Deadline for Submission of Applications for Assimilation into the Regular Corps 15 February 2006

The Office of Commissioned Corps Operations (OCCO) is currently accepting applications for assimilation. The deadline for Assimilation Year 2006 applications is 15 February 2006. Assimilation is the appointment of Reserve Corps officers into the Regular Corps. The Regular Corps is the career component of the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service (Corps) and is composed of officers who have expressed a long-term commitment to the mission and goals of the Corps. Regular Corps appointments are currently limited by statute to 2,800 officers. The appointment process, which may be lengthy, begins with individual officer’s applications and ends with U.S. Senate confirmation, and an official personnel order being promulgated.

Complete information, including eligibility criteria of the assimilation program, can be found on the Commissioned Corps Management Information System (CCMIS) Web site – http://dcp.psc.gov (Click on ‘Publications’ and then ‘Regular Corps Assimilation Program’ for the assimilation package). Any Reserve Corps officer who has not already applied for Regular Corps assimilation, and who believes that he or she meets the requirements, is invited to submit form PHS-7034, “Application for Assimilation into the Regular Corps” (form PHS-7034 is available on the CCMIS Web site http://dcp.psc.gov - click on ‘Services’ and then ‘Official Forms’).

Applications must be postmarked by 15 February 2006 to be eligible for Assimilation Year 2006

Important: Officers who have applied in the past but were notified by OCCO that they were ‘not recommended’ for assimilation, or officers who have been reviewed by three successive boards, are required to reapply to be considered in Assimilation Year 2006. Officers who have been reviewed by less than three boards and who were ‘recommended’ but who did not score above the success lines will automatically be sent to the Assimilation Year 2006 board for review. Officers should refer to their electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF) for copies of prior notification from OCCO regarding assimilation. All assimilation notifications and memorandums are automatically sent to officers’ eOPFs by OCCO.

Officers who were successful in Assimilation Year 2004 are awaiting U.S. Senate confirmation. Once the assimilation package returns from the U.S. Senate and final administrative reviews are performed, all eligible officers will be promptly notified by OCCO to complete the assimilation process. Officers being assimilated are required to: have a 2005 Commissioned Officers’ Effectiveness Report on file; have a completed background investigation; meet license/certification appointment standards; have a 5 year physical and 1 year medical history on file with the Medical Affairs Branch, Office of Commissioned Corps Support Services; and be Basic level ready. Officers are strongly encouraged to review their eOPFs and address any deficiencies now.

If you have any questions regarding assimilation, please contact the Assimilation Coordinator, LCDR Julian Canizares, at 240-453-6051.

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