Office of Commissioned Corps Operations Division of Commissioned Corps Officer Support

Regular Corps Assimilation Program

Last month, those officers of the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service who were reviewed by the 2008 assimilation boards received official notice of board results in their electronic Official Personnel Folders (eOPFs). Included within the Personnel Orders (pink) section of the eOPF, officers received an assimilation memo which states their individual results and provides any applicable instructions. Additionally, in the Confidential Documents (brown) section is the official assimilation board score sheet. Officers received five (5) scores and an overall recommendation. Each precept score listed on the board score sheet is weighted differently depending on the board: Precept Lower Board (08SA003) Upper Board (08SA006) Performance               65%                 50% Career Progression               10%                 25% Mobility                 5%                 10% Awards                 5%                   5% Career Potential               15%                 10% Officers may calculate their overall score by multiplying each precept score received by the above precept weight and then adding the five numbers together. The total number of points possible is 100 for each board. The high score for the lower board was 89.45 and low score for the lower board was 2.7. The high score for the upper board was 85.5 and low score for the upper board was 50.5. The total number of officers reviewed by the upper and lower boards were 298 and 548 respectively. The Regular Corps is limited by statute to 2,800 officers. Within the prescribed limit, each permanent grade is limited to a set percentage of 2,800. Additionally, each board had a threshold to assist in assuring that only the best qualified officers above the threshold are appointed to the Regular Corps. This year the assimilation thresholds for the upper and lower boards were 20 and 40 percent respectively of the total number of officers reviewed by each board. Based on the required permanent grade limits and individual board thresholds, the Office of Commissioned Corps Operations placed 80 officers on the nomination list. Of those nominated, 39 officers are at the permanent O-4 grade or above. Additionally, in accordance with statute, 16 Uniformed Services University - Medical School students must be assimilated at the permanent O-1 grade. In recommending the 2008 assimilation success rates, the Office of Commissioned Corps Force Management (OCCFM) analyzed the effect of these nominations on the authorized Regular Corps grade structure based on projected separations and retirements. OCCFM determined these nominations for assimilation could be made without exceeding the authorized Regular Corps limit.

Current Issue Front Page