IHS Corps Officers,
On 27 January 2020, ADM Giroir, Assistant Secretary for Health, provided official notification that officers assigned to HHS agencies are being deployed without supervisor approval to support the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) mission, consistent with Commissioned Corps Directive (CCD) 121.02, Deployment and Readiness. ADM Giroir further stated that officers assigned to non-HHS agencies will continue to be deployed in accordance with the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)/Understanding (MOU) between the Commissioned Corps and the non-HHS Agency.
Officers detailed to a Tribe, Tribal Organization or Urban Indian Health Program (T/TO/UIHP) pursuant to an MOA are considered assigned to a HHS agency (IHS) and detailed under the terms of the MOA. As such, officers assigned to T/TO/UIHP are subject to deployment without supervisory approval. Additionally, current MOA contain the following or similar language: “Commissioned Corps Officers on MOA assignments are subject to recall and deployment by the President of the United States, the Secretary, HHS, or the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service at any time.”
If you are contacted by Commissioned Corps Headquarters Readiness and Deployment Branch (RDB, formerly RedDOG), you are to immediately inform your supervisor and regional Division of Commissioned Personnel Support (DCPS) team of the notification of deployment. You are expected to comply with the notice of deployment in accordance with the Commissioned Corps Directive (CCD) 121.02, Deployment and Readiness.
Officers who fail to respond to an urgent or emergency public health care need may be subject to disciplinary action, including separation from active duty or termination of the officer’s commission, in accordance with CCD 111.02, “Disciplinary Action,” CCD 123.01, “Involuntary Separation,” and CCD 124.01, “Retirement.” If deployment would create a hardship or a major disruption to patient care or operations, the Service Unit or T/TO/UIHP may contact the Regional DCPS Liaison Office for further guidance. All denials of deployment will be tracked and reviewed by a member of IHS Senior Leadership or designee and may be subject to reversal.
An officer who fails to meet or maintain the basic level of force readiness requirements is non-deployable (CCI 241.01, “Readiness and Duty Requirements”) and may have his/her records referred for disciplinary action which could include involuntary separation or involuntary retirement from the Commissioned Corps in accordance with CCD111.02, “Disciplinary Actions,” CCD 123.01, “Involuntary Separation,” and CCI 385.01, “Involuntary Retirement (20 Years).”
Additionally, ADM Giroir indicated that the National Uniform Authority (NUA), the Surgeon General, has requested that all officers wear their Operational Dress Uniform (ODU) effective 3 February 2020 until further notice. A caveat was included, stating that “Your Local Uniform Authority can prescribe a different uniform if the situation warrants (e.g., you are scheduled to attend or present at a conference)”.
According to Commissioned Corps Instruction (CCI) 412.01, “Uniforms and Appearance,” a Corps officer’s Local Uniform Authority (LUA) can prescribe a different uniform if the situation warrants (e.g., the officer is scheduled to attend or present at a conference or high-level meeting). The LUA is the official who has the authority to prescribe the uniforms which may be worn within a given area.
The NUA has designated the Agency Chief Human Capital Officer and/or the Human Resource Director as LUA. Supervisors, CEOs, Tribal or UIHP leaders may petition the LUA, through the IHS DCPS Liaison Office, for specific uniform requests during a temporary, fixed period of time for a specific event or occasion.
According to CCI 241.01, “Readiness and Duty Requirements”, “all officers shall maintain all required components of the Service Dress Blue and ODU uniforms. Each uniform must be serviceable and worn properly. Officers who do not have these required uniforms may be denied the opportunity to deploy, and may be subject to disciplinary action as appropriate.”
Thank you for your flexibility, officership, and pride in the wear of the uniform and in service. This is a great opportunity to demonstrate our readiness and willingness to serve and the value of the Corps to our great nation. Questions may be directed to DCPS at IHSCorpsInquiries@ihs.gov.
V/r,
Division of Commissioned Personnel Support
Office of Human Resources
Indian Health Service HQ
Rockville, MD 20857
From: Headquarters, Commissioned Corps <COMMCORPS-HQ@LIST.NIH.GOV> On Behalf Of Commissioned Corps HQ (HHS/OSG)
Sent: Monday, January 27, 2020 1:56 PM
To: COMMCORPS-HQ@LIST.NIH.GOV
Subject: Message from the ASH: 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Deployments and Uniform of the Day
Dear Commissioned Corps Officers,
As we position ourselves to assist with controlling the spread of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV), this is official notification that officers assigned to HHS agencies are being deployed without supervisor approval.
Commissioned Corps Directive (CCD) 121.02, Deployment and Readiness, states that the Assistant Secretary for Health can deploy officers assigned to an HHS OPDIV/STAFFDIV without supervisor approval. Officers assigned to non-HHS Agencies will continue to be deployed in accordance with the Memorandum of Agreement/Understanding between the Commissioned Corps and the non-HHS Agency.
As Commissioned Corps officers and America’s Health Responders, we stand ready to preserve public health and national security during national or global health emergencies. Answering this call is no different. Our mission is to be out the door as soon as requested; and this is an “all hands on deck” situation.
In addition, to demonstrate our readiness and to send the message that Commissioned Corps officers are equipped to help whenever called; effective Monday, February 3, 2020, the National Uniform Authority has requested that all officers wear their Operational Dress Uniform (ODUs)* until further notice.
Please know that I am sincerely grateful to each of you who answers our Nation’s call to deploy.
Sincerely,
Brett P. Giroir, MD
ADM, USPHS
Assistant Secretary for Health
*Your Local Uniform Authority can prescribe a different uniform if the situations warrants (e.g., you are scheduled to attend or present at a conference).