United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps

United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps

The United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHSCC),<a href="#cite_note-9" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 9;">[9]</a> also referred to as the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service,<a href="#cite_note-10" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 10;">[10]</a> is the federal <a href="/en/Uniformed_services" title="Uniformed services" class="wl">uniformed service</a> of the <a href="/en/United_States_Public_Health_Service" title="United States Public Health Service" class="wl">U.S. Public Health Service</a> (PHS) and one of the eight <a href="/en/Uniformed_services_of_the_United_States" title="Uniformed services of the United States" class="wl">uniformed services of the United States</a>. The commissioned corps' primary mission is the protection, promotion, and advancement of health and safety of the general public.

<div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none" about="#mwt1">Federal uniformed service</div>
<style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1033289096" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles mw:Transclusion">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}</style>
<style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1066479718" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles mw:Transclusion">.mw-parser-output .infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-header,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-subheader,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-above,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-title,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-image,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-below{text-align:center}</style><div class='mobile-collapse'><header class="mobile-collapse-header mobile-collapse-btn">Quick facts: United States Public Health Service Commissio... ▼</header> <table class="infobox mobile-collapse-element" style="width:25.5em;border-spacing:2px;"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-above notheme" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;font-size:110%;">United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps</th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-image" style="text-align:center;border-bottom:1px solid #aaa;line-height:1.5em;"><a href="/en/File:Seal_of_the_USPHS_Commissioned_Corps.png" class="mw-file-description image media-thumb" data-hash="File:Seal_of_the_USPHS_Commissioned_Corps.png"><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/Seal_of_the_USPHS_Commissioned_Corps.png" decoding="async" data-file-width="200" data-file-height="200" data-file-type="bitmap" height="200" width="200" alt="Seal_of_the_USPHS_Commissioned_Corps.png"></a><div class="infobox-caption">USPHS Commissioned Corps emblem, which was fashioned after the Corps' official seal</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Founded</th><td class="infobox-data">January&nbsp;4,&nbsp;1889&nbsp;(1889-01-04) (134&nbsp;years, 2&nbsp;months)<a href="#cite_note-1" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 1;">[1]</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Country</th><td class="infobox-data"><img loading="lazy" alt="Flag_of_the_United_States.svg" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png" decoding="async" data-file-width="1235" data-file-height="650" data-file-type="drawing" height="12" width="23" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/46px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png 2x">&nbsp;United States</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Type</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Uniformed_services_of_the_United_States" title="Uniformed services of the United States" class="wl">Uniformed service</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Role</th><td class="infobox-data">Healthcare and medical services</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Size</th><td class="infobox-data">6,000+ officers<a href="#cite_note-2" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 2;">[2]</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Part&nbsp;of</th><td class="infobox-data"><img loading="lazy" alt="Flag_of_the_United_States_Public_Health_Service.svg" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dc/Flag_of_the_United_States_Public_Health_Service.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_United_States_Public_Health_Service.svg.png" decoding="async" data-file-width="760" data-file-height="400" data-file-type="drawing" height="12" width="23" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dc/Flag_of_the_United_States_Public_Health_Service.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_United_States_Public_Health_Service.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dc/Flag_of_the_United_States_Public_Health_Service.svg/46px-Flag_of_the_United_States_Public_Health_Service.svg.png 2x"> <a href="/en/United_States_Public_Health_Service" title="United States Public Health Service" class="wl">U.S. Public Health Service</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Headquarters</th><td class="infobox-data">Division of Commissioned Corps Personnel and Readiness, <a href="/en/North_Bethesda,_Maryland" title="North Bethesda, Maryland" class="wl">North Bethesda, Maryland</a>, U.S. (<a href="/en/Rockville,_Maryland" title="Rockville, Maryland" class="wl">Rockville</a> mailing address)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Motto(s)</th><td class="infobox-data">"Protecting, promoting and advancing the health and safety of the Nation!" and "In officio salutis"<a href="#cite_note-3" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 3;">[3]</a> (core values: Leadership, Service, Integrity, and Excellence)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Colors</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Blue" title="Blue" class="wl">Blue</a> and <a href="/en/Gold_(color)#Golden_yellow" title="Gold (color)" class="wl">Yellow-Gold</a> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r981673959" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles">.mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{}</style>&nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="#cite_note-4" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 4;">[4]</a><a href="#cite_note-5" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 5;">[5]</a><a href="#cite_note-6" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 6;">[6]</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">March</th><td class="infobox-data">"Public Health Service March"<a href="#cite_note-7" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 7;">[7]</a> <a href="/en/File:&quot;Public_Health_Service_March&quot;,_performed_by_the_United_States_Coast_Guard_Band.oga" title="About this sound" class="image wl"><img loading="lazy" alt="Loudspeaker.svg" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8a/Loudspeaker.svg/11px-Loudspeaker.svg.png" decoding="async" data-file-width="20" data-file-height="20" data-file-type="drawing" height="11" width="11" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8a/Loudspeaker.svg/17px-Loudspeaker.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8a/Loudspeaker.svg/22px-Loudspeaker.svg.png 2x"></a><a href="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/%22Public_Health_Service_March%22%2C_performed_by_the_United_States_Coast_Guard_Band.oga" resource="./Media:&quot;Public_Health_Service_March&quot;,_performed_by_the_United_States_Coast_Guard_Band.oga" title="%22Public Health Service March%22%2C performed by the United States Coast Guard Band.oga" target="_blank">Play</a>&nbsp;(<a href="/en/Wikipedia:Media_help" title="Wikipedia:Media help" class="mw-redirect wl">help</a>·<a href="/en/File:&quot;Public_Health_Service_March&quot;,_performed_by_the_United_States_Coast_Guard_Band.oga" title="File:&quot;Public Health Service March&quot;, performed by the United States Coast Guard Band.oga" class="wl">info</a>)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Anniversaries</th><td class="infobox-data">Centennial, 1989</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Engagements</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Spanish–American_War" title="Spanish–American War" class="wl">Spanish–American War</a><a href="#cite_note-History-8" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 8;">[8]</a> <a href="/en/World_War_I" title="World War I" class="wl">World War I</a><a href="#cite_note-History-8" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 8;">[8]</a> <a href="/en/World_War_II" title="World War II" class="wl">World War II</a><a href="#cite_note-History-8" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 8;">[8]</a> <a href="/en/War_in_Afghanistan_(2001–present)" title="War in Afghanistan (2001–present)" class="mw-redirect wl">War in Afghanistan</a> <a href="/en/Iraq_War" title="Iraq War" class="wl">Iraq War</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Decorations</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/File:USPH_Presidential_Unit_Citation.svg" class="mw-file-description image wl"><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/USPH_Presidential_Unit_Citation.svg/23px-USPH_Presidential_Unit_Citation.svg.png" decoding="async" data-file-width="111" data-file-height="31" data-file-type="drawing" height="6" width="23" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/USPH_Presidential_Unit_Citation.svg/35px-USPH_Presidential_Unit_Citation.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/USPH_Presidential_Unit_Citation.svg/46px-USPH_Presidential_Unit_Citation.svg.png 2x" alt="USPH_Presidential_Unit_Citation.svg"></a> <a href="/en/Presidential_Unit_Citation_(United_States)" title="Presidential Unit Citation (United States)" class="wl">Presidential Unit Citation</a> (2015 &amp; 2021)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Website</th><td class="infobox-data"><a rel="mw:ExtLink nofollow" href="https://www.usphs.gov/" class="external text" target="_blank">USPHS Commissioned Corps</a></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header notheme" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;font-size:110%;">Commanders</th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;"><a href="/en/Assistant_Secretary_for_Health" title="Assistant Secretary for Health" class="wl">Assistant Secretary for Health</a></th><td class="infobox-data">ADM <a href="/en/Rachel_Levine" title="Rachel Levine" class="wl">Rachel Levine</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;"><a href="/en/Surgeon_General_of_the_United_States" title="Surgeon General of the United States" class="wl">Surgeon General</a></th><td class="infobox-data">VADM <a href="/en/Vivek_Murthy" title="Vivek Murthy" class="wl">Vivek Murthy</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Deputy Surgeon General</th><td class="infobox-data">RADM <a href="/en/List_of_active_duty_United_States_rear_admirals#United_States_Public_Health_Service_Commissioned_Corps" title="List of active duty United States rear admirals" class="wl">Denise Hinton</a></td></tr></tbody></table> <footer class='mobile-collapse-footer mobile-collapse-btn'>Close ▲</footer></div><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none" about="#mwt15">Military unit</div>

Along with the <a href="/en/NOAA_Commissioned_Officer_Corps" title="NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps" class="wl">NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps</a>, the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps is one of two uniformed services that consist only of <a href="/en/Commissioned_officers" title="Commissioned officers" class="mw-redirect wl">commissioned officers</a> and has no <a href="/en/Enlisted_rank" title="Enlisted rank" class="wl">enlisted</a> or <a href="/en/Warrant_officer_(United_States)" title="Warrant officer (United States)" class="wl">warrant officer</a> ranks, although warrant officers have been authorized for use within the service.<a href="#cite_note-11" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 11;">[11]</a> Officers of the commissioned corps are classified as <a href="/en/Noncombatants" title="Noncombatants" class="mw-redirect wl">noncombatants</a>, unless directed to serve as part of the <a href="/en/United_States_armed_forces" title="United States armed forces" class="mw-redirect wl">military</a> by the <a href="/en/President_of_the_United_States" title="President of the United States" class="wl">president</a> or detailed to a service branch of the military.<a href="#cite_note-12" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 12;">[12]</a> Members of the commissioned corps wear uniforms modeled after the <a href="/en/United_States_Navy" title="United States Navy" class="wl">United States Navy</a> and the <a href="/en/United_States_Coast_Guard" title="United States Coast Guard" class="wl">United States Coast Guard</a>, with special PHS Commissioned Corps insignia, and hold naval ranks equivalent to officers of the Navy and Coast Guard, along with corresponding in-service medical titles. Commissioned corps officers typically receive their <a href="/en/Commission_(document)" title="Commission (document)" class="wl">commissions</a> through the commissioned corps's <a href="/en/Direct_commission_officer" title="Direct commission officer" class="wl">direct commissioning program</a>.

As with its parent division, the Public Health Service, the commissioned corps is under the direction of the <a href="/en/United_States_Department_of_Health_and_Human_Services" title="United States Department of Health and Human Services" class="wl">United States Department of Health and Human Services</a>. The commissioned corps is led by the <a href="/en/Surgeon_General_of_the_United_States" title="Surgeon General of the United States" class="wl">surgeon general</a>, who holds the rank of <a href="/en/Vice_admiral_(United_States)" title="Vice admiral (United States)" class="wl">vice admiral</a>.<a href="#cite_note-Uniforms-13" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 13;">[13]</a> The surgeon general reports directly to the <a href="/en/United_States_Department_of_Health_and_Human_Services" title="United States Department of Health and Human Services" class="wl">Department of Health and Human Services</a> <a href="/en/Assistant_Secretary_for_Health" title="Assistant Secretary for Health" class="wl">assistant secretary for health</a>. The assistant secretary for health may be appointed to the rank of <a href="/en/Admiral_(United_States)" title="Admiral (United States)" class="wl">admiral</a> if they are also a serving uniformed officer of the commissioned corps.<a href="#cite_note-Uniforms-13" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 13;">[13]</a>

The United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps , is the federal uniformed service of the U.S. Public Health Service and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. The commissioned corps' primary mission is the protection, promotion, and advancement of health and safety of the general public. Along with the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps, the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps is one of two uniformed services that consist only of commissioned officers and has no enlisted or warrant officer ranks, although warrant officers have been authorized for use within the service. Members of the commissioned corps wear uniforms modeled after the United States Navy and the United States Coast Guard, with special PHS Commissioned Corps insignia, and hold naval ranks equivalent to officers of the Navy and Coast Guard, along with corresponding in-service medical titles. Commissioned corps officers typically receive their commissions through the commissioned corps's direct commissioning program. As with its parent division, the Public Health Service, the commissioned corps is under the direction of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The commissioned corps is led by the surgeon general, who holds the rank of vice admiral. 