Commissioned CorpsBULLETIN

Division of Commissioned Personnel • Program Support Center, DHHS

Published as part of the Commissioned Corps Personnel Manual for Public Health Service CommissionedCorps officers. Forward news of Service-wide or special interest to Division of Commissioned Personnel,Room 4-04, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857-0001, Phone: 301-594-3462, E-mail: vkapusnick@psc.gov.

Acting Director, DCP/PSCCAPT Denise S. Canton

Editor, Mrs. Virginia Kapusnick

Commissioned CorpsBULLETIN

Vol. XVII, No. 12 December 2003

Surgeon General's Column

(Continued on page 2)

IN THIS ISSUE . . .TSP Open Season ................................. 3

Health Care Coverage andPlanning for Retirement .................. 3

Commissioned Corps Bulletin NoLonger Being Mailed to Active-Dutyand Inactive Reserve Officers ............. 3

Critical Skills Retention Bonus .......... 4

Deadline for Assimilation ................... 7

JRCOSTEP and SRCOSTEPDeadlines ......................................... 12

'Tis the season to be jolly . . . andhealthy. During this holiday season manyfamilies around the country will join to-gether to celebrate traditional customs.And food is often a major part of thesefestivities. Some of the best cooks will bebusy in the kitchen creating tasty mealsfor the entire family to enjoy.

For many of us, healthy eating andphysical activity will be put on a backburner. The season is often followed byNew Year’s resolutions with pledges tofocus on achieving or maintaining ahealthy weight and developing healthierhabits such as quitting smoking.

Unfortunately, this pattern may havea significant impact on our health. Astudy released by the National Instituteof Child Health and Human Develop-ment and the National Institute of Dia-betes and Digestive and Kidney Diseasesin 2000, reveals that during the holidayseason many Americans gain weight thatwill last a lifetime and may contributeto obesity later in life.

Overweight and obesity are growingproblems in the United States. Nearly 2out of 3 Americans are overweight orobese; that is a 50 percent increase fromjust a decade ago. Fifteen percent of ourNation’s children and teenagers are over-weight or obese, and 35 percent of ado-lescents don’t engage in regular physi-cal activity. Nearly 3 out of every 4overweight teenagers will become over-weight adults.

There are many serious health conse-quences of overweight and obesity; someare even life threatening. These includeheart disease, diabetes, cancer, osteoar-

thritis, sleep apnea, poor female repro-ductive health and pregnancy complica-tions, and mental health issues such asdepression, eating disorders, and lowself-esteem.

Overweight and obese children alsohave an increased risk for preventablediseases that once were considered adultillnesses. In the last two decades, type2 diabetes, has been reported amongU.S. children and adolescents with in-creasing frequency. As a result, we canno longer call type 2 diabetes ‘adult on-set diabetes.’

Obesity-related illness is the fastest-growing killer of Americans. More than300,000 Americans will die this yearfrom obesity-related illnesses.

As American waistlines have ex-panded, so have the economic costs ofobesity, now totaling an estimated $117billion per year. Overweight and obeseAmericans spend $700 more a year onmedical bills than those who are notoverweight; not to mention the cost toindividuals in terms of discomfort andsuffering.

Overweight and obesity result from anenergy imbalance. This involves eatingtoo many calories and not getting enoughphysical activity.

Many of the outstanding agenciesthat our officers work for and lead, havescientifically proven that physical ac-tivity and a healthy balanced diet im-prove health outcomes. However, in2000, nearly 77 percent of Americansate less than the recommended 5 fruitsand vegetables a day. Those who had

lower fruit and vegetable consumptionwere also less likely to be physicallyactive. Visit—http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/5ADaySurveillance/.

The bottom line is—overweight andobesity-related illnesses are preventableand we must act now. You don’t have tostarve yourself, give up all things youlove, or take the fun out of this holidayseason. There are small steps that we canall take to create a healthier U.S. and ahealthier family for our loved ones, start-ing today.

Consider:

• Preparing traditional foods withhealthy ingredients. My abuelita usedto keep a jar of lard in the back of therefrigerator and add it to some our fa-vorite dishes. It is healthier to use low-fat turkey bacon or another substitute.Instead of vegetable oil, canola or ol-ive oil would have been healthier al-ternatives. Several agencies withinthe Department of Health and HumanServices (HHS) have created healthy

Page 2 Commissioned Corps Bulletin Vol. XVII, No. 12 December 2003

(Continued from page 1)

Surgeon General's Column

(Continued on page 3)

The Assistant Secretary for Health andthe Surgeon General announced the fol-lowing promotions—

RADM Steven K. Galson was pro-moted to the rank of Assistant SurgeonGeneral (Rear Admiral lower half) effec-tive November 1, 2003.

RADM Galson, a medical officer, is cur-rently the Acting Director of the Centerfor Drug Evaluation and Review in theFood and Drug Administration (FDA).The Center has regulatory responsibil-ity for the approval and post-market sur-veillance of human prescription and over-the-counter drugs. RADM Galson directsand oversees all aspects of the Center’sbroad national public health programsand policies. He also leads agency initia-tives on patient safety and focuses ondrug risk management and the con-trolled substance review program.

Commissioned in 1986, RADM Galsonis a Regular Corps officer. He has re-ceived the Public Health Service (PHS)Commendation Medal, AchievementMedal, Unit Commendations, and For-eign Duty Award.

RADM Galson has devoted most of hisearlier career to the areas of epidemiologyand surveillance and the improvement ofpublic health at the Environmental Pro-tection Agency; Department of Energy,where he was the Chief Medical Officer;and the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention. He moved to FDA in the springof 2001 as the Deputy Director of the Cen-ter for Drug Evaluation and Research.

RADM Lireka P. Joseph was pro-moted to the rank of Assistant SurgeonGeneral (Rear Admiral lower half) effec-tive November 1, 2003.

RADM Joseph, a scientist officer, is theDirector of the Office of Health and In-dustry Programs, Center for Devices andRadiological Health in the Food and DrugAdministration. The Center is respon-sible for the approval and post-marketsurveillance of medical devices and ra-diation-emitting electronic products.RADM Joseph directs and oversees theCenter’s activities in implementing theMammography Quality Standards Act,regulation development, technical assis-tance to domestic and internationalmanufacturers, coordinates interna-tional program activities, educates the

Officers Promoted to the Rank ofAssistant Surgeon General

Center’s employees, administers thebroadcast-quality television studio, andconducts programs in risk communica-tion, labeling research, and human fac-tors outreach.

Commissioned in 1979, RADM Josephis a Regular Corps officer. She has re-ceived the Public Health Service (PHS)Distinguished Service Medal, Meritori-ous Service Medal, Outstanding ServiceMedals, PHS Citation, Outstanding UnitCitations, and Unit Commendations.

Appointed in 2000, RADM Joseph isalso the Chief Professional Officer for theScientist Category. She has devoted mostof her career to the areas of oral epide-miology and public health education andmanagement.

RADM Deborah L. Parham-Hopsonwas promoted to the rank of AssistantSurgeon General (Rear Admiral lowerhalf) effective November 1, 2003, capping19 years in the Public Health Service(PHS) Commissioned Corps and 26 yearsas a registered nurse.

RADM Parham-Hopson began her PHScareer in 1976 when she participated inthe Commissioned Officer Student Train-ing and Extern Program while still in nurs-ing school. After graduation, she pursuedother opportunities and then re-joined theCorps in 1984. Today she is Associate Ad-ministrator (i.e., Director) of the HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB), Health Resourcesand Services Administration (HRSA).

Her primary responsibility is imple-mentation of the Ryan White Compre-hensive AIDS Resources Emergency(CARE) Act programs, a $2 billion ini-tiative reaching approximately 550,000underserved individuals each year. TheCARE Act authorizes medical care, treat-ment, referrals, and social services tounderserved people living with HIV dis-ease in the United States. To implementthe CARE Act, RADM Parham-Hopsonand her staff of 170 individuals workwith grantees such as State and localgovernments, community based organi-zations, clinics, and universities in all 50States, the District of Columbia, and theU.S. Territories.

Prior to working as HAB’s AssociateAdministrator, RADM Parham-Hopsonwas Deputy Associate Administrator andDirector, Division of Community Based

recipes that preserve the taste of sev-eral ethnic foods. Visit— http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/index.htm.

• Encouraging family members to eatmore fruits and vegetables and to eatsmaller food portions throughout theday. Choose low-fat, low cholesterol,low sodium foods to eat, and createmore vegetable side dishes and fruitdesserts. For ideas, visit—http://5aday.nci.nih.gov/index-recipe.shtml.

• Promoting moderate physical activity5 days a week for at least 30 minutes.Take an extended walk with the fam-ily or create fun indoor activities andgames. You can even give out pedom-eters and encourage family fitnesscompetitions as we have done here atHHS. View recommendations forphysical activity at—http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/index.htm.

• Lowering the risk of foodborne ill-nesses by taking extra care when han-dling and storing food. Review FDATips to Prevent Foodborne Illness ThisHoliday Season at—http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ANSWERS/2003/ANS01263.html.

Many of us will be exchanging gifts thisholiday season. I encourage you to giveyour family the best gift of all. Give themthe gift of health by sharing informationthat may add years to their lives, andwork to adopt healthier habits in yourown life. It won’t cost much and you’llenjoy the benefits for years to come.

My holiday wish for you, your family,and loved ones, is to enjoy this seasonand return in the New Year safe andhealthy. Happy Holidays!

VADM Richard H. CarmonaSurgeon General

December 2003 Vol. XVII, No. 12 Commissioned Corps Bulletin Page 3

IMPORTANT NOTICEEffective with the January 2004 issue, the Commissioned Corps Bulletinwill no longer be mailed to active-duty and inactive reserve corps officers.

The Commissioned Corps Bulletinis posted the first week of each monthon the Division of CommissionedPersonnel’s (DCP) Web site—http://dcp.psc.gov/CCBul.asp.

Overall changes in the require-ments for mailing documentsprompted DCP to look at the most ef-ficient means of disseminating infor-mation efficiently, while reducingoverall printing and mailing costs.DCP’s senior management noted thatall active-duty officers are expectedto regularly access the DCP Web siteto remain current on information oncommissioned corps issues. Inactivereserve corps officers are also encour-aged to access and peruse the DCPWeb site to remain abreast of commis-sioned corps events.

One way to hold down the escalat-ing cost of mailing without compro-mising the dissemination of informa-tion is to limit the distribution of hardcopy material. Therefore, effectivewith the January 2004 issue, theCommissioned Corps Bulletin willno longer be mailed to active-dutyofficers or to inactive reserve corpsofficers. DCP will send out a Listservnotice when a new issue of the Com-missioned Corps Bulletin is postedon the DCP Web site.

Please note: The CommissionedCorps Bulletin will continue to beprinted and mailed to the following:ready reserve corps officers; retiredofficers; annuitants; and some admin-istrative personnel.

Thrift Savings PlanOpen Season—October 15 throughDecember 31, 2003

The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) openseason is your chance to start or changethe amount of your contributions to youraccount.

You may download form TSP-U-l,“Election Form,” from the TSP Web site—www.tsp.gov. Complete the form and mailit to the following address:

Division of Commissioned PersonnelATTN: Compensation Branch5600 Fishers Lane, Room 4-50Rockville, MD 20857-0001

All officers who submit TSP-U-1 formsthat are received by December 10, 2003,will receive a payroll deduction with theDecember 2003 paycheck. The maximumdeduction from base pay for this openseason is 9 percent.

Programs. Before joining the newly cre-ated HIV/AIDS Bureau in 1997, she wasChief, HIV Primary Care ProgramsBranch, Bureau of Primary Health Care,where she directed the CARE Act EarlyIntervention Services, the HRSA/Na-tional Institutes of Health AIDS Clini-cal Trials Linkage, and the IntegratedPrimary Care and Substance AbuseTreatment Linkage Programs.

She is a Regular Corps officer and hasreceived the PHS Meritorious ServiceMedal, Outstanding Service Medal, Com-mendation Medal, Achievement Medal,PHS Citations, Outstanding Unit Cita-tions, Unit Commendations, and the Na-tional Emergency Preparedness Award.

RADM Parham-Hopson, who receivedher Ph. D. in public health (health policyand administration), sees pivotal rolesfor the Corps and for public health pro-grams when looking into the future. Hervision for the Corps is a health care forcethat “continues to lead the Nation in re-ducing health disparities,” and one that“is positioned as the first and best re-sponder to national and global publichealth emergencies.”

Officers Promoted to the Rankof Assistant Surgeon General

(Continued from page 2)There is a widely held perception

among Public Health Service (PHS) of-ficers that the health care entitlementis all inclusive, any time, any place, cov-ering every available treatment, and thatthis is the case regardless of duty sta-tus. This is not true. The health care en-titlement has limitations, just as do thehealth insurance plans that cover non-Uniformed Services persons. Officersneed to be aware of these limitations sothat they can plan appropriately andmake knowledgeable decisions in antici-pation of changes in duty status.

Retirement is one of the majorchanges in duty status. Whether youretire voluntarily between 20 and 30years, at 30 years, or because of disabil-ity, you will need to consider and planfor these changes. In planning for re-tirement for example, you need to rec-ognize that as a retired office of a Uni-formed Service your pay and benefitswill change. Your health care coverageshifts from the Beneficiary MedicalProgram Section (BMP) of the MedicalAffairs Branch, Division of Commis-sioned Personnel, to other sources andyour retired pay will be a percentageof your base pay. The general informa-

tion below is intended to assist you inmaking specific plans for health carecoverage after retirement.

A retired officer may obtain healthcare/coverage from TRICARE, Depart-ment of Veterans Affairs (VA), if youqualify, or United States MilitaryTreatment Facilities (USMTF). If youchoose the VA or a USMTF, there is no‘out of pocket expense’ for your medi-cal care. However, please be aware that:(1) the care is on a space available ba-sis; (2) the care might not be availableclose to your residence; and (3) the ex-act medical procedure or remedy youprefer might not be available at thetime at the facility. Travel to the facil-ity is at your expense.

If you choose TRICARE, there will bean ‘out of pocket expense.’ Your cost shareis 25 percent of all allowable TRICAREcharges up to a maximum ‘catastrophiclimit’ of $3,000 per fiscal year. Note theword ‘allowable.’ If the charges are ‘notallowable,’ they are called ‘disputed fees.’You would be responsible for the 25 per-cent cost share of the amount up to the$3,000 cap plus the full amount of thedisputed fee charges.

Health Care Coverage and Planning for Retirement

(Continued on page 4)

Page 4 Commissioned Corps Bulletin Vol. XVII, No. 12 December 2003

(Left to Right) LCDR James Sauders, LCDR Celia Gabrel, LCDR JaniceAdams-King, CDR Shirley Turpin, LCDR Monika Johnson, CAPT JamesMoore, and LTJG Eduardo Lim volunteer at Health Fair.

To deal with these costs you may wantto consider one of the TRICARE Supple-mental Health Care Insurance policiesthat are available. (Be sure to remem-ber when shopping for supplemental cov-erage that you are looking for a policy tocover the $3,000 catastrophic limit.)

BMP encourages active-duty officers toconsider all options when planning forthe future. Compensation and healthcare entitlements may change depend-ing on duty status. The financial needsof your family may change depending onthe number and ages of your dependentsor the employment status of your spouse.BMP suggests that officers periodicallyreview their financial plans and makeadjustments to meet their needs.

Health Care Coverage andPlanning for Retirement

(Continued from page 3)Announcement—NewINSTRUCTION

The following INSTRUCTION can beaccessed on the Division of Commis-sioned Personnel’s (DCP) Web site—http://dcp.psc.gov—click on ‘Publications,‘Commissioned Corps PersonnelManual.’ A DCP Listserv message re-garding this INSTRUCTION was sentout on November 15, directing medical,dental, and nurse officers to—http://dcp.psc.gov/CSRB_INFO.html.

Transmittal Sheet 664 dated October28, 2003—INSTRUCTION 13 of Sub-chapter CC22.2, “Critical Skills RetentionBonus (CSRB).”

This INSTRUCTION implements 37U.S.C. 323, “Special Pay: retention incen-tives for members qualified in a criticalmilitary skill,” which provides for the

Commissioned Corps Personnel ManualINSTRUCTIONs

payment of a retentionbonus to officers in thePublic Health Service(PHS) CommissionedCorps who possess criti-cal military skills. Thepurpose of the CSRB isto aid the Department

of Health and Human Services (HHS) inretaining officers with critical militaryskills.

The Department of Defense (DoD)deemed certain health specialities ascritical in fulfilling the military’s mis-sion. The Assistant Secretary for Health,in signing the policy, concurs that thisbonus is necessary to enhance the abil-ity of the PHS Commissioned Corps infulfilling its role in the defense of theNation’s health and in support of the U.S.Coast Guard and DoD.

Public Health Service (PHS) Commis-sioned Corps officers from the BlackCommissioned Officers Advisory Group(BCOAG) and the Asian Pacific Ameri-can Officers Committee (APAOC) partici-pated in the 8th annual Health Fair ofthe Refreshing Spring Church of God inChrist located in Riverdale, MD. Morethan 300 participants from the church’scongregation, and residents of Riverdale,benefitted from this 3-day health fairheld September 26-28, 2003.

The first day included a series of lec-tures on women’s and men’s health, nu-trition, and stress reduction, with pre-sentations from local minority physicianson breast, prostate, and colon cancers.The main topics and take-home mes-sages were health promotion, diseaseprevention, screening, and early inter-vention. CAPT Shirley Blakely, ChiefProfessional Officer for the DietitianCategory, gave a presentation on ‘Nutri-tional and Dietary Changes for HealthyLiving.’

The second day focused on wellnessand physical activity with aerobicsclasses and a basketball tournament. Thelast day of the health fair included a widevariety of displays from vendors and lo-cal health care providers as well as

BCOAG Volunteers at Health Fair

health screeningswhich includedblood pressure,cholesterol, andoral health exami-nations.

The health fairprovided an oppor-tunity for Corpsofficers to discussand counsel aswell as distributerecruitment infor-mation and bro-chures/pamphletson health and nu-tritional issues.‘Kids into HealthCareers’ kits weredistributed toboth children andadults to encour-age them to lookat the various ca-reers in healthcare. Students, parents, and churchmembers showed considerable interestin the PHS and its ties to health ca-reers. In keeping with the BCOAG mis-sion of community outreach and serv-ing the African American community,the BCOAG saw this as an opportunity

to affect health care at a grass rootslevel as well as to promote the missionof the PHS, which is to advance andprotect the health and safety of theAmerican people.

December 2003 Vol. XVII, No. 12 Commissioned Corps Bulletin Page 5

Title/Name Agency/OPDIV/Program

MEDICALLIEUTENANT COMMANDERBrian M. Lewis FDA

Rockville, MDKaren J. Marienau ATSDR

Atlanta, GA

LIEUTENANTAlexis F. Boyer IHS

Phoenix, AZJohn M. Heusinkveld IHS

Shiprock, NMJohn B. Miller IHS

Zuni, NMGregory S. Mims II HRSA

Klamath Falls, ORTiffany M. Sanders CMS

Baltimore, MDRebecca I. Weiss IHS

Polacca, AZ

DENTALLIEUTENANTLong H. Nguyen IHS

Kayenta, AZ

NURSELIEUTENANT COMMANDERWendy M. Davis BOP

Terminal Isle, CAMary F. Fleming BOP

Butner, NCDornette D. Spell-Lesane FDA

Rockville, MD

LIEUTENANTThor O. Brendtro IHS

Anchorage, AKDionne B. Coker NIH

Bethesda, MDDale P. Mishler BOP

Butner, NCDianne C. Paraoan FDA

Rockville, MDTerri L. Schrader IHS

Anchorage, AKMatthew D. Scott IHS

Whiteriver, AZSusan E. Thompson IHS

Anchorage, AK

LIEUTENANT J.G.Linda W. Bridges BOP

Butner, NCNoelle M. Castonguay NIH

Bethesda, MDNerfis Sanchez HRSA

Batavia, NY

Recent Calls to Active Duty

ENGINEERLIEUTENANTMatthew B. Adson IHS

Tuba City, AZSamuel D. Russell IHS

Kayenta, AZ

LIEUTENANT J.G.Alan M. Stevens FDA

Rockville, MDSamuel D. Russell IHS

Kayenta, AZ

SCIENTISTLIEUTENANTJudy A. Facey EPA

Washington, DC

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTHLIEUTENANT, J.G.Harold P. Hurst III DHS

Norfolk, VA

VETERINARYLIEUTENANT COMMANDERElvira L. Hall-Robinson FDA

Rockville, MDAnne M. Emshoff USDA

Washington, DC

PHARMACYLIEUTENANT COMMANDERWilliam D. Meyers BOP

Memphis, TNHawyee Yan FDA

Rockville, MD

LIEUTENANTKristina C. Arnwine FDA

Rockville, MDAnthony Blash IHS

Reno, NVPhelicia B. Bush FDA

Rockville, MDGregory R. Dill FDA

Chicago, ILMatthew L. Ellis IHS

Santa Fe, NMLori A. Garcia FDA

Rockville, MDTimothy D. Georgia BOP

Littleton, COSheryl D. Gunther FDA

Rockville, MDMichael Hudson IHS

Fallon, NVConnie T. Jung FDA

Rockville, MDRobert Kang FDA

Rockville, MD

Paul C. Mouris FDAWhite Plains, NY

Huu D. Nguyen BOPAdelanto, CA

Rebecca D. Saville FDARockville, MD

Kendra S. Stewart FDARockville, MD

Leo B. Zadecky FDARockville, MD

Ermias Zerislassie SAMHSAWashington, DC

DIETETICSLIEUTENANTLisa H. Griefer IHS

Phoenix, AZCarma J. Pauli USDA

Lombard, IL

THERAPYLIEUTENANTBrian D. Elza IHS

Polacca, AZ

HEALTH SERVICESLIEUTENANTMaricela Bonilla IHS

Crownpoint, NMDennis E. Flake OS

Washington, DCRenee L. Galloway CDC

Atlanta, GADavid J. Langford IHS

Browning, MTLaura T. Owen OS

Washington, DCMartin Ruiz-Beltran HRSA

Washington, DCRalph H. Smith, Jr. HRSA

Batavia, NYIris E. Valentin-Bon FDA

College Park, MDBrenda F. Whitaker IHS

Fairbanks, AK

LIEUTENANT J.G.Alia Legaux FDA

Jamaica, NYJoseph M. Shurina III IHS

Harlem, MTJasen R. Thompson IHS

Anchorage, AKTarsha M. Wilson OS

Rockville, MDMichelle L. Womack IHS

Toppenish, WA

Title/Name Agency/OPDIV/Program Title/Name Agency/OPDIV/Program

Page 6 Commissioned Corps Bulletin Vol. XVII, No. 12 December 2003

CDR William L. Jackson receivedthe Army Commendation Medal inthe conference room of the Commandand Control (C2) Building for coali-tion forces near Camp Spearhead inAsh Shuaybah, Kuwait, on September23, 2003. CDR Jackson is a PublicHealth Service Commissioned Corpsphysician serving with the U.S. CoastGuard.

In the photo below, the medal wasawarded by port commander, Army Col.Anthony J. D’Aquila (center) on behalfof the 143D Transportation Command.CAPT Allen C. Painter, commander of

CDR William L. Jackson Received ArmyCommendation Medal

CDR William L. Jackson (pictured on the right) received the Army Commendation Medal in AshShuaybah, Kuwait.

Naval Coastal Warfare Group 1 - For-ward, looks on from the left.

As the citation states, CDR Jacksonwas awarded the medal for:

“Superior achievement while servingwith the 143d Transportation Commandin support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.The dedication and professionalism CDRJackson displayed were critical factorsto the overall success of the coalitionforces at the port of Shuaybah. His sup-port was key to sustaining the combateffectiveness and overall health of thecommand.”

COA Annual ProfessionalMeeting

The Commissioned Officers Associa-tion (COA) has announced a number ofnew developments related to its 2004conference including:

• Northwest Airlines and Alaska Air-lines have agreed to provide discountsof 10-20 percent (on non-governmentrates) for flights to Anchorage, AK, forthe 2004 conference, which will beheld May 16-20.

• Logistics LLC of Anchorage has beenselected as the conference destina-tion management company and willbe helping attendees arrange excur-sions, cruises, and other activitiesbefore and after the conference, orfor spouses and families during theconference.

• COA has signed an agreement withthe Westmark Anchorage Hotel to pro-vide overflow rooms for conferenceattendees. The Westmark is located ashort walk from the Egan ConventionCenter and the Hilton.

For more detailed information aboutall of these developments and other newson the conference, visit the conferenceWeb site at—www.coausphsconference.org.

Watch the conference site for detailson the agenda, which will be announcedin early January. Online registration isnow available.

If you have questions about the con-ference, feel free to call the COA hotlinetoll-free at 1-866-544-9677.

Flag Officers Promoted

The following medical officers werepromoted to flag grade O-8 effective No-vember 1, 2003:

• RADM Douglas Peter – IndianHealth Service

• RADM Nathaniel Stinson, Jr. –Office of the Secretary

• RADM Richard Wyatt – NationalInstitutes of Health

Mr. Philip Needle Dies

ice with DCP and its predecessors. Heis fondly remembered in his role asthe DCP staff resource to the appoint-ment and promotion boards.

Phil has touched the lives of many,if not most, Public Health ServiceCommissioned Corps officers in oneway or another, and he will be missedby all.

The Division of Commissioned Per-sonnel (DCP) mourns the loss of ourcolleague and friend, Mr. PhilipNeedle. Phil passed away on Wednes-day, November 5, 2003. He had beenon extended sick leave from DCPsince April, and celebrated his 89thbirthday this past May.

Phil served most of his more than56 years of Federal government serv-

December 2003 Vol. XVII, No. 12 Commissioned Corps Bulletin Page 7

Retirements - November

Title/Name Agency/OPDIV/Program

MEDICALCAPTAINShellie E. Grant SAMHSA

LIEUTENANT COMMANDERCedric F. Kavena IHS

DENTALCAPTAINCarl F. Meinhardt IHS

NURSECAPTAINCarlene K. Cloud BOP

PHARMACYCAPTAINRichard R. Potter FDAJames D. Hazelwood IHS

COMMANDERIrene J. Humphrey IHS

HEALTH SERVICESCAPTAINAdrianne Galdi FDA

Are you interested in joining the ranksof officers who have achieved a careerstatus with the United States PublicHealth Service (PHS) CommissionedCorps? The Regular Corps, the careercomponent of the PHS CommissionedCorps, is composed of officers who haveexpressed long-term commitment to themissions and goals of the Corps, appliedfor assimilation, successfully competedfor this status, and completed the assimi-lation process.

The Division of Commissioned Person-nel (DCP) is current accepting applica-tions for assimilation. Applications forassimilation into the Regular Corps mustbe received in DCP by the close of busi-ness on Friday, February 13, 2004, inorder to be reviewed by the 2004 board.

A complete assimilation package thatincludes form PHS-7034, “Application forAssimilation into the Regular Corps,” aswell as a table outlining the differences

Deadline for Submission of Applications forAssimilation into the Regular Corps

between the Reserve Corps and the Regu-lar Corps, are available on the DCP Website— http://dcp.psc.gov.assimilation.asp.

Important: Officers who applied forassimilation in the past, but were noti-fied by DCP that they were ‘not recom-mended’ by the Board, are reminded thata new application is required in order tobe reconsidered. To find your ‘OverallRecommendation’ status, go to—http://dcp.psc.gov—‘Secure Area’, ‘Officer andLiaison Activities’, log in, ‘Access Person-nel Record’, scroll to the ConfidentialDocuments Section (beige), and click on‘Assimilation Score Sheet.’

If you have any questions regardingassimilation, please contact LCDRTeresa Watkins in the Officer SupportBranch, DCP, at 301-594-5117 or 301-594-3108 (toll-free at 1-877-INFO-DCP,listen to the prompts, select option #1,dial 45117 or 43108).

Every year the Dental ProfessionalAdvisory Committee (DePAC) awardsthree individuals for their accomplish-ments in the Public Health Service Den-tal Category. Below you will find a briefdescription of each award. This year,nominations will require an applicationform, and electronic submission is sug-gested. The deadline for submission isDecember 5, 2003.

The Jack D. Robertson Award was es-tablished in 1982 by the Public HealthService (PHS) Chief Dental Officer, inhonor of CAPT Robertson, and is pre-sented each year to a senior dental of-ficer/dentist (O-5 or GS-14 and above)whose professional performance best ex-emplifies the dedication, service, andcommitment to the PHS demonstratedby CAPT Robertson during his career.

The Ernest Eugene Buell Award wasestablished in 1989, in commemorationof the Commissioned Corps CentennialYear. CAPT Buell was the first PHS Com-missioned Corps dental officer. He wascommissioned in June 1919 and assignedto the Division of Marine Hospitals andRelief. This award is presented annually

to a junior dental officer/dentist (O-4/GS-13 or below) who has made a significantcontribution in oral health education,research or service.

The Senior Clinician Dental Awardwas established in 2001 by the PHSChief Dental Officer to recognize a se-nior dental officer/dentist (O-5 or GS-14 and above) who has chosen a clini-cal career track and excels in clinicalskills. The initial award was first pre-sented in 2002.

In order to complete your applicationpacket, you will need to submit the fol-lowing items:

• a completed application form;

• a curriculum vitae limited to only fivepages;

• a memo from the nominee’s supervi-sor supporting their nomination; and

• a brief one to two page citation appro-priate to accompany an award.

These items should be submitted elec-tronically if at all possible.

The Awards Subcommittee of DePACinitially reviews all nominations. Thisgroup consists of approximately 7-10 in-dividuals representing many agenciesand ranks. Nominations are reviewedbased on criteria from the above descrip-tions, and the best-qualified individualsfor each award are then forwarded to thefull DePAC. All voting members of theDePAC then review the forwardednominations and the individual whobest represents each award criteria isselected. The Chief Dental Officer forthe PHS is notified of the selection andletters are sent to the winners. Lettersare also sent to all nominators to thankthem for their time and to encouragethem to continue to nominate deservingofficers. The awards are then presentedat the annual Commissioned OfficersAssociation meeting.

For a copy of the application form,please contact CDR Dawn Breeden atdbreeden@CGAlaska.uscg.mil or phone907-463-2144.

Call for Nominations for Dental Professional Advisory Committee Awards

Page 8 Commissioned Corps Bulletin Vol. XVII, No. 12 December 2003

Commissioned Corps Readiness Force

CCRF Supports the Second MarineExpeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune

On October 15, 2003, the U.S. MarineCorps at Camp Lejeune, NC, requestedthat the Surgeon General activate theCommissioned Corps Readiness Force(CCRF) to provide support to the CampLejeune Marine Base Dental Center.CCRF dentists were needed at a timewhen a large number of the Second Ma-rine Expeditionary Force (MEF) is eithermoving into or out of the Iraq theater.

In June 2003, the redeployment of25,000 MEF forces from Operation IraqiFreedom was initiated. Each of theseMarines is required to receive a dentalevaluation as part of their fitness-for-dutyscreening. Additionally, 12,000 other per-sonnel were awaiting a dental readinessexamination prior to being deployed tothe Persian Gulf. Many of these Marinesrequire follow-up treatment in order tomeet the dental readiness classificationguidelines to be eligible to deploy. As aresult, thousands of Marines and sailorswere backlogged in the system, thusnegatively impacting the readiness of theSecond MEF. CCRF dentists began de-ploying in October for 2-week periods.

CCRF Supports the ManiilaqHealth Center in Kotzebue

This fall, the Maniilaq Health Centerin Kotzebue, AK, had an immediate needfor nurses and pharmacists to augmentstaffing as a result of a severe shortageof personnel. The Maniilaq Health Cen-ter, which is inside the Arctic Circle, pro-vides health care to approximately10,000 Native Alaskans in Kotzebue andten villages that spread over a geo-graphic area the size of Indiana.Maniilaq was experiencing a severeshortage in labor and delivery nurses,general duty nurses, and pharmacists. Inresponse to this need, CCRF nurses andpharmacists deployed to Kotzebue inNovember and December.

CCRF Supports the American RedCross in Southern CaliforniaWildfires

In response to the Southern CaliforniaWildfires, the American Red Cross re-quested the assistance of CCRF nurses andmental health care providers to provide

services to the California residents affectedby these fires. The nurses and mentalhealth providers worked in shelters, inemergency aid stations, in feeding sites, onOutreach Teams, and provided a myriadof health services for Red Cross staff.

Combat Casualty Care Course (C4)

In October, CCRF officers attended theCombat Casualty Care Course (C4) atCamp Bullis, TX, near San Antonio. C4provides officers with the skills and prac-tice necessary to provide First Respondercare in an austere, combat environment.Areas of instruction include: AdvancedTrauma Management; Tactical and Pre-ventive Medicine; Triage BattlefieldWounds; and Casualty Care in an NBCenvironment.

C4 enables officers, with little or nofield experience, to provide medical carefor units under field conditions. Duringthe course, officers develop the skills nec-essary to successfully assess and man-age casualties in an austere environment.Participants will complete AdvancedTrauma Life Support (except for nurseswho will take the Trauma Nursing CareCourse as part of the program).

C4, which is 9 days of intensive didac-tic and practical skills training, culmi-nates in a continuous operations fieldtraining exercise. Participants must befit and able to withstand the physical andmental challenges of working in an aus-tere environment. Additional essentialinformation about the C4 course is avail-able at—http://www.dmrti.army.mil/C4.To register for future course offerings ofthe C4 course or other Advancedcoursework, go to the CCRF Web site—http://oep.osophs.dhhs.gov/ccrf.

FMRB Awarded in Fall 2003

In October 2003, 86 CCRF membersreceived the Field Medical ReadinessBadge (FMRB) and 31 received the Na-tional Emergency Preparedness Award(NEPA). For more information on theseawards please see—http://ccrf.hhs.gov.

The requirements for the FMRB willchange in the very near future to reflectthe changes in the CCRF deployabilitylevels. See the CCRF Web site for up-dated information—http://oep.osophs.dhhs.gov/ccrf.

CCPM Pamphlet No. 24,“Information onCommissioned OfficersRetirement,” DatedNovember 2003

The Division of Commissioned Person-nel (DCP) is pleased to report the comple-tion of revisions to the retirement pam-phlet. After many months of reviews andedits, the Policy Coordination Sectionand the Compensation Branch completedthe update of Commissioned Corps Per-sonnel Manual (CCPM) Pamphlet No. 24,“Information on Commissioned OfficersRetirement,” dated November 2003.

Officers approaching or contemplatingretirement are encouraged to review thispamphlet on DCP’s Web site—http://dcp.psc.gov—click on ‘Publications.’

Note: To report the death of a retired of-ficer or an annuitant to the Division ofCommissioned Personnel (DCP), pleasephone 1-800-638-8744.

The deaths of the following retired of-ficers were recently reported to DCP:

Title/Name Date

MEDICALREAR ADMIRALA.W. Christensen 09/19/03

CAPTAINRobert M. Farrier 09/14/03Wandyr J. Moore 10/17/03

DENTALCAPTAINDean W. Darby 10/15/03

ENGINEERCAPTAINR. J. Hammerstrom 10/14/03

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTHCAPTAINNoah N. Norman 10/20/03Stephen J. Pijar 10/20/03

DIETETICSCAPTAINJanet E. Stroupe 10/06/03

Recent Deaths

December 2003 Vol. XVII, No. 12 Commissioned Corps Bulletin Page 9

The ‘Transformation of the Corps’ isexpected to impact the CommissionedOfficer Training Academy (COTA) in apositive manner. Our programs are con-tinuing into calendar year 2004 and canbe found on the Division of Commis-sioned Personnel’s Web site—http://dcp.psc.gov—select ‘Training’, ‘COTA’,then the desired option from the menuon the left.

The most common training options areas follows:

5-DAY BASIC OFFICER TRAININGCOURSE (BOTC)

• Duration: 5 days

• Audience: The ‘new’ officer called toduty on or after January 1, 2001.

• Goal: To facilitate the transition fromcivilian to officer, identify resources,learn about the commissioned corpspersonnel system, Uniformed Servicecustoms and courtesies, etc.

3-DAY BOTC

• Duration: 3 days

• Audience: The ‘experienced’ officercalled to duty on or prior to December31, 2000.

• Goal: To identify resources, learnabout the commissioned corps person-nel system, Uniformed Service cus-toms and courtesies, etc.

BASIC ORIENTATION

• Duration: 1 and 2 day versions

• Audience: All employees involvedwith Public Health Service (PHS)commissioned officers (e.g., commis-

sioned officers, civil service, tribalworkers, full or part-time employees).

• Goal: To provide a basic understand-ing of the commissioned corps person-nel system.

COMMISSIONED OFFICER STUDENTTRAINING AND EXTERN PROGRAM(COSTEP) ORIENTATION (COSO)

• Duration: 1 day

• Audience: Junior COSTEP partici-pants.

• Goal: To provide an exposure to thecommissioned corps and PHS.

As of late October 2003, 1,803 officerswho are still on active duty have com-pleted the BOTC, 1,052 have beenawarded the PHS Commissioned CorpsTraining Ribbon (CCTR), and 324 areworking to complete the IndependentOfficer Training Course (IOTC). TheIOTC is a Web-based program whichidentifies resources valuable to officers,and a series of 14 open-book examina-tions designed to guide the officerthrough the resources. Upon successfulcompletion of the BOTC, officers haveaccess to the examination series. Success-ful completion of the IOTC leads to theawarding of the CCTR.

During Fiscal Year (FY) 2003, 19BOTCs were conducted, 7 Basic Orien-tations, 2 COSOs, and 6 specialized pro-grams. A program of one form or anotherhas been conducted in the following lo-cations during FY 2003: Albuquerque,NM; Anchorage, AK; Atlanta, GA; BellCourt, ND; Butner, NC; Farmington, NM;Rapid City, SD; Rockville, MD; Rosebud,SD; San Juan, PR; and Scottsdale, AZ.

Active-Duty Officers—Update CriticalInformation

Each active-duty officer must keep con-tact information as well as language,skills, and training information currentat all times. This is used to search theDivision of Commissioned Personnel’s(DCP) database for officers with specificskills and training. All officers are ex-pected to review and update their per-sonal and professional data on the DCPWeb site. This should be done annuallyand whenever the information changes.

Please access—http://dcp.psc.gov—andselect ‘Secure Area’ from the menu acrossthe top, and ‘Officer and Liaison Activi-ties’ from the drop-down menu. On theensuing screen, enter your DCP login IDand password. If you do not know whatyour ID or password is, call the DCP HelpDesk at 301-594-0961 or e-mailDCPHelpDesk.psc.gov.

You will be greeted on the next screenwith your rank and name. From the tableof activity selections, choose ‘Update Con-tact Information.’ Review and updateyour address, phone numbers, and next-of-kin information. Be sure to click on the‘Update Your Information’ button beforereturning to the previous menu. Next,click on ‘Update Language, Skills, andTraining Information.’ Go through eachof the following sub-menus making surethe information is complete, current, andaccurate.

In order to improve the performance ofthis data system, your updated informa-tion is stored, but will not show up in the‘officer locator’ screens until the next day.

Your attention to this important activ-ity is greatly appreciated.

Programs of the Commissioned OfficerTraining Academy

Officers separating from the PublicHealth Service (PHS) CommissionedCorps are required to submit to the Di-vision of Commissioned Personnel (DCP)form PHS-1373, “Separation of Commis-sioned Officer,” at least 30 days in ad-vance of the last day at the duty station.

A separation packet is available fromDCP that contains Commissioned CorpsPersonnel Manual (CCPM) Pamphlet No.

32, “Information on Separation,” formPHS-1373, and information on the con-tinued health care benefit program. It isimportant that separating officers care-fully read CCPM Pamphlet No. 32 in or-der to enhance processing of the separa-tion request and to protect their benefits.

The pamphlet and form are availableon DCP’s Web site—http://dcp.psc.gov(click on ‘Services’ for form PHS-1373 and

‘Publications’ for the pamphlet)—or canbe requested from:

Division of Commissioned PersonnelATTN: Officer Support Branch5600 Fishers Lane, Room 4-20Rockville, MD 20857-0001

Phone: 301-594-3544Fax: 301-443-5366

Information on Separation

Page 10 Commissioned Corps Bulletin Vol. XVII, No. 12 December 2003

When given an opportunity to partici-pate in a summer internship program,much less the Junior Commissioned Of-ficer Student Training and Extern Pro-gram (JRCOSTEP), one never knows ex-actly what is in store. Work plans andjob descriptions narrow the focus ofones activities, and of course there arethe program requirements for credit.But the life and job experience you ob-tain, the people you meet, and theplaces you go, are formed not only byyourself, your supervisors, and your pro-gram, but by your willingness to try newthings, to take responsibility, and to thinkoutside the box.

When I arrived in Santa Fe to beginmy work for the Indian Health Service, Iknew I was still in the United States, butit seemed like another world. New cul-ture, new climate, and a new job awaitedme. I left my home near the beaches ofNorth Carolina for the desert of NewMexico over 1,900 miles away, and I have

JRCOSTEP Officer’s Assignment in New MexicoSubmitted by: ENS Jessica L. Schwarz

Senior at Western Carolina University majoring in Environmental Health

to admit it was shocking at first. I knewI could expect to be able to count on onehand the days we would get rain duringmy 2-month stay.

The work outline I received a monthbefore I arrived quickly made me awareof the responsibility that would be placedupon my shoulders. I have to admit it wasscary at first. I had little to no field ex-perience, and I knew I would be dependedon to be prompt and thorough in all ofmy work, but when I met my supervisor,LT Celeste Davis, District Environmen-tal Health Officer, I knew that guidancewould be provided, and that she was go-ing to push me to try new things, andwork as independently as possible. Withmy fears subdued, I was ready, and ex-cited to start my new work.

Within the first week I was touring allof the eight Pueblo Tribal communitiesthat our Service Unit covers. It was easyto see that the more I learned about theculture in this area, the more I would

understand what was going on, and whypeople felt and acted the way they did.Rabies clinics followed for the nextmonth. I would perform vaccinations oncats and dogs, and keep up with the reg-istration tagging and paperwork as well.This proved to be a rather rewardingexperience. I knew I was protecting thepopulation, and better yet I got to meetwith and interact with the communityone on one.

Other responsibilities I acquired alongthe way were miscellaneous reports toGovernors and administrative councils.Also, I took part in numerous and as-sorted monitoring and surveillance work.Clinic hazard surveys, GIS (GeographicInformation Systems) data entry, dog bitefollow-up, food-borne illness investiga-tion, recreational areas, Head Start, se-nior centers, mass gatherings, food ven-dors, seat belt usage, and diseasesurveillance, just to name a few.

Picture any 50th high school reunion,and images emerge of silver-haired sexa-genarians traveling by planes, trains,and automobiles back to their home-towns, where they dine with old friends,reminisce about their ‘glory’ days andexchange updates on the aches and ail-ments associated with their current lives.Enter nurse officer, CAPT Mary M.Madison, USPHS (Retired), a 68-year-old from Wolf Point, MT, who set a mark-edly more upbeat tone at her recent 50threunion by rolling in on a Trek moun-tain bike with a bicycle trailer and 70pounds of gear, from halfway across thecontinent.

CAPT Madison set out in June for herSeptember 13th reunion. She is a mem-ber of the Adventure Cycling Associationand followed the association’s NorthernTier Route through Montana, Idaho, andWashington as far as the Pacific Coast.She then followed the association’s Pa-cific Coast Route from Washington,through Oregon, and on to California.

CAPT Madison started cycle-touringabout 10 years ago and began doing 3- to

Retired PHS Commissioned Corps Officer Cycles to Reunion

4-day self-contained tours near her home-town in northeast Montana. After a fewyears she ventured farther afield after find-ing a group of cyclists with whom she rodearound New Zealand earlier this year. Thattrip convinced her that she had the rightstuff to do solo self-contained touring,which inspired her to plan the bike rideto her 50th high school reunion.

As a PHS Commissioned Corps nurse,CAPT Madison worked for 16 years forthe Indian Health Service on the North-ern Cheyenne Indian Reservation andspent 5 years on the Fort Peck IndianReservation specializing in the manage-ment and prevention of diabetes. Sheretired from the Corps in 2000. She is acrusader for health through physical fit-ness and works to create awarenessabout the disease that has been the fo-cus of her later professional life, specifi-cally type 2 diabetes.

CAPT Madison has combated her ownhealth problems through cycling. She hasone leg that is smaller than normal fromchildhood polio, and she smoked for 30years before finding fitness astride a bike

saddle. She claims that she averted hav-ing corrective surgery on her leg and alsoreversed her pre-emphysema lung con-dition through long-distance cycling.Now she is the picture of health—slim,fit, and vibrant.

CAPT Madison’s mantra of “I can doanything, given enough time,” served herwell during her 3,400-mile round-tripjourney. “I’ve never been fast,” she saidof her riding style. “But given enoughtime, I can ride up to 100 miles a day.”

Challenges during her trip includedthe usual mechanical problems such asflat tires as well as healthy doses of ex-treme terrain and weather, includingnausea-inducing heat (in Montana) aswell as hypothermia-inducing cold (alsoin Montana). On her return trip, CAPTMadison got as far as Missoula, MT, be-fore cold weather brought her adventureto a close in mid-October.

Understating what must have been anoverwhelming ovation from her formerclassmates in recognition of her feat, shesaid simply, “They were very impressed.”

(Continued on page 11)

December 2003 Vol. XVII, No. 12 Commissioned Corps Bulletin Page 11

The Association of Military Surgeonsof the United States (AMSUS) held their109th annual meeting November 16-21,2003, in San Antonio, TX.

Each year a different constituentagency sponsors the annual meeting.VADM Richard H. Carmona, SurgeonGeneral, USPHS, became President ofAMSUS at the end of the 108th annualmeeting, and the U.S. Public Health Serv-ice (PHS) hosted this year’s meeting. Thetheme was “Partnerships in Prepared-ness, Prevention, and Public Health: Pro-tecting the Nation.” The program wasmeticulously planned by the volunteersection representatives under the chair-manship of CAPT Rick Barror, USPHS.This year’s meeting was very well at-tended and extremely well received.

The 2003 AMSUS Awards were pre-sented on November 19. Of the 28 awardspresented, 12 awards were presented toPHS Commissioned Corps officers. Sur-geon General Carmona received TheFounder’s Medal for his leadership asAMSUS President and the support pro-vided to the 109th Annual Meeting.

Hearty congratulations to the follow-ing Corps officers:

RADM Dushanka V. KleinmanDental Officer, NIHCarl A. Schlack AwardCitation: ‘For a lifetime dedication to thedental public health of our Nation.’

RADM Stephen B. ThackerMedical Officer, CDCRay E. Brown AwardCitation: ‘For exemplary national healthleadership in program management, forexpanding international health commu-nication systems, and for developingcritical public health training programs.’

RADM Stephen F. JencksMedical Officer, CMSOutstanding Federal Healthcare Execu-tive AwardCitation: ‘For exemplary national lead-ership to improve the quality of health-care given to Medicare beneficiaries.’

RADM Robert C. WilliamsEngineer Officer, ATSDRThe Gorgas MedalCitation: ‘In recognition of his exemplaryleadership and initiative in the develop-ment, implementation, and sustained

administration of a national publichealth assessment program, with em-phasis on response to the terrorist at-tacks of September 2001.’

CAPT Kelly J. ActonMedical Officer, IHSJohn D. Chase Award for PhysicianExecutive ExcellenceCitation: ‘For exemplary national lead-ership to reduce the prevalence of diabe-tes among Native Americans.’

CAPT Joseph F. GallelliInactive Reserve Corps Pharmacy Officer,NIHAndrew Craigie AwardCitation: ‘For sustained accomplishmentsand leadership in advancing professionalpharmacy and supporting clinical re-search at the National Institutes ofHealth.’

CDR William D. Figg, Sr.Pharmacy Officer, NIHAMSUS Award for Excellence in ClinicalPharmacy PracticeCitation: ‘For outstanding contributionsin developing novel anticancer agents.’

LCDR Celia GabrelHealth Services Officer, HRSAYoung Federal Health Care Administra-tor AwardCitation: ‘For her outstanding contribu-tions to the HIV/AIDS Bureau, the PHS,and the community at large.’

LCDR Mark MartineauNurse Officer, IHSClinical Nursing Excellence AwardCitation: ‘For his tireless work to raise thehealth of the Native Americans, restoringhealth, alleviating pain and suffering.’

LCDR Robert D. NewmanMedical Officer, CDCDonald F. Hagen Young Physician AwardCitation: ‘For his dedication to improv-ing the prevention and control of malariaduring pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa.’

LT Frances PlacideHealth Services Officer, IHSPhysician Assistant AwardCitation: ‘For outstanding and dedicatedservice to the Cherokee Indian Hospitalcommunity and the Physician Assistantprofession.’

PHS Officers Receive AMSUS Awards

My big project for the summer wasthe Community Environmental HealthSurvey. Although I didn’t personallywrite the survey, it was my job to comeup with the formulas, spread sheets,and programming needed to collect,separate, and calculate the data wewould be collecting for the next 2months into a form that was coherentand accessible. Excel became my formatof choice as I worked on ways to weightquestions with numerical values so thatthey could be referenced appropriately.When completed, I had created a reportincluding the raw data, graphs, and anarrative report that could be used tobetter identify the needs and wants ofeach community.

Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed myexperience. I know that the knowledgeand experience I have acquired herewill be used throughout my next yearat school, and especially in my career.The networking opportunities I havehad have been excellent, and I hope tobe able to use them to secure a job be-fore I graduate. The social and intel-lectual opportunities I have experi-enced have made me excited that I willbe in this field for a good long time. Thisexperience has reassured me that myeducation has been helpful and adequatein preparing me for the real world. Thisinternship has also made me feel com-fortable in new places and situations thatI may not be an expert in, but can learna lot from. I am glad to have been giventhe responsibilities, opportunities, andexperiences from which I have gained somuch.

I know I will use my experiences foryears to come. I know that my supervi-sors have a lot of respect for me andbelieve I am very capable. I am gladthat I was challenged on a daily basis,and often allowed to do work by my-self—or to formulate my own conclu-sions and plans of action. I would rec-ommend the Junior CommissionedStudent Training and Extern Program toanyone who is in pursuit of a serious ca-reer in environmental health. The expe-riences and opportunities offered by thisprogram are unsurpassable by any otherorganization.

JRCOSTEP Officer’sAssignment in New Mexico

(Continued from page 10)

Page 12 Commissioned Corps Bulletin Vol. XVII, No. 12 December 2003

DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Program Support CenterHuman Resources ServiceDivision of Commissioned Personnel, Room 4-04Rockville MD 20857-0001

Official BusinessPenalty for Private Use $300

04-637

DATED MATERIAL

Deadline Dates and Information About COSTEP Applications for Fiscal Year 2004

The deadline dates for submission ofapplications for the Junior Commis-sioned Officer Student Training andExtern Program (COSTEP) and theSenior COSTEP for Fiscal Year 2004are as follows:

Junior COSTEP applications mustbe postmarked:

• June 1 - September 30 for positionsduring the following January 1 - April30

• September 1 - December 31 for posi-tions during the following May 1 -August 31

• January 1 - April 30 for positions dur-ing the following September - Decem-ber 31

Senior COSTEP applications mustbe postmarked by December 31 forapplicants entering senior status begin-ning the following August or after. Note:Some flexibility is allowed at the requestof the agency.

Background

During the summer of 2002, the Re-cruitment and Assignment Branch(RAB), Division of Commissioned Per-sonnel, responded to agencies' sugges-tions for making the COSTEP applica-tion process more responsive. RAB didthis by moving to a rolling applicationprocess, without set deadlines. Whilethe intent of the rolling application pro-cess was to accommodate preceptorsworking with students in non-tradi-tional and special training programs,the results of the process did not jus-tify permanently eliminating dead-lines.

Because the Junior and SeniorCOSTEP programs are important waysto make excellent students aware of op-portunities with the Public HealthService Commissioned Corps, RAB’sCOSTEP staff members are committedto continuing to create a flexible, work-able process for students, preceptors,

and agencies. RAB’s staff members willcontinue to work with agency represen-tatives who make special requests tosubmit/request applicants after thedeadlines, and will consider any spe-cial cases forwarded for considerationby preceptors, on an exception basis.The deadlines listed above are intendedto help restore order and timeliness tothe process.

Further Information

If you have questions about theCOSTEP program, please visit—www.usphs.gov. Information about theCOSTEP program is listed under the‘Students’ tab. If you need additional as-sistance, please contact RAB at 301-594-3360, 301-594-3543, or toll free at 1-800-279-1605, and ask for the COSTEPCoordinator.