Commissioned Corps BulletinJanuary 29, 2015

Providing Your Legal Name for U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) Personnel Systems

Submitted by: Mary Boone DEERS and GI Bill Project Officer

What’s in a Name? Everything…

Especially now, when we are often required to prove that we are who we say we are. It is important for you, as a Commissioned Corps officer, to immediately update any legal name changes throughout your PHS career. Your legal name must be current in the Division of Commissioned Corps Personnel and Readiness (DCCPR) systems. This includes your eOPF, Direct Access and DEERS.

In general, a US-born person’s legal name is the name shown on his or her U.S. birth certificate, unless the person’s name has changed based on certain events, such as a marriage or a valid court order for a name change. A foreign-born person’s legal name is the name shown on his or her immigration document.

Your established identity must be the same in your civilian life as it is in the Corps. If you have legal documentation to change your name, you will need to register your name change with your State’s Motor Vehicle Administration, the Social Security Administration, and you must also update your name with DCCPR.

Please follow these steps to notify DCCPR of a legal name change:

• Request a name change by contacting the Assignments Section via email at PHSCCAssignments@hhs.gov.
  • A member of the Assignments Team will provide you with instructions on how to request a name change.
  • After the Assignments Section receives your documentation, they will prepare personnel orders to change your name.
  • This action will change your name throughout our personnel system and update your new name in DEERS.
• Once you receive the name change Personnel Order, you may proceed to your local DEERS/ID Card office to replace your military ID (Common Access Card or CAC).
  • Check the RAPIDS Site Locator to locate the ID card office in your area and schedule an appointment.
  • Be sure to bring all required documents as specified on the RAPIDS Site Locator with you to your appointment.

So what’s in a name? Your rank, your pay, your health care, your time… Maintaining your legal name is critical to your career while on active duty and as you move into retirement.

For additional information regarding a legal name change please email: PHSCCAssignments@hhs.gov. For DEERS and ID card questions please email: phsdeersgibill@hhs.gov.