Readiness Requirements
- Overview
- Basic Readiness Requirements
- Waivers (Medical / Non-Medical)
- Other Readiness Requirements
- Disclaimer
** Readiness Updates during COVID-19 Response**
All readiness requirements are currently required (Periodic Health Updates, Basic Life Support (BLS) Training and Annual Physical Fitness Tests).
Periodic Health Updates (PHU): With some allowances for the continuing public health emergency and the burdens it imposes, all officers are required to complete and submit a PHU in their 2022 birth month period (from the first day of the month prior to their birth month until the last day of the month after their birth month). Some officers who entered the USPHS Commissioned Corps in 2021 or early 2022 may be exempt until 2023. Medical Affairs Branch (MAB) will contact those individuals directly. Officers should review the PHU Instructions for Officers before completing and submitting their PHU. Officers who are unable to meet the PHU deadline, should message PHSReadiness@hhs.gov before the due date with the reason(s). Do not message the MAB.
Retention Weight Standards: Officers will notice a "Retention Weight Standards" status text box on the Dashboard, referring to compliance or non-compliance with policy as determined per their last reported APFT and/or Verified Weight Report (form 7044-1) submission.
For those officers who may have additional questions, please notify the Readiness and Deployment Branch for APFT and BLS matters at PHSReadiness@hhs.gov or the Medical Affairs Branch at MACCHQ@hhs.gov for immunization questions.
Overview
The Readiness Requirements page was created to assist all HSOs with successfully completing all USPHS standards necessary to achieve and maintain a basic level of readiness. The USPHS Commissioned Corps requirements for maintaining Basic Readiness is determined by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (ASH). Commissioned Corps Headquarter, Readiness and Deployment Branch (RDB) operationalizes the means for the USPHS to maintain a basic ready deployable force. This section of the HSPAC Readiness Subcommittee website describes all Readiness Requirements, including step-by-step instructions to successfully completing each of readiness standards, including the 7 basic-readiness requirements.
Basic Readiness Requirements
Each officer is responsible for maintaining their individual Basic Readiness qualifications which is a condition of service in the USPHS Commissioned Corps. Failure to sustain a basic level of readiness at all times can impact eligibility for future promotions, eligibility for individual or group awards, and can lead to the officer being referred to the USPHS Retention Board. Additionally, basic readiness qualification is a pre-requisite for participation in all deployments.
It is strongly encouraged that officers become familiar with each of the seven (7) Basic Readiness requirements listed in the table below, including: evaluation criteria, renewal frequency, expiration of each criterion (i.e., APFT, BLS, PHU, Immunization, Licensure, etc.), and the administrative processes for updating each requirement. Please click on each requirement to view step-by-step instructions for successfully completing said requirement. To meet the USPHS basic level of readiness, all USPHS Commissioned Corps Officers must satisfactorily meet each of the below requirements prior to each RDB monthly Readiness check.
Additionally, it is the officer’s responsibility to ensure each of these requirements is properly updated in their respective IT systems. Unless otherwise noted, Commissioned Corps Management Information System (CCMIS) Officer Secure Area (OSA) is the system used to view and record your basic readiness requirements. Officers should regularly review accuracy of their records on their CCMIS OSA dashboard, as well as “PROJECTED” and “CURRENT” Basic Readiness status. For more information go to the OMS and AMS Integration.
Requirements Needed to Achieve and Maintain the USPHS Basic-Level of Readiness
Other Readiness Requirements/Information
This section of the HSPAC Readiness Webpage provides HS Officers with an overview of other Readiness requirements and information that does not directly, but may indirectly, affect Basic Readiness. All officers are strongly encouraged to review this section periodically. This section will include information on updating or checking:
- Airport Information
- Clinical Practice Hours (if applicable)
- Deployment History
- Language Skills, Medical History
- Passport Expiration
- Date Personal/Work Information
- Readiness Status (Checking)
- Responder e-Learn Account
Disclaimer
The HSPAC Readiness Subcommittee will make every effort to ensure the information on this site remains current. If you notice incorrect or outdated information, please send the HSPAC Readiness Chair an email. Officers, not the HSPAC Readiness Subcommittee, are responsible for checking the Readiness website to ensure they are using the most current information. Officers are strongly encouraged to frequently review RDB’s “Readiness, Down-to-Basics Document” for a current listing of all Basic Readiness requirements and detailed instructions for successfully completing each requisite for Basic Readiness.
