rutstein retirement sends shock waves throughout the commissioned

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dhhs eliminates public health emergency surge capacity PHS Inactive Reserve Officers Dismayed at Notice of Dismissal ismayed” is probably not the “Dbest word to describe the strong and angry reaction of many Inactive Reserve officers upon receipt of letters dated September 7th from the Office of the Surgeon General. The letter informed them that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) “abolished the Inactive Reserve Corps” and their “commission as an IRC officer was terminated effective March 23, 2010.” For the record, COA strongly disputes the assertion that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act “abolished the Inactive Reserve Corps.” No where in that voluminous law is the Inactive Reserve component of the PHS Commissioned Corps even mentioned. We have confirmed with the principal congressional sponsor of the language in the bill that pertains to the Corps that it is not the intent of Congress to abolish the IRC; nor is that how the language in the law ought to be interpreted. Such congressional positions continue to be ignored by the DHHS Office of General Counsel from where, we are told, the idea to abolish the IRC originated. The effects of the unfortunate and incorrect decision to dissolve the IRC were immediate and widespread. Most obvious is the loss of any public health surge capacity by the federal government in the event of a public health emergency. IRC officers were key participants in the PHS Commissioned Corps response to Hurricane Katrina and other emergency response tasking. Less obvious was the sudden loss of highly-skilled reserve support provided in dozens of “short tour” assignments supporting the Department of Defense and other agencies. Inactive Reserve officers were withdrawn without notice from Walter Reed Army Medical Center, U.S. Northern Command, and other key assignments. DHHS meanwhile, points to PPACA authorization of a Ready Reserve component for the Corps and in the letter terminating the Inactive Reserve officers “encourage(s) interested individuals to apply.” All well and good except for two issues – one easily resolved, and one not so easily resolved. The first easy issue is that the Ready Reserve does not yet really exist. All of the rules and regulations that will govern the new Ready Reserve have yet to be approved. These include appointment criteria, policies, application procedures, compensation, promotion, assignment, retirement and a host of other little details where the devil so often resides. The OSG Office of Reserve Affairs, under the able direction of CAPT Carol Romano, worked hard to develop all these things over the last several months. Unfortunately, at last report, all the documentation appears lost within the OPHS bureaucracy while awaiting approval by the Assistant Secretary for Health. The second, more vexing issue is money. The PPACA authorizes $5 million in each fiscal year 2010 through 2014 for recruitment and training and $12,500,000 in each of those same years for the Ready Reserve Corps. Funding authorized in the PPACA has to be appropriated before it is real. The problem is that the FY 2011 HHS Appropriations bill does not request such funding for the Ready Reserve. Why? Because DHHS did not request any such funding. Of course, the fate of all the FY 2011 appropriations bills is up in the air. It is very possible that the country will be funded on a series of continuing resolutions until the 112th Congress is seated in January. Another complicating factor is that without a billet-based force management system for the active duty PHS Commissioned Corps, determining the requirement for the size and composition of a Ready Reserve component is problematic. The obvious result is that a populated, operational, functional Ready Reserve component for the Commissioned Corps is still months, if not years, away. The parameters have to be approved, policies put in place, funding appropriated, and candidates identified and processed. In the meantime, thanks to the inexplicable determination of an attorney in OGC, the country’s only public health emergency surge capability no longer exists. How many hurricanes are swirling in the Atlantic this year? COA is advising all IRC officers to contact their Senators and Representative to protest the HHS decision. The Association is also taking our concerns about the IRC and Ready Reserve to select offices on Capitol Hill, including the Senate HELP and House Energy and Commerce Committees. The IRC officers themselves are also taking action including attracting media attention to the issue and even contemplating a lawsuit against DHHS. COA is consulting on these strategies, but we hope the issue will be favorably resolved before such activities are necessary. The Department needs to recognize and demonstrate appropriate appreciation for the services provided by Inactive Reserve officers. If the OGC finding cannot be overruled, then the Department must expedite the implementation – including finding the funding – of a Ready Reserve component. The Ready Reserve should include an Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) that provides for voluntary short tours similar to the services that were once provided by the IRC. To do less unnecessarily comprises the public health and national security of the nation. 18 commissioned officers association
Attention All COA Local Branches! The Commissioned Officers Foundation could award only six dependent scholarships this year. The amount and number of scholarships awarded each year are determined annually, based on the dollars raised. The number of COA Branches supporting this program was very disappointing. Two of the six scholarships were funded by individuals. Only 4 of the 90 branches participated in this year’s program. Thank you Fort Duchesne, Little Colorado River, North Carolina, and Rio Grande for your support! The Scholarships are intended for dependent children or dependent spouses of active duty, retired, or deceased officers of the USPHS Commissioned Corps and were created to recognize the contributions by families of the USPHS. 100% of the tax deductable donation to the Scholarship fund goes to students. To qualify for consideration the applicant must be a dependent child or dependent spouse of an active duty, retired or deceased officer of the USPHS Commissioned Corps and a member in good standing of COA. The awards are made without regard to race, creed, color, sex, religious belief, national origin, or rank of the sponsor. A board of PHS officers reviews and decides scholarship winners. Here are the details of donating in the form of a COF Scholarship: • The minimum donation for a scholarship is $250. • Branches donating can name the scholarship as they choose. Most Branches simply name the scholarship after their particular branch to gain the much deserved recognition. • Branches donating may choose one or more representatives from their Branch to serve on the Scholarship Awards Committee. • Individuals wishing to donate are highly encouraged as well. Again, they may name the scholarship as they wish. • Individuals that donate may also serve on the Scholarship Awards Committee. We strongly encourage all Branches to participate in the worthwhile program. Please discuss this program within your Branch and urge their support. We can do better than only four Branches participating! UPDATE: We have received two new donations from the District of Columbia and Greater LA Branches for next year’s dependent scholarships! Doesn’t your Branch want to join them? Contact Brian McSheffrey at 301-731- 9080 or bmcsheffrey@coausphs.org if you would like to donate or discuss this option any further. october 2010 | Frontline 19
Page 1 and 2: COMMISSIONED OFFICERS ASSOCIATION V
Page 3 and 4: COA BRANCH PHS Officers Volunteer a
Page 5 and 6: COA Member Helps fellow Commissione
Page 7 and 8: LEGISLATIVE UPDATE continued... And
Page 9 and 10: Chair’s Corner Be a Mentor! Fifty
Page 11 and 12: welcome NEW MEMBERS LTJG Oladeji A.
Page 13 and 14: JOIN Club 159 Club 159 is a means t
Page 15 and 16: Corps is frozen in place - the “p
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Page 21 and 22: Senator Inouye Received PHS Flag fr
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rutstein retirement sends shock waves throughout the commissioned

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