Awards and decorations of the Public Health Service
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:[1][2][3]
The following awards are awarded by various associations and organizations related the PHS mission and may be worn on the uniform (in order of precedence shown) when attending a function of that association:[5]
Bronze letter "V" device worn on the Distinguished Service, Meritorious Service, and the Outstanding Service Medals to indicate an award for valor.
5/16th inch gold stars are worn on the Distinguished Service, Meritorious Service, Surgeon General's Exemplary Service, Outstanding Service, Commendation, Achievement, and PHS Citation Medals to indicate subsequent awards.
In lieu of five gold 5/16th inch stars, a silver 5/16th inch star is worn.
3/16th inch service stars in bronze are worn on campaign, unit, and service awards to indicate subsequent awards. In lieu of five bronze stars, a silver star is worn.
A gold frame is placed around the Presidential Unit Citation to indicate a second award.[7]
The Expeditionary Attachment is worn centered on the suspension ribbon and ribbon bar.[8]
Commissioned Corps officers may wear two authorized special skills badges and two breast or identification badges on the Corps uniform. Badges of the USPHS take precedence over badges earned in other uniformed services.[3][9][10]
Assistant Secretary for Health / Principal Deputy Secretary for Health Officer-In-Charge Badge (ASHOIC)
^"Who We Are". Commissioned Officers Association. Archived from the original on 2014-04-07. Retrieved 2014-04-06.
^"COMMISSIONED CORPS INSTRUCTION 511.01"(PDF). Commissioned Corps Issuance System (CCIS). US Department of Health and Human Services. 19 January 2021. p. 7. Retrieved 22 April 2021.