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SCIENTIST PROFESSIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE Office of the Surgeon General United States Public Health Service Minutes of 24 February 2000 Meeting Number 76
SCIENTIST PROFESSIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE Office of the Surgeon General United States Public Health Service Minutes of 24 February 2000 Meeting Number 76
Parklawn Building, Surgeon General’s Conference Room 18-57 1300-1600
The meeting was called to order at 1300 hours by CDR Sheets.
LCDR Timmons reported that DCP is undergoing reorganization. There will be a dissolution of ODB including the staffing officer and personnel services branches. The Officer Assignment Branch (OAB) and Officer Support Branch (OSB) will be the new branches. OAB will be filled by former staffing officers with an emphasis on recruitment and placement. These officers will also be involved with identifying jobs and establishing relationships with other agencies to create jobs (e.g., interagency agreements). OSB will provide some support to officers for resolve of career problems. The goal for reorganization including hiring of new branch chiefs is June 1, 2000. OSB plans to develop a training academy for commissioned officers. This effort is intended to expand the current officer orientation program from 2 days to 1-2 weeks. CAPT Bartko recommended that retired officers be invited to participate. LCDR Timmons also highlighted plans for a home correspondence course which would include booklets and test sheets to be submitted and scored. Upon officer completion of all modules of the home study course and 2 day training academy course, a ribbon (basic training ribbon) would be awarded. CAPT Dunn reported on the following items from today’s CPO meeting: 1. ADM Moritsugu’s strategic visioning report is in final stages of revision and will be given to ADM Satcher for consideration. Certain legislative changes will not occur because of timing.
CDR Ali discussed ideas for use of money in the treasury. A picnic could be used as a fundraiser to include PHS personnel and not just COs. Monies could also be used toward Scientists awards. CAPT Dunn suggested that a leadership conference could be used as fundraiser since the first one was financially successful. Dr. Goldman suggested the idea of investing money. CDR Ali will check with Mike Lord on whether the money can be invested (e.g. 501C status like DC COA) and agreed to chair a working group to put together a proposal for the use of these monies. CDRs Ali and Sheets will contact the Jackson Foundation to account for the monies available in the treasury which currently totals $3000. It was also discussed to include the SciPAC plan for the use of these monies in the SciPAC Charter for the future.
CDR Troiano reported that an e-mail was recently sent providing an update for the Scientist of the Year Award. The deadline for applications is March 3, 2000. CDR Sheets included this information for the upcoming PAC letter report. The review body for the awards will be a select group of senior officers who are not directly involved with the awards nomination process to avoid conflicts of interest. This group has not been selected yet, but CAPT Dunn will be doing this soon. The chair of awards committee will be included in the review board as a non-voting member for continuity. Exact dates for the review process will be discussed in the near future. 2. CHARTER/HANDBOOK COMMITTEES: (LCDR Weber) top LCDR Weber reported that Charter review remains ongoing. With regard to the Handbook, he mentioned that he is preparing an on-line version but still needs to work on updating certain sections (e.g., OSG section, Officer roster).
CDR Sheets reported that a call may go out for new mentors and protegees. Mentor training may need to be offered. Efforts are being made to hold a working group meeting to revitalize the mentoring program. CV Review: CDR Troiano reported that an e-mail was drafted to send to the 22 officers who had CV reviews done toward reviewing the efficiency of the review process. LT Adekoya reported that he is working with LCDR Weber to reproduce the Scientist category CD-ROM similar to the Environmental Health Officers in Action CD-ROM. With regard to the schools of public health initiative, CAPT Dunn indicated that he has received positive results on the letters to the Schools of Public Health . Officers should let CAPT Dunn know if they would like him to send a copy of the letter to their universities. CDR Sheets is planning to mention this effort in the SciPAC Category letter. It was noted that CAPT Hayes and LCDR McDuffy went to Emory University in Atlanta this morning for a recruitment activity. The recruitment package designed by Dr. Dunn was used and was well received. CAPT Dunn requested that the Recruitment Committee work on the current recruitment package for refinement. Columbia and Yale Universities are targeted next. CDR Sheets thanked officers in the field for their participation.
CDR Sheets reported that a call has gone out for officers in action photographs; ongoing science fairs may be a good opportunity for such pictures. Survey update: CDR Sheets reported that the services of the SciPAC are the primary focus on the survey (i.e., are the needs of Scientists Officers being met, etc.?). The survey is anonymous and will be sent by mail. Mailing labels/cover letter/surveys were distributed to PAC members for mailing distribution. The deadline for survey responses is March 31, 2000. Officers can respond by Web, fax, or snail mail. The PAC is planning to report the results of the survey at the National COA Meeting in June. 2000 COA Meeting update: Military airlift arrangements are progressing. Those interested in the MAC flight should contact CAPT Paris or LT Adekoya. Ten people have signed up to date. The expected minimum number of people for the airlift is 55. A call for papers for the joint Scientist/HSO session has gone out (mental health related topics). Two guest speakers have been invited including a university speaker. Details of the 2001 meeting to be held in Bethesda, MD were distributed. A hotel contract will soon be signed for the 2001 COA Conference. Arrangements are still underway for the 2002 site in Atlanta (Omni Hotel at the CNN Center is the current preferred site). Musical Survey update: CAPT Bartko presented the results of the survey and issued a call for working group members to help with this effort.
CDR Sheets reported that a call for judges is going out and is also being advertised on DC COA listserver. A fairs schedule sheet was distributed to the PAC.
CDR Lalonde reported that the interim listserver is now retired and associated e-mails have been sent out. The video imaging for conferencing effort continues. CDR Lalonde plans to meet with computer personnel at Parklawn. SCIPAC STRUCTURE AND OPERATIONS ISSUES: It was discussed that the PAC should provide an article for the month of May. CAPT Dunn and CDR Brown can contribute information on the history of the Scientist Category. CAPT Dunn will also provide input on PAC activities during his tenure as CPO. CAPTs Dunn, Sanders, and Bartko, CDR Sheets, and LCDR Weber agreed to work on the draft article.
CDR Sheets reported that discussion and a vote are needed to finalize the SciPAC letterhead. CAPT Dunn proposed that the PAC accept the current working letterhead for interim use to which the PAC agreed.
CAPT Bartko commented that such substitutes would increase participation from other Scientist Officers from outside the PAC and thereby expand the pool of resources for the PAC. CDR Troiano added that an alternate system could also increase cross agency and/or field representation on the PAC. CAPT Dunn suggested that member alternates be given one year renewable terms and that this will not mandate a change in the charter for implementation in an informal nature unless alternates are given voting power. The PAC agreed that voting power would not be given at this time. CAPT Sander motioned (with second) that alternates will participate as non-voting members and would be expected to come to every meeting (unanimous vote to implement immediately). PAC members were charged to start looking for alternate candidates.
CAPT Dunn commented that the topic of CPOs at flag rank has been discussed many times with proposals sent forward; however, currently there are too many constraints against this happening. These principles extend to all Scientists Offiers and not just the CPO. Officers should contact CAPT Dunn for more details on this issue if needed.
CAPT Dunn led a discussion on the importance of officers knowing and respecting the protocols of the uniformed service (chain of command, customs, etc.). As PAC members and leaders of the Corps, we have the additional responsibility to set the proper example and mentor others. Discussion ensued on the appropriateness of using informal courtesy versus military courtesy/protocol in different situations. Following such protocol is important for interfacing with other uniform services. It was emphasized that proper Corps-wide training is necessary to meet expectations. CDR Sheets suggested that the Mentoring Committee follow up on information available on Officer Conduct/Military Courtesy.
VI. ANNOUNCEMENTS Announcement - Return_to_TOCtop
The SciPAC meeting was adjourned at 1625 hours.
Submitted by:
__________________________ ______________________________ CDR Allen Albright CDR Rebecca Sheets Recording Secretary Chairperson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||