Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service

Health Services Officer Professional Advisory Committee

History of the Health Services Category

The Health Services category is the third largest category in the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. The professional disciplines comprising the Health Services category provide public health leadership and service across the sfull spectrum of healthcare including delivery of care, after care and follow-on care.

The traditional clinical categories were formally established in 1956, through a Federal Register Notice, to improve the promotion process for eligible officers to be considered in their discipline rather than as a single commissioned corps. Unfortunately, at the time there was no category for social and allied health services. Its noteworthy to mention in the early 1950’s two social workers were commissioned, not as social workers, but as "psychiatric nurses". Through a Federal Register Notice in 1959, the Health Services category was established to fulfill a critical need not only for social and allied health services, but for future services that haven’t yet evolved.

Today, Health Services Officers perform a variety of functions including direct clinical practice, program development, health planning and administration, and research. The category has grown from a small nucleus of a few officers to its present level of over 1200 active duty officers. The category continues to grow and change to fulfill new health leadership roles. The Health Services motto: "Multidisciplinary in Approach, Connected by Service, Advancing Public Health" attests to the wide range of skills and experience possessed by this multi-disciplinary team of officers and to their pride and commitment to serving in the Commissioned Corps.


HSOs who have served as CPOs:

Name Term
CAPT Jeanean Willis Marsh 2016-2020
RADM Epi Elizondo 2010-2016
RADM Michael Milner 2006-2010
CAPT Linda Morris Brown 2002-2006
CAPT Nina Dozoretz (Acting) 2001-2002
CAPT Vivian Chen 1999-2001
CAPT Robert G. Falter 1995-1999
CAPT Evan R. Arrindell 1991-1995
CAPT Joseph Garcia, Jr. 1989-1991
CAPT Carl G. Leukefeld 1984-1989
RADM Karst J. Besteman 1979-1984
CAPT Kenneth D. Howard 1978-1979

HSOs who have served as HS Category Chairs:

Name Term
CDR Joel Richardson 2020
CDR Simleen Kaur 2019
CDR Carlos Bell 2018
CAPT Josef Rivero 2017
CDR Bobby Rasulnia 2016
CDR Stacey Evans 2015
CDR Todd Alspach 2014
CDR Ali Danner 2013
CDR Karen Sicard 2012
CAPT Sheila Merriweather 2011
CDR George Durgin 2010
LCDR Rebecca Bunnell 2009
CDR Brad Austin 2008
CDR John Cardarelli 2007
CAPT Jose Belardo 2006
CAPT Sylvia Tetzlaff 2005
CDR Jane Martin-Heppel 2004
CAPT Frances Gipson 2003
CAPT Nina Dozoretz 2002
CAPT Vivian Chen 2001
CDR Lola Staples 2000
LCDR Doreen Melling 1999

Page Last Modified on 1/29/2021

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