ACCOMPLISHMENTS

DD214

Due to COA's advocacy, in August of 2021, Commissioned Corps Headquarters announced that beginning October 1st, 2021, a conversion from the PHS1867 to DD214 will occur. This affects all officers who are discharged or retire after October 2021. COA will continue to seek this benefit for officers who have previously retired or separated. In 2023, COA successfully advocated for HHS to provide Congress with a report regarding the feasibility of making the DD214 available for previously retired officers. 

Expiring Leave for PHS Officers

In December 2022, as a requirement in the Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus Appropriations Bill, the HHS Secretary now has the authority to permanently approve USPHS officers to carry over up to 120 days of leave from one fiscal year to the next. The Secretary approved the max 120 day carryover from FY 23 to FY24. Many USPHS officers were faced with losing a significant amount of earned leave due to the high volume of deployments. COA quickly took action on Capitol Hill which resulted in language being inserted into the appropriations bill. 

Ready Reserve Corps

In June of 2023, COA learned that funding sources for the USPHS Ready Reserve was being terminated. Funding for the next few years for the USPHS Ready Reserve was required per the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA), signed into law in Spring 2023, revoked funding from the ARPA that was not yet spent. COA quickly got to work to advocate for additional funding. In July 2023, COA worked with Senator Tammy Duckworth (IL) and Senator Ron Wyden (OR) to craft two pieces of legislation that address funding of the Ready Reserve and the USPHS Commissioned Corps as a whole.

Active Duty and Retirement Issues

As a vital member of The Military Coalition, COA advocated for 3% uniformed services pay raise and defended your earned commissary and exchange benefits. COA pushed for expansion of benefits available under TRICARE Extended Care Health Option (ECHO) program, blocked additional TRICARE fee increases (beyond those already scheduled) in FY21, and advocated for expansion of the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP).

Wreaths Across America

Many officers wanted to volunteer for the annual Wreaths Across America event, wearing their USPHS uniform. COA advocated on your behalf which resulted in receiving permission from the Office of the Surgeon General (OSG) to participate in wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as at more than 2,500 additional locations in all 50 U.S. states and abroad.

Biden Administration Transition

After the election of President Joe Biden, COA advocated on your behalf with his transition team to advocate for an increase in funding for the Commissioned Corps to maintain readiness for public health emergencies, to fund the Ready Reserve, to support personnel at CCHQ to maintain personnel readiness, medical affairs, accession and retirement, assignments, transfers, promotions, and separations. We asked for a dedicated budget line to replace the Service and Supply Fund in the range of $50 million. We opposed any budget proposal to shift Commissioned Corps retirement pay and survivors’ benefits costs from the current mandatory indefinite structure to a discretionary structure or one that charges agencies their share of these costs. We advocated for funds to develop and institute leadership training opportunities for all officers, and asked that when the time comes, to resume the practice of appointing the U.S. Surgeon General from the ranks of the USPHS Commissioned Corps, in alignment with 42 U.S. Code 205. You can read the entire report here.

VA Center for Women Veterans Trailblazer Program

Due to COA’s advocacy, USPHS female veterans are now eligible to complete for annual recognition as a  VA Women Veteran Trailblazer. Previously, only members of the Armed Forces were allowed to be nominated. COA met with the Acting Center for Women Veterans Director, and in 2022 and beyond, these awards will be open to both USPHS and NOAA female veterans.

Post-9/11 GI Bill

COA was vital to including PHS officers and their dependents as eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill and transferability of those earned benefits. From 2008 through 2011, COA focused on convincing Congress and the Executive Branch to include PHS officers in all GI Bill benefits, especially the provision permitting them to transfer unused college educational benefits to dependents. COA continues to advocate for the USPHS Ready Reserve to be eligible for the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill. 

Disney Military Promotional Tickets

Because of COA efforts, Disney chose to include PHS and NOAA Corps officers as eligible for its Disney Military Promotional Tickets. Click here for the Disney website with additional information.

Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission (MCRMC)

In the very first sentence of its covering letter to the President and the U.S. Congress, the Commission made clear that a modernized system would include all Uniformed Services. Why is that a big deal? Because the President, in announcing the Commission, had directed its members to “consider the differences” between the armed services and the “other” uniformed services, meaning USPHS and NOAA. To COA, that sounded like an invitation to jettison both. And that would have been a devastating blow to both services, exacerbating the parity issue beyond repair. COA worked hard to ensure all services were at the table for any proposed changes to compensation and retirement.

Social Security Military Wage Credits

Do PHS officers get this military entitlement? In response to a letter from COA, the Social Security Administration’s Office of Retirement and Disability Policy responded promptly and said yes. So, a benefit apparently unknown among PHS officers is clearly theirs to claim. See the letter here.

Expanded Health Coverage for Autistic Children

From 2011 through 2014, COA fought to include PHS children in legislative proposals that limited expanded coverage to the autistic children of Armed Services personnel. We succeeded in doing that, and the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2015 told TRICARE to either get it done or explain to Congress why it couldn’t. TRICARE got it done, and PHS children with autism now have equal access to evidence-based treatments.

Whistleblower Protections

In response to pleas from COA and outrage over FDA surveillance of agency employees, Senator Charles Grassley led the successful effort to grant whistleblower protections to PHS officers. It came in the form of reform legislation known as the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act.