Volunteers Needed for Atlanta Habitat for Humanity

ACOA is looking for volunteers to assist with building a house with Atlanta Habitat for Humanity on Saturday, October 25, 2008. The day’s activities will include a safety orientation, building instructions, and participation on a Habitat for Humanity worksite. You do NOT need specific skills or previous construction experience, just a desire to help and a good attitude!

Atlanta Habitat will provide all tools needed for the build and specifies that all volunteers must be at least 16 years of age. Lunch, beverages, and a morning snack will be provided. Recommended attire includes: work boots or thick soled, non-skid shoes; long pants and sleeves; work gloves; and sun protection. We will work rain or shine, and we will not know the specific worksite or tasks until 1-3 days before the project. Many officers who have participated in past builds have reported that it is a very meaningful project and, most importantly, fun!

Please contact LCDR Darrlyn Cornelius-Averhart if you would like to volunteer or if you have additional questions. Volunteers need to sign-up by October 17, 2008.

Atlanta Habitat for Humanity:

• Acquires the land, designs the houses, obtains the permits, provides skilled construction supervisors, and provides all necessary tools.
• Builds 2 and 3 bedroom/1 bath houses and 4 bedroom/2 bath houses, depending on family size. All homes have spacious front porches, many windows and at least two entrances.
• Secures sponsors to fund a portion of the cost of building the house and to supply construction volunteers.
• Typically builds each house with the assistance of 30-40 volunteers per work day, on seven consecutive Saturdays.
• Builds energy efficient, EarthCraft certified homes that protect the environment and reduce utility bills for homeowners.
• Builds 7 to 10 houses on any given Saturday.

Back to top

Tickets Now Available for the Fourth Annual ACOA Fall Social!

Due to the large number of officers deployed for hurricane response, the Fourth Annual ACOA Fall Social has been rescheduled to November 8 from 1800 to 2300 at Dave & Buster's in Duluth. In addition to a delicious buffet dinner, attendees will enjoy an interactive performance of the Carpenter House Capers Comedy Show! The evening will include time to socialize with your fellow Atlanta-area Commissioned Officers before dinner and after the show. The Dave & Buster's Million Dollar Midway will also be open during the event. We encourage officers to bring their spouse or significant other and come prepared for a good time! More information, including the buffet menu and ticket cost, is available at the ACOA webpage. To purchase tickets or for additional information contact LT Jamie Mutter, 404.639.0769. We hope you can join us!

Back to top

Annual Physical Fitness Test—New Quarterly Schedule

The next APFT at St. Pius High School will be help on December 13 and will continue on a quarterly basis. Officers requiring an APFT before December may contact CDR Dieser to schedule an individual test at the Roybal Lifestyle Center. Please plan ahead to maintain your basic readiness.

ACOA administers the Commissioned Corps Annual Physical Fitness Test (APFT). Each officer is responsible for (1) ensuring they are in good health and able to complete all events; (2) submitting their completed Physical Readiness Standards Report (PHS Form 7044) to Medical Affairs Branch and (3) entering their data on the CCRF web-site. You may use this APFT as a practice or for record. It takes approximately an hour for an officer to complete the three components of the APFT, which include: a review of the standards, push-ups, sit-ups or the side-bridge, and a 1.5 mile run/walk. All three components must be completed during the testing session to pass the APFT. For more information on the qualifying standards for the annual physical fitness test see the OFRD website.

For additional information, please contact CDR Edward Dieser.
Where: St. Pius X High School Track, Atlanta GA.
Bring: Water; and a towel and mat if desired. Ensure you are well-hydrated for the event.

CAPT Ralph O'Conner enjoys his sidebridge	CDR Gail Williams providing encouragement during the sit-ups

Back to top

USPHS T-shirts Available!

The Atlanta Commissioned Officers Association has USPHS t-shirts available for Atlanta-area officers to purchase. These t-shirts are perfect for wear at ACOA-sponsored events, such as the quarterly roadside clean-ups, to promote visibility of the USPHS.

The t-shirts are navy blue with gold lettering and are 100% cotton. In addition to USPHS on the front of the shirt each shirt will have “Atlanta COA” printed in gold on the back of the shirt. Cost is $10 (shipping not available). These t-shirts have sold quickly and our supply is already low! We currently only have size XL available. Due to the high interest in these shirts it is very likely that additional shirts will be ordered soon. If you are interested in purchasing a t-shirt in another size, please let us know to help us plan for our next t-shirt order.

If you have questions or to purchase a t-shirt, please contact LCDR Anna Satcher Johnson, 404.639.6167.

Front	Back

Back to top

ACOA Uniform Store

Don’t forget that ACOA has a uniform swap store!! If you have uniforms to donate, wish to purchase gently used uniform components (at very reduced rates), or if you would like to swap gently used uniforms/shoulder boards, contact LT Jamie Mutter, 404.639.0769 for female uniform components or LT Jasen Kunz, 404.639.3419 for male uniform components.

Back to top

PHS Flag Sales

In an effort to support esprit de corps, as well as to raise funds to support organization activities, ACOA developed and sells full-size USPHS flags and US/USPHS miniature flag desk sets. These flags are available for purchase by USPHS officers and civilians nationwide. These flags were purchased for use by the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), as retirement, birthday and holiday gifts, and much more. The full size PHS flag design is not readily available from any other source and makes a great addition to your home or office. It can also serve as a great gift for fellow officers on any special occasion.

The USPHS flag sells for $55 and the US/USPHS flag desk set sells for $18. ACOA members receive a discount and can purchase the USPHS flag for $50 and the US/USPHS flag desk set for $16. For more information, please contact LTJG Chris Fletcher, 770.488.0755.

Are you Musically Inclined?

The Atlanta Chorale Ensemble is looking for fellow Commissioned Officers with a musical ear. The Ensemble is in need of both a musical director and an accompanist. If you have some free time and would like to help the Ensemble prepare for this years’ COA performance please contact CDR Januett Smith-George or CDR Jeff Nemhauser.

Back to top

ACOA Fall Elections for 2009 Executive Committee - Call for Self-Nominations

Deadline for Nominations - COB Monday, October 13th, 2008

Have you been trying to find ways to strengthen your CV for your next promotion? Look no further! Leadership roles as a member of the 2009 Atlanta Branch COA Executive Committee counts under the "professional organizations" section of your category's benchmarks. Serving as a member of the ACOA Executive Committee is also an excellent way to meet other like-minded officers and advance the PHS Commissioned Corps by uniting and serving Atlanta-based Commissioned Officers and advocating their interests through leadership and communication.

Events over the last several years, including the PHS hurricane responses and PHS Transformation, have demonstrated the importance and visibility of the PHS Commissioned Corps. As PHS Commissioned Corps Officers, we must stay involved, informed, and be vigilant. Now is a great time to become an active part of the ACOA Executive Committee. We need individuals who are motivated, energetic, and committed to supporting fellow Atlanta-area officers. The ACOA, some 500 members strong and the second largest Branch in the Nation, has been active in professional development, community service, communication efforts, and special projects. More information on the activities of the branch, including our bylaws, is available on the ACOA Website.

The chief purposes of the Branch are:

• Advance the PHS Commissioned Corps by uniting and serving Atlanta-based Commissioned Officers and advocating their interests through leadership and communication;
• Furnish a medium for the Commissioned Officers in the Atlanta area to contribute their individual and collective efforts along lines of value to public health workers;
• Encourage and foster proper and helpful relationships between Commissioned Officers, their respective professions, other public health workers and the community as well as other uniformed services, and Advance the aims of the National Organization.

Officers are invited to submit a self-nomination for the following:

• Vice President/President-Elect (1 position)** 
• Treasurer (1 position)
• Secretary (1 position)
• Member-at-Large (8 positions) (expected to co-chair one of the following subcommittees: Communications, Special Projects, Professional Development, Community Service)

All active duty and retired PHS Officers in good standing with COA and ACOA that are assigned to the Atlanta metro area, and meet basic readiness requirements as set forth by OFRD (retired officers excepted), are eligible to run for office. This is a one-year commitment (**exception: the Vice President/President Elect position is a three year commitment), including required attendance at monthly meetings. Interested officers are encouraged to obtain supervisory support prior to self-nomination. Officers from all Atlanta area HHS agencies and Atlanta area officers detailed to non-HHS agencies are all strongly encouraged to apply.


Officers have the option to run for both one specific office (Vice President/President-Elect, Treasurer or Secretary) AND for Member-at-Large. If the officer wishes to exercise this option, he or she would appear on the ballot twice (once for the office position and once for member-at-large). When voting on the ballot, officers may choose to vote for a candidate for both nominations, only one of the two nominations, or for neither nomination.

The officer may only be elected to one of the two positions, with votes for the office position being counted first. If the officer is elected to the office position, his or her votes for the Member-At-Large position will be discarded and those positions will be filled by the remaining nominated officers. If the officer is not elected to the office position for which he or she is listed as a nominee, then the votes for the Member-At-Large position will be tallied to determine if he or she received enough votes to be elected in that position.

In an email declaring your self nomination, please provide the following: Rank, PHS category, agency affiliation, the position for your self-nomination (if your self-nomination is for one of the three specific offices please be sure to indicate if you would also like to be nominated for Member-at-Large) and a brief narrative (200 words maximum) that describes vision and goals for 2009 as an ACOA Executive Committee member, prior leadership experience, previous COA or ACOA experience, and any other knowledge and/or skills you think would benefit ACOA and Atlanta-area officers. If you will be running for both an officer position and Member-At-Large position you may want to word your narrative to reflect your interest in both positions. Send your email with the above information to CDR Bruce Tierney with "2009 ACOA Nomination" in the subject line.

The deadline for self-nominations is COB Monday, October 13th, 2008.

Your narrative will be included with the ballot that will be distributed to the general membership. Although narratives may be formatted for consistency prior to being placed on the ballot, the ACOA Elections Committee will not be checking narratives for spelling, grammar, etc. Therefore, please make sure you carefully proof your nomination narrative before submitting it for consideration. All narratives that exceed 200 words will be returned to the officer for editing.

If you have any questions, please contact the ACOA Elections Committee chairperson, CDR Bruce Tierney.

The deadline for completed applications is November 1, 2008; applications will not be considered after that date.

Back to top

In 2008, ACOA held the first-ever Atlanta Area Anchor & Caduceus Dinner. The Dinner, a formal social event that was held to celebrate the birth of the PHS Commissioned Corps in January of 1889, was a tremendous success with nearly 100 officers and special guests in attendance. The event was so well-received that ACOA has already begun to receive inquiries about next year’s dinner!

Next year’s dinner will be held at a slightly different time than this year’s affair. Rather than being held in January, the event will be moved to coincide with the USPHS Annual Scientific and Training Symposium, which will be held in Atlanta in June 2009. The Commissioned Officer’s Foundation plans to hold their annual Anchor and Caduceus Dinner (normally occurring annually in January in Washington, DC) in conjunction with the USPHS Symposium to celebrate the founding of the U.S. Public Health Service in July of 1798. As a result, in June 2009, Atlanta area officers will have the opportunity to join fellow Service members from around the nation to commemorate the birth of the Public Health Service during this special Anchor & Caduceus Dinner.

In 2010, ACOA will resume the traditional January event which proved to be a popular new social occasion for Atlanta area officers. Stay tuned to The Signal for more details on the upcoming USPHS Symposium in Atlanta in June 2009 and start making plans now to attend the 2009 Anchor & Caduceus Dinner to be held in conjunction with the Symposium.

Back to top

Update on Commissioned Corps Uniform Changes
Submitted by CDR Bruce Tierney

Back to top

Be Flexible!
Submitted by Lauren Korzan, MA, OHS/Lifestyle Program Office

Most of us know that a well-rounded exercise program includes cardiovascular exercise to improve endurance and resistance exercise to improve muscle tone. There is one other component, however, that many of us tend to forget…..flexibility training. While some of us may stretch occasionally after a workout, it is important to know why we should make flexibility training a regular and consistent part of our overall exercise program.

The American College of Sports Medicine defines flexibility as “the ability to move a joint through its complete range of motion.” This definition also indicates that flexibility is specific to each joint. Possible benefits of flexibility training include improved posture, reduced muscle tension, enhanced physical and mental relaxation, reduced risk of injury, and reduced stress.

While we know that flexibility training is important, there still isn’t sufficient evidence to support the idea of flexibility training as a means of preventing injury or delaying muscle soreness. Having joints that are flexible and that can move through their complete range of motion typically allows for greater freedom of movement and for activities of daily living to be performed with less difficulty. Also, as we age, we tend to lose flexibility due to natural changes in tendons and ligaments, as well as potential decreases in activity levels. Thus, maintaining a regular and consistent flexibility training program can help us to continue to move with greater ease as we get older.

Stretching is a great way to enhance flexibility. Static stretching, which consists of slowly applying a stretch to a muscle and holding it for a period of time, is the recommended form of stretching in terms of its safety and effectiveness. There are two types of static stretches, active and passive. Active static stretching requires holding a stretched position without assistance. Passive static stretching incorporates the assistance of a partner or a piece of equipment (e.g., tube, towel, wall). It is important to avoid any type of stretch that requires any jerking or bouncing movements, as this may increase the risk of injury.

The goal of any flexibility training program is to increase and develop the range of motion in a joint. The following guidelines have been established by the American College of Sports Medicine for improving flexibility:

• Frequency: minimum of 2-3 sessions per week
• Intensity: stretch to the point of mild discomfort
• Time: 10-30 seconds per stretch; perform 2-4 repetitions of each stretch (a goal should be to aim for at least 60 seconds of total stretch time for each exercise)
• Type: static stretching exercises for the major muscle groups; classes such as yoga, Pilates, and tai chi also provide flexibility benefits

Listed below are a few helpful tips in addition to the recommendations above:

• Stretching is most effective when the muscle is warmed up. Therefore, it is typically best to perform stretches after aerobic or resistance exercise. If you plan to stretch without performing any previous exercise, try to stretch after a warm shower or bath.
• Exhale as you stretch each muscle.
• Don’t bounce or hold your breath as you stretch.
• Stretch through the normal range of motion limits for each muscle.
• Set goals for your flexibility training.

The Lifestyle Fitness Centers are ready to help you with your flexibility training. Stop by any fitness center to schedule a fitness consultation with one of our staff, or attend one of our yoga or Pilates classes. We look forward to helping you meet your flexibility goals!

Back to top

ACOA Roadside Cleanup
Submitted by LT Melissa Morrison

On August 16, 2008, eight ACOA officers participated in the ACOA-sponsored roadside clean-up. Officers were from CDC, ATSDR and the Bureau of Prisons. The volunteers met in a church parking lot around the mid-point of the one mile stretch of Ponce de Leon Avenue for which ACOA is responsible. The officers introduced themselves and talked over coffee, orange juice, and donuts, then donned orange PHS safety vests, armed themselves with peach-colored Georgia Department of Transportation trash bags, and set out in pairs on either side of Ponce.

ACOA is responsible for a one-mile stretch of Ponce De Leon Avenue between Briarcliff and Clifton Roads and organizes regular clean-ups to remove roadside litter. This community service project has been accepted and sustained by ACOA as part of the Georgia Adopt-a-Highway program. ACOA contractually agrees to clean up a section of roadway four times each year. The Georgia Department of Transportation has erected signs noting our sponsorship. These signs are seen by tens of thousands of motorists and passengers.

ACOA members at the August 16 Roadside Clean-up: Left to Right, LT Dianna Densmore, LCDR G. Douglas Hanley, CAPT Michael Campsmith, CDR Robert L. Williams, LT Ray Tookes. Not pictured:, LT Melissa Morrison.	LTs Nancy Aburto and David Hunter went above and beyond, picking up litter beyond the immediate roadside and well into the park. They returned a bit later than the others, and had the trash to show for it.

Back to top

Back to top