• Training

  Military Facility Annual Training (MFAT)

  BACKGROUND

  Through the USPHS National Guard Bureau Liaison (LNO), CCHQ has created a partnership with the Regional Health Command - Pacific regarding the USPHS Commissioned Corps participating in the MFAT program. The MFAT program currently provides service members (National Guard and Reserves) the opportunity to work alongside active-duty members for 2 weeks in Medical Treatment Facilities during personnel shortages and gain valuable readiness training. The MFAT has the capability to support clinical specialties including family medicine, pediatrics, aerospace medicine, laboratory services, dental hygiene, emergency medicine, critical care, hospital medical surgical inpatient care, optometry care, inpatient mental health, pain management, flight medicine, sports medicine, and post anesthesia care. Health Services includes nurses, pharmacists, respiratory therapists, public health specialists, bio-environmental engineers, and administrative personnel. This training mechanism would not only support our sister services in their time of need, but integrate PHS into DoD training, build a partnership, and serve as a mechanism to assist in maintaining clinical competency of our officers. 

  In June of 2020, the Regional Health Command – Pacific contacted our USPHS LNO requesting support at Madigan Army Medical Center (MAMC). MAMC’s Med/Surg unit is located on Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) in Tacoma, WA. The Medical/Surgical/Cardiac Step-Down Unit is a twenty-bed adult medical/surgical/cardiac unit which provides an intermediate level of monitoring and nursing for uniformed service members, their beneficiaries, and retirees. In response to MAMC’s request, five PHS nurses traveled to Tacoma, WA in support of MAMC’s med/surg nurse shortage to provide nursing care for the period of 50 days beginning 11 August 2021 and ending 29 September 2021. Our nurses provided 12-hour shifts of clinical nursing care. MAMC provided funding for this manpower support. This mission provided support to our DoD sister uniformed services, socialized USPHS Commissioned Corps capabilities, and initiated a new partnership, while concurrently offering deployment readiness training and clinical practice hours for our officers. Completion of this mission provided the opportunity to participate in the MFAT program held in June 2022. 

  Per Commissioned Corps Directive (CCD) 121.02, “Deployment and Readiness,” Section 6-1. “The Assistant Secretary for Health (ASH) shall establish requirements, including training and medical requirements, that an officer must meet to ensure the officer’s readiness for deployment to respond to urgent or emergency public health care needs (basic readiness).” Per Section 6- 3(c), “The Surgeon General shall ensure that officers are trained, equipped, and otherwise prepared to fulfill their public health and emergency response roles in accordance with policy established by the ASH.” Lastly, per Section 7-1, “the ASH may promulgate additional policies and make delegations as necessary to implement this Directive, and may exercise any authority delegated to the SG, or his/her subordinate, at the discretion of the ASH.” 

  It has been determined that the MFAT program supports deployment readiness training with the ability for the officers to obtain clinical practice hours. Per Personnel Operation Manual (POM) 821.77, “Certification Practice Hours,” Section 5(b), “Whenever officers’ complete clinical hours, they must obtain an authorizing signature on Form PHS-7047 from the on-site supervisor(s) through an email link. They must complete and sign Form PHS-7047 in the FORMS section of the USPHS Commissioned Corps Management Information System (CCMIS).” The assigned USPHS Liaison for the MFAT mission will serve as the verifying on-site supervisor.

  PURPOSE

  The MFAT program provides service members the opportunity to work alongside active-duty members for two weeks in a Military Treatment Facility (MTF) during personnel shortages and gain valuable readiness training. 

  OBJECTIVES

  • To become a force multiplier by bridging the gap between PHS officers and Defense Health Agency (DHA) Military Treatment Facilities to be able to support deployment to DHA MTFs in time of personnel shortfalls as determined by CCHQ readiness and deployment. 
  • To enhance clinical skills that are required to maintain clinical competency.
  • Upon completion of their assignment with MFAT, officers will log 80 hours of annual clinical practice hours.

  Schedule:	27 July – 10 August 2024
  Course Length:	15 days
  Location:	Madigan Army Medical Center, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA
  Ranks Eligible:	All Ranks
  Regions Eligible:	All Regions
  Registration Opens:	November 1, 2023
  Registration Deadline:	January 14, 2024
  Officers per Date:	15
  Selecting Official:	CCHQ Training Branch Chief

  APPLICATION FOR TRAINING

  Participation in the MFAT is dependent on supervisor approval and nomination by the CCHQ Training Branch Chief. There is no tuition associated with these preparedness and career development trainings.  However, due to budget cuts, CCHQ will not fund officer’s travels.  The selected Public Health Service officer’s agency is responsible for continuing to pay their salary/benefits, per diem, lodging, and travel expenses. If you are a Reserve Commissioned Corps officer, please consult your Regional Commander before applying.

  For MFAT FY24 Madigan Army Medical Center (MAMC), 15 participants from all HHS Regions will be selected largely be based on the needs of MAMC and may include the following:

  • Behavioral Health Clinicians
  • Laboratory Technicians
  • Microbiologists
  • Nurses
  • Nurse Practitioners
  • Optometrists
  • Pharmacists
  • Physicians
  • Physician Assistants
  • Physical Therapists
  • Radiologists
  • Registered Dietitian
  • Respiratory Therapists

  Officers must submit their application by 11:59pm EST on Sunday, 14 January 2024 for this TDY field training via attached link: MFAT FY24, Madigan Army Medical Center, August 2024, (office.com). Additionally, all supporting documents and questions for this opportunity must be submitted via the PHSCOTA@hhs.gov resource mailbox using the subject line: MFAT FY24 MAMC Mission Application.

  Minimum Qualifications Needed to Apply:

  • Active-Duty PHS Officer all ranks - (Reserve Commissioned Corps selections are based on recommendation of the Regional Commanders.)
  • Licensed Behavioral Health Clinician/Provider, Laboratory Technician, Microbiologist, Nurse, Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nurse, Optometrist, Pharmacist, Physician, Physician Assistants, Physical Therapist, Radiologist, Registered Dietitian, or Respiratory Therapist.
  • Meet Basic Readiness
  • No active Adverse Actions
  • Supervisory approval
  • Agency funding approval
  • Have satisfactory COER scores for previous 3 years
  • Unrestricted state license and/or board certification
  • Current BLS Card: AHA-Provider or American Red Cross CPR/AED-Provider (NO OTHERS ACCEPTED)
  • Active/Current security clearance
  • Complete COVID and Influenza vaccination status
  • Active IBA/Government Travel Card before application deadline
  • Active Concur profile before application deadline
  • Active DoD CAC

  Application materials: 

  • Current curriculum vitae
  • Supervisory approval (e-mail or letter)
  • Agency funding approval (e-mail or letter)
  • COER scores for previous 3 years, via screenshot of your PIR
  • Copy of unrestricted state license and/or board certification (Or other documents IAW DHA 6025.12, Volume 4, Appendix)
  • Copy of current BLS Card: AHA-Provider or American Red Cross CPR/AED-Provider (NO OTHERS EXCEPTED)
  • Copy of active/current security clearance (COI)
  • Proof of COVID and Influenza vaccinations
  • Full length photo in ODUs
  • DoD ID Number

  CCHQ may reach out to you for additional information, as needed. As members of a uniformed service, Corps officers have a duty and responsibility to maintain deployment readiness and to deploy as requested by the Secretary and per the Corps Directive “Deployment and Readiness,” (CCD 121.02).

  For questions related to deployment readiness, please contact the Readiness and Deployment Branch at PHSPreparedness@hhs.gov.

  For additional questions, please contact the Commissioned Officer Training Academy at PHSCOTA@hhs.gov.

  Last Updated: 12/22/23
• USER ASSISTANCE

  Please check our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) . FAQs are located at the top of the page next to the search function.

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

  COMMISSIONED CORPS NEWS

  Officer Spotlight November 2024

  Officer Spotlight

  Practice Hours Opportunities

  Practice Hours Opportunities

  2023 Temporary Grade Promotions

  CC News Announcement 2023 Temporary Grade Promotions

  Changes in Tattoo Policy in CCI 412.01, Uniforms and Appearance

  Changes in Tattoo Policy in CCI 412.01, Uniforms and Appearance

  Surgeon General Priorities

  Surgeon General Priorities

  January 2021: United States Public Health Commissioned Corps Doctrine

  The link above will take you to the Noncompetitive Promotion Roster for Promotion Year 2020.

  FAQs Practice Hours and Special Pay Changes

  This is first in a series of FAQs, more FAQs will be forthcoming on Practice Hours and Special Pays.

  Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Mission - Deployments Readiness Updates

  As we position ourselves to assist with controlling the spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), please note that we’re in an “all-hands on deck” status. Messaging has gone out from the Assistant Secretary for Health reminding Commissioned Corps officers of their deployment responsibilities...

Protecting, Promoting and Advancing the Health and Safety of Our Nation. Commissioned Corps Headquarters
1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 300
Rockville, MD. 20852
240-453-6000

• 1. 
     COMMISSIONED CORPS

  2. Home
  3. Contact Us
  4. About Us
  5. Site Map

• 1. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
     HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

  2. HHS Home
  3. Office of Assistant Secretary for Health
  4. Office of the Surgeon General
  5. USPHS.gov

• 1. 
     U.S. GOVERNMENT

  2. The White House
  3. USA.gov
  4. USAJOBS.gov
  5. DATA.gov

• 1. 
     ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

  2. Plain Writing Act
  3. Accessibility
  4. Privacy Notice
  5. Freedom of Information Act
  6. Disclaimers
  7. Vulnerability Disclosure Policy