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   QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS   During the most recent hurricane deployments, a wide array of questions came in about the proper wear of the Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) by officers of the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service (Corps). This Question and Answer (Q&A) section will primarily deal with BDU issues and observed uniform ‘mistakes’ of officers who were deployed. The electronic Commissioned Corps Issuance System (eCCIS) http://dcp.psc.gov/eccis shows the most recent update to Commissioned Corps Instruction CC26.3.7, “Special Uniform Situations,” which covers the correct wear of the BDUs. Also in the eCCIS, the previous issued policies which address the wear of the U.S. Flag patch and rolling of sleeves are posted. The links are not posted here, as this can serve as an opportunity for officers to navigate the eCCIS and learn how to find the answers to most of their uniform questions by using this system. Q:  How are the sleeves of the BDUs supposed to be rolled, Air Force style with the outside material showing or the Navy/Marine Corps style with the inside material showing? A:  The Corps currently rolls the BDU sleeves like the Navy and the Marine Corps with the inside material showing outward. The sleeves are to be rolled no more than 3 inches above the elbow; not somewhere between the wrist and elbow. The rolled material should be smooth in appearance and not just shoved or scrunched up above the elbow. Q: I am still seeing officers deploying with the U.S. Flag patch on their BDUs. Is this authorized?  A:  Unless a Corps officer is actively detailed to the Department of Defense or one of its uniformed services, officers are not authorized to wear the U.S. Flag patch. This includes both the full color version (which is the only one authorized for the Corps) or the subdued version of the U.S. Flag. Q:  I saw an officer wearing rank insignia on both collars of the BDU. Is this authorized?  A:  No, officers shall wear the subdued sewn-on grade insignia on the right collar and the subdued sewn-on PHS Corps device on the left collar. Also, metal pin-on rank insignia or Corps device is not authorized. Subdued metal rank insignia is not authorized. Q:  When wearing the Command Ball Cap, is the rank insignia required? What about ‘scrambled eggs’ or visor ornamentation? Which direction does the O-6 rank insignia face? A:  When wearing the Command Ball Cap, the full-sized shiny metal rank insignia is required. It is centered on the mid-line of the front of the cap, also centered midway between the bill and bottom of the arch of the words. Visor ornamentation is required for all officers O-5 and above. For O-5 and O-6 officers, a single row of scrambled eggs is required, while all flag grade officers have two rows of scrambled eggs. When wearing the Command Ball Cap or the Woodland BDU Cover, the O-6 eagle beak faces to the wearer’s right. The wear of the Command Ball Cap without rank or visor ornamentation is authorized for off-duty wear. Q: On the USPHS name tape, which is correct: “USPHS” or “U.S.P.H.S.”? A:  The correct name tape is “USPHS” without the periods. Both the last name tape and the USPHS tape must be in black thread for Woodland BDUs. Air Force blue nametapes are not authorized. Q: When I was in the Air Force, we worn a blue belt with the BDUs. Is this authorized with the PHS uniform? A:  No, the officer may wear a 1¼ inch wide web or woven elastic web belt of black color with a black tip. The buckle is a black, open-face type, 1-11/16 inch by 1-11/16 inch. A 1¾ inch wide black belt (Rigger’s belt) of the same description (other than the width), with an attached flat black buckle, V-ring or a 1¼ inch wide black web belt with a strong hook-and-loop closure (in lieu of a buckle) are additional options. Q:  I have seen several officers wearing BDU blouses with old patch marks on the front pockets, on the sleeves and elsewhere. Is this right? A:  No, uniforms are considered in a ‘serviceable condition’ if there are no holes, tears, rips, pilling, stains, missing buttons, and/or broken zippers. Unserviceable uniforms should have buttons or zippers replaced and rips, tears, holes and stains require a new uniform item. Areas from where previous patches were affixed contain small holes and the color of the underlying fabric is usually different than the surrounding material. Also, the patch dye may have bled onto the BDU material. Therefore, unless an area where a previous patch is unnoticeable, the blouse is considered unserviceable. Q: Are jungle boots authorized? Are boots that contain zippers authorized? A:  The answer to both questions is yes. Jungle boots have a woven fabric side panel material that may be black or olive drab green. Combat boots with either front lace-in zippers or side built-in zippers are authorized. Q: Are BDU trousers supposed to be bloused? A:  Yes, BDU trousers are to be bloused over the top portion of the boot. Loose boot laces and the green tie strings on the bottom of the trousers shall not be visible. Q: Are patent leather combat boots authorized? A:  No, combat boots must be of a natural black leather color. Jungle boots that are black or green are authorized, but the remainder of the boot must be plain leather. Q: Are pin-on small metal rank insignia and Corps insignia authorized for wear on the BDUs? A:  No, the appropriate sewn-on olive drab rank insignia shall be sewn on the right collar and the olive drab Corps device shall be sewn on the left collar.

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