The surgeon general of the United States is the operational head of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHSCC) and thus the leading spokesperson on matters of public health in the federal government of the United States. The Surgeon General's office and staff are known as the Office of the Surgeon General (OSG), which is housed within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health.
The United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, also referred to as the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service, is the uniformed service branch of the United States Public Health Service (PHS) and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States alongside the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Air Force, and Space Force and the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps. The commissioned corps' primary mission is the protection, promotion, and advancement of health and safety of the general public.
The United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHSCC), one of the eight uniformed services of the United States, has the authority to issue various awards, commendations, and other insignia to its members. These include individual honor awards, unit honor awards, service awards, training ribbons, special skill badges, and identification badges. The following PHSCC awards are listed in the service's order of precedence:
This is a timeline of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and its predecessor, the Marine Hospital Service.
The Public Health Service Global Health Campaign Medal is a decoration of the United States Public Health Service presented to members of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Officer Corps and to members of any Uniformed Services of the United States in recognition of an officer's substantial contribution to a Global Health initiative mission outside of the United States.
The Public Health Service COVID-19 Pandemic Campaign Medal, or Public Health Service Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic Campaign Medal, is a decoration of the United States Public Health Service presented to members of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, as well as to civilians who meet certain criteria for eligibility. It recognizes service in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Public Health Service Ebola Campaign Medal is a decoration of the United States Public Health Service presented to members of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. It recognizes service in responding to an outbreak of the Ebola virus.
The Public Health Service Special Assignment Award is a decoration of the United States Public Health Service presented to members of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. It recognizes service while assigned to special initiatives and activities that lie outside an officer's normal assigned duties.
The Public Health Service Isolated/Hardship Award is a decoration of the United States Public Health Service presented to members of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. It recognizes service in remote areas or locations in which serving on a duty station imposed hardships on the awardee. It often is written as "Isolated Hardship Award," although both isolation and hardship are not necessarily required to qualify for it.
The Public Health Service Global Response Service Award is a decoration of the United States Public Health Service presented to members of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. It recognizes service in response to a crisis outside the United States.
The Public Health Service Response Service Award is a decoration of the United States Public Health Service presented to members of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. It recognizes deployments to meet a public health need or to support a National Special Security Event.
The Public Health Service National Emergency Preparedness Award is a decoration of the United States Public Health Service presented to members of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. It recognizes service to provide emergency medical or support services between 2006 and 2019.
The Public Health Service Recruitment Service Award is a decoration of the United States Public Health Service presented to members of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. It recognizes contributions to recruitment efforts.
The Public Health Service Global Health Initiative Service Medal, also written Global Health Initiatives Service Medal, is a decoration of the United States Public Health Service presented to members of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. It recognizes service in support of Global Health Initiatives.
The Public Health Service Bicentennial Unit Commendation Award is a decoration of the United States Public Health Service presented to members of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. It recognizes service during the bicentennial of the U.S. Public Health Service.
The Public Health Service Regular Corps Ribbon is a decoration of the United States Public Health Service presented to members of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. It recognizes membership in the Regular Corps of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.
The Commissioned Corps Training Ribbon is a decoration of the United States Public Health Service presented to members of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. It recognizes an officer's completion of the USPHS Commissioned Corps Officer Basic Course.
The Public Health Service Outstanding Unit Citation is a decoration of the United States Public Health Service presented to members of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. It is the second-highest unit award of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.
The Public Health Service Outstanding Unit Commendation is a decoration of the United States Public Health Service presented to members of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. It is the third-highest unit award of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.
The Commissioned Officers Association of the U.S. Public Health Service, often referred to as the Commissioned Officers Association (COA), is a professional association of officers of the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps. It is a nonprofit organization that advocates for the interests of the USPHS Commissioned Corps. COA describes itself as a "nationally recognized member-based organization" formed to "protect and enhance the public health and safety of the United States by supporting and advancing the interests of the Commissioned Corps and its officers." It describes itself as the only organization "that works exclusively on behalf of active, inactive, and retired" USPHS Commissioned Corps officers.
