Abstract
It is truly an honor and a privilege to serve as the 18th Assistant Secretary for Health and to serve as a member of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (hereinafter, Commissioned Corps). The legacy of our service is deeply rooted in the fabric of this nation, but we have struggled as a service. We have even had to justify our existence every few years, to the point where the Office of Management and Budget developed and implemented plans to dismantle the Commissioned Corps entirely. 1 Not on my watch! I believe the Commissioned Corps is a critical asset for the nation’s security, and I will ensure that the Commissioned Corps remains an integral component of the federal government’s health strategy for the foreseeable future.
My goal is to strengthen our foundation and prove once and for all that there is no need to question the existence of the Commissioned Corps. We are here, and we deserve to be here. There will always be detractors, perhaps even among us, but we are only as good as our weakest link. So, as the Commanding Officer of the Commissioned Corps, I plan to have the difficult conversations that will allow me to make tough decisions. These decisions are not about consensus but about what is in the best interest of the Commissioned Corps. I ask that all Commissioned Corps officers work with me to shift the culture and fabric of our service.
To accomplish this vision, I believe there are 3 areas that are vital to the Commissioned Corps’ success: visibility, readiness, and response.
Visibility
Unfortunately, the title for a recent documentary for the Commissioned Corps describes our service as the “invisible Corps.” 2 We must ensure that the Commissioned Corps overcomes this visibility gap. I believe that this gap persists not because of the work that we do or the way we do it, but simply because we are too humble; we don’t show our work often enough. Every day, US Public Health Service (PHS) officers serve quietly and faithfully on the frontlines to keep individuals, families, and communities safe. Their work often happens out of the spotlight, but the impact is real, and the commitment is deeply personal. Our renewed focus should be on targeted visibility that shows our strength as service members.
That is why our communications team is relaunching a storytelling campaign effort through “I am a Public Health Service officer,” and “Why I serve in the Public Health Service.” These efforts are designed to capture the heartfelt commitment of officers across the Commissioned Corps and to increase our visibility. We are here as a service for a greater purpose, and there is no time like the present for us to commit to being visible, especially now as we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary.
For 137 years, the Commissioned Corps has constantly redefined itself to face new challenges in public health. Let us join to highlight the contributions our service has made to this country and to public health and show why the Commissioned Corps are America’s health responders. Ideally, every American should know there is a Commissioned Corps to serve their nation. Every health professional student in the United States should know that fantastic career opportunities are available within the Commissioned Corps that allow them to practice their craft while serving the republic. An increase in our visibility can only improve our fortune.
Readiness
Readiness is the bedrock of any service. As a mission-driven service, the Commissioned Corps must be ready to carry out our mission at a moment’s notice.
Fitness
Physical fitness is one way to outwardly demonstrate our capacity for mission readiness at all times. I have implemented PHS Mission Fit, 3 a holistic fitness and wellness initiative to build a stronger, more resilient, and unified PHS. This initiative supports readiness in physical fitness, mental wellness, sleep, and nutrition. As part of PHS Mission Fit, I have updated our physical fitness test (PFT) requirements to include a wider variety of exercises to assess fitness, and I have prescribed a biannual test. However, the main point is not what changes are being made but, rather, changing the culture of our service to instill fitness into the everyday ethos of the Commissioned Corps.
Another outward demonstration of our readiness can be found in our willingness to train for our PFTs together, as a group, and even challenging our sister services to the test. We held our first large-scale PFT on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at Hains Point in Washington, DC, and we successfully challenged the Army Judge Advocate General Corps to a physical fitness challenge in spring 2026. At the same time, our communications team is working with PHS Athletics to coordinate additional events across the country so Commissioned Corps officers nationwide can participate together. I am heartened by our officers who have gathered in groups to work out all over our nation and posted their activities on social media—yet another way to increase our visibility. I plan to continue Service Workout Wednesdays throughout the Commissioned Corps. I will continue to challenge our sister services to workouts, and I look forward to working out with my fellow Commissioned Corps officers wherever I can.
Alignment
I believe the service needs to align with our sister uniformed services. As a uniformed service, the Commissioned Corps needs to uphold standards, we need to be clinically competent, and, most importantly, we need to stand ready to deploy at the request of the President and the Secretary of Health and Human Services at all times. If you attended or watched my swearing-in ceremony, you know I have a family history of military service. I previously served in the National Guard, my father was wounded in combat, and my brother currently serves as the Judge Advocate General of the Army. There is no better calling than to serve in uniform. I want to ensure that every officer in the Commissioned Corps meets the expectations of that uniform.
Therefore, every officer who is required to complete practice hours will be expected to do so. This includes our flag officers. I expect every flag officer to complete their practice hours without exception. As leaders in the Commissioned Corps, our flag officers should lead by example and set the standards that are expected of all officers. I also expect our flag officers to maintain their readiness standards and to deploy as needed. Our Commissioned Corps leadership should be prepared to do everything that we expect all of our officers to do. I am meeting with the surgeons general of the other services to learn from them what policies they have been able to implement for force distribution, and I plan to take their input seriously as we shape the Commissioned Corps for the future.
Force Management
Force management for our service is not easy to fully implement because of our dispersed personnel and matrixed financial arrangements. However, there are ways we can implement creative strategies to better manage our force. First, we will funnel all new recruits into assignments at the Indian Health Service, Bureau of Prisons, Coast Guard, and other Department of Homeland Security agencies. Doing so will focus our efforts on the high-need areas of the PHS and will provide a clear path for newly accessioned officers.
With regard to recruiting officers, I want us not only to target the agencies that need us the most but also to recruit the right types of officers who are truly dedicated to the mission of the service. We cannot recruit Commissioned Corps officers simply to increase our numbers. The goal should be the right officers in the right place providing the right services. We need to recruit individuals who are willing to understand the sacrifices that come with serving in uniform in the same way that all of us have accepted that sacrifice. This culture shift may be difficult for some in uniform, and this could be an inflection point where some of our current officers decide to make career changes and move on from a career in uniform.
Regarding our funding streams, I do commit to engaging Congress on an operations and maintenance budget. Currently, we have no dedicated appropriation for Commissioned Corps operations, and I believe this will be a critical part of modernizing the Commissioned Corps.
Response
As I expect all Commissioned Corps officers to be fully ready, I also expect all Commissioned Corps officers to deploy when needed. I want all agencies where our officers are assigned to understand that Commissioned Corps officers are PHS officers first. This means that when the President or Secretary of Health and Human Services calls on us to deploy, we will deploy. I want us to work collectively together when it comes to deployments because being an always ready deployable force is the President’s and Secretary’s major priority for the service.
I have had conversations with flag officers and chief professional officers and made it clear that I have high expectations of them. We cannot ask our rank and file to do what we are not willing to do ourselves. Therefore, all flag officers will deploy as well. Just as they will be required to maintain fitness and readiness, they will set the example and deploy when called.
I stand steadfast in my belief that I will also practice what I preach. I will deploy alongside you during my tenure as Assistant Secretary of Health. I plan on completing my clinical practice hours every year. From the flag ranks to the most junior officers, the expectations will be the same in maintaining basic readiness and upholding excellence as Commissioned Corps officers. All fellow officers should have high expectations of each other.
Conclusion
Visibility, readiness, and response are the foundations of the Commissioned Corps. I believe shoring up these bedrock principles will ensure that our Commissioned Corps will continue as the nation’s primary federal health resource.
Clearly, we are embarking on a change of culture within our service. However, a shared mission and aligned policies alone are not enough to engender camaraderie and esprit de corps among the Commissioned Corps. So, that is why I have encouraged my officers to continue their community engagements, including the PHS Birthday Ball, which was last held in 2019. We need to create opportunities to bring officers together so that they can cultivate in spirit what they demonstrate professionally in uniform every day.
In closing, I am dedicated to ensuring the Commissioned Corps is the premier federal health asset for the 21st century and beyond. I aspire to the day when, as our service march says, “The mission of our service is known the world around.” With a focus on visibility, readiness, and response, I am certain that our Commissioned Corps officers will not only rise to meet these expectations but will set the path for our country’s continued prosperity through this century.
I want to thank President Trump and Secretary Kennedy for entrusting me to lead the Commissioned Corps. I look forward to working with all our Commissioned Corps officers and the greater public health community as we set the path for the 21st-century Commissioned Corps.
Footnotes
Funding
The author received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Declaration of Conflicting Interests
The author declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.