The USPHS Commissioned Corps is committed to our mission to protect, promote, and advance the health and safety of the nation. Public Health Service officers are trained and equipped to provide crucial public health leadership, assist with policy development, advance innovation and science, provide essential care services and respond to national and global public health emergencies. Through our Active Duty Regular Corps, our Public Health Response Strike Team (PHERST) and our Ready Reserve Corps, we remain responsive and available to rapidly deploy in the service of health.

Career Progression Guidance

The Career Progression Guidance has been developed by Chief Professional Officers (CPOs), in collaboration with the Assistant Surgeon Generals (ASGs) and the PACs to assist officers with career guidance and planning. The Career Progression Guidance document will replace the promotion benchmarks. This shift will move away from the checklist mentality and focus more on developing the officer wholistically.


Precepts and their associated weights for each grade:

Promotion Year (PY) 2027 and Subsequent Years

PreceptO-2/O-3O-4O-5O-6
Performance and mission contribution35%35%30%30%
Clinical and/or Professional Skills30%30%20%20%
Scope and Breadth of Departmental Professional and Leadership Experience20%20%30%30%
Scope and Breadth of USPHS Commissioned Corps Professional and Leadership Experience15%15%20%20%

The precepts and their associated weights are outlined in POM 821.87, "Promotion Precepts and Criteria"

Link to 2027 Career Progression Guidance

To assist officers in better understanding the promotion precepts, the precepts are described in terms of factors. Each factor has examples to highlight the highest level of expected achievement for the officer in a particular grade. The Career Guidance Document are guidelines to assist promotion boards in determining the qualifications and achievements of a theoretical "best qualified officer" in a specific grade. It is acceptable for an officer to be strong in one aspect but weaker in another as board members review the totality of the officer's record.

Each officer's Officer Promotion Packet Verification System (OPPVS) is reviewed and scored using the factors within each precept. Additionally, the career guidance can benefit officers in setting personal long-term goals for career advancement. To reiterate, the examples in the guidance document are recommendations, not requirements. Officers should strive to highlight those factors that are critical to their career pathway and goals in their promotion documents as it relates to each precept.

 

CCHQ Connect Session

A CCHQ Connect Session was held on January 7th, 2026 to introduce the finalized Career Guidance Document that will be utilized beginning in Promotion Year (PY) 2027.

To access previous recordings of CCHQ Connect sessions, please log in to the Officer Secure Area on Commissioned Corps Management Information System (CCMIS), select "Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) Leadership Presentations" from the column on the left, and select from a list of previously held events.

Last Updated: 01/07/2026