• Direct Access Resources

  Frequently Asked Questions

  Overview of Self Service in Direct Access

  Direct Access (DA) gives Corps officers the ability to manage their contact information by self-maintaining home and mailing addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses. DA is one central location that allows every active duty officer to update or review:

  • Multiple emergency contacts
  • Race and ethnicity
  • Personal awards
  • Education
  • Licenses and certifications
  • Security clearance
  • Positions held
  • Readiness training

  Officers can also search through multiple job postings in Direct Access. Agencies can search for officers with specific skills.

  DA allows the Corps to assess its composition to meet the demands of public health needs.

  Officers are able to view their present and projected readiness status and enter BLS, APFT, primary and secondary deployment roles, and supervisor information in Direct Access. If current or projected readiness status is not compliant, Direct Access shows the officer the specific reason for non-compliance to facilitate correction. Additionally, Direct Access shows readiness team membership, roster information and immunization status information.

  Self-Service in Direct Access makes the officer an active participant in helping meet public health needs and keeping his or her information current. Please take the time to read through the following Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to learn more about Self-Service.

  If your question is not answered in the FAQs, please email us at: DAMigration@HHS.gov.

  General Direct Access FAQs

  1. How do I access Self-Service in Direct Access for the first time?
  2. What happens if I cannot login or I forgot my password?
  3. I don't know how to use Direct Access. Is there a user guide for Self-Service?
  4. What do I do if my information in Direct Access appears incorrect? How does this impact promotion?
  5. I've logged into Direct Access and I updated my information. How will I use Self- Service to manage my career in the future?
  6. Why is my job history incomplete in Direct Access?
  7. I have other licenses and certificates that do not appear in Direct Access. What do I do to get this information into Direct Access?
  8. Why is my license issue date incorrect?
  9. Why do my awards appear incomplete in Direct Access?
  10. Why is my marital status listed as unknown in Direct Access?
  11. How do I view job postings for Corps officers?
  12. Does Direct Access run promotions?

  
  

  Readiness Direct Access FAQs

  Here is a link to an online guide for Self-Service in Direct Access that provides instruction on Readiness and other Self-Service questions:
  http://www.uscg.mil/ppc/phs/PHSSelfServiceProcedureGuide.pdf (PDF, 1.7mb)

  13. Where do I enter my BLS information?
  14. I completed a President’s Challenge award rather than the APFT to satisfy annual physical fitness requirement. Where is this reflected in Direct Access?
  15. Under Medical Exam, the Medical Readiness screen displays my physical exam date, next physical date, and leaves blank the box next to qualified. Should this box be checked?
  16. I updated my Readiness information in Direct Access, but my Projected Status indicates that I am not qualified. Why?
  17. I completed Readiness courses on the Responder e-Learn website but the completed courses do not appear in my “Training Summary” under Self-Service in Direct Access. Why?
  18. What if I have a question about readiness?

  
  

  1. How do I access Self-Service in Direct Access for the first time?

  A. Get your login information:

  • Username = PHS Number (aka Serno)
  • Default Password =PHS + last 4 of Social Security Number + @ + Birth year

  B. Log in to Direct Access at https://portal.direct-access.us/
  You will see the logo "ORACLE Peoplesoft Enterprise" when you first arrive at the site.

  C. Please change your Direct Access password once you successfully enter Direct Access. You will be prompted to specify a password reminder question in case you forget your password.

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  2. What happens if I cannot login or I forgot my password?

  Please click on the Forgot My Password link in the Direct Access login page.

  Once you have answered the prompts that appear, you will receive an email entitled "My Portal Direct Forgot Password.” Click on the link provided in that email to set your new password, following the prompts on the screen.

  Passwords must be at least nine (9) characters long and must contain at least one number and one special character (such as: !, @, &, etc.).

  If you do not receive an email within 20 minutes, please e-mail PPC Customer Care using the links provided at http://www.uscg.mil/ppc/phs. Identify yourself as a PHS Commissioned Corps officer and provide your SERNO in the email. PPC Customer Care will reply to your email within 3 business days, often much sooner.

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  3. I don't know how to use Direct Access. Is there a user guide for Self- Service?

  Direct Access training for officers new to the Corps is provided through online documentation provided by Coast Guard at: http://www.uscg.mil/ppc/phs/

  Please download the document entitled "PHS Self-Service Procedure Guide.” The guide offers screen shots and step-by-step guidance. As new features are added to Self-Service, they will be documented in the updated Self-Service Procedure Guide.

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  4. What do I do if my information in Direct Access appears incorrect? How does this impact promotion?

  Direct Access receives its information from other Corps systems on a daily basis. Any errors or omissions of substance that an officer notes and cannot correct through Direct Access self-service should be addressed by contacting the Commissioned Corps Help Desk at CCHelpDesk@hhs.gov. Please note that an error in license/certification issuance date will have no effect on your promotion - no further action is required on your part.

  Incorrect information that affects promotion and that appears in Direct Access should be investigated to assure correct information in the promotions system. Information Direct Access collects that affects your promotion includes readiness information entered through Self-Service and license expiration dates entered by Commissioned Corps Headquarters (CCHQ).

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  5. I’ve logged into Direct Access and I updated my information. How will I use Self-Service to manage my career in the future?

  The Corps will transition its current human resource systems to Direct Access by 2016. Direct Access will contain a comprehensive list of positions held by Corps officers, as well as job announcements posted by hiring officials. Corps officers will be able to survey these positions and job announcements, assess the skill sets and experience needed for various positions of interest, and plan accordingly.

  This will allow all Corps officers to actively engage in their career. In addition to this resource, officers can continue to review announcements sent via the CCHQ listserv and USAJobs postings for vacancies.

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  6. Why is my job history incomplete in Direct Access?

  Assignments captured in Direct Access only reflect an officer’s positions since implementation of the new position system in February 2012. Each officer’s complete assignment record is currently captured in their Promotion Information Report (PIR) which can be found in the secure area of the CCMIS website. The PIR will continue to serve as the officer’s assignment record until full migration into Direct Access is completed on January 1, 2016.

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  7. I have other licenses and certificates that do not appear in Direct Access. What do I do to get this information into Direct Access?

  An officer can enter degrees, licenses, and certifications (beyond your qualifying degree and not required for active duty status) by having the awarding organization send official documents to the Officer Profiles Coordinator at OPS@HHS.Gov. Once the documents have been validated, the information provided will be entered into Direct Access at regular intervals and can then be seen in Direct Access.

  http://dcp.psc.gov/ccmis/DA_officer_profile_update_m.aspx

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  8. Why is my license issue date incorrect?

  License issue dates were never captured in our legacy information systems.

  As a result, Direct Access created a default date. The default date is 50 years before the expiration date of your current license to clearly signal this is not a real license issue date.

  The license issue date has no bearing on promotions, and no action is necessary at this time.

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  9. Why do my awards appear incomplete in Direct Access?

  There should be no discrepancy between awards validated by the Corps and those listed in Direct Access. Please click on the “View All” button to ensure all your awards are displayed.

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  10. Why is my marital status listed as unknown in Direct Access?

  All Corps officers have a default value of unknown for their marital status in Direct Access.

  Please note that DEERS and other compensation-related benefits continue to be handled as before. Marital status as depicted in Direct Access will not affect your benefits in any way.

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  11. How do I view job postings for Corps officers?

  You can view job postings in Direct Access through Self-Service by following the directions in the PHS Self-Service Procedure Guide at http://www.uscg.mil/ppc/phs/

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  12. Does Direct Access run promotions?

  No, but some of the information DA captures (readiness and licensure expiration date) is used by the promotion system. This information must be correct in Direct Access because it serves as part of your promotion documentation.

  Your Promotion Information Report (PIR) remains the official source for job history information for this promotion cycle. Note that the Direct Access system currently only captures your first and last assignments. This will change in the future as we build a full billets system in DA.

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  13. Where do I enter my BLS information?

  BLS, ACLS, ATLS and EMR certifications are entered using the “My Profile” link located in the Self-Service menu option in Direct Access. Please follow the Basic Life Support data entry instructions in the Readiness Checklist at:
  http://dcp.psc.gov/CCMIS/RedDOG/Forms/Basic_Readiness_Checklist.pdf

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  14. I completed a President’s Challenge award rather than the APFT to satisfy annual physical fitness requirement. Where is this reflected in Direct Access?

  NOTE: Beginning July 1, 2015, APFT will be the ONLY acceptable method to satisfy annual physical fitness requirement. President’s Challenge award certificates earned on or before June 30, 2015 will be accepted towards satisfaction of the annual physical fitness requirement.

  President's Challenge participation data for Commissioned Corps officers in USPHS Group No. 13537 is downloaded and synchronized with Direct Access regularly. President's Challenge award credit is recorded in “waivers” section of Self-Service menu in Direct Access. If your President's Challenge award is not reflected in “waivers” section of “Self-Service” menu in Direct Access, send your President's Challenge award certificate by e-mail as a PDF attachment-to RedDOG@hhs.gov. In the subject field of the email, write “Current PC award for DA update”. Your name, date of award and your PHS number must be displayed on the Certificate. DO NOT send PC award certificates to Medical Affairs. Keep them for your own records. For additional information about participation in the President's Challenge program, see the Readiness Checklist at:
  http://dcp.psc.gov/CCMIS/RedDOG/Forms/Basic_Readiness_Checklist.pdf

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  15. Under Medical Exam, the Medical Readiness screen displays my physical exam date, next physical date, and leaves blank the box next to qualified. Should this box be checked?

  No, this box does not need to be checked. The exam date is all that is needed. If the physical exam date displayed is within 5 years of the readiness calculation date (performed quarterly) then this criteria is met for basic qualified status.

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  16. I updated my Readiness information in Direct Access, but my Projected Status indicates that I am not qualified. Why?

  Your projected Readiness Status is calculated periodically by RedDOG. It is not calculated whenever you enter new data.

  If the Last Update Date occurred before your updates to your Readiness information, the calculation has not yet taken your updates into account. Once RedDOG calculates Readiness Status your information will be corrected.

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  17. I completed Readiness courses on the Responder e-Learn website but the completed courses do not appear in my “Training Summary” under Self-Service in Direct Access. Why?

  Readiness course completion records are regularly uploaded into Direct Access by RedDOG. This requires execution of technical procedures by RedDOG which synchronize course completion data in NDMS Responder e-Learn and Direct Access. If completed courses are not reflected in your “Training Summary” under Self-Service menu in Direct Access after 4-weeks of course completion, send an e-mail to RedDOG@hhs.gov. In the subject field of the email, write “Courses completed, not listed in DA”. For additional information on completing the courses, see the Readiness Checklist at:
  http://dcp.psc.gov/CCMIS/RedDOG/Forms/Basic_Readiness_Checklist.pdf

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  18. What if I have a question about readiness?

  Please go to the RedDOG website for specific guidance:
  http://ccmis.usphs.gov/ccmis/ReDDOG/REDDOG_index_m.aspx

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• USER ASSISTANCE

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  Having Access Issues or Need IT Help? Please contact the Commissioned Corps Helpdesk at: CCHelpDesk@hhs.gov

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