The briefing,
sponsored by U.S. Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL), was moderated The Q&A session which followed the panel presentations
by Dr. Shelley Hearne, Director of the Big Cities Health Coalition. brought out still more evidence that young people are being
It featured a panel of four representatives of large urban health attracted to e-cigarettes. According to a recent survey, some
departments, including Los Angeles County, New York City, 14% of youth between the ages of 13 and 17 have used
Chicago, and Boston.
e-cigarettes, and over 40% of this age group is aware of
e-cigarette ads. From June-November 2013, e-cigarette makers
Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Executive Director of the Boston Public spent only $39 million on ads of all types, yet these ads were
Health Commission, talked about how Boston has been in the acknowledged by almost 60% of 13-17 year olds. By way of comforefront of efforts to prevent e-cigarettes from being marketed parison, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control says that tobacco
to youths.
companies spend billions of dollars a year advertising their products (http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/
“With flavors like bubble gum and cotton candy,” she said, “it is economics/econ_facts/) .
obvious that these products are not aimed at sixty year olds who
want to quit using combustible cigarettes.” Dr. Bechara The Thursday briefing on e-cigarettes was complemented by a
Choucair, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public story in Politico entitled, “States Step into the Breach on EHealth, discussed how he and his mayor were able to get an anti Cigarettes,” (Politico, May 1, 2014, P. 1; http://www.
-e-cigarette ordinance through the Chicago City Council by an politico.com/story/2014/04/e-cigarettes-state-regulationsoverwhelming margin, despite the efforts of big tobacco compa- 106215.html). According to this article, tobacco companies are
nies—which own almost all of the e-cigarette makers—to defeat increasingly attempting to get states to pre-empt local jurisdicthem. As a result, said Choucair, it is now illegal to sell the candy tions and prevent them from passing stiffer e-cigarette controls
-flavored products within 500 feet of any school in Chicago.
or taxation. They have been notably successful in this endeavor.
Kentucky, for example, recently enacted a law drafted by a
Dr. Mary Travis Bassett, Commissioner of the New York City tobacco-growing state senator (with assistance from the
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, told the audience Lorillard Corporation, which manufactures blu e-cigarettes). This
that the biggest concern among e-cigarette sellers in New York senator was able to persuade his legislative colleagues not to tax
City was the restriction on their ability to market their product. e-cigarettes. “Until more is known about e-cigarettes,” the
She also said that New York City has probably the toughest senator was quoted as saying, “it’s premature to tax them.”
e-cigarette restrictions in the country. E-cigarettes cannot be
O
Spotted in Traffic
C
OA/COF Executive Director Jim Currie has shown his affiliation by putting a personalized license tag on his vehicle. If
you have done something to indicate your affiliation with public
health, medicine, or COA/COF, send us a photo of the license
plate, and we’ll publish it in Frontline.
8
Having MWR Trouble? Read This
By James T. (Jim) Currie, Ph.D
Colonel, USA (Ret.)
COA/COF Executive Director
O
ne of our members called recently and said that she had been given a hard time by an MWR (Morale, Welfare, and
Recreation) facility in Earle, NJ. It seems that the folks running the facility, which offers low-cost lodging in a bucolic setting,
did not recognize her membership as a Commissioned Corps officer as entitling her to the full privileges and discounts afforded to
members of the military. The relevant DOD Instruction (quoted below) clearly includes Commissioned Corps members as part of
the group given “unlimited use . . . for all MWR programs.” This means that you—retired or active—and your dependents are entitled to the same access to MWR facilities of the Defense Department that members of the military services receive. MWR is a
benefit that many of our members may not understand. Not only can you reserve cabins or rooms at an MWR facility, you can
check out sports equipment such as kayaks and tents when you are heading off into the wilderness for a few days. If anyone in
authority questions your entitlement, you can show them the excerpt below and direct them to the Defense Department web site,
from which the excerpt was taken. We here at COA headquarters will be meeting with the individuals who manage the MWR
program and asking them to reiterate to their employees that you, the members of the USPHS Commissioned Corps, are entitled to
all MWR benefits.
http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/101510p.pdf
Department of Defense/INSTRUCTION NUMBER 1015.10/July 6, 2009
Incorporating Change 1, May 6, 2011
USD(P&R)
SUBJECT: Military Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) Programs
Table 1. Unlimited Use Authorized for All MWR Programs
CATEGORY
AUTHORIZED GROUP
Other uniformed service members
Members of the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service and the
Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration on active duty
Other Uniformed Service retirees Retired from active duty.
and their family members
The above language is taken directly from Instruction Number 1015.10, Change 1, 6 May 2011, page 21, Table 1.
U.S. Public Health Service Nursing Recognition Day
O
n 5 May 2014, members of the United States Public Health Service gathered in the Natcher Auditorium at the National
Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD, to celebrate the beginning of National Nurses Week. Acting Surgeon General RADM
Boris Lushniak gave the welcoming remarks. A full auditorium of uniformed members of the Commissioned Corps heard a discussion of “Leveraging Practice, Leadership, and Education to Shape the Future of Nursing.” This panel featured COA member RADM
(Ret.) Carol A. Romano, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI.
In a part of the program that reached back over sixty years, RADM Sylvia Trent-Adams, PhD, RN, Chief Nurse Officer of the USPHS,
presented certificates to individuals who had gone through the Cadet Nurse Corps program in the 1940s. This little-known episode
in our country’s history was the direct result of a nurse shortage during World War II. Begun in 1943, the Cadet Nurse Corps
operated under the direction of the USPHS and ultimately included over 1100 schools of nursing. The program ended in 1948 after
graduating over 116,000 nurses.
The Commissioned Officers Foundation and the Carruth-Wagner Foundation furnished box lunches for attendees, following which
were a series of afternoon continuing education sessions.
- James T. (Jim) Currie, Ph.D
9
COF President’s Corner, (cont’d. from p. 5)
by RADM Bob Williams who reported discussions continue
with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) to
investigate the various services’ roles in global health and
health diplomacy.
Executive Director Update - Jim Currie noted his goal of
updating the Investment Policy Statement to indicate COF
would not invest money in stocks or bonds associated with
tobacco or e-cigarette companies. The Board approved this
change. Jim reminded the board of ongoing efforts within COA
to investigate a discussion draft bill which excludes the
dependents of retired members of the Coast Guard, NOAA,
and PHS from TRICARE applied behavioral analysis treatment
for autism. COA will support the Navy’s efforts to stop selling
tobacco products in its exchanges and ships. Also, staff
will grow media contacts in an effort to promote the PHS
Commissioned Corps.
New Business - COF Staff shared the Carruth Wagner Foundation’s approved expansion of the use of its annual donation to
COF beyond nurse officers to include veterinarians and
environmental health officers. COA is starting the Anchor &
Caduceus Podcast, which will be posted online monthly and
indexed in iTunes for anyone to subscribe. Staff welcomes the
Board’s input on potential interviewees. Staff updated the
board on the June 26 release of journalist Mike Stobbe’s book
Surgeon General’s Warning, which may be critical of the
Surgeon General and could call for its dissolution. The Board
C
may consider engaging the author for discussions about the role
of the SG.
On a Personal Note: When I was on active duty, I was an HSO
(Health Services Officer category) within the HAPAG (Health
Administration Professional Advisory Group). I want to give a
shout out to the HSO HAPAG who are celebrating their 10th
anniversary. The HAPAG 10th anniversary activities fall under
the theme “Looking Back to Move Forward: Preparing the
HAPAG Leaders of Tomorrow”. This theme encompasses the
thought that in order to foster continued growth of the HAPAG,
we must remain strongly connected to our past leaders and
receive guidance on steps for career progression, officership,
and the role of healthcare administrators in the U.S. Public
Health Service. The 10th anniversary activities will involve a variety of events to include: HAPAG Meet and Greet on July 24,
2014 during the HAPAG General members meeting; and, the
HAPAG Leadership Institute on September 25, 2014 in Washington, DC at HHS Headquarters, HHH Building from 9:00 am –
12:30 pm. I am looking forward to the activities especially the
Leadership Institute.
Finally, remember to always lead with courage and passion for
the Corps, COA, and COF!
Gene (Geno) Migliaccio, DrPH
CAPT, USPHS (Ret)
President, PHS Commissioned Officers Foundation
OA members can receive a 30% discount on journalist Mike Stobbe’s new book. Use discount
code 14W5566 at the online checkout. Additional information about the book is available online.
COA staff have read the book and carefully reviewed the author’s suggestion of doing away with the
position of Surgeon General. We reject his conclusion and will consider inviting the author for a public discussion about the value of the Surgeon General to improve public health.
"Mike Stobbe's history of the U.S. Surgeon General is more than a grand tour of American medicine.
It is a thoughtful 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 national 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
public health policy and administration from the University of North Carolina.
Frontline is Going Digital
I
n efforts to lower our carbon footprint and operating costs, we will reduce the number of printed copies of this newsletter. The
default for all COA members will be access to the digital, color version which is accessible online through the Members Only
portal.
Executive Director Jim Currie was quoted as saying, “If you like your copy of Frontline and want to keep it, then you can keep it.” In
order to continue receiving a printed copy, COA members must update their member profile in the Members Only portal or
contact COA with the request at dsparrow@coausphs.org, not later than 30 September 2014.
10
COF Dependent Scholarship Announcement
Foundation Announces 2014 Dependent Scholarship Winners
Dependents of Public Health Service officers receive money for college
T
he PHS Commissioned Officers Foundation for the Advancement of Public Health offers a scholarship program available to all
high school, undergraduate and graduate students sponsored by a member in good standing of the Commissioned Officers
Association (COA). The scholarships are funded by active and retired Public Health Service officers, local COA Branches, and
others. We thank them for their generosity.
The Foundation is proud to announce the following winners of its 2014 Dependent Scholarships:













Elizabeth Hennessy: biochemistry at Creighton University (Sponsor- CDR Jodi Hennessy)
Jordan Gemelas: public health at the University of Washington (Sponsor- CAPT James Gemelas)
Angela Gonzalez: microbiology in the pre-med program at the University of Oklahoma (Sponsor- CDR Hugo Gonzalez)
Whitney Johnson: nursing with a minor in public health (Sponsor- LCDR Erica Johnson)
Colton Polczynski: engineering and hydrology at Colorado State University (Sponsor- CDR Eric Polczynski)
Christopher Vakkur: international affairs and global health at George Washington University (Sponsor- CAPT Susan Wang)
Kellie Holovac: bioengineering at the University of Maryland (Sponsor- CAPT Mary Holovac)
Matthew Guerrero: kinesiology at Western Washington University (Sponsor- CAPT Elmer Guerrero)
Jennifer Himmes: marine biology (Sponsor- CAPT Thomas Bostwick)
Deborah Backman: public health at the University of Pittsburgh (Sponsor- LCDR Bonita Malit)
Torey Stutts: nursing at UNC Charlotte (Sponsor- LT Juula Stutts)
Renae Dykstra: journalism (Sponsor- CDR Steven Dykstra)
Jasmine Brown: dentistry at the University of Alaska Anchorage (Sponsor- CDR Cassandra Brown)
The Foundation’s Board of Trustees thanks the following donors who supported the 2014 Dependent Scholarship Program:





Atlanta Branch
District of Columbia Branch
Rio Grande Branch
CAPT Mike Kennedy, (Ret.)
CAPT Melvin Lessing, (Ret.)
The PHS Commissioned Officers Foundation for the Advancement of Public Health is dedicated to
advancing public health and public health leadership for a healthier Nation.
###
11
BCOAG will be Returning to New Orleans Again in 2014
By LT Yandace Brown, LT Brutrinia Cain, and LCDR Tracy Glascoe, USPHS
T
he Black Commissioned Officers Advisory Group (BCOAG)
New Orleans, Louisiana (NOLA) mission was initiated in
2007 after USPHS officers were deployed to New Orleans, Louisiana to assist with recovery efforts after Hurricane Katrina. For
the past seven years, BCOAG has made a commitment to serve
the people of New Orleans, Louisiana one week annually
through outreach mission trips. BCOAG is continuing its tradition and is planning its 2014 NOLA mission.
numerous college and professional volunteers to assist with the
activities and projects planned for that day.
BCOAG’s 2014 NOLA mission is scheduled for October 12-16,
2014, and is open to all USPHS Commissioned Corps Officers,
including families and friends. This is a volunteer activity and
officers must cover their own expenses including airfare, hotel
costs, meals, etc. All officers are encouraged to take part in all
or any parts of the mission as their schedule allows.
Interested officers should contact LT Yandace Brown at
Yandace.Brown@hq.dhs.gov and communicate their interest by
supplying the following information:
• First name
• Last name
• Duty station (agency, city, state)
• Best contact email address
• Rank
• Category
• Interest in NOLA mission? Yes, Maybe, No
 Interest in NOLA STEM or health fair (Saturday
morning)? Yes, Maybe, No
Planned activities will include community service/health
education and recruitment opportunities. Community service
activities offered during the week will be with the St. Bernard
Project, a program dedicated to building and rebuilding homes
of low- to moderate-income New Orleans residents, the Boys
and Girls Club, tentatively scheduled to include healthy eating
presentations, activities with the children, and gardening and
general cleaning projects, and the New Orleans health department, tentatively scheduled to include helping with an emergency preparedness event. Recruitment opportunities will also
be included in the mission, but have not yet been coordinated.
Two pre-mission community service activities are scheduled for
the morning of Saturday, October 11th. The first pre-mission
event is sponsored by the Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics (STEM) NOLA program, an organization founded
by Dr. Calvin Mackie that encourages students in grades K-12 to
study STEM disciplines. An enrichment program is scheduled
for Saturday morning 9am-12 noon where officers will join
Approximately 100-125 K-12 students are expected to participate. The second pre-mission event is the St. Leo the Great
Catholic Church’s Fall 2014 Health Fair scheduled for 9am11am. Officers will distribute literature about living healthy lifestyles.
In the months prior to the mission, volunteer meetings will be
scheduled to update all volunteers on activities and logistics.
Information will be released as soon as it is finalized, including
group hotels and lodging facilities. The Planning Committee is
collecting photos from previous NOLA missions for the BCOAG
knowledge base and NOLA mission continuity folder. Please
email your photos of previous NOLA missions to LT Brown.
BCOAG is one of the four Chartered Minority Advisory Groups
of the USPHS Minority Officers Liaison Council (MOLC). BCOAG
provides advice and consultation to the Office of the Surgeon
General on issues related to the representation and participation of African-Americans in the USPHS as officers.
Click here for the Full BCOAG Announcement and details.
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 information.
You may be missing valuable COA/COF
communication!
12
COA Branch Activities—
Results of the 2013 Membership Drive
T
he Commissioned Officers Association is the only organization devoted to serving officers in the
Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service. The organization relies heavily on membership
dues so that it can advocate on behalf of officers in the U.S. Public Health Service, sponsor the yearly USPHS
Scientific and Training Symposium, disseminate important information to its members in the COA Frontline
and provide many other beneficial services. Unfortunately, only 62 percent of active duty officers are
currently members of COA. Local Branches are working hard to reach out to officers in their area to
encourage them to join COA. We are extremely pleased that 59 of the 98 Local Branches increased
their membership in 2013. Of those Branches, seven are worthy of special recognition for their efforts.
Congratulations to the following Branches which met the criteria for Gold and Bronze levels of recognition
based on their Branch size and percent increase or number of individuals that joined the Branch during
2013:
SAGUARO- Gold
ATLANTA- Bronze
DCCOA- Bronze
FLORIDA- Bronze
NEW ENGLAND- Bronze
SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA- Bronze
SOCAL- Bronze
SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA- Bronze
WESTERN NEW YORK- Bronze
Congratulations also to the following Branches that had an increase in their membership in 2013:
ABERDEEN
AFRICA
ALOHA
ARCTIC
AURORA
BALTIMORE
BEMIDJI
BIGSKY
BLACKHILLS
BLUEGRASS
CHICAGO
CINCINNATI
COLUMBUS
EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
EVERGREEN
FORT WORTH
FOUR COURNERS
FT STEWART
GOLDEN GATE
GREATER NEW YORK
GREEN COUNTRY
HEARTAMER
KIAMICHI
KILLER WHALE
LITTLE COLORADO
MIDDLE TENNESSEE
MONTGOMERY COUNTY
NAVAJO
NORTH CAROLINA
NORTH CENTRAL
NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
NORTH OKLAHOMA
NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA
OKLAHOMA
OZARKS
PHOENIX
PIKES PEAK
PORTLAND
RIO GRANDE
ROCKY MOUNTAIN
SOUTH JERSEY
SOUTH TEXAS
SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY
TEXARKANA
TEXAS WARRIORS
TIDEWATER
TSE HOOT SOI
TUCSON
WHITE MOUNTAIN
WEST VIRGINIA
13
COA Branch Activities
Keeping Families and Their Pets Together: Daffy’s Pet Soup Kitchen
in Atlanta, Georgia
By LCDR Nelva J. Bryant, USPHS
I
n 2014, twelve officers, two civilian employees, and two
family members participated in the first ACOA volunteer
event for Daffy’s Pet Soup Kitchen. Daffy's is dedicated to
helping pets stay in their homes when their families fall on
hard times. The organization provides pet food and supplies to
families who are struggling financially and would otherwise
have to give up their dogs or cats. By doing this, they keep pets
out of shelters or abandoned in the streets, saving pets’ lives.
This is important because pets promote the human-animal
bond and the relationship is mutually beneficial. Pets are often
considered family members by many, so giving a pet up can be
a painful experience.
LT Angela Thompson-Paul empathized with the efforts of
Daffy’s and stated, “My own pets are such an integral part of
my family and I would want them to remain with us even if we
went through hard times.”
The event was coordinated by LCDR Nelva Bryant. As a CDC
veterinarian, LCDR Bryant searched for a community service
project that affected animal health and public health. The
overpopulation of homeless pets in America is a public health
concern. Stray pets often suffer from malnutrition, vaccinepreventable diseases, and infectious diseases. Some of these
conditions are a zoonotic risk and a public health concern.
Thus, “keeping families and their pets together not only helps
to keep animals off the streets, it is a disease-prevention
measure, and it supports the human-animal bond,” stated a
participating volunteer.
The volunteers were compelled to help this worthy cause for
many reasons. LCDR Joy Hsu volunteered because she recognized “a unique opportunity to help address an important but
often under-recognized need.” Sandra Nida, a CDC civilian
employee, volunteered for more personal reasons. She stated,
“I am an avid animal lover AND when I was looking for a person
or rescue to take a dog that I saved from animal control, Daffy’s
provided 200 pounds of dog food to go with the dog.” For
Sandra, volunteering was her way of saying “thank you” to
Daffy’s. CDR Kim Walker volunteered because she felt “it was a
great opportunity to be a part of the solution.”
The event was advertised to the Atlanta-area CDC community
and it was well received. Multiple CDC employees participated
and requested that this event be repeated in the future. One
CDC employee commented, “Kudos for this; helping pets is
helping humans.”
With donation collection sites located on the Century Center
and Corporate Square campuses, volunteers collected new and
used items, including beds, crates, and hundreds of pounds of
pet food. According to Daffy’s, the ACOA event collected more
than half a ton of pet food and supplies. Tom Wargo, the
founder of Daffy’s commented, “We are very grateful for
CDC's support with our mission to keep families and their pets
together in our community.”
Due to the success of the event, ACOA hopes to expand the
donation collection locations to more campuses in the future.
Daffy’s Pet Soup Kitchen, since its inception in 1997, has accomplished the following:



Established 2 Daffy’s Pet Soup Kitchens in Georgia
Assisted over 3000 families by distributing over 1 million
pounds of pet food and supplies
Created better living situations for countless pets and their
families
For more information on Daffy’s Pet Soup Kitchen, visit: http://
www.daffyspetsoupkitchen.com/.
14
Going to the Dogs! ACOA Officers Demystify the PHS ID Tag
By CAPT Bruce Tierney and LCDR Neelam D. Ghiya, USPHS
History of ID tags
T
he purchasing of unofficial identification (ID) tags by military personnel goes back to the Civil War. In the Navy, official
identification tags, nicknamed "dog tags," dates back to World War I. One side of the tag bore an etched print of the right index finger. The other side was stamped "U.S.N." and etched with the individual's personal information. Officers' tags bore initials
and surname, rank, and date of appointment, in numerals denoting month, day and year (e.g., 1.5.16). Post-World War II tags were
worn on a bead chain, with an attached short loop for the second tag. They listed name (surname, followed by initials), service
number,, service, blood type, and religion, if desired by an individual.
Although they are not specifically described in the current Uniform Instructions, Commissioned Corps officers may wish to consider
the purchase of a set of ID or “dog” tags to wear as part of the ODU and BDU uniform. Grooming and jewelry standards for all PHS
uniforms also apply to the ODU and BDU uniform. The Local Uniform Authority or LUA may require removal of jewelry under field
conditions or when the mission dictates. ID tags would generally not be considered jewelry for this circumstance.
There is no specific guidance or instructions for the PHS Commissioned Corps for the design or the information to put on an ID tag.
However, ACOA has reached out to LCDR Kyle Lyons, Uniform Coordinator in the Division for Commissioned Corps Personnel and
Readiness (DCCPR), who offered a link to the Web site for the new Readiness and Deployment Operations Group (RDOG), formerly the Office of Force Readiness and Deployment (OFRD), with information about ID tags and recommendations. RDOG indicates
that all officers should have a current set of ID tags and that having ID tags may be mandatory for riding on certain military aircraft.
For more history
To go beyond the basic information presented here, officers can consult the following resources:
History of ID tags: http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq70-1.htm
CC 412.01 - Uniforms and Appearance: http://dcp.psc.gov/eccis/documents/CC412.01.pdf
OFRD Website for ID tags: http://ccrf.hhs.gov/ccrf/faq_dogtags.htm
(Note that the OFRD website does not include “USPHS” in their recommendation for the ID Tag format. But every service includes the branch of service on the ID Tag and it is recommended that officers do so as well, as suggested by LCDR Lyons
above.)
Recommended format:
For example:
Last, First MI
SSN
USPHS Blood Type
Religion (optional)
Doe, John Q.
123-45-6789
USPHS A NEG
Presbyterian
The Military Specification (“MilSpec”) for ID tags includes:
Type 304 Stainless Steel with a dull finish and rolled edge (not shiny or any other color).
Dimensions: 1.12" x 2" x .014"
Made in U.S.A.
Additional commercial vendors who sell ID tags
http://www.dogtagsonline.com/
http://www.ballchain.com/military_dog_tags.html
http://www.customized-military-dog-tags.com/
Vanguard sells chains and plastic silencers but not the ID tag itself. Silencers are a useful addition to ID tags to keep them from
making noise when they bump together!
(ID Tag, cont’d. on p. 17)
15
Question and Answer: PHS Uniform Wear
By LCDR Zewditu Demissie and CAPT Bruce Tierney, USPHS
D
aily uniform wear has been required of Commissioned Corps officers since July 1, 2008. Uniform wear serves multiple purposes: it shows commitment to and respect for the service, demonstrates officership, and contributes to Commissioned Corps
visibility.
Official published documents regarding uniform wear for all officers and for female and male officers, separately, can be found on
the CCMIS website. Most Uniform Instructions are found in Book 4, Book 5 and Book 8 in the Table of Contents: http://
dcp.psc.gov/eccis/CCISToc.aspx?ShowTOC=Y
Uniforms and Appearance: http://dcp.psc.gov/eccis/documents/CC412.01.pdf
Wear of Ribbons and Medals: http://dcp.psc.gov/eccis/documents/CCPM26_3_3.pdf
Uniforms for Male Officers: http://dcp.psc.gov/eccis/documents/CCPM26_3_4.pdf
Uniforms for Female Officers: http://dcp.psc.gov/eccis/documents/CCPM26_3_5.pdf
Insignia and Devices: http://dcp.psc.gov/eccis/documents/CCPM26_3_6.pdf
Special Uniform Situations: http://dcp.psc.gov/eccis/documents/CCPM26_3_7.pdf
In June 2012, the Division of Commissioned Corps Personnel and Readiness released a Frequently Asked Questions document
entitled “Enforcement of Daily Uniform Wear Policy.” If you have not received this document, have misplaced it, or would like more
information about it, please feel free to email LCDR Demissie at izj5@cdc.gov.
This article is framed in a question-and-answer format and serves to address some common uniform mistakes and uniform issues
that cause confusion for officers. Uniform issues will be discussed in each Signal edition this year. The 4th quarter Signal edition will
be reader’s choice. As you read the articles, please think of any additional uniform questions that you have. In the 3rd quarter Signal, we will provide details on how to submit ideas for the 4th quarter article.
We would like to acknowledge CDR Craig Hales, LCDR Erik Reaves, LCDR Richard Dunville, and LCDR Mark Freedman for contributing ideas for this series.
Where do I position my name tag and ribbons?
With General Purpose Service uniforms, you may wear either all ribbons that have been documented in your eOPF or the top three
ribbons. An exception to this is the Service Dress Blue (SDB) uniform which requires that ALL ribbons be worn, not just the top
three. The correct placement of name tag and ribbons is ¼ of an inch above the pocket flap. For Service Dress Blues (SDBs), ensure
that your name tag is aligned with the ribbon rack on the opposite side of the jacket.
For female officers wearing uniforms that do not have a right pocket, this may require a ruler to help identify the correct placement
of the name tag. Note that on older SDB uniforms, a pocket with a flap is present on the right side, making placement of the name
tag easier, but newer uniforms do not have this feature. Currently, either style of the SDB jacket for female officers is authorized for
wear.
What is the proper wear of the garrison cap?
The garrison cap should be worn squarely on the head, with fore and aft crease centered vertically between the eyebrows. The
crease should not be flattened. The lowest point of the cap should fall approximately 1 inch above the eyebrows. Hair should not
be visible below the front of the cover. There are also specific instructions for the placement of insignia on the garrison cap, which
can be found in Section 6-5 of the PHS Insignia Instruction - CC26.3.6 referenced above. Proper insignia placement is shown below.
(Note: It is suggested that officers be mindful of the cleanliness of their garrison caps)
What is the proper wear of the windbreaker?
Large rank devices should be worn on the shoulder straps with the rank device positioned 3/4 of an inch from the seam to the
bottom of the device (O-6 device is placed with the eagle facing forward on each shoulder). The zipper should be zipped up at least
three quarters of the way at all times. Do not scrunch sleeves above the wrist.
(Uniform Wear, cont’d. on p. 17)
16
RIST NCR Members Supported 2014 National Exercise Program
By LCDR Qiao Bobo and LCDR Olden Walker. III, USPHS
F
ive
officers
from Regional
Incident
Support
Team – National
Capital Region team
(RIST NCR) successfully supported the
National Exercise
Program (NEP) Cap(L-R) LCDR Lorelei Piantedosi, LCDR Olden
stone Exercise 2014
Walker III, LCDR Qiao Bobo, LCDR Eric Zhou
in the Secretary’s
and LCDR Roberto Valverde
Operations Center
of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
headquarters (SOC) in Washington, DC. from March 26 to
April 3, 2014.
snow without shelter, food, and water. Airports, roads and
hospitals were damaged, and most places were left without
power.
March 27, 2014, marked the 50th anniversary of that
earthquake, the most powerful ever recorded in North America. Capstone Exercise 2014, referred to as Alaska Shield, commemorates the anniversary of the 1964 9.2 magnitude Great
Alaskan Earthquake by replicating the earthquake’s effects and
resulting tsunami. Alaska Shield started on March 27 and mimicked the 1964 earthquake.
The earthquake left
thousands of injuries and fatalities and many people in the
We learned a lot during the eight days of the exercise. We
came to appreciate the importance and complexity of information management during an emergency response. It was
inspiring to see how the various federal agencies, state and
local governments, and international partners came to work
together to achieve a common goal.
Our major responsibility is to ensure that information from all
sources was entered in the central locations Web Based
Emergency Operations Center (Web EOC and Emergency
Management Portal (EM portal), so it would be easily accessible
by all parties. We also ensured that requests for information
from the Chief Medical Information Officer, Operations and
Logistics sections were responded to in a timely manner. In
addition, we helped in updating the senior leadership briefing
documents and slide presentations.
Moreover, since the SOC was the center of emergency management for DHHS, we worked in the same room as operations,
The National Exercise Program (NEP) Capstone Exercise 2014 is logistics, planning and the liaisons from the military, Veterans
a congressionally mandated exercise that examines the Association and other parts of DHHS. We experienced daily
nation’s collective ability to coordinate and conduct risk briefings in SOC, through audio and video conferences within
assessments and implement National Frameworks and DHHS and with other government agencies coordinated by
associated plans to deliver core capabilities.
FEMA.
(Uniform Wear, cont’d. from p. 16)
(ID Tag, cont’d. from p. 15)
Why do I need to purchase two sets of O-6 rank devices to
complete my khaki uniform?
When you order the O-6 rank devices, you typically receive a
pair of eagles facing opposite directions. However, you can only
use the one facing left – for both the collar and the garrison cap.
So you have to order two pairs of eagles in order to get two leftfacing ones. However, on Navy Nex (https://www.mynavy
exchange.com/) it is possible to purchase a single left-facing O6 rank device by going to “Officer Collar Insignia” located under
“Ribbons, Medals & Insignia” and then clicking on “Officer
Collar Insignia.” There you will see “CAPT Collar Device Right
Side.” You will need two of these as noted if you plan to wear
the garrison cap.
http://www.vanguardmil.com/index.php?
main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1
&keyword=identification+tag&x=0&y=0.
Order unofficial PHS ID tags
It is also possible to get a decorative ID or “dog” tag engraved
with the USPHS logo. These are sold by JOAG for a price of $3.
While these tags help to show your PHS pride, they are not
official ID tags and should not be worn in lieu of ID tags with
the ODU or BDU on a deployment.
http://www.usphs.gov/corpslinks/JOAG/documents/
JOAG_Merchandise_List.pdf
17
Inspiring Future Public Health Leaders at the USA Science
and Engineering Festival
By LT Samantha Spindel, LCDR Qiao Bobo and LCDR Theodore Garnett , USPHS
S
TEMulating, Monumental and Spectacular! That was the
feeling at the 3rd USA Science & Engineering Festival, held
April 26-27 at the Washington, D.C. Convention Center.
Twenty five USPHS Commissioned Corps officers, representing
six categories and five agencies, volunteered at the country’s
largest science festival to raise awareness of the importance of
science and engineering for public health.
With thousands of exhibits and hundreds of stage shows, the
festival celebrated science with much pizzazz. The crowd
cheered science luminaries including theoretical physicist Dr.
Michio Kaku and Bill Nye the Science Guy, and relished in the
live performance of the musical group, They Might Be Giants.
Attendance was more than double that of the 2012 festival
with about 325,000 visitors. Attendees learned about space,
watched 3-D printers work their “magic” and enjoyed many
hands-on activities such as creating stick figures of molecular
structures.
The message of the USPHS exhibit booth was “Inspiring the
Next Generation of Public Health Responders.” In this spirit,
our enthusiastic volunteers greeted a few hundred visitors,
many of whom had never heard about our service before and
were intrigued. Some were even interested in applying to the
USPHS. The visitors included young children, high school students, undergraduate and graduate students, as well as
parents, nurses, doctors, and other public health professionals.
We spoke to a number of teachers and educators who were
curious about our activities and plan to inform their students
about the USPHS. We engaged students about their career
interests, promoted our COSTEP opportunities, fielded questions about the PHS, handed out promotional materials, and
directed them to our online resources for additional
information. We emphasized that we are one of the government’s best kept secrets!
(L to R) LCDR Simleen Kaur, CDR Chekesha Clingman, CDR Kun
Shen, LCDR Jonathan Kwan with the Chief Professional Officer
for the Engineering Category, RADM Randall Gardner (center)
(Photo courtesy of RADM Sarah Linde)
There were also 21 affiliate science
and engineering events all over the
country and in the United Kingdom
in April, with many more events
scheduled throughout the year
(http://www.usasciencefestival.org/
affiliate-events/2014-affiliate-event
-map-and-directory.html).
Please contact LCDR Qiao Bobo at
qiao.bobo@fda.hhs.gov if any of
the other local COA branches are
interested in manning a booth at
one of these affiliate events. We
would be happy to share our
LT Samantha Spindel promotes public health at the
Festival (Photo courtesy of
LT Diana Wong)
The event was sponsored by DC COA and supported by RADM
Randall Garner, Chief Professional Officer for the Engineer
Category. RADM Gardner visited our booth on Saturday to
show his support and encouragement. RADM Gardner also
promoted the event to local engineers. The involvement of
RADM Gardner helped make this event a success.
The USPHS representation at this highly-attended and visible
festival would not have been possible without the hard work
of members of the Science and Engineering Festival Subcommittee (a branch of the DC COA Community Outreach
Committee) and the full support of DC COA. This subcommittee is led by LCDR Theodore Garnett and includes CDR Kun
Shen LCDR Qiao Bobo, LCDR Simleen Kaur, LT Samantha Spindel and LT Nancy Tian.
(L to R) LT Samantha Spindel, LCDR Qiao Bobo, LT Jung
Lee, LCDR Theodore Garnett and LT Charles Darr
(Photo courtesy of CDR Kun Shen)
(Festival, cont’d. on p. 19)
18
Little Colorado River Branch COA Officers Do Their Part to
SEWport our Troops Abroad
By LT Nicole S. Lawrence, USPHS
O
ur brothers and
sisters in the
Armed Services have
dedicated their lives
to serve our country
in good and bad
times. Many service
members have left
the comfort and
security of their
homes to serve in
areas of the world
(L-R) LT Lawrence, CAPT McFarland, Volunthat are physically
teers showing finished pillowcases
uncomfortable.
Often times they are placed in harm’s way to secure the freedoms and safety that we enjoy every day.
along with LT Lawrence and her family and CAPT McFarland
gathered at a local church to sew and iron 16 pillowcases.
Both events garnered great support from the community and
both Officers were happy to do their part to serve our troops.
LT Lawrence plans on working with the Winslow Woman’s Club
to raise the necessary funds to ship the pillowcases to the
troops. LT Lawrence expressed special thanks to Dale Nichols
who was a huge resource in organizing the event and to St. Paul
Episcopal Church for allowing the event to be hosted in their
fellowship hall. The Officers hope that as service members place
their heads on the pillowcases to rest, that they would have a
daily reminder that they are
cared for and that we all
look forward to their safe
return home.
In an effort to remind our troops that they are loved, remembered, and appreciated, and to provide a touch of comfort, LT
Nicole Lawrence, through Families in Service, a community
service program that her family started and CAPT Joan McFarland, an Officer dedicated to serving her community, both
members of the Little Colorado River Branch COA, volunteered
their time to organize and participate in a drive to collect
pillowcases to be sent to the troops abroad.
During the month of April, CAPT McFarland requested
donations of pillowcases from community members, coworkers and fellow Officers to be sent to the troops and
received 67 pillowcases that each contained a personalized
note for our service members. On Sunday, May 4 2014, LT
Lawrence, through Families in Service ended the drive by
organizing the SEWport our Troops event to sew pillowcases
for the troops. During this event, 4 community members,
LT Nicole Lawrence
CAPT Joan McFarland
(Festival, cont’d. from p. 18)
experience with you and assist in organizing a successful and
rewarding event of your own.
Follow COA on Facebook
and Twitter @coausphs
Many thanks to our officers who volunteered for this event:
LT Tyann Blessington, LCDR Qiao Bobo, CDR Chekesha S.
Clingman, CDR Minglei Cui, LT Charles Darr, LCDR Theodore
Garnett, LCDR June Germain, LCDR Leo Gumapas,, LCDR Hamilton-Stokes Deveonne, CDR Jill Hammond, LCDR Simleen
Kaur, LCDR Jonathan Kwan, LT Jung Lee, CDR Quynh M. Nguyen, LT Thuy M. Nguyen, LCDR Tina Nhu, LCDR Ruiqing Pamboukian, LCDR Anna Park, LT Nicole Pascua, CDR Kun Shen, LT
Samantha Spindel, LT Nancy Tian, CDR Iris E. Valentin-Bon, LT
Viky Verna, LT Diana Wong.
19
WeekEnd Hunger Backpack Program Supported by Phoenix COA
By CDR Karen Kilman, USPHS
T
he Phoenix
COA
and
their
family
members joined
forces with the
Valley of the Sun
United Way on
26 April 2014 to
participate in the
WeekEnd Hunger Backpack Project.
Fifteen Phoenix COA
members and their families participated in the project. According to the 2010 Phoenix area census, over 1.5 million households including 82,000 household children suffer from chronic
hunger. Weekends are a dreaded time away from their only
reliable source of food from school breakfast and lunch programs. The WeekEnd Hunger Backpack project sponsored by
United Way relies on volunteers to preassemble packaged
meals to help sustain these Valley children through the weekends by providing children with food that they can carry home
and prepare easily over the weekend. These packaged meals
allow growing children to come to school on Monday ready to
learn and to focus on their education for success. This program
is supported by volunteers, schools, and business
supporters who recognize the importance of access to food to
decrease hunger in our society. The volunteers gathered were
able to prepare 1409 sacks of food which included breakfast
and lunch foods in addition to some healthy snacks for children
to eat during their weekend. This program encompasses the
same psychology of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Pyramid
where a hungry child may not able to easily focus on reading or
school work on an empty stomach. If this need is fulfilled the
child can advance up the pyramid focusing more on their studies to include health, education and their future. Though this
project only took the volunteers a couple hours, the team was
able to decrease hunger to some of the Valley children. Our
team enjoyed the volunteer camaraderie and felt positive just
knowing we were helping to impact the future leaders of
America. If you would like to participate in the Phoenix COA
activities please contact: karen.kilman@ihs.gov.
Photos courtesy of LT Thelma Lucero
USPHS and USCG Officers Volunteer in Ocean Drive Marathon
By LCDR Jason Buenaventura and CDR Stella Wisner, USPHS
F
or the second
consecutive
year, USPHS officers in the South
Jersey Seashore
Branch of the
COA,
currently
under the direction of LCDR Amy
Redmer,
were
invited by the
Guard’s
(L to R) Erika Sharkey, LT Lisa Sharkey, LT Mariely Coast
Training
Center
Marquez-Lorenzo, LT Cara Ortega, LTJG Mariela
Cape
May
OfficRivera, CDR Stella Wisner, LTJG Dan Shockey, LTJG
ers
Association
Matt Doepking
(TCCMOA), currently presided by USCG officer LT John Suckow, to volunteer at
the Ocean Drive Marathon (ODM). This year, PHS officers
worked alongside USCG officers in March 2014, the day before
the marathon, at the Registration/Health & Fitness Expo in
Wildwood, NJ.
20
LTJG Mariela Rivera, a PHS nurse assigned to ICE in Elizabeth,
NJ, stated that “Despite the expected dreary weather conditions for the marathon, I was surprised to see hundreds of
participants pick up their t-shirts and packets still wearing
smiles. Everybody was so nice and grateful; I felt very much
appreciated...Compared to other military branches, the US
Public Health Service is very small. Thanks to the Cape May
USCG for the invitation and for giving me the opportunity to
work with fellow New Jersey officers!” This volunteering activity helps establish rapport and build relationships between PHS
and Coast Guard officers inside and outside of the workplace.
“Volunteering at the ODM was a fun and rewarding experience! I was able to work alongside fellow PHS members and
USCG members in order to achieve a common goal - to provide
the dedicated ODM, 10-mile, and 5K runners their race info,
goodie bags, and race shirts...It was an overall good day for
meeting new people and experiencing firsthand what it takes
to have such a large event run smoothly,” according to LT Cara
Ortega, a PHS dentist detailed to the USCG. LT Mariely
Marquez-Lorenzo, also a PHS dentist with the Coast Guard,
(Marathon, cont’d. on p. 21)
White Mountain AZ Branch Braves the Cold and Cleans the Road
By LCDR Robert Boyle, USPHS
T
he White
Mountain AZ COA
branch gathered on April
26, 2014 to
clean
a
roughly
2mile section
of
scenic
highway 73
on the White
(L-R) Pearl Kloac, CDR Jana Towne, CDR Rey
Mountain
Marbello, LT Pierre Duvivier, LCDR Robert Boyle,
Apache Indian
CDR Kristy Klinger, LT Valerie Wilson, CDR William Reservation.
Tool, LT Hillary Volsteadt
Twelve officers
and co-workers braved the wild mountain spring weather to
clean up this section of highway that leads from Pinetop, AZ,
to the USPHS Whiteriver Indian Hospital. Despite high winds,
blowing snow/rain and steep roadsides, this branch collected
25 bags of garbage along with 2 bumpers and 3 tires. Many
hands make light work, and this group kept their hands moving
to keep them from freezing.
The White Mountain Branch has now adopted this section of
highway and raised the profile of the roughly 80 commissioned
officers who live and work in this area, with the branch name on
the Adopt-A-Highway sign.
“We really wanted to focus on service activities this year and
giving back” said branch president LT Hillary Volsteadt. In conjunction with the bi - annual APFT, golf tournament and social
events, the White Mountain branch is continuing the tradition
of clothing drives for the women’s shelter, diaper fund for new
mothers, scholarship drives for native high school seniors as
well as a Sub for Santa donation. “This is an active and
passionate group of officers that
care for this community and for
promoting the values of the Corps”
observed LT Volsteadt.
This route is designated as a scenic byway, and thanks to these
officers, the many tourists and travelers who pass this way will
better appreciate the ponderosa pines and meadows without
the plastic bags and bottles and other litter along the road.
LT Pierre Duvivier
(Marathon, cont’d. from p. 20)
adds, “As a PHS officer working at USCG Training Center Cape
May, I felt fortunate to have such a rewarding opportunity to
participate and volunteer at the Ocean Drive Marathon. Providing runners with their T-shirts, maps, snacks, and race
information brochures was fun, and it also gave me a chance to
meet other PHS and Coast Guard officers...I look forward to
volunteering in future events as I serve as a proud officer of
this country.”
supported by the money raised from the Ocean Drive
Marathon include The Volunteers in Medicine of Cape May
County, The Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey, and
high schools in Cape May County.
PHS volunteering for the Ocean Drive Marathon is valuable for
this community. Not only do the runners appreciate the
services of these fine officers, but various charities also benefit.
“I live in Brigantine, “said LTJG Rivera, “so I was also pleased to
learn the entry fees would be benefiting the [Brigantine-based]
Marine Mammal Stranding Center.” Other organizations also
21
22
COA Donations
RADM Leonard Bachman
CAPT James E. Bleadingheiser
CAPT Perry C. Brackett
CAPT Steven M. Breithaupt
CDR Ann M. Buff
CAPT Lawrence E. Chaitkin
CAPT Michael E. Crutcher
CAPT Gregory M. Dubitsky
CDR James K. Farrell
CAPT Lawrence M. Friedman
CAPT William B. Furgerson
CAPT Claude R. Garfield
CAPT William J. Goodwin
CAPT Bernadine B. Kuchinski
CAPT Patricia D. Mail
RADM Richard D. Mandsager
CAPT Gilda M. Martoglio
CAPT Jules M. Meisler
RADM Walter A. Orenstein
CAPT Bernard W. Parker
CAPT Harold J. Paulsen
CDR Kathy A. Perdue-Greenfield
Mrs. Patricia Rodak
CAPT Robert L. Sanders
CAPT Edgar F. Seagle
CAPT Florence M. Seidler
CAPT Kathy S. Slawson
CAPT Donald D. Smith
CAPT Thomas J. Sorg
CAPT Corwin D. Strong
RADM John R. Trautman
CAPT Steven M. Weaver
23
From the Executive Director, from p. 1
anti-smoking and anti-tobacco efforts. I remember the buzz when
the first surgeon general’s report on Smoking and Health was
issued fifty years ago, and subsequent SG reports on smokeless
tobacco and second-hand smoke and its dangers raised public
consciousness of tobacco dangers and undoubtedly played a large
role in the overall decrease in smoking in this country.
Tobacco companies are relentless, however, in their efforts to
create more users of their products, even as their products kill
off their current users. I am certainly not the first person to say it,
but tobacco is probably the only legal substance that does nothing but harm to those who use it (smoking or oral use) as
intended. I am reminded every day that I report to two boards of
directors: the Association Board and the Foundation Board, with
its emphasis on “the advancement of public health.” This latter
board was the first to adopt my suggestion that we modify our
investment policy to forbid our funds from being invested in
either stocks or bonds of tobacco or e-cigarette companies.
Sometimes there is an opportunity for us to weigh-in publicly on
a public health issue such as tobacco use, and such an occasion
has recently arisen. I write about it both to let you know what we
are attempting to do to advance public health, and also because it
illustrates very well the political forces that we confront and contest in our day-to-day efforts. Some of you may see this column
as too much “inside baseball” and may be uninterested in the
nuts-and-bolts of what we do legislatively and politically at our
headquarters. I think, however, that a fair number of you who
have little experience with what it takes to promote good public
health policies in the maelstrom of Washington politics will enjoy
seeing how the sausage is made.
“A decision to remove tobacco products from military sales venues would surely prompt similar considerations from all services
and therefore limit—and in some cases restrict—access to legal
products the servicemen and women choose to purchase on their
own. Also a factor is the guaranteed drop in profits for the Navy
Exchange Services Command.” Rep. Hunter continued by suggesting that, “Overall, removing tobacco sales is perceived as
more of a political decision, intended to make a point, than it is a
decision that supports our sailors and Marines.” I am not at all
sure what the Congressman means about this being a “political
decision.” It seems to me to be a classic health and welfare decision: the health of the force and the welfare of all of its members.
Rep. Hunter’s missive was countered that same day when five
Democratic Senators (Blumenthal-CT, Durbin-IL, Harkin-IA,
Reed-RI, and Brown-OH) sent a letter to Secretary Mabus stating that tobacco use is “not only harmful to their [servicemembers] health, but also costs the federal government significantly in the long-term.” Continuing, the Senators told the Navy
Secretary “to do everything in your capacity to address this issue
for our military men and women, including moving forward with
the proposal to stop the sale of tobacco aboard all naval bases
and ships.”
Not to be outdone, Rep. Hunter joined two Republican colleagues (Reps. Richard Hudson-NC and Tom Rooney-FL) in
sending a letter to House appropriators on 2 April calling the
Navy Secretary’s proposal “a frivolous abdication of more urgent matters of national security.” The three House members
urged the Appropriations Committee to forbid Navy efforts to
further regulate tobacco sales.
The Navy and Tobacco Use
Of all the military services, the Navy has been the leader in restricting tobacco use, reaching back to the administration of President George W. Bush. In a 31 July 2008 SECNAV Instruction,
for example, the Navy made clear its belief that, “Tobacco use is
the single largest cause of preventable premature mortality in the
United States among adults.” The Instruction went on to state
that, “when walking from point to point while in uniform, it is
inappropriate and detracts from military smartness for personnel
to be smoking or using tobacco products.” The Instruction placed
additional restrictions on when and where tobacco products could
be used by uniformed personnel, and I have not been able to find
any indications that members of Congress weighed-in on the issue at that time. This was not the case when the press reported in
March 2014 that Navy Secretary Ray Mabus “is preparing to announce . . . that he will end tobacco sales on Navy and Marine
Corps bases and in ship stores by September.” Secretary Mabus
had previously banned smoking on submerged submarines (can
you believe they ever allowed such?) as well as ending the discounts on sales of tobacco in Navy and Marine Corps Exchanges,
requiring that such products be sold at full retail.
Congressional Reaction
Almost as soon as this story hit the streets, members of Congress
began lining up on both sides of the issue. On 28 March 2014,
Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA), a member of the House Armed
Services Committee, weighed in with a letter to the Secretary.
24
The initial letters to Secretary Mabus were all Republican on
one side (favoring tobacco sales) and Democratic on the other
(suggesting the end of tobacco sales in military Exchanges), so I
was initially afraid that this would become the typically Republican-versus-Democrat issue, rather than a health issue decided on
its merits. I needn’t have been concerned. Big Tobacco was not
about to take this lying down. They struck hard and quickly in
the mark-up of the FY 2015 National Defense Authorization Act
(NDAA). (It should be noted that The Center for Responsive
Politics, a group that follows lobbying expenditures, says on its
web site that tobacco interests have spent over $5 million on
lobbying during the 2013-2014 election cycle alone. That’s a
lot of money that can influence a boat-load of members of
Congress).
In a 53-9 vote, the House Armed Services Committee adopted
Rep. Hunter’s amendment to the FY 15 NDAA stating that neither the service Secretaries nor the Secretary of Defense could,
“take any action to implement any new policy that would limit,
restrict, or ban the sale of any legal consumer product category
sold as of January 14, 2014, in the defense commissary system
or exchange stores system . . . .” These words meant tobacco,
and not other legal products that have been banned from sale in
the commissaries and Exchanges, such as ephedra, DMAA, and
adult magazines. One Republican (Rep. Brooks-IN) and eight
Democrats (Reps. Davis-IL, Langevin-RI, Tsongas-MA, Garamendi-CA, Johnson-GA, Hanabusa-HI, Duckworth-IL, and
(Executive Director, cont’d. on p. 25)
From the Executive Director, from p. 24)
Enyart-IL) opposed Hunter’s amendment. It remained in the bill
when it passed the House of Representatives on 22 May. The
action then shifted to the Senate, where the Armed Services
Committee (SASC) took up the NDAA on 22 May. We spent
much of that day contacting Senate offices in an attempt to discover the sentiment of the SASC. As I complete this column late
in the afternoon of 22 May, we do not know what the Senate
will do, but we plan to take the fight to the Senate floor if we
can gain some allies to join us. Regardless, the overwhelming
vote in favor of Hunter’s amendment in the HASC removed for
me any fear that this would become a partisan issue, at least in
the House of Representatives.
icant action against tobacco use. We are not alone, however, in
our efforts to promote such. To borrow a phrase from the movie
“Casablanca,” “the usual suspects” sent a letter of support to
Secretary Mabus on 10 April. The Cancer Action Network,
American Heart Association, Legacy, American Lung Association, Partnership for Prevention, and Campaign for TobaccoFree Kids wrote to commend the Secretary for “past actions to
reduce tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke among
Navy personnel and Marines.”
Defense Department Support for Tobacco Restrictions
In addition, Dr. Jonathan Woodson, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, sent a memorandum to the military
services outlining the ways in which tobacco use “undercuts
This determination led us to send on 9 May a letter to Navy Sec- military readiness and harms individual performance.” Defense
retary Mabus (found at Letter to Secretary Mabus re. Tobacco
Secretary Chuck Hagel also expressed himself on this issue,
and Military Exchanges, 9 May 2014) expressing our support
being quoted as saying that, “I think you start with [a] look at
for his initiative and including a one-page fact sheet on tobacco the health of the force. I don’t know if there’s anybody in Amerand the exchanges (Talking Points, Tobacco and Military Exica who still thinks that tobacco’s good for you. . . . The Surchanges, April 2014). We also sent a letter to Navy Times news- geon General 50 years ago made that statement pretty clear.”
paper, which was published on 19 May (Letter to Navy Times
re. Exchange Tobacco Sales. )The letter in Navy Times summa- COA/COF Staff Efforts
rized our letter to Secretary Mabus, pointing out some of the
downsides to Exchange sale of tobacco products:
We will continue to promote public health by working against
tobacco and its various forms of use, and we will work with our
 A higher percentage of servicemembers smoke (32%) than allies to combat the sale of discounted tobacco to members of
do civilians (20%)
our military and uniformed services. We anticipate pushback
from a certain number of uniformed service retirees (probably
 Exchanges sell tobacco products at a significant discount
not many from within the USPHS) who see discounted tobacco
from civilian retail, despite a Defense Department Dipurchases as their right, and we will also encounter headwinds
rective which restricts such discounts
from members of Congress who believe that freedom to purchase discounted tobacco products is an essential component of
 Eliminating the sale of discounted tobacco products would
military/uniformed service benefits. We will continue to work
almost certainly reduce tobacco use among servicemembers
through our membership in The Military Coalition (TMC) and
COA Government Relations Director Judy Rensberger’s posi Servicemembers who smoke are less fit than those who do
tion on the Healthcare Committee of TMC to gain support for
not
anti—tobacco efforts. We have already furnished members of
the committee with our one-pager on tobacco and the Exchang Servicemembers who smoke take longer to recover from
es, and we will surface the issue as we can. We can’t tell you
wounds than those who do not
how successful we will be in the short-run, but long-term, we
 Tobacco use costs the Department of Defense hundreds of believe that the tide of history is on our side. Now, let’s consider
millions of dollars per year
the health ramifications of e-cigarettes . . . .
COA/COF Support for the Navy Secretary’s Efforts
The overwhelming vote in favor of tobacco sales in the House
Armed Services Committee is a clear measure of just how difficult it will be for the Navy or any military service to take signif-
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25
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ATTENTION:
BASPAG Voting Membership Drive and Self Nomination Form is
available at www.coausphs.org, “Latest Stories”
LT Lynn A. Abeita, Unaffiliated
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LT Tracy L. Sanchez, Rio Grande
LCDR Celeste C. Santana, Puerto Rico
LTJG Kelly G. Sharry, Unaffiliated
LTJG Alexa Soto, Unaffiliated
LT Jason Truax, Bemidji
LTJG Stanzie R. Webster, Unaffiliated
New DHHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell
O
n June 5, the U.S. Senate confirmed Sylvia Mathews Burwell as the next Secretary of the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services in a bi-partisan vote of 78-17.
Ms. Burwell, the outgoing head of the Office of Management and Budget (she was confirmed for that
post a year ago by a vote of 96-0) easily navigated two Senate confirmation hearings in May. She was
helped by her impressive management resume, her deft handling of pointed questions about the
Affordable Care Act, and a friendly demeanor that won hearts and minds on both sides of the aisle.
The well-executed charm offensive resulted in a 21-3 vote by the Senate Finance Committee to approve her nomination and
move it to the Senate floor. Earlier, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, though lacking a formal
vote, made its own bipartisan approval clear. She was introduced first by Senator John McCain (R-AZ), and then by Senator Joe
Manchin (D-WV), her home state senator. As Sen. Manchin went on at length about her family, her upbringing, and her solid
small-town values, Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) finally said drily, “I get it.” The hearing ended with an enthusiastic
endorsement by Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC).
One thing Burwell’s resume appears to lack is a background in public health and nutrition science. Her only stumble over the
course of two days and several hours was her response to a question from Senator Harkin about her plans to convince Americans
to reduce their salt intake. She answered in terms of labeling requirements already in place.
26
COA Chair’s Corner, cont’d. from p. 3
a government official, to be a provider of great service to a
community or population, and to be a Commissioned Corps
officer each in full measure. Where all these identities converge harmoniously, we are role models in our neighborhoods, in the uniformed service community, and in the Nation
as a whole. In this harmony, each of us individually thrives,
the Corps grows stronger, and the Nation prospers in health
and security.
This will be my last column as your COA Chair. I leave the
office in the very capable hands of CAPT Sara Newman, who
will take over as Chair on July 1st. I want to thank all the COA
staff, some of the hardest working people on the planet. I am
also very grateful to the COA members throughout the country
who continue to bust their tails for our Association, for the
Corps, and for the country as a whole. I am extremely proud
to be a Corps officer and a COA member, and I will be both my
entire life. It’s who I am!
(Legislative Update, cont’d. from p. 2)
Autism Care (Cont’d)
Our Legislative Update in the April issue of Frontline became
obsolete before it landed in your mailbox (a good argument,
we think, for taking Frontline digital). By way of background:
once again, a legislative proposal intended to improve TRICARE
benefits for autistic and other developmentally disabled children seemed to single out for exclusion the children of PHS,
USCG, and NOAA retirees. We wanted to get that problem
fixed before the bill was introduced.
American Medical Association because it had unbundled its
procedure codes. That response did not sit well, so Jim Currie
raised the issue again in a meeting with TRICARE leaders on
May 20. As of this writing, TRICARE has barely budged, agreeing
only to resume payments for some tests on a limited (pilot)
basis. Stay tuned.
COA contacted the legislative directors for the two lead sponsors, Congressmen John B. Larson (D-CT) and Tom Rooney
(R-FL). We spent an hour with them, trying to come up with
language that would make the inclusive intent of Congress
clear and also pass muster with the Congressional Budget
Office. Over the next couple of days, we reached a compromise
on language, and COA agreed to support the bill. The Military
Officers Association of America (MOAA) and National Military
Family Association (NMFA) quickly followed, and the bill passed
the House on May 22 as part of its version of the National
Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
COA is pleased to join “TRICARE for Kids,” a coalition of
children’s hospitals and national organizations that advocate on
behalf of the children of uniformed services personnel, especially children with special needs. Organizational members
include Easter Seals, March of Dimes, Autism Speaks, National
Military Families Association, MOAA, and many others. At present, the Coalition is focused on two issues, both mentioned
above. The first is the effort to win more generous coverage of
behavior modification therapies for autistic and other developmentally disabled children. The second is the reinstatement of
coverage of certain prenatal laboratory tests also known as
molecular pathology tests.
Coalition Politics
Lab Tests
TSA Pre-screening
Over a year ago, TRICARE suddenly stopped paying for certain
prenatal laboratory tests that had long been medically accepted and covered as “standard of care.” The issue did not come
to light for months, partly because TRICARE did not advertise
its decision and partly because the testing laboratories went
unpaid, hoping to get the problem fixed before it became
necessary to withhold their services, go public, or both. The
tests include those for cystic fibrosis and a rare condition called
“fragile x syndrome,” among many others.
The Military Coalition’s Health Care Committee, on which COA
serves, has taken up the issue. In a letter to the Assistant
Secretary for Defense – Health Affairs, The Military Coalition
protested the coverage decision and laid out the reasons for
reconsideration. TRICARE officials wrote back, blaming the
COA has twice written to the head of the Transportation
Security Administration, urging TSA to include PHS officers in its
program to speed certain pre-approved groups of people
through its otherwise time-consuming airport security checks.
(See the most recent letter on our website at “Legislative
Advocacy,” “Documents.”)
TSA has accommodated the armed services, but does not seem
to understand that the PHS Commissioned Corps is a uniformed
service surely deserving of equal consideration. TSA’s bureaucratic response is that they are proceeding cabinet-level agency
head by cabinet-level agency head. Time to take this issue to a
friendly member of Congress.
—Judy Rensberger
27
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
Health Service, 8201 Corporate Drive, Suite 200, Landover, MD
20785, (301) 731-9080; Fax: (301) 731-9084; Periodicals Postage
Paid at Hyattsville, MD and additional mailing offices.
COA Frontline
8201 Corporate Drive, Suite 200
Landover, MD 20785
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to COA Frontline c/o
Commissioned Officers Association, 8201 Corporate Drive,
Suite 200, Landover, MD 20785.
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
Director of Administration
Teresa Hayden Foley
thayden@coausphs.org
Conference Planners
Leading Edge Solutions
Tim O’Neil/Diana Hallman
(866) 544-9677
Government Relations Director
Judith Rensberger
jrensberger@coausphs.org
Group Insurance - AGIA
(888) 633-6459
Membership Coordinator/
Frontline Editor
Malissa Spalding
mspalding@coausphs.org
© 2014 Commissioned Officers Association
visit us: www.coausphs.org
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www.twitter.com/coausphs

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