February 2005 Frontline - Commissioned Officers Association

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Benefits of Your COA Membership CAPITOL HILL REPRESENTATION COA legislation on Capitol Hill continually supports all Commissioned Corps officersactive, inactive reserve, and retired. 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. FINANCIAL PLANNING SEMINARS COA sponsors periodic financial seminars organized with our local branches to help our uniformed service members, active and retired, plan for the future. ANNUAL MEETING With a mixture of business and pleasure, COA’s annual meeting invites colleagues from around the country to gather to discuss new scientific presentations while stimulating open forums about healthrelated issues. INSURANCE PROGRAMS COA enables members to participate in several low-cost insurance programs that may continue after leaving the PHS as long as your membership in COA remains current. FRONTLINE COA’s newsletter reports on monthly activities and items of interest to COA members about the Corps & COA. SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM COA offers thousands of dollars towards college scholarships for children and spouses of COA members. RIBBON & MINIATURE MEDAL The COA ribbon and miniature medal are authorized to be worn on the PHS uniform by members in good standing. HERTZ RENTAL DISCOUNT Members enjoy discount rates on Hertz rental throughout the United States at Hertz locations and participating licensees. UBS BENEFITS Allows COA members to receive discounted prices before purchasing a car. FROM THE COA BOARD CHAIR 2005 Conference Will Address Global Public Health Challenges By CAPT Tim Ames Today the need is greater than ever to develop new and continuing global public health partnerships with comprehensive agendas to address public health policies for the inter- CAPT Tim Ames vention and prevention of epidemic infectious diseases, and to adopt strategies to modify behavior and control environments in the relentlessly changing world. The industrialized world is realizing that, even with the technology and expertise of modern curative medicine, it is inadequately prepared for the far-reaching challenges of large-scale public health disasters such as a worldwide SARS epidemic or the spread of AIDS in Africa. The importance of public health to our American society has been revived since 9/11. But complacency and bureaucratic indifference to global public health threats such as drugresistance strains of microbial diseases such as MDR-TB, the spread of AIDS and hepatitis in faraway places, the neglect of the environment and sanitary conditions, the rapidity with which microbes can be spread through travel and trade, exportation of destructive lifestyle behaviors, and the real man-made biological peril from terrorists is no longer an option to world society. This fact has been long been recognized by the leadership of the U.S. Public Health Service and is being specifically addressed through efforts like the upcoming Annual Scientific Meetings to be held in Philadelphia this June. The time is now to be planning on attending the 2005 Public Health Professional Conference/Global Health Summit, June 5-10, 2005. This year’s conference offers the unique opportunity to participate in two conferences, beginning with the Global Health Summit, June 5, 2005. The Global Health Summit will be previewing the Surgeon General’s Report on Global Health and will be a means to seek organizational support in the development of the report. The Global Health Summit will also provide a forum opportunity for national and international public health professionals to provide direction on collaborative actions needed to advance the world health. Key focus areas will include: infectious diseases; displaced persons; global security/infrastructure; and environmental health. The 40th Annual U.S. Public Health Professional Conference, which runs from June 6-9, will feature a keynote by U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona and a panel including 5 former U.S. Surgeons General. The theme of “Where in the World Are We....In Global Health” provides for an array of other nationally and internationally prominent public health leaders, including Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Center for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who will be speaking throughout the conference on emerging issues, trends and important topics in the field of public health. The conference will include an entire day of professionspecific sessions for pharmacists, physicians, nurses, dentists and others. Continuing education credits will be available for all conference sessions. There will be several pre/postconference events including two BOTC courses (Session 1 - June 3-5, 2005, Session 2 - June 10-12, 2005) and the 3 rd Annual Commissioned Officers Foundation Charity Golf Tournament. This years Surgeon General’s 5K Run/Walk is scheduled to take place Wednesday, June 8, 2005, at 7:00 am. 2 COMMISSIONED OFFICERS ASSOCIATION
The Annual Physical Fitness Test again will be offered in conjunction with the Run/Walk. It will take place preceding the running of the 5K. Here are some other highlights to look forward to for the Annual Meeting: • Yellow Fever Historical Walking Tour — This will most likely be an evening event of various historical sites around town. • Continuing Education (CE) Credits — If you need CE credits for relicensure, we will have them! • Jr. Officer Scholarship Program — All Junior Officers (O-3 and below) are eligible to receive a Commissioned Officers Foundation (COF) Scholarship that will reimburse them for the cost of the COA Annual Meeting Registration. Individuals must pay up front and certify that they have been denied funding by their OPDIV. Application details will be forthcoming soon but will generally involve sending an email or applying in writing and certifying denial by the parent agency. • Graduated Registration Fees — Junior Officers (again, those O-3 and below) receive a discounted full registration fee of $295 if registered by April 5, 2005 or $110 for a single day registration. • Expanded Exhibitors Program - The Wyndham Philadelphia at Franklin Plaza can hold up to about 100 exhibitors and these booths are selling out quickly. We’re looking forward to the largest exhibition ever. • SG Run/Walk & APFT - A beautiful course along the Schuylkill River in Fairmount Park near the hotel is planned for this event. • Branch President’s Breakfast with the COA Board of Directors is being planned this year as well as the traditional Retiree’s Breakfast. This gathering will provide an opportunity for local branches to informally discuss issues with the Board. So plan now on joining me at what will certainly be one of the most important public health assemblies of this decade as it sets the stage for the global challenge of public health for the next century! LEGISLATIVE UPDATE COA Sets Legislative and Benefits Priorities for 2005 The following is a list of COA’s legislative and benefits priorities for 2005 as approved by the Board of Directors. To view on-line, with details of each item, please visit http://www. coausphs.org/L&B2005.htm. 1. Support Transformation proposals that are in the best interests of the PHS Commissioned Corps and public health. (High Priority) 2. Establishment of an equitable promotion program. (High Priority) 3. Support efforts by The Military Coalition with respect to health care, pay and retirement programs and ensure legislation enacted applies to the “uniformed services.” (High Priority) 4. Seek approval for the DHHS Secretary to establish and maintain a program providing health professions scholarship and loan repayment assistance for persons seeking commissions in the PHS Commissioned Corps. None of the several programs currently existing in the Department is targeted specifically for recruitment and retention in the Corps. (High Priority) 5. Continue to monitor the changes in the provision for and payment of medical care for PHS commissioned officers on active duty. Support efforts to make sure that all officers, regardless of assignment location, have access to appropriate medical care. (Medium Priority) 6. Support pay parity for all Uniformed Service members. (Medium Priority) 7. COA will support proposed legislation to establish an accrual-based accounting system for the PHS Commissioned Corps like that established in 1984 for the Armed Forces, provided that such legislation contains provisions that establish a single account within DHHS for the future retired costs of active duty officers and that mandates that these costs NOT be charged to the agencies to which officers are assigned or detailed. (Medium Priority) 8. COA will support legislation to assure adequate funding for medical care benefits for active duty and retired PHS Commissioned Corps officers and their dependents. (Medium Priority) 9. Support the inclusion of the Public Health Service in any National Defense heraldry recognition for the current war on terrorism – Specifically the authorization of the National Defense Service Medal for the PHS Commissioned Corps. (Medium Priority) 10. Support dedicated CPO billets within the OSG (Low Priority) 11. Modify the definition of the term “Uniformed Services” as it currently exists under the tax law (Low Priority) COA FRONTLINE • FEBRUARY 2005 3
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Page 5 and 6: “Three and Freeze” By Jerry Far
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Page 11 and 12: 2005 Public Health Professional Con
Page 13 and 14: The Scientist Professional Advisory
Page 15 and 16: The Officer demonstrates profession
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Page 21 and 22: Commissioned Corps Physical Therapi
Page 23 and 24: CAPT Gregory J. Glahn (Ret.) CAPT A
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February 2005 Frontline - Commissioned Officers Association

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