Workforce Policy and Plans Division, Office of Commissioned Corps Force Management
Please note:Any uniform questions can be sent electronically to LCDR Lyons at
james.lyons@hhs.gov or 240-453-6098
June 1 was the start of Hurricane Season, are your uniforms and mobility/go-bag ready?
Uniform Advisory Committee - Call for Nominations Reopened Deadline - Date: 30 July 2010
The deadline for submitting nominations for the Uniform Advisory Committee has been extended. In accordance with Personnel Policy Memorandum (PPM) PPM 08-013, “Uniform Advisory Committee (UAC),” the 2010 UAC is poised to seat in the coming months. http://dcp.psc.gov/eccis/documents/ppm08_013.pdf Nominations are being accepted for an O-6 chairperson, and all ranks for voting members of the committee. Officers need not be in the National Capital Region or ‘inside the Beltway’ to apply. Nearly all UAC meetings will be via teleconference or managed electronically.
Nominations for the chairperson may be sent to the Director of the Office of Commissioned Corps Force Management (OCCFM) (denise.canton@hhs.gov) with a copy to me (james.lyons@hhs.gov). Nominations for voting membership will only be accepted from the category Chief Professional Officer or lead Operating Division (OPDIV)/Staff Division (STAFFDIV)/non-Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) organization Commissioned Corps Liaison at the above e-mail addresses. Both nominations for the chair and membership should in the Subject line “UAC Nomination”. Additionally, nominations for both chair and voting membership shall include a one page rationale sheet as to why the nominee believes he/she should be included on the UAC. Applications without the rational sheet will not be accepted. Please do not submit nominations to the Uniform Helpdesk, as they will be rejected. There shall be no more than 15 voting members, with voting members from the Junior Officer Advisory Group, the Bureau of Prisons, and the Surgeon General’s Policy Advisory Council being required. Not all categories or all OPDIVs/STAFFDIVs/non-HHS organizations will be represented, however their input will be sought through current formal, established policy review practices. The cut-off period for nominations will be the close of business on 30 July 2010. Previously nominated officers need not reapply, as those applications are still valid.
Additionally, suggestions as to items, such as adding/removing uniforms, items or accoutrements, grooming/appearance standards, or other uniform related concerns are welcomed and should be sent to the Director of the OCCFM with a copy to me no later than 30 July 2010. Please place “UAC Suggestion” in the Subject line. We are not soliciting pro/con comments of any items listed below. Items that require new military specifications, manufacture, or creation outside normal supply chains from the Navy Exchange or Army Air Force Exchange Service should supply cost estimates in the proposal. Officers shall not bind into any verbal or non-verbal agreement/contract with vendors when researching costs, as they may do so at his/her own risk. The current items up for discussion/consideration are as follows:
- Authorize Black Navy Garrison Cap with Modified Service Dress Blue Sweater/Jacket
- Authorize Black Watch Cap with Service Uniforms and/or Coveralls
- Authorize Black Scarf
- Authorize either Navy Working Uniform or Coast Guard Operational Dress Uniform
- Authorize Service Dress Khaki as optional uniform
- Reauthorize Battle Dress Uniform wear once per week
- Changes to T-shirt and Command Ball Cap
- Authorize N2B/N3B for wear with Service Uniforms in cold climates
- Subdued metal or cloth rank for BDU Cover
- Potential return of the Army Cardigan
- Potential return of the Service Blue (aka ‘Salt and Pepper’)
- Potential return of the Winter Blue (not Working Winter Blue)
- Wear of diamond or pearl earrings with Service Uniforms
- Complete conversion to all grooming and appearance standards of Navy
- Wear of the female beret clarification
| Q: | With promotion season about to kick-off again, what are the rules on frocking and wearing of new rank insignia? |
| A: | First, frocking 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, however the 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 the rank on their uniform must be the same rank on their Uniformed Services of the United States Geneva Conventions Identification Card (military ID card). Gate guards or sentries may deny access to military installations if the rank on the uniform and the ID card do not match and may also confiscate the ID card. Commissioned Corps Issuance CC26.3.1, “Uniforms and Appearance,” dated 1 March 2008, Section 6-2c http://dcp.psc.gov/eccis/documents/CCPM26_3_1.pdf 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 Official Personnel Folder (OPF).” This would include rank insignia. |
| Q: | Sometimes I see officers wearing three ribbons, others wearing all of them, and yet others, who I know to have awards, wearing nothing. What is the rule on ribbon wear? |
| A: | If an officer is authorized to wear a ribbon or award, when wearing a Service Uniform (Service Khaki or Summer Whites), the officer has the choice to wear either the Top 3 (three highest awards, not three random awards) or the full ribbon rack. An officer may not choose to wear no ribbons, if he/she is authorized ribbons to wear. If an officer is wearing the Service Dress uniforms (Service Dress Blues or Service Dress Whites), the full ribbon rack is required, not just the Top 3.
Officers are reminded that ribbons, medals, and attachments must be in a serviceable condition. Serviceable condition is defined as a uniform item that is free of tears, rips, stains, tarnish, frays, holes, or any other condition that detracts from the appearance or brings discredit to the wearer or the Service. Officers should always strive to have a pristinely clean and well maintained uniform at all times. If a ribbon becomes soiled, stained, or frayed, replace it. This may mean buying a whole new ribbon rack if you use a commercial service that mounts ribbons or simply buying a new ribbon if you use the traditional method. Attachments such as stars, oak leaves, Roman numerals, etc., are to be attached to the ribbon as indicated in CC26.3.3 and not just placed anywhere or anyway on the ribbon. There are specific ways the stars, leaves, and other attachments are supposed to be aligned and worn. If wearing multiple attachments, the attachments should form a straight line across the mid-line horizontal axis of the ribbon, and not stray up/down on the ribbon. Large globs of glue should not be visible if using this method to affix attachments. If an attachment falls off and the spot/holes where the attachment was is visible, the ribbon is unserviceable and must be replaced. If a ribbon’s appearance (e.g., wavy lines, bunched edges, or frayed material) is not as originally specified, the ribbon must be replaced. Some ribbons also have a specific orientation when worn (i.e., certain color is inboard/outboard, certain design on ribbon faces a specific way, etc.). Officers should know the proper orientation of the ribbon and not wear it upside down or wear the entire ribbon rack upside down. All current Corps awards can only be oriented in one way, however some sister service and other agency awards may have a specific orientation, such as the Navy Combat Action Ribbon, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and Navy Presidential Unit Citation, as shown below. 
Below is an example from a World War II veteran’s ribbon rack that shows staining, small rips in the material, misaligned attachments, and improper ribbon spacing. Granted, the soldier did not wear the ribbons in this manner while in the Army Air Corps, but time and improper handling/storage causes some of these blemishes. There are numerous Corps officers, who have ribbons far less than 50+ years old, but whose ribbons look far worse than these. 
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HHS, Office of Public Health and Science |