The transition to the spring and summer uniforms was effective 7 April 2014; please see Personnel Operations Memorandum (POM) POM14-001 for specific guidance. http://dcp.psc.gov/eccis/documents/POM14_001.pdf

June 1 is the start of Hurricane Season, is your mobility/go-bag ready? http://ccrf.hhs.gov/ccrf/faq_gobag.htm

In the next few days, several new changes to the uniform policies will be posted to the electronic Commissioned Corps Issuance System (eCCIS). Stay tuned for the official notifications.

• Q.
• I received a Field Medical Readiness Badge from the USCG Uniform Distribution Center, is this the correct one?
  
  
  
• A.
• No, the correct version for the ODUs and the Coveralls is with the white cross and gold anchor and caduceus. A mistake at the primary vendor to the UDC has been detected and all sales of the FMRB at the UDC has been suspended. If you ordered your FMRB from the UDC, the UDC will be accepting returns for replacement as soon as the new batch is run. Per the UDC manager, do not return the erroneous FMRB to the UDC at this time. Once the correct patch is received, notification will be sent to the Corps as to when to send the FMRB back for replacement.
  
• Q.
• I see a few Commanders wearing the leather nametag for the sweater with the “L” in LCDR blacked out with marker or scratched off in an attempt to not buy a new name plate, is this authorized?
  
• A.
• No, Lieutenant Commanders who are promoted to Commander (as well as any officer who is promoted) are required to buy a new leather nametag for their sweater with the proper rank abbreviation and spacing of letters. Scratching or blacking out the “L” makes the nametag unserviceable and unauthorized for wear.
• Q.
• Other than the leather nametag and shoulder marks, are any badges or other items allowed on the Navy Pull-over sweater?
  
• A.
• The only other item authorized for wear on the Navy Pull-over sweater is an aiguillette, and only for those personnel who are authorized to wear them. Neither identification badges (e.g., HHS ID, SG, DSG, OIC or CPO) nor skill badges (e.g., FMRB, Jump Wings or Flight Wings) are authorized to be pinned directly to the sweater. A single skill badge may be embossed on the leather nametag above the officer’s name. Identification badges, other logos or insignias are not authorized on the leather nametag.
• Q.
• With promotion season about to kick-off again, what are the rules on frocking and wearing of new rank insignia?
  
• A.
• First, for those that don’t know what frocking is, it is a custom in which a person (originally monks) wore a vestment or clothing article indicating their change in status. At one time midshipmen (Naval Academy students) wore a short coat, once they were promoted to commissioned officer status or promoted in an acting capacity; they wore the long frocked coat of an officer, hence being “frocked”.
  
  In some uniformed services, it is customary for members who are selected for promotion to a higher rank to wear that rank on their uniform, even though their current actual pay grade/rank is lower, upon being notified of being selected for promotion. This is not universal across the uniformed services nor is it automatically done.
  
  The Corps does not have an official policy on frocking of officers, but the overall official stance on the matter is that the Corps does not frock, either by wearing the next rank or using the words “Select”, “Rank (Sel)” or any derivation of selected for promotion in the signature block. Officers are reminded that their rank on their uniform must be the same rank on their Uniformed Services of the United States Geneva Conventions Identification Card (military ID). Gate guards or sentries may deny access to military installations if rank on the uniform and identification card does not match and may also confiscate the identification card. Commissioned Corps Instruction CC412.01, “Uniforms and Appearance” http://dcp.psc.gov/eccis/documents/CC412.01.pdf dated 21 June 2013, Section 6-2c, states that officers shall not wear “badges, ribbons, medals or other accoutrements not specifically authorized in accordance with Corps policies, or that have not been annotated in an officer’s electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF)” this would include rank insignia.