Commissioned Officers Association
Of the U.S. Public Health Service
Ft Detrick Branch
Minutes of the Nov 6, 2002 Meeting
Date: Nov 6, 2002
Location: NCI, Bldg 426, Ft. Detrick, Fredrick, MD
Call to Order: LCDR Lucienne Nelson, President called the meeting to order at 1915.
Members Present: CDR K. Berkhousen, CDR T. Doss, CDR M. Rossi-Coajou, LCDR R. Gussio, LCDR R. Leland, LCDR L. Nelson, and LT L. Matheny, LTJG G. Rodriguez.
Reading of the Minutes: Minutes were approved and accepted.
Treasurer’s Report: Members are encouraged to check that their branch fees are coming to our branch http://www.coausphs.org/membership.html
Other Reports:
Webmaster: New news should be reported to LCDR Gussio.
National COA Issues: CDR Lynne Slepski is our new POC for national COA issues.
Military Standards Cadre (MSC)/ Physical Fitness: This Fall’s esprit de’corps day was enhanced by the presence of VADM Richard Carmona, our new Surgeon General. After meeting with NCI and DoD staff for a briefing, he supported 15 PHS officers taking their physical fitness tests. VADM Carmona stated that he was very impressed with our branch’s initiatives. He continued to comment that enhancing physical fitness as well as interfacing with our sister agencies were some of his visions that he hoped to instill in all PHS commissioned corps officers. He commended all of the officers.
Reports of Standing Committees:
Membership: No new issues
Professional Relations: CDR Rossi pointed out that Barquist Army Health Clinic is still welcoming of PHS officers seeking clinical time. The clinic will be loosing their pharmacist shortly, so any pharmacy support would be appreciated. If you are working your clinical time in a non-PHS agency, please be sure that this is outlined in a billet addendum. A sample clinical billet can be found at http://phs-nurse.org/Documents/CCRF/billet%20addendum.doc.
Community Service: CDR Berkhousen stated that the Frederick City Soup Kitchen is still in need of volunteers. In addition, anyone who would like to assist with Thanksgiving basket distribution should contact CDR Berkhousen. LCR Nelson stated that Hood College would be having a career day, next year. We will be organizing presentations from each category for the Branch activity. More to come.
New Business:
Esprit De Corps Slide Show: LCDR Gussio present an outstanding picture presentation of the Surgeon General visit and our fall physical fitness test. Special thanks to Bobby Nelson for his photographs. CD-R were given to members present as a pleasant memory of the event.
Executive Committee for 2003: Votes are in. The new exec committee will consist of: president: CDR Berkhousen; vice-president: CDR Rossi-Coajou; secretary: LTJG Rodriguez, treasurer: LCDR Leland. Congratulations. A warm thank you to last year’s committee and all that was accomplished under LCDR Nelson’s leadership.
Branch of the Year Initiative: LCDR Nelson and LCDR Gussio have volunteered to write the nomination for COA branch of the year, for the Ft Detrick Branch. Our branch has come a long way since it’s conception 2 yrs ago.
The nomination is due to national COA by Mar ’03.
Member Announcements:
CDR Doss suggested that our branch sponsor a dining in. Members present welcomed the idea.
LTJG Rodriguez has worked fund raising events in the past. She will share some of her ideas at the next meeting.
Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 2000. Next branch meeting planned for Jan 8, 2003. Judy Peterson, the Disaster Services Director for the American Red Cross, Frederick County will be our speaker.
CDR Katherine Berkhousen LCDR Lucienne Nelson
Secretary, Ft Detrick Branch COA President, Ft Detrick Branch COA
Berkhousen@cber.fda.gov nelsonlu@mail.nih.gov