CAPT William B. Knight began his career as a Commissioned Officer in the U.S. Public Health Service (Corps) in the Commissioned Officer Student Training Extramural Program (COSTEP) in 1976. His first COSTEP assignment was with the Bureau of Radiological Health (BRH), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and second with Appalachian Lab, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
In 1978, he joined the Corps on extended active duty and secured an assignment in the Electro-Optics Branch, BRH, FDA. During his tenure there he was a published researcher in the fields of optical radiation health hazards, optical qualities of intra-ocular lens implants, and corneal optical radiation transmission characteristics.
While serving in this assignment, he helped develop the first system to measure the quality of intra-ocular implants, which was new in the medical world at that time. In addition, he worked to help develop and implement standards for the use of laser devices in medicine and entertainment. Finally, he became the subject matter expert (SME) for transillumination of tissue as a diagnostic methodology.
In 1984, as a Lieutenant Commander, CAPT Knight was selected to serve on the command staff for the original Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT). This position led him to serve in 1985 as the Corps representative on the inter-governmental task force to equip the DMATs. In 1988, he was selected to represent the Corps at a conference in London attended by junior officers from all uniformed services in the NATO alliance. This conference is known as the Young Reserve Officer Symposium.
In the summer of 1988, as a Lieutenant Commander, CAPT Knight moved to the Division of Commissioned Personnel (DCP). He began his journey through the interlocking world of human resources and information systems. After 1 year as a staffing officer, he was moved into a Deputy Branch Chief position with responsibility for the Retirement, Awards, and Vacancy programs for the Corps.
In 1991, he represented the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as a full-time student at the distinguished Industrial College of the Armed Forces and graduated in 1992. As a Commander, CAPT Knight returned to DCP to assume responsibility for the Transactions and Applications Branch with management responsibilities for all personnel actions, suitability adjudications, COSTEP programs, and applications to the Corps. Additionally, in 1993, he assumed responsibility for a second branch for almost one year. At this time, personal computers were just starting to be used and deployed to staff. CAPT Knight led the effort to familiarize and train DCP staff in this new technology.
In 1996, then CDR Knight assumed the Senior Personnel Management Specialist responsibilities and served as the technology evangelist for the Corps. In this capacity, he moved the Corps from paper to electronic personnel records, created one of the first Federal web sites, and educated other agencies regarding this new technology. While advancing in this position, he wrote the current awards processing, and administered the first Local Area Network for the Corps Human Resource (HR) systems. He introduced the Corps to the Joint Personnel Records Imaging Group, which at the time was only utilized by the Department of Defense and Coast Guard. The Corps was the first service to provide electronic personnel records to all members and to produce a CD-ROM for the members. At the same time, he helped develop the first electronic promotion board for the Corps used today.
CAPT Knight developed the first electronic Commissioned Officers’ Effectiveness Report (COER), added self-service capabilities to the Corps’ Web site and wrote several HR applications in use by the Corps today. In addition, he served as a technology consultant to DCP, and kept several key systems in an operational state for the Corps.
In 2004, CAPT Knight transferred to the newly formed Office of Commissioned Corps Force Management (OCCFM) to serve as a Senior Information Systems Analyst in the Recruitment, Marketing and Information Systems Division. His primary responsibilities were to develop policies and global strategies for the Corps’ enterprise. He continued to support existing systems and to develop enhancements. Additionally, he developed the electronic Commissioned Corps Management Issuance System (CCMIS) Web site and the Commissioned Corps electronic Bulletin. On an enterprise level, he worked with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health’s Transformation Initiative to move the existing Corps’ IT systems in a new direction.
In 2006, CAPT Knight became the Director of the Recruitment, Marketing, and Information Systems Division in OCCFM and an overall responsibility for all IT systems for the Corps, recruitment and marketing strategies and policies for the Corps, and assisted in legislative actions on behalf of the Corps.
In 2007, he assumed an additional role as the Acting Deputy Director, OCCFM, and in 2010, as Acting Director of the Program Evaluation and Oversight Division (PEOD). Leveraging his long history within the Corps’ HR environment, CAPT Knight has worked with leadership and officers to provide insight and knowledge within a constantly changing environment.
Throughout his career, he has been a recognized leader, has moved the technological operations of the Corps forward, brought credit to the service as a representative in many venues, and been the SME for a large number of Corps’ HR related activities. He has helped establish several activities (DMATs, electronic systems, Web sites) and policies that were groundbreaking in their time, impacted all officers on active duty, and are still in use to this day.
While serving as a Corps officer for over 32 years CAPT William Knight received a host of awards for his service and dedication to the Corps. These awards include but are not limited to: Surgeon General’s Exemplary Service Medal (1), Achievement Medals (3), Citation (1), Outstanding Unit Citations (5), Unit Commendations (11), Special Assignment Awards (2), Crisis Response Service Awards (2), National Emergency Preparedness Award (1), the Regular Corps Ribbon, and Expert Field Medical Badge (Army).
Thank you CAPT Knight for your electronic vision and leaving a digital legacy with the Corps.
CAPT William Knight and Dr. Howard Koh, the Assistant Secretary for Health.
CAPT William Knight and RADM Boris Lushniak, Deputy Surgeon General.
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HHS, Office of Public Health and Science |