Dear COA Members,
It is my pleasure to share the November edition of Frontline. I want to call special attention to the first item below, that being the annual COA awards. There are so many officers doing great work on behalf of the USPHS Commissioned Corps and COA. This time of year, it is about giving back to others. Please consider nominating a deserving individual, group, or local branch for well-deserved recognition.
RECOGNIZE YOUR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES!
COA has announced nomination opportunities for the following 2024 COA awards:
- Health Leader of the Year (civilian, retired active duty, or active duty)
- Civilian Outstanding Support of the USPHS (civilian, contractors)
- Retired Officer of the Year
- Local Branch of the Year (small and large)
- Local Branch Member of Year
- Local Branch Leader of the Year
- Ready Reserve Member of the Year
Application details can be found on the COA website under the Awards tab. The award nomination deadline is Friday, January 19, 2024. Please consider nominating deserving individuals and groups for a COA award!
IS YOUR LOCAL BRANCH AT RISK?
Members are the heart of Local Branches, and those branches are the heart of our association. It is vital that we have an active list of Local Branch leadership for the following Local Branches ASAP to avoid branch disestablishment.
- Inland Empire Local Branch
- Portland Local Branch
- Wind River Local Branch
All Local Branches are asked to please submit your Branch Officer Update (BOU) form as soon as possible if you have not yet done so. The Local Branch Committee looks forward to continuing supporting you. Should you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact Donna Sparrow, Membership Coordinator, at dsparrow@coausphs.org, CAPT Luis Rodriguez (luiso_r@yahoo.com), or CDR Tracy Murray (t.mitchellrn@gmail.com).
RECORDING OF NOVEMBER COA GATHERING – NATIONAL CEMETERY ADMINISTRATION
If you were unable to attend the virtual gathering last week, you can still watch the presentation by Larry Provost from the National Cemetery Administration here.
COA ANNUAL PHOTO CONTEST
COA is once again hosting our popular annual photo contest. Please see rules and regulations here and submit to coaphsphotocontest@gmail.com by December 4, 2023. The first-place prize is a free COA membership for 2024. Second place will receive a $100 Amazon gift card. Third place will receive a $50 Amazon gift card.
RECORDING OF NOVEMBER COA GATHERING – NATIONAL CEMETERY ADMINISTRATION
If you were unable to attend the virtual gathering last week, you can still watch the presentation by Larry Provost from the National Cemetery Administration here.
2024 USPHS SCIENTIFIC & TRAINING SYMPOSIUM COIN CONTEST
Are you interested in designing the 2024 USPHS Scientific & Training Symposium coin? The winning designer will receive a complimentary registration to the 57th Annual Scientific and Training Symposium in June 2024 (fully transferrable to a friend or colleague). Please see page 5 of this month’s issue of Frontline for details. Submissions are due by January 1, 2024.
SURGEON GENERAL’S 5K (SG5K) COIN CONTEST
The Surgeon General’s 5K (SG5K) Run/Walk Planning Committee is soliciting logo designs for the SG5K race occurring during the 2024 USPHS Symposium in Jacksonville, FL. Design submissions can be either a solo or a team effort (no more than 3 officers). Entrants are encouraged to capture the symposium theme “Inclusivity + Innovation: Reducing Disparities in the Service of Health!” The logo design can be done electronically or on paper, and then scanned in for submission. If the entry is a team effort, please include all contributing officer names at the time of submission. Please send designs to LT Austin Van Horn (austin.vanhorn@tchealth.org) and LCDR Samora Casimir (Samora.Casimir@nih.gov) by COB on November 30. Officers on the SG5K Planning Committee will review all submissions and choose a winner. A graphic designer will convert the winning design into a usable image for the event.
My best wishes to you, your family, and friends for a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.
Your Corps-Your Causes
CAPT Jacqueline Rychnovsky, USN (Ret.), PhD, CAE
Executive Director
jrychnovsky@coausphs.org