Published as part of the Commissioned Corps Personnel Manual for Public Health Service Commis-sioned Corps officers. Forward news of Service-wide or special interest to Division of CommissionedPersonnel/HRS/PSC, Room 4A-15, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857-0001, Phone: 301-594-3462.

Director, DCP/HRS/PSCRADM R. Michael Davidson

Editor Mrs. Virginia Kapusnick

Commissioned CorpsBULLETIN

Commissioned CorpsBULLETIN

Division of Commissioned Personnel • Program Support Center, DHHS

Vol. XIII, No. 10 October 1999

Surgeon General's Column

As commissioned officers, we have aresponsibility to protect and advance thehealth of the Nation through educatingthe public and advocating for effective dis-ease prevention and health promotionprograms and activities. Our unique serv-ice is a symbol of that commitment. Thismonth’s column is a call to action for allcommissioned corps officers to expandyour outreach efforts to curb tobacco usefor all age groups, and particularly inyouth. We, in the public health commu-nity, have a unique opportunity to make adramatic impact on the health of our chil-dren and the health of the Nation for gen-erations to come. I know I can count oneach and every one of you to provide lead-ership and support at work, home, and inyour communities to fight this staggeringpublic health problem.

The effects of smoking have long beena concern of the Public Health Service(PHS). As early as 1956, the PHS, in con-junction with the American Cancer Soci-ety and the American Heart Association,established a study group on smoking andhealth. In 1959, Surgeon General LeroyE. Burney (1956-1961) published an ar-ticle entitled Smoking and Lung Cancer–A Statement of the Public Health Servicewhich implicated smoking as the princi-pal etiologic factor in the increased rateof lung cancer. In 1964, Surgeon GeneralLuther Terry (1961-1965) released thefirst Surgeon General’s Report on Smok-ing and Health. Responding to the report,the Federal Trade Commission called forwarning labels on cigarette packages andCongress subsequently passed legislationto require such labeling. From the 1964report on, the role of the Surgeon Generalhas been inextricably tied to the campaignagainst smoking.

IN THIS ISSUE . . .DCP and Y2K Update .......................... 3

Meet the New Chief ProfessionalOfficers ........................................... 4-5

Reimbursement ofHealth Care Claims ......................... 5

Travel Tips / Q&A onAirline Travel .................................... 6

Commissioned Corps ReadinessForce .................................................. 8

(Continued on page 2)

Targeting Tobacco Use

Tobacco use remains the leading pre-ventable cause of death in the UnitedStates, causing more than 400,000 deathseach year and resulting in an annual costof more than $50 billion in direct medicalcosts. Each year, smoking kills morepeople than AIDS, alcohol, drug abuse, carcrashes, murders, suicides, and fires –combined. Approximately 80 percent ofadult smokers started smoking before theage of 18 years. Every day, nearly 3,000young people under the age of 18 yearsbecome regular smokers.

Scientific knowledge about the healthconsequences of tobacco use has greatlyincreased since 1964. It is now well knownthat smoking can cause chronic lung dis-ease, coronary heart disease, and stroke,as well as cancer of the lung, larynx,esophagus, mouth, and bladder. In addi-tion, we know smoking contributes to can-cer of the cervix, pancreas, and kidney.Researchers have identified more than 40chemicals in tobacco smoke that causecancer in humans and animals.

The harmful effects of smoking are notlimited to the smoker. Children sufferasthma attacks, upper respiratory infec-tions, and even Sudden Infant Death Syn-drome because of exposure to smoke. Preg-nant women who use tobacco are morelikely to have adverse birth outcomes, in-cluding babies with low birth weight, aleading cause of death among infants. Inaddition, the health of nonsmokers is ad-versely affected by environmental tobaccosmoke. Each year, exposure to environ-mental tobacco smoke causes an esti-mated 3,000 nonsmoking Americans to dieof lung cancer, 62,000 of cardiovasculardisease, and causes up to 300,000 childrento suffer from lower respiratory tract in-fections.

Currently, the Centers for Disease Con-trol and Prevention (CDC) provides na-tional leadership for a comprehensive,broad-based approach to preventing andcontrolling tobacco use. Through collabo-ration with the States; national, profes-sional, and voluntary organizations; aca-demic institutions; and other Federalagencies, the CDC leads and coordinatesstrategic efforts to prevent tobacco useamong young people, promote smokingcessation, and reduce exposure to environ-mental tobacco smoke. The Food and DrugAdministration is the lead agency onimplementing the prohibitions for tobaccoproduct marketing. The Substance Abuseand Mental Health Services Administra-tion is responsible for overseeing enforce-ment of the prohibition against the saleof cigarettes to children.

A broad-based spectrum of Federal,State, and local government agencies,professional and voluntary organiza-tions, and academic institutions havejoined together to advance the elementsof a comprehensive approach to tobaccouse, including:

• Eliminating exposure to envi-ronmental tobacco smoke

Page 2 Commissioned Corps Bulletin Vol. XIII, No. 10 October 1999

• Preventing initiation amongyouth

• Promoting quitting amongadults and youth

• Eliminating disparities amongpopulation groups

Preparing for the Future

Reducing tobacco use will continue torequire a coordinated and collaborativeeffort at the State and community levels.Throughout the Nation, State and commu-nity programs must work to prevent andreduce the use of tobacco products, espe-cially among children and adolescents,and address the health outcomes relatedto tobacco use including cancer, cardiovas-cular disease, and asthma. Partnershipsare imperative to be successful in thiscampaign. The “Smoke-Free Kids and Soc-cer” program is a prime example of a suc-cessful project developed in collaborationwith a private sector organization, theNational Youth Sports Program. The pro-gram was designed to increase participa-tion in youth soccer and it combines physi-cal activity with a message to avoidsmoking.

This issue is one that resonates wellwith my priorities to: (1) develop a morebalanced health system by encouraginguniversal access to health care includingmental health services, healthy lifestyles,and by assuring that every child has ahealthy start; (2) maintain a global ap-proach to disease prevention and healthpromotion; and (3) eliminate racial andethnic disparities in health. I encourageall commissioned officers to get involvedin your State and local tobacco preventioneducation efforts and in your school andcommunity-based programs to preventtobacco use and to help people quit. I alsoencourage you to be informed about yourState’s plans for comprehensive tobaccoprevention and cessation programs. In-quire if your State will devote the suffi-cient resources to meet the CDC recom-mendations for an effective program.Together we can take action and respondto both current and long term healthneeds of the Nation to curb the use of to-bacco.

ADM David SatcherAssistant Secretary for Health

and Surgeon General

Surgeon General's Column

(Continued from page 1)

Vacancy Announcements

The following vacancies are provided as representative of opportunities currentlyavailable to Public Health Service Commissioned Corps officers. If you have questionspertaining to the announcements listed below, please call the contact listed.

Any Operating Division/Program wishing to list a vacancy in this column shouldsend a written request to: Division of Commissioned Personnel/HRS/PSC, ATTN: Va-cancy Announcements Project Officer/ODB, Room 4A-18, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville,MD 20857-0001 – or phone: 301-594-3458 or 301-594-3360 (toll-free at 1-877-INFO-DCP (1-877-463-6327) – listen to the prompts, dial 1, pause, dial 43360) or Fax: 301-443-7069.

Category/OPDIV Description of Position

DENTALINDIAN HEALTH SERVICE– Dental Officer PositionsVarious Sites Grades: O-3/O-4/O-5/O-6IHS Area: Contact: Phone:Aberdeen Area CDR Patrick Blahut 1-800-693-9186Alaska Area CAPT Jeanine Tucker 907-729-3641Albuquerque Area CAPT Robert Palmer 505-988-9821, ext. 485Bemidji Area CAPT Toby Imler 218-983-6285Billings Area CAPT Richard Troyer 406-638-3470California Area CAPT Jerry Gordon 916-566-7011, ext. 321Nashville Area CAPT R. Joe Davis 828-497-9163, ext. 478Navajo Area CAPT Mark Kosell 520-871-1344Oklahoma Area CAPT George Chiarchiaro 405-951-3818Phoenix Area CAPT Steve Tetrev 602-364-5190Portland Area CDR Woody Crow 503-326-2016Tucson Area LCDR Michael Winkler 520-383-7305

HEALTH RESOURCES ANDSERVICES ADMINISTRATION– DentistsVarious Sites Contact: CDR Gilbert Rose 877-353-9834

Grade: O-4Provides direct patient care to the detainees of the Im-migration and Naturalization Service at the followingprocessing centers: Port Isabel, TX; El Paso, TX; and ElCentro, CA. These providers will be the only dentist atthese sites, but will have a dental assistant. The type ofdentistry will be short-term triage and pain management.

PHARMACYHEALTH RESOURCES ANDSERVICES ADMINISTRATION– Staff PharmacistsVarious Sites Contact: CDR Gilbert Rose 877-353-9834

Grade: O-5Responsibilities include providing pharmacy services forclinic/infirmary settings. The settings are located in Flor-ence, AZ and El Centro, CA.

HEALTH RESOURCES ANDSERVICES ADMINISTRATION– Telepharmacy PharmacistUndetermined Location Contact: CDR Gilbert Rose 877-353-9834

Grade: O-6INS is currently looking for a pharmacy officer that hasthe experience to develop and implement a newtelepharmacy program. The successful candidate for thisexciting opportunity will be responsible for coordinat-ing this cutting-edge program and implementing itthroughout the country. Travel will be required. The lo-cation and oversight for this program will be determinedlater, with input from the candidate. Project officer ex-perience is desirable.

(Continued on page 3)

October 1999 Vol. XIII, No. 10 Commissioned Corps Bulletin Page 3

Dental Professional AdvisoryCommittee’s 1999 DentalAward Recipients

The Dental Professional AdvisoryCommittee’s (DePAC) 1999 Jack D.Robertson Award and Ernest EugeneBuell Award recipients, CAPT CharlesW. Grim and CDR Christopher L.Callahan, were honored by the DePACat the Commissioned Officers Asso-ciation’s Annual Public Health Profes-sional Conference on June 8 in Alexan-dria, Virginia.

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 commis-sioned corps dental officer (O-5 or above)or equivalent level General Scheduledentist whose professional performancebest exemplifies the dedication, service,and commitment to the PHS demon-strated by CAPT Robertson during hiscareer.

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 as-signed to the Division of Marine Hospi-tals and Relief. This award is presentedannually to a junior commissioned corpsdental officer (O-4 or below) or equiva-lent level General Schedule dentist in thePHS who has made a significant contri-bution in oral health education, research,or service.

The awards were presented by RADMWilliam R. Maas, Chief Dental Officer.For the biographies of the award recipi-ents, please visit the Dental categorywebsite at <http://www.ihs.gov/N o n M e d i c a l P r o g r a m s / P H S /PHSDENTAL/index.htm>.

Vacancy Announcements(Continued from page 2)

MULTIDISCIPLINARYHEALTH RESOURCES ANDSERVICES ADMINISTRATION– Health Services AdministratorQueens, NY Contact: CDR Gilbert Rose 877-353-9834

Grade: O-6Provides administrative oversight of an outpatient clinicfor an INS processing center in Queens, NY. Should havehands-on experience running out-patient clinics and befamiliar with various accrediting programs.

HEALTH RESOURCES ANDSERVICES ADMINISTRATION– Managed Care CoordinatorSouthern CA Contact: CDR Gilbert Rose 877-353-9834

Grade: O-5/O-6INS position requires some regional travel. Must be ableto work independently. Nurses, nurse practitioners, andphysician assistants will be considered. Needs to be ableto communicate with local correctional officials aboutpatient care issues and managed care concepts. Loca-tion will be southern California.

DCP and Y2K Update

The Year 2000 (Y2K) problem refers tosome computers inability to correctlyrecognize dates beginning with January1, 2000, unless the computer hardwareand software have been properly modi-fied and tested.

Division of Commissioned Personnel(DCP) staff members have been workingto make certain that all of our systemshave been properly prepared for Y2K andthat there will be no disruption becauseof the January 1, 2000 date. All of oursystems that support the functions ofpersonnel and payroll have been tested,validated, and certified as Y2K compli-ant. We have renovated all of the com-puter code for all of our programs and,in fact, have been running our Y2K-com-pliant software programs for payroll inparallel with our standard system sinceJanuary 1999. We have had no problemswith the payroll system and expect noproblems in 2000. The past year’s pro-motion cycle has also passed the test inthat officers were reviewed for promotionwith eligibility dates from July 1, 1999through June 30, 2000. All officers eli-gible for promotion were reviewed andthose officers selected for promotion havebeen promoted or are on orders to be pro-moted through the end of June 2000.

By directive of the Office of the Secre-tary, no more software changes will beallowed during the period October 15,1999 through January 30, 2000 on busi-ness-essential systems that have beencertified and verified as being Y2K com-pliant. This is to ensure that all business-essential systems will maintain theirY2K readiness. During this moratorium,we will continue to monitor and ensurethe Y2K readiness of all systems. Anychanges during this time must be pre-approved and are limited to those thatare required to: implement legislative oradministrative mandates; security safe-guards; responses to audit requests;emergency fixes; and upgrades to retainmanufacturers’ or vendors’ licensing orwarranties. Beginning October 15, sys-tem changes that effect production envi-ronments are not to be made without theapproval of the Chief Information Officerof the Program Support Center.

Page 4 Commissioned Corps Bulletin Vol. XIII, No. 10 October 1999

Surgeon General David Satcher an-nounced the selection of CAPT W. CraigVanderwagen as the Deputy Chief Medi-cal Officer of the Public Health Serviceeffective September 1, 1999.

CAPT Vanderwagen began his careerwith the Indian Health Service (IHS) in1981. His initial assignment was in theIHS Albuquerque Area Office as a Gen-eral Medical Officer at the Zuni IndianHospital. He also served as the clinicaldirector at Zuni prior to his move toRockville, Maryland, in 1983.

Meet the New Chief Professional Officers

Upon his assignment to Rockville atIHS Headquarters East, CAPTVanderwagen assumed a staff role insupport of the Chief Medical Officer ofthe IHS. He served in this capacity until1984 when he was made Acting Directorof the Division of Clinical and Environ-mental Services. In 1986 he was selectedas Director of the Division of Clinical andPreventive Services.

As the Director for the Division ofClinical and Preventive Services, CAPTVanderwagen is responsible for the fullscope of clinical health care programs,including quality assurance and preven-tive programs. Technical and policy guid-ance is issued for IHS direct and tribalhealth programs for a wide variety ofhealth care programs including alcoholand substance abuse, dental services,diabetes and other chronic disease pre-vention, mental health, emergency medi-cal services, nutrition and dietetics, nurs-ing services, pharmacy services, andmaternal and child health.

CAPT Vanderwagen has served inother leadership positions in IHS. He hasbeen the Acting Area Director, AberdeenArea IHS, with responsibility for healthservices in the Dakotas, Nebraska, andIowa. He has been the Acting Director,Office of Health Programs, with respon-sibilities for the clinical and public healthprograms, sanitation and health facili-ties construction, and for health care fi-nance activities. He has also served asthe Agency Lead Negotiator in the imple-mentation of Tribal Self Governance

Compacts. In this role, CAPT Vanderwagenwas engaged in the initial planning andimplementation of this landmark transfer ofresources and public health responsibilitiesto tribal governments and has negotiated theannual transfer of more than $300 million totribes.

CAPT Vanderwagen has receivedmany awards and commendations sincehe began work for the IHS. These includethe Meritorious Service Medal, Out-standing Service Medal, CommendationMedal, Achievement Medal, PHS Cita-tion, and Unit awards of the Commis-sioned Corps, as well as Secretarialawards and tribal recognitions.

He is a board-certified family physicianand maintains an active clinical practicein addition to his responsibilities in pro-gram development and administration.He is published in several medical jour-nals covering family practice, including,Medical Education, Children Today, andHospital and Community Psychiatry. Heis a frequent speaker to medical studentsand the general public on the techniquesemployed by the IHS to elevate thehealth status of American Indians andAlaskan Natives. He has also been a con-sultant for the Pan American HealthOrganization in addressing its indig-enous health initiative.

(Continued on page 5)

Health Services Category Holds Reaffirmation Ceremony

A Reaffirmation Ceremony for theHealth Services category was held at theCommissioned Officers Association’s an-nual meeting in Alexandria, Virginia. Itcoincided with the Health Services cat-egory luncheon and awards presenta-tions held on June 8, 1999.

Deputy Surgeon General KennethMoritsugu administered the commission-ing oath of office to more than 70 HealthServices officers. He congratulated thecommissioned officers in attendance and

challenged them to renew their commit-ment to the Corps. The participants willreceive commemorative oath of office cer-tificates signed by the Deputy SurgeonGeneral.

The ceremony was organized by theHealth Services Professional AdvisoryCommittee with the assistance of CAPTRichard Vause. Special guests in atten-dance included RADM Thomas Carrato,Chief Operating Officer of the TRICAREManagement Activity, and Mr. Brian

Kissel, son of the late CAPT StanleyKissel, Jr., for whom the “Health ServicesOfficer of the Year” award is named.

The Office of the Surgeon General(OSG) has conducted several Reaffirma-tion Ceremonies during the past yearand is willing to assist groups who wishto hold Reaffirmation Ceremonies in thefuture. Any group interested should con-tact the OSG at 301-443-4000.

CAPT W. Craig Vanderwagen

October 1999 Vol. XIII, No. 10 Commissioned Corps Bulletin Page 5

Surgeon General Satcher announcedthe selection of CAPT Vivian T. Chen asthe Health Services Chief ProfessionalOfficer (HS CPO) for a period of 4 yearseffective August 1, 1999. In addition tobeing the HS CPO, CAPT Chen servesas the Associate Director of Policy for theDivision of Quality Assurance and as theTeam Leader for the Healthcare Integ-rity and Protection Data Bank in theHealth Resources and Services Admin-istration (HRSA). In these positions sheis responsible for the development of pro-gram policy, research, and quality assur-ance efforts as legislated by the HealthCare Quality Improvement Act and the

Meet the New Chief Professional Officers(Continued from page 4)

Health Insurance Accountability Act onhealth professionals, providers, and sup-pliers.

CAPT Chen received a doctor of sciencedegree in health policy and admin-istration in 1990; a masters degree insocial work and a masters certificate de-gree in gerontology in 1976; and a bach-elor of arts degree in 1975. She beganher Public Health Service (PHS) careerin 1976 as a program analyst with theAlcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental HealthAdministration (ADAMHA) (now theSubstance Abuse and Mental HealthServices Administration) in Rockville,Maryland. In subsequent positions sheserved as a Special Assistant to the As-sociate Administrator of Extramural Pro-grams in ADAMHA, and in HRSA sheserved as: Program Analyst in the Divi-sion of Medicine; Director of the PrimaryCare Substance Abuse Program; SpecialAssistant to the Bureau of Health CareDelivery and Assistance Director on Spe-cial Initiatives; Senior Public HealthAnalyst; and Acting Director and DeputyDirector of the Office of Minority andWomen’s Health.

CAPT Chen has distinguished herselfas an expert in numerous aspects of the

CAPT Vivian T. Chen

health and mental health care fields. Herefforts have served to facilitate the es-tablishment and implementation of na-tional programs addressing the problemsof access to health services by the mostvulnerable of the underserved. She isrecognized for her significant develop-mental work and knowledge of programand grants policy that has resulted in theestablishment of three major interagencycollaborative programs with the Bureauof Justice Assistance, the Center for Sub-stance Abuse Prevention, and the Cen-ters for Disease Control and Prevention.

She is a regular corps officer and hasreceived the following PHS awards: twoCommendation Medals, an AchievementMedal, two Citations, three OutstandingUnit Citations, a Unit Commendation,the Surgeon General’s Certificate of Ap-preciation, and the Surgeon General’sExemplary Service Award Plaque. HRSAawards she has received include: Bureauof Primary Health Care Special Recog-nition Award; Administrator’s Exem-plary Group Award; and Administrator’sCitation for Outstanding Group. In 1995,she received the Stanley J. Kissel, Jr.Award presented by the Health Servicescategory.

Reimbursement of Health Care Claims

The Debt Collection Improvement Actof 1996 mandated that all Federal pay-ments be processed via Electronic FundsTransfer/Direct Deposit. The Division ofFinancial Operations, Program SupportCenter, Department of Health and Hu-man Services, reimburses officers forhealth care claims. This is done by di-rectly crediting the officer’s account at afinancial institution.

If you have changed financial institu-tions or account numbers, and are expect-ing reimbursement for health careclaims, please notify the Medical AffairsBranch (MAB), Division of Commis-

sioned Personnel, at phone number 1-800-368-2777 or fax number 1-800-733-1303.

The Division of Financial Operationsrequires that a “Payment InformationForm” be completed and returned tothem. If you do not have this form, MABwill fax a copy to you. Despite the factthat you may already have account in-formation on file elsewhere for other pay-ments due to you, you must still provideyour account information to the Divisionof Financial Operations for reimburse-ment of health care claims.

Recent Deaths

The death of the following retired officerwas reported to the Division of Commis-sioned Personnel:

Title/Name Date

SCIENTISTRADM Robert L. Elder 08/13/99

Page 6 Commissioned Corps Bulletin Vol. XIII, No. 10 October 1999

first-class accommodations when per-forming government business will not bemet. Authorization for premium-class orfirst-class accommodations must be docu-mented on the member’s travel order (ad-vance approval required), along with theJFTR citation warranting such accommo-dations. In the event premium-class orfirst-class accommodations are autho-rized, travel in uniform is discouraged.

Question: May frequent traveler benefits(e.g., frequent flyer miles, lodging cou-pons, etc.) be used to upgrade accommo-dations to business-class or first-class?

Answer: Frequent traveler benefits re-ceived for transportation paid for by thegovernment belong to the governmentand cannot be used for personal travel.They may be used for upgrade accommo-dations (but not to first-class accommo-dations) when performing official traveland if authorized on the member’s travelorder (advance approval required).

Minority Officers Liaison Council Awards Dinner to be Held December 5, 1999On Sunday, December 5, at the National

Naval Medical Center’s Officers Club inBethesda, Maryland, the Minority Offic-ers Liaison Council (MOLC) will host itsannual awards dinner to honor a Seniorand Junior Minority Officer of the Year,and to recognize African American, Ameri-can Indian/Alaska Native, Asian American/ Pacific Islander, and Hispanic Americancommissioned officers who have signifi-cantly contributed to improving the healthof their respective people, and to the health

of this Nation. This event is open to allPublic Health Service (PHS) commissionedofficers (active duty, retired, and inactivereserve) as well as family (including chil-dren), civilians, and friends of the PHS.

The reception begins at 4 p.m. with abuffet dinner commencing at 4:30 p.m. Theofficial program will begin at approxi-mately 5:30 p.m. and should be completedby 7 p.m. ADM David Satcher, AssistantSecretary for Health and Surgeon General,has been invited to deliver a keynote ad-

dress. The per person cost for adults is $35and $18 for children, payable by check(preferably in advance) to “APOAC”. Thebuffet will feature a variety of choices tomatch dietary choices and include a bever-age and dessert.

For further information, contact CDRGail Cherry-Peppers at 301-443-0067 orCAPT Robert Carson at 301-443-5084.

Question: What class (seating) of airlineservice are commissioned corps officersof the Public Health Service (PHS) au-thorized to use when performing officialgovernment business?

Answer: Commissioned corps officers ofthe PHS must use government contractcarriers, coach-class accommodationswhen using commercial air carriers onofficial government business.

Question: May commissioned corps offic-ers of the PHS be authorized to use pre-mium-class or first-class accommoda-tions when performing officialgovernment business?

Answer: Commissioned corps officers ofthe PHS may use premium-class or first-class accommodations only when thecriteria provided in Chapter Three of theJoint Federal Travel Regulations (JFTR)are met. Normally, the criteria requiredfor authorization of premium-class and

Question: Do promotional materials(e.g., lodging coupons, free airline tick-ets, etc.) received by a member travelingon official business at government ex-pense belong to the member?

Answer: Promotional materials re-ceived by a member traveling on officialbusiness at government expense is con-sidered government property and mustbe relinquished in accordance with Serv-ice regulations. If a member is involun-tarily denied boarding on a flight, com-pensation for the denied seat belongs tothe government. However, a member maykeep payments from a carrier for volun-tarily vacating a seat. No additional perdiem may be paid as a result of the de-lay in the member’s travel when volun-tarily vacating a seat.

Accelerated Death Benefit for SGLI/VGLIThe Veterans Programs Enhancement

Act of 1998 permits a terminally ill per-son insured by Servicemembers’ GroupLife Insurance (SGLV) or Veterans’Group Life Insurance (VGLI) to elect toreceive, in a lump sum, a portion of theface value of insurance carried as an ac-celerated death benefit.

A person will be considered to be ter-minally ill if the person has a medicalprognosis such that the life expectancyof the person is less than 12 months.

The amount of accelerated death ben-efit the terminally ill person may elect

to receive in a lump sum is up to 50 per-cent of the face amount of the SGLI orVGLI insurance carried. Increments lessthan 50 percent will also be available andsubsequent premiums will be reduced toreflect the remaining face value of thepolicy. Additionally, the lump sumamount received is reduced by anamount necessary to assure that thereis no increase in the actuarial value ofthe total SGLI/VGLI benefit paid. Theremaining death benefit would be paidto the member’s beneficiary(ies) at thetime of his or her death. Once exercised,the election to receive the accelerated

death benefit is irrevocable. A personmay not make more than one accelerateddeath benefit election even if the elec-tion of the person is to receive less thanthe maximum amount of the benefitavailable.

The amount of accelerated death ben-efit will not be considered income or re-sources for the purpose of determiningeligibility for any Federal or Federally-assisted program for any other purpose.

Questions and Answers on Airline Travel

October 1999 Vol. XIII, No. 10 Commissioned Corps Bulletin Page 7

Some of the Emergency Medical Response Team contingent on Tinian Island.

On April 16, 1999, in response to an ex-ecutive order issued by President Clinton,the National Security Council directed theU.S. Coast Guard to interdict a boatloadof 147 Chinese migrants from Guam toTinian, Commonwealth of the NorthernMariana Islands (CNMI). The purpose ofthe interdiction was to attempt to stop thesmuggling of human cargo by a Chineseunderworld organization.

Overall responsibility for the operationwas assigned to the U.S. Immigration andNaturalization Service (INS) with coordi-nation and support from many Federaland local agencies. As INS’s medical au-thority, the Division of ImmigrationHealth Services (DIHS), Health Resourcesand Services Administration, deployed itsEmergency Medical Response Team withhelp from the Commissioned Corps Readi-ness Force to provide for the health careneeds of the migrants. Over the course ofthe next 2 months, the operation requiredthe deployment of Public Health Service(PHS) officers for tours of duty ranging inlength from 21 to more than 30 days.Health care was eventually provided to atotal of 523 Chinese migrants who arrivedon five vessels. The mission ended on June22, with repatriation back to China for themajority of migrants.

Tinian is a small tropical island para-dise a little north of Guam, in some of the

PHS Officers Provide Health Care to Chinese Migrants on Tinian Island

world’s most beautiful Micronesian seas.It is one of several islands that make upthe CNMI, and has been the focal point ofsome of the most challenging political ne-gotiations between the U.S. Federal Gov-ernment and the Peoples Republic ofChina.

During the time the migrants were de-tained on Tinian, they were housed in atemporary facility at an abandoned WorldWar II runway on the north end of the is-land. Tents and fencing were flown in andset up by the Department of Defense’sSeabees. Working with local emergencymanagement officials and officials fromthe Tinian mayor’s office, INS officersmade arrangements for meals to be pre-pared by local restaurants (no single res-taurant was large enough) and for por-table toilets to be moved from other partsof the island.

In the initial hours and days of the op-eration, PHS officers played significantroles in advising the on-site INS officersin dealing with a myriad of hygiene andhealth-related issues. These ranged fromdevelopment of appropriate meal menusto procurement of hygiene items and cloth-ing suitable to the climate, to establish-ment of portable showers and hand wash-ing stations for staff and migrants.

A complete range of services were pro-vided by PHS officers including initial

health screening for infectious and chronicdiseases, daily sick call, health educationfor both detainees and INS staff, medica-tion administration, chest x-rays, andtreatment. For medical conditions beyondthe scope of the field clinic, transportationand treatment were arranged on Tinianor the neighboring island of Saipan.

The creation of a MASH-like workingclinic in a tent from a “blank slate” tookincredible foresight, cohesive teamwork,professional flexibility, disregard for per-sonal comfort or complaints, and theknowledge and experience of seasonedPHS officers. This functional clinic, whichchanged location several times, was devel-oped in a military tent on the airfield fromsupplies that were brought, bought, orborrowed.

Officers were required to work longhours (in some cases 36 hours withoutrest) to provide 24-hour coverage amidsttorrid environmental conditions includingintense tropical heat and humidity, rain,insects, and rodents. They placed them-selves in harms way despite the hazardof contagion. At one point, five migrantswere under treatment for active tubercu-losis. No local respiratory isolation roomswere available, so local isolation was de-veloped in tents based on location of otherdetainees and staff as well as prevailingwinds. There were many health concernsfor both staff and migrants due to poten-tial mosquito and rat borne disease as wellas scabies and lice infestations.

PHS officers were confronted on a dailybasis with hundreds of ravaged faces, look-ing to them for water, food, even clothing;depending on the kindness and dedicationof the PHS officers to care for their medi-cal needs; to bridge their cultural and lan-guage differences; and recognize and re-spect their physical and emotionaltrauma.

CAPT Gene Migliaccio, Director, DIHS,praises the PHS officers deployed toTinian for their professionalism to a veryspecial population. “Whether by their owndoing, or not, the migrants were victimsof gross human exploitation. They neededto acquire the skills to permit them tomaintain their physical and mental wellbeing. And that is exactly what the PHSofficers on Tinian provided; dignity, andquality health services.”

Page 8 Commissioned Corps Bulletin Vol. XIII, No. 10 October 1999

CAPT Charles F. Craft, Public Health ServiceInactive Reserve Corps officer, stands with aThai military police officer (left) during hisoverseas assignment.

PHS Inactive Reserve Officer Serves in Joint Services Humanitarian Effort

CAPT Charles F. Craft, U.S. PublicHealth Service (PHS) Inactive ReserveCorps, participated in the medical com-ponent of Operation Cobra Gold 1999, thelargest U.S. Joint Military Exercise in theSoutheast Asia Region.

The goal of this humanitarian effortwas to provide health care to several re-mote areas of Thailand. CAPT Craft, adentist, was the only PHS officer as-signed to Operation Cobra Gold. Con-ducted annually, physicians, dentists,veterinarians, nurses, optometrists,

therapists, and other allied health spe-cialists from the U.S. Army, Navy, and AirForce demonstrate U.S. support for thegovernment of Thailand.

CAPT Craft resides in Alaska and vol-unteered to participate in this 30-dayoverseas mission. Attached to an Armyunit for this mission, CAPT Craft flewfrom Alaska to Asia. Bangkok, Thailand,was the logistical staging center for per-sonnel, supplies, and equipment.

After extensive briefings, mission per-sonnel were deployed from Bangkok bymilitary convoy, to provide care to theremote villages of Thailand. CAPT Craftwas assigned as Chief Medical Officerand Dental Section Head of a unit com-posed of three dentists, two dental tech-nicians, and two hospital corpsmen. Pub-lic health representatives from the Thaigovernment and army worked with U.S.personnel in providing care for their citi-zens.

School buildings or other common ar-eas were set up for the medical teams,and triage points aided in directing pa-tients to the correct medical provider.Typical of a MASH unit, the days werelong, the equipment subject to failure,and patient needs were extensive. Themajority of dental cases treated by CAPTCraft’s section were attributed to oralpain or the result of chronic infectiousoral disease. As a result of this, numer-ous tooth extractions were performed.

Despite less than desirable field con-ditions and the reassignment of one den-tal officer due to illness, CAPT Craft’sdental section provided care to more than1,000 patients during the course of themission. This was an 82 percent increaseover Operation Cobra Gold 1998. The lastmission site was visited by the U.S. Am-bassador to Thailand as a further ges-ture of goodwill.

CAPT Craft was overwhelmed by theappreciation of the Thai citizens and thehospitality that was extended during thisjoint mission. He deemed it to be an over-all rewarding international experiencewhich he would not hesitate to partici-pate in again.

DCP WEB SITE ADDRESS—http://dcp.psc.gov

__________

DCP Toll-Free Phone Number—1-877-INFO DCP(1-877-463-6327)

__________

Subscribe to Listserv to Receive

Email Messages from DCP—

listserv@list.psc.dhhs.gov

Commissioned Corps Readiness ForceThis is the first of what will become a

periodic column about the CommissionedCorps Readiness Force (CCRF). TheCCRF has a web site at <http://oep.osophs.dhhs.gov/ccrf> and an e-maillist to which officers may subscribe. Anyofficer who is interested in becoming amember of the CCRF may apply on-lineat the web site. The web site andlistserver have become the primary com-munication channels between the CCRFand its members–information of interestto CCRF members is posted to the website and notices are frequently sent viathe listserver.

If you are a member of the CCRF, buthave not been receiving e-mail messages

from us, then you probably have not up-dated your information via the web site.Therefore, we do not have your currente-mail address. All members who havenot yet updated their information on-lineat the CCRF web site, especially thosewho may have submitted paper docu-mentation or forms, are requested to doso at their earliest convenience. If we donot hear from a member after a period of3 months, that member will be removedfrom active CCRF membership.

Officers/members who do not have apersonal computer at home or at workare encouraged to use creative means togain access to the World Wide Web. Lessthan 2 hours a week should be required

to visit the CCRF web site and keep up-to-date on CCRF information. Many pub-lic libraries, universities, and even cafesoffer free access to the web. Free Internetservice providers also exist. Once webaccess is achieved, there are a variety offree e-mail services available to the gen-eral public which will serve to furtherenhance the flow of information betweenthe CCRF and its members. A short listof web sites offering free e-mail accountscan be found at the CCRF web site. Of-ficers should consider web access a mini-mum requirement for CCRF member-ship. E-mail, while not required, is highlyrecommended.

October 1999 Vol. XIII, No. 10 Commissioned Corps Bulletin Page 9

Dr. Alan Herman, Dean, National School ofPublic Health, Pretoria, South Africa, andSurgeon General David Satcher plant a treeon the school’s grounds.

Assistant Secretary for Health andSurgeon General, David Satcher, accom-panied Vice President Gore to participatein the Gore-Mbeki Binational Commis-sion in Cape Town, South Africa, Febru-ary 15-18, 1999. He led the U.S. delega-tion for the Health Subcommittee of theScience and Technology Committee. ADMSatcher’s objectives were as follows: todiscuss ways of strengthening the over-all health-related cooperation betweenthe U.S. and South Africa; emphasizingthe needs and priorities of South Africasuch as HIV/AIDS; exploring ways ofengaging and strengthening the newNational School for Public Health at theMedical University of Southern Africa;and encouraging disease prevention andhealth promotion programs.

The Surgeon General’s delegation col-laborated with their South African coun-terparts under the Health Subcommit-tee. The Health Subcommittee’s longterm, strategic goals are: strengtheningSouth Africa’s public health infrastruc-ture; strengthening South Africa’s capac-ity to promote better health through pub-lic health approaches; strengtheningSouth Africa’s capacity for protecting thehealth and safety of its labor force; andstrengthening South Africa’s researchcapacity through collaboration with theDepartment of Health and Human Serv-ices (HHS). Representatives from South

Surgeon General Travels to South Africa

Africa included the Ministry of Healthof South Africa, the Medical ResearchCouncil of Cape Town, and NationalSchool for Public Health. The membersof the HHS delegation included represen-tatives from: Centers for Disease Controland Prevention—Dr. Stephen Blount, Dr.Melanie Duckworth, Dr. Jennifer Friday,and Dr. Rodney Hammond; Food andDrug Administration—Ms. Mary DougTyson; National Institutes for Health(NIH)—Dr. Faye Calhoun and Dr. KarlWestern; National Institute of MentalHealth, NIH—Dr. Kenneth Lutterman;Office of the Surgeon General—Ms. KayHayes-Waller; Office of International andRefugee Health—Dr. Greg Pappas,RADM Roscoe Moore, Ms. LindaHoffman, Ms. Isabel Ellis, and Ms. ElaineRoski.

Besides representing the U.S. in healthmatters at the Gore-Mbeki BinationalCommission, ADM Satcher had an oppor-tunity to review the programs of the col-laborating public health agencies. InWellington, Western Cape, he met withthe city administrators to review thework of its Fetal Alcohol SyndromeAwareness Campaign, supported by theNational Institute of Alcohol Abuse andAlcoholism, NIH. In Eastern Cape, ADMSatcher met with health officials andtalked to the medical students. He andhis delegation went on to Pretoria to givea major public health lecture at the Na-tional School for Public Health. ADMSatcher emphasized that the NationalSchool of Public Health has the poten-tial of being a cornerstone for the recon-struction of the public health care sys-tem in South Africa. On leaving SouthAfrica, ADM Satcher told his counterpartthat HHS would continue to share exper-tise to improve South Africa’s health ser-vices delivery and public health throughhealth policy dialogue and health serv-ices research.

Call for Nominations forDental Professional AdvisoryCommittee

The Dental Professional AdvisoryCommittee (DePAC) provides advice tothe Surgeon General and the Chief Pro-fessional Officer on professional and per-sonnel issues related to the dental cat-egory. Openings are available for newrepresentatives to the DePAC for termsbeginning January 1, 2000.

Selections are based on a commitmentto oral public health issues, and a com-mitment to bring new and innovativeideas to the committee. DePAC memberswill be required to be available for sched-uled meetings during the term. Themeetings are typically held in Rockville,Maryland, and members in the field areusually connected via teleconference ifthey are unable to travel to attend.

The DePAC needs you. Please considerthis as an important step in your careerand self-nominate today. Request that ablank self-nomination form (which in-cludes a space for supervisory approval)be faxed to you by using the Faxback fea-ture of CorpsLine. You can reachCorpsLine at 301-443-6843. Listen to themenu and choose the second option, “Toretrieve documents through Faxback,”and request document number 6539.

Complete the self-nomination formand send it along with a current curricu-lum vitae and a cover letter describinghow your specific experience and exper-tise will benefit the DePAC. The com-pleted package must be submitted byNovember 1, 1999, to the address be-low:

CDR Kathy L. HayesOffice of Rural Health Policy/HRSA5600 Fishers Lane, Room 9A-55Rockville, MD 20857-0001Phone: 301-443-0835Fax: 301-443-2803E-mail: khayes@hrsa.gov

Page 10 Commissioned Corps Bulletin Vol. XIII, No. 10 October 1999

Submitted by CDR Sheila O’Keefe, Information Services Branch, Division of Commissioned Personnel.

(Pictured left to right) CDR Sheila O’Keefe, Information Services Branch, Division ofCommissioned Personnel; LT Paul Melstrom, Indian Health Service, Zuni, New Mexico; and Ms.Bedrije Limani, Nations Interpreters.

tion of the guests had been medicallycleared and temporarily resettled in theUnited States. The hours were still long,but the workload had decreased. On mylast day of work, I was scheduled to leavethe clinic at 10 p.m., when the pharmacyclosed for the night, but I just could notgo. I stayed around for another 2 hourssaying goodbye to the staff, and to theinterpreters who had become goodfriends, and to some of the Kosovarguests I had come to know. It was toughwork, but it was tougher to leave!

I worked as a pharmacist and all of ourprescription labels had to be typed in theAlbanian language. We had personnelfrom Nations Interpreters assigned tothe pharmacy and interpreters were as-signed to every section. We could not pos-sibly have done our job without the won-derful assistance of the NationsInterpreters personnel. Many of the in-terpreters were themselves not long outof Kosovo or Albania, while some hadworked in the United States or Europeancountries for years. All of the interpret-ers spoke at least English and Albanian;many spoke four languages and somespoke up to seven languages.

As I became confident and quick attyping prescription labels in Albanian, I

started really listening to the interpret-ers as they dispensed the prescriptionsfor us. I actually picked up quite a bit ofthe spoken Albanian language, and themore I learned, the more people tried toteach me. I had been working from 12noon to 12 midnight since my arrival, andwhen new pharmacists came in and I hada chance to move to days, I elected notto, but rather to stay on evenings. Ourinterpreter left at about 6 p.m. and Na-tions Interpreters had downsized its staffto two interpreters at night–both busyin the Acute Care Clinic. For a while Ihad been giving out prescriptions myselfin the Albanian language and answer-ing simple questions about the medica-tion with the interpreter’s backup and itjust seemed easier to continue on eve-nings the same way. Many people wereamazed that I tried to speak their lan-guage and several of the guests wouldhold my hand while I talked to them.They would look right into my eyes andalso, it felt, into my heart. Much to mysurprise a number of them asked me if Iwere Albanian. Quite a few of themthought I was Albanian, but born in thiscountry. They soon figured it out when Iran out of vocabulary and had to find aninterpreter if the medication or direc-tions were too complex, or if there weretoo many questions for my limited vo-cabulary.

I feel that it was an incredible privi-lege to be able to work with and help theKosovar people. For anyone who has everwondered what it is like to be deployedin an emergency situation or wonderedif they should consider joining the CCRFor the PHS DMAT team, I say, “go for it.”For me and for everyone else I havetalked to, for this and for any other de-ployment it is hard work but very re-warding work. I worked with people frommany agencies, departments, OperatingDivisions, and organizations. I workedwith people who had never met eachother before or ever worked with eachother before yet we all worked as a team.One of the physicians and I noted thatwhen we first walked in it looked likechaos, but we soon saw an order to thechaos. We decided that it worked because:(1) everyone who was there really wanted

I Had a Dream

(Continued on page 11)

Part of the mission of the Public HealthService (PHS) is to respond in times ofnatural or man-made disasters. When Ifirst joined the commissioned corps, I hada dream–I wanted to be part of a teamthat would go out in response to naturaldisasters to help people. At the time Ijoined PHS, the PHS Disaster MedicalAssistance Team (DMAT) was available,but it had geographical restrictions onmembership. Since joining the Commis-sioned Corps Readiness Force (CCRF) 2years ago, my first opportunity to be de-ployed in this type of assistance situa-tion was to the PHS Clinic, part of Op-eration Provide Refuge, at Fort Dix, NewJersey. Operation Provide Refuge pro-vided housing and was a clearing stationfor the Kosovar refugees from the BalkanWar. The Department’s Office of Emer-gency Preparedness (OEP) coordinatedthe entire operation of the PHS Clinic atFort Dix and activated both the NationalDisaster Medical System (NDMS) andthe CCRF.

This was one of the most difficult as-signments in terms of work schedule Ihave ever had–21 days in a row of 12 to14 hour days–but one of the most reward-ing experiences of my life. Toward the endof my tenure, the clinic had begun theprocess of downsizing as a large propor-

October 1999 Vol. XIII, No. 10 Commissioned Corps Bulletin Page 11

to be there; (2) everyone put aside anydifferences they had; and (3) everyoneoverlooked any difficulties there wereand did what they had to do to make itwork! This was true teamwork.

When PHS first arrived on the scenethey had to build a clinic from scratchout of an old, unused Army mess hall,and stock the examination rooms, medi-cal records, acute care, lab, and phar-macy. Most of the staff found a rare op-portunity to be really inventive andcreative in what was virtually a fieldsituation. We had a pre-designated setof equipment, materials, and drugs towork with, and we had to make what wehad work in that situation. Everyoneworked together in a way I had neverseen before. Everyone contributed thebest that he or she had to offer. Peopledid get tired–everyone worked long hourswith no days off–but everyone remainedcheerful and dedicated to the task athand and the welfare of the Kosovarguests.

The Village was able to house and pro-vide health care for 4,022 Kosovar guests.There were more than 4,300 acute careclinic visits, more than 375 obstetrics/gynecology visits, and 7 babies born.There were more than 10,600 immuni-zations provided, almost 3,000 x-raystaken, and more than 2,800 labs drawn.There were more than 900 dental visitsand more than 7,000 prescriptions filled.

Teams consisted of personnel fromPHS, various State’s DMAT groups, PHSDMATs, OEP, NDMS, U.S. Coast Guard,U.S. Army, Department of Veterans Af-fairs, volunteers from the American RedCross, and interpreters from NationsInterpreters. People came from all overthe country to help.

The volunteers from the American RedCross worked in a tremendous variety ofjobs from playing with the children, torunning errands, to professional jobs, tokeeping the staff supplied with water,orange juice, coffee, snacks, fresh oranges

and bananas, and last but not least–stuffed teddy bears for all the staff.

An average clinical staff was composedof five physicians, two physician assis-tants/nurse practitioners, nine registerednurses, four paramedics, one dentist, onedental technician, one sanitarian, onemental health worker, two pharmacists,three medical records specialists, and tensupport staffs from the ManagementSupport Team. This was a very compre-hensive and very successful operationand I would do it again readily anytimeI am asked or can volunteer.

For more information on the CCRFplease visit their website at <http://oep.osophs.dhhs.gov/ccrf>.

I Had a Dream(Continued from page 10)

PROMOTION YEAR 2000

IMPORTANT DATES TOREMEMBER

PIR Corrections Postmarked no laterthan:

November 19, 1999

Career Counseling Completed:

December 10, 1999

IMPORTANT PHONENUMBERS

For Counseling:301-594-3360

(or toll-free 1-877-INFO DCP (1-877-463-6327), listen to the prompts, press1, pause, dial 43360)

For PIR Questions:301-594-3471

(or toll-free 1-877-INFO DCP (1-877-463-6327), listen to the prompts, press1, pause, dial 43471)

Retirements - SeptemberTitle/Name OPDIV/Program

MEDICALREAR ADMIRAL (LOWER)Richard D. Klausner NIH

CAPTAINRobert J. Mullan CDCTheodore J. Redding IHSJames R. Cooper NIHKenneth H. Cowan NIH

DENTALLIEUTENANT COMMANDERAngel E. Mendez-Jusino HRSA

NURSECOMMANDERLuis E. Rodriguez-Saez BOP

SANITARIANCAPTAINDarrell J. Schwalm FDA

PHARMACYCAPTAINRalph B. Lillie FDA

HEALTH SERVICESCAPTAINBruce E. Leonard CDCRichard R. Fabsitz NIH

The Federal work force is 55.6 percentmale. Nearly 30 percent is classified asminority: 16.7 percent African American;6.4 percent Hispanic; 4.5 percent Asian/Pacific Islander; and 2.1 percent NativeAmerican. 7.1 percent is classified as dis-abled. About 25 percent of the work forcehas military service time.

As of June 30, 1999, the Public HealthService Commissioned Corps is 62.6 per-cent male. 22.2 percent is classified asminority: 7 percent African American; 3.9percent Hispanic; 4.5 percent Asian/Pa-cific Islander; and 6.8 percent NativeAmerican. About 25 percent of the Corpshas prior military service time.

Page 12 Commissioned Corps Bulletin Vol. XIII, No. 10 October 1999

DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Program Support CenterHuman Resources ServiceDivision of Commissioned Personnel, Room 4A-15Rockville MD 20857-0001

Official BusinessPenalty for Private Use $300

BULK RATEPOSTAGE AND FEES PAID

PSCPERMIT NO. G-280

99-7683

REDISTRIBUTIONUSING PERMIT IMPRINT

IS ILLEGAL

DATED MATERIAL

JRCOSTEP and SRCOSTEPDeadlines

The application deadline for the2000 Summer Junior Commis-sioned Officer Student Training andExtern Program (JRCOSTEP) isDecember 31, 1999.

The application deadline for the2000-2001 Senior CommissionedOfficer Student Training and Ex-tern Program (SRCOSTEP) is alsoDecember 31, 1999.

For applications, please phone:

JRCOSTEP: 1-800-279-1605

SRCOSTEP: 301-594-2919 (ortoll-free 1-877-463-6327–listen to theprompts, dial 1, pause, dial 42919)

Applications can also be requestedon-line at the Public Health Serv-ice Commissioned Corps web site:

http://www.dhhs.gov/phs/corps

For further information, pleasephone or e-mail:

JRCOSTEP

Phone: 301-594-3484

(or toll-free 1-877-463-6327–listen tothe prompts, dial 1, pause, dial 43484)

E-Mail: msavoy@psc.gov

SRCOSTEP

Phone: 301-594-3352

(or toll-free 1-877-463-6327–listen tothe prompts, dial 1, pause, dial 43352)

E-Mail: hdarracott@psc.gov

Report of CommissionedOfficer Annual Leave

On or about September 30, all officersshould have received form PHS-3842,“Report of Commissioned Officer AnnualLeave,” from his/her leave maintenanceclerk. This form shows the balance at thebeginning of the leave year, the amountof annual leave used through September30, and the amount of annual leave thatwill be forfeited if not used by December31, 1999.

Officers are reminded that the maxi-mum annual leave which may be carriedforward from one leave year to the nextis 60 days. The leave year is a calendaryear, the period beginning January 1 andending December 31.

The 60-day limitation on the amountof unused annual leave that can be car-ried forward from one year to the next isimposed by statute. Therefore, no waiveris legally permissible. In other words, noone can grant an exception.

Officers are encouraged to scheduletheir annual leave throughout the yearso as to preclude any disappointmentsor misunderstandings resulting from theloss of accrued leave at the end of theyear.

ReminderEmployment and IncomeVerification

For those officers, active duty as wellas retired, who need employment andincome verification for loans, etc., pleasehave the lending institution mail the re-quest directly to the CompensationBranch, Division of Commissioned Per-sonnel (DCP), at the following address:

Division of Commissioned PersonnelATTN: Employment Verification/CB5600 Fishers Lane, Room 4-50Rockville, MD 20857-0001

Active-duty officers who need verifica-tion of their service time to establish eli-gibility or qualify for a Department ofVeterans Affairs’ mortgage loan, need torequest a Statement of Service from theTransactions and Applications Section,Personnel Services Branch, DCP:

Division of Commissioned PersonnelATTN: Statement of Service/TAS/PSB5600 Fishers Lane, Room 4-20Rockville, MD 20857-0001Phone: 301-594-3544 (or toll-free at1-877-463-6327, listen to the promptsand dial 1, pause, and then dial 43544)

Inactive, retired, and terminated offic-ers who need a Statement of Service mustsend a written request with an originalsignature (faxes and e-mails are not ac-cepted) to the Privacy Act Coordinator,DCP, at the following address:

Division of Commissioned PersonnelATTN: Privacy Act Coordinator/PSB5600 Fishers Lane, Room 4-36Rockville, MD 20857-0001