Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service Uniforms Q&A

Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service (Corps) Uniforms

Submitted by LT Kyle Lyons, Uniform Policy Coordinator,
Workforce Policy and Plans Division, Office of Commissioned Corps Force Management

Please note: Any and all uniform questions can be sent electronically to phsccuniform@hhs.gov

REMINDER: Required Daily Wear of the Uniform was effective 1 July 2008. http://dcp.psc.gov/eccis/documents/CCPM26_3_2.pdf

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q: What are the uniforms an officer is required to own?
A: For females: http://dcp.psc.gov/eccis/documents/CCPM26_3_5.pdf
For males: http://dcp.psc.gov/eccis/documents/CCPM26_3_4.pdf

Section C.1 states: All officers, except officers participating in the Junior Commissioned Officer Student Training and Extern Program (COSTEP) and in the Senior COSTEP, shall maintain all required components of the Service Dress Blue (SDB), Summer White (SW), and Working Khaki (WK) uniforms. In addition, officers are responsible for buying and maintaining other uniforms as required by their prescribing authority. There is no minimum number of uniforms required to be in an officer's possession. Sufficient quantities of uniform items shall be procured and maintained in order to assure the highest possible standard of personal hygiene and appearance.

Q: There are rumors floating around that the Certified Navy Twill (CNT) Khaki uniform is being phased out. Is this true?
A:There has been no indication from the Navy, Defense Supply, or Natick that the CNT Khaki uniform is being phased out. The Navy Exchange has indicated currently some sizes are low in stock, but this is a supply issue, and they will have the available sizes soon. The only khaki uniforms that are being phased out are the poly/cotton khakis (Working Khaki). This also includes the long sleeve poly/cotton khaki shirt. The Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service (Corps) does authorize the poly/wool khakis to be considered “working khaki”; however, these are not permitted shipboard, do not come in a long sleeve version, and do not meet the flammability and other protections as does the poly/cotton.

Q: How is the rank insignia supposed to be oriented on the Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) collar? Also, which color, blue or black, are we supposed to use?
A: According to the Special Uniform Situations policy, http://dcp.psc.gov/eccis/documents/CCPM26_3_7.pdf the collar rank insignia shall be the subdued cloth, sew-on type, embroidered on olive green background material. Collar rank insignia shall be worn on the right collar, centered on an imaginary line bisecting the angle of the collar point; the center of the device shall be 1½ inches perpendicularly from each collar edge.

Corps officers should not wear pin-out subdued metal rank insignia and should wear the Navy version of subdued cloth rank insignia. The Navy rank insignia for silver type ranks (LTJG, LT, CDR, CAPT and Admirals) is black embroidery, while gold ranks (ENS and LCDR) are cinnamon color embroidery. On the Command Ball Cap and 8-point BDU Cover, the full-size shiny metal rank insignia is used.

Air Force Captain/O-3

Air Force Colonel/O-6

Army Captain/O-3

Army Colonel/O-6

PHS/USN/USMC/O-3

PHS/USN/USMC/O-6

Q: With the phase out of the Army Cardigan sweater on 1 January 2009, is the maternity cardigan still going to be authorized for wear?
A: The maternity cardigan will still be authorized for wear after the Army Cardigan phases out. Unlike the current Army Cardigan, the maternity cardigan may be worn outdoors and away from the immediate office/duty area setting. Pregnant officers may choose several uniform options, at the discretion of the National/Local Uniform Authority while pregnant and during the post-delivery or convalescent period. The standard Service Dress Blue jacket may be exchanged for the maternity jacket/shirt with soft shoulder marks worn on the epaulettes, in lieu of metal collar insignia. All other ribbon, name tag and badge wear rules apply. The other uniforms, such as the Service Khaki, Summer White, and Service Blue (aka salt and pepper) may be worn in a similar fashion, just with a larger/maternity shirt. Please see Section D of CC26.3.7, Special Uniform Situations for further details http://dcp.psc.gov/eccis/documents/CCPM26_3_7.pdf .

Q: Can I wear black shoes with the white uniform? I see Navy folks doing it, so I wondered if we could.
A: No, Corps and Naval officers are required to wear white shoes with the Summer White (SW) uniform. Navy junior enlisted personnel and petty officers (below E-8) wear black shoes with their version of the SW uniform.

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