2009 Assimilation Update and Overview Session

1. 2009 Assimilation Update and Overview Session CDR Ali B. Danner, MPH Deputy Branch Chief Bacterial Zoonoses Branch (BZB), DFBMD/NCZVED/CCID Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) 22 January 2009

2. ASSIMILATION Topics: • What is assimilation? • Eligibility • The process • Assimilation Program UPDATE

3. What is “Assimilation”? • All newly-appointed Public Health Service (PHS) Commissioned Corps officers are commissioned in the Reserve Corps.

4. What is “Assimilation”? (cont’d) • Assimilation is the appointment of Reserve Corps officers into the Regular Corps of the Commissioned Corps. • The Regular Corps is the career component of the PHS Commissioned Corps and is composed of officers who have expressed long-term commitment to the missions and goals of the Corps.

5. Assimilation: Eligibility • Officer completed minimum 2 years continuous active duty in current CC tour (application actually considered after 3 years of service); • Meet specific appointment standards of Regular Corps professional category; • Meet required medical standards;

6. Assimilation: Eligibility (cont’d) • Meet professional license/registration/certification requirements; and • Have received a “D” or “E” overall score on most recent COER.

7. Assimilation: Eligibility (cont’d)**Relatively New Criteria** • Meet Basic Readiness requirements [http://ccrf.hhs.gov/ccrf/Readiness/Checklist_010109.pdf]; and • Satisfactory background investigation or security clearance on file in OCCO.

8. Assimilation: The Process • Officer preps and submits package (see 3rd bullet); • Package: 1) PHS-7034 “Application for Assimilation into the Regular Corps” [printable or fillable forms at http://dcp.psc.gov/cc_forms.asp#Assimilation], 2) commitment memo or officer’s statement [see handouts]; 3) supervisor’s support statement [*We now recommend for officers of all P-Grades!]; • Application is signed off by supervisor and forwarded to OCCO Assimilation Coordinator NLT 1 Feb. 2009 post-mark deadline (see slide 22 for address);

9. Assimilation: Process (cont’d)**IMPORTANT Update** • The 2009 Regular Corps Assimilation Boards have been temporarily suspended! [http://dcp.psc.gov/SG_Memo_to_Corps_11_05_08.aspx] • However, eligible officers may still apply until 1 Feb 2009—late applications will be returned to the officer. Qualified applications accepted by OCCO will remain in the application pool in the event of a future board.

10. Assimilation: The Process (cont’d) • Agency review board may Highly Recommend, Recommend or Not Recommend the officer; • OCCO Assimilation Board will • evaluate officer’s qualifications—i.e., performance, career progression, mobility, awards, and career potential; • rank all candidates, across category lines, for assimilation; and • forward results to Director of OCCO. • Officers approved by Director-OCCO and SG  Presidential nomination; • To US Senate for confirmation;

11. Assimilation: The Process (cont’d) • Officer must have current 5-year medical exam and medical history form (< one-year-old) and be “basic ready” qualified prior to Personnel Orders being cut; • Officers not approved for assimilation for 3 consecutive years must submit a new application.

12. Assimilation: The Process (cont’d) Be familiar with the assimilation process and know how to access references (see handouts) . • CCMIS Website: http://dcp.psc.gov/assimilation.asp [Click on “Assimilation Package” link on web page] • CCPO/CDC Website: http://www.cdc.gov/od/occp/officership/assimilation/index.htm

13. Official Personnel Folder (OPF) This is the electronic official personnel folder available to each officer. • CalledeOPF; • Accessed via the CC Management Information System (CCMIS) website’s secure area [https://dcp.psc.gov/cclogin/ccmislogin.aspx]; • Contains officer’s official CC records such as personnel orders, evaluations (COERs), awards, and certifications; • Atlanta Human Resources Center (AHRC) File Room contains officer’s unofficial CDC station file.

14. eOPF (cont’d) What does the officer need to know? • Obtain User ID and password from Helpdesk [(301) 594-0961 or dcphelpdesk@psc.gov]; • Ensure that info in Promotion Information Report (PIR) is correct; • Closely review entire eOPF for accuracy and completeness—including an updated CV; • Review current eOPF guidance for making corrections; • There is a helpful FAQ posted on the CCMIS website [http://dcp.psc.gov/opffaq.asp].

15. Application Documents Awards Confidential Documents COER Documents CV ID Cards Insurance Forms Personnel Orders Continuing Education Documents Licenses, Credentials, Certificates Outside Activity Documents PHS Support Activity Documents Special Skills Documents eOPF: Major Areas

16. Personnel Orders section “Assimilation Application” subset—Contains your submitted PHS-7034 application form, officer’s statement and OCCO’s memo acknowledging receipt (usually within 30 days of packet submission). “Personnel Order – Appointment – Regular Corps” (once orders are cut). Promotion Information Report (PIR) Once you are assimilated, PIR will then show dates in “Promotion Credit Date (Regular Corps Only)” and “Assimilation Date” sections. eOPF: Major Areas (cont’d)

17. Assimilation: Scenario I What qualifies an officer for the assimilation “Lower Board” and does it matter? • Candidates applied with < 3.5 years continuous active duty in current CC tour; or • Is permanent grade O-3 and below; • 90% of total selectees from this group. [NOTE: The percentages for this has changed, so is here for historical reference only.]

18. Assimilation: Scenario II What qualifies an officer for the assimilation “Higher Board” and does it matter? • Candidates applied after 3.5 years active duty in current CC tour; and • Is permanent grade O-4 and above; • 10% of total selectees from this group. . [NOTE: The percentages for this has changed, so is here for historical reference only.]

19. Assimilation: Scenario III Should a T-Grade O-6 officer apply, or continue applying, for assimilation? • Historically, this has been recommended mainly for officers desiring to be a Chief Professional Officer (CPO); • For officers striving for “flag” grade; and • Eligibility for career beyond 30 years*. *With agency/CC Retirement Board approval and needs of the service.

20. Assimilation: Scenario IV Upon a return to Active Duty in the Corps, does a previously assimilated—i.e., Regular Corps—officer need to wait until “2 years on current CC tour” before re-applying for assimilation? • No. An officer in this situation may submit a new application packet without “minimum” time if they do so within the first two years on the new tour. • See Slide # 8 (The Process—“Package”).

21. Assimilation: Scenario V (New) An officer who has more than 2 years prior active duty military service, does that officer get a “pass” on the “minimum 2 years” requirement as far as being able to immediately apply for assimilation? • No. The Corps’ assimilation guidance states that an officer must have “a minimum of two years of continuous active duty in the current tour of duty” to be eligible to apply for assimilation. • See page 3, Commissioned Corps Instruction (CCI) 324.01, Regular Corps Assimilation Program, (old CC23.3.7) [http://dcp.psc.gov/eccis/documents/CCPM23_3_7.pdf]

22. Office of Commissioned Corps Operations (OCCO) Info Mail Assimilation Applications to: Office of Commissioned Corps Operations Division of Commissioned Corps Officer Support ATTN: Assimilation Coordinator 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 100 Rockville, MD 20852 OCCO Assimilation Coordinator: LCDR Corey Dahl [O: (240) 453-6051]

23. Commissioned Corps Personnel Office (CCPO) CDC/ATSDR Assimilation Consultations: Commissioned Corps Personnel Office (CCPO), OWCD/CDC (M/S E-50), Office: (404) 498-1800 Fax: (404) 498-1825 Century Center, Building 2500 Atlanta, GA

24. QUESTIONS