Please note: These items are for personal use. The USPHS flag is not intended to replace official USPHS flags, as noted in Subchapter CC29.9 of the Commissioned Corps Personnel Manual.

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Annual Physical Fitness Test (APFT)

ACOA will administer a Commissioned Corps Annual Physical Fitness Test (APFT) quarterly with the next one on March 21, 2009. 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.

Next APFT Schedule:
Date: Saturday, March 21, 2009
Time: 0800
Location: St. Pius High School Track
Contact: RSVP by COB on Thursday, March 19. RSVP via email to CDR Edward Dieser

***Please bring water and if desired a towel and a mat. Be sure you are well hydrated for the event.***

***Please note: APFTs will continue on a quarterly basis, so plan ahead to maintain your basic readiness***

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

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Serving at the USO – You Never Know What is Going to Happen.
Contributed by  LT Jeremy “Bret” Nickels 

We had an excellent time serving at the Hartsfield Jackson United Service Organizations (HJ USO) on January 17, 2009.  The morning started off a little earlier than normal when the usual early shift of volunteers could not be present and Mary Lou Austin, grand puba (joke – manager) of the HJ USO, asked if we could fill in.  With some funds left over from the December USO Event, breakfast and lunch items were purchased and cooked during our shift.  Bacon and eggs were quite a hit – we easily finished all 5 dozen eggs and 5 pounds of bacon by 1000!  The soldiers also seemed to really appreciate the lasagna and home made Tomato Soup (compliments of Mrs. Spears)  as it was gone in less time then it took to make! 

CDR John Iskander mentioned that his most memorable moment of the day was the serviceman from Hawaii playing his ukulele while awaiting his flight.  There was also an air of excitement and anticipation over the upcoming inauguration and prospect of a new Commander in Chief.  CDR Kathy Slawson remarked about a family sending off their father, “We spoke with a serviceman whose wife and 4 children were waiting with him in the check-in line.  You could see that the family has been here before.  The children’s youth did not blind them to the fact that their father was going away again.”  We were humbled to see those young men and women sent off to be put in harm’s way. 

Throughout the day there was one Specialist who proved to be of great service to us.  SPC Eric Pearson was on his way from Iraq to his home in Virginia and had a 12-hour layover in Atlanta.  He was so anxious to get home he was willing to do anything to keep his mind otherwise occupied.  With his assistance, we organized the kitchen, swept the USO, and enjoyed delightful conversation.  His excitement was not for his material things he left behind or for the town in which he grew up.  He never even mentioned visiting his parents while at home.  He was focused on being home for his son’s first birthday!  SPC Pearson is pictured (far right) below, along with (from left to right) CDR Slawson, LT Nickels, CAPT O’Connor, CDR Tierney, and CDR Spears. 

We still have the following openings, March 21:  Shift #2 (1200 to 1500); April 18: Shift #1 (0900 to 1200); May 16:  Both Shifts; June 20:  Both Shifts.  This is an excellent way to give back to those who give so much for our great country!

CDR Kathy Slawson, LT Bret Nickels, CAPT Ralph O'connor, CDR Bruce Tierney, CDR Ross Spears, SPC Eric Pearson.

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ACOA Golf Club Drive
Contributed by LT Jasen Kunz

The Atlanta Commissioned Officer Association (ACOA) recently partnered with a local charitable group to collect golf supplies for our troops. The golf supplies, which included clubs, balls, and bags were collected to support recreational activities of the 48th Infantry Brigade of the Georgia Army National Guard recently deployed to Afghanistan. ACOA understands that the supplies will be distributed among the 48th’s six battalions stationed throughout Afghanistan.

ACOA collected approximately ten sets of golf clubs and 1000 golf balls from the Atlanta area. ACOA wants to thank Atlanta area Commissioned Officers and the CDC Golf League who responded very generously to the call for donations.

You are probably asking where these troops are going to play golf at in Afghanistan. Believe it or not there is a Jack Nicklaus golf course in Kabul, Afghanistan. Seriously, the troops are given a secure area in there deployed location for recreation activities, and the troops enjoy setting up mock golf courses.

Golf supplies being delivered to the 148th Support Battalion, 48 Brigade Combat Team of the Georgia Army National Guard.

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The Navy sweater requires the use of a leather name patch. Instructions were originally published in PPM 07-014 but this PPM is not currently available in the electronic Commissioned Corps Issuance System (eCCIS). However the details for the leather nametag format may be found reprinted in the December 2008 Commissioned Corps E-Bulletin in the Uniform Q&A section.

Effective January 1, 2009 the BDU became a required uniform for all officers to own and maintain as noted in Section 6 of the recently released CC26.3.4 and CC26.3.5 (Note that on August 1, 2009 essentially all other PHS working uniforms will be withdrawn from the uniform inventory leaving the BDU as the primary working uniform for all future deployments and circumstances calling for a working uniform. The only other working uniform remaining will be the Coveralls which are currently limited only to very specific circumstances for wear).

Also effective January 1, 2009 the gold FMRB skill badge is the only one now authorized for wear. It replaces the previous pewter/silver version of the FMRB.

Officers should also be aware of the following additional recent changes:

The PHS patch on the BDU Utility Coat and Field Jacket has been made an official required component in CC26.3.7, Special Uniform Situations, Section 6-4.b(4) and 6-4.c(3).

The beret for female officers has officially been added to the Service and Working Khaki uniform for women as an optional item. There had been some confusion regarding this item in the past (See page 17 and 20 of CC26.3.5).

All other uniforms are still currently authorized for wear as of January 1, 2009, to include the Service Blue (“Salt and Pepper”), Winter Blue, Winter Working Blue and Working Khaki. However officers should be aware that effective August 1, 2009 these uniforms, along with several other uniforms and specific uniform items will be phased out and no longer authorized for wear as noted in PPM 08-020 .

All officers are encouraged to regularly review the home page of the Commissioned Corps Management Information System web site to watch for additional interim guidance and updates of Commission Corps Instructions as they become available.

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ACOA Executive Committee Plans Activities for 2009
Contributed by CDR Ross Spears

The ACOA Executive Committee (EC) held its annual Planning Meeting on Friday, January 26, 2009.  The EC met to plan for significant activities for the year, discuss key dates, budgets, and needed resources.  The meeting included presentations by the co-chairs of ACOA’s standing committees as well as the special committees formed by the EC to prepare for the national meeting in early June.  Highlights from the committees included:

• A discussion of planned support for recruiting fairs
• A renewed effort to expand local branch membership
• Planned articles for both The Signal and Frontline
• Numerous community service activities, including Habitat for Humanity, Café 458 and others
• Dates and topics for this year’s Lunch and Learns
• Plans for the Promotion Ceremony and a Fall Social

The special committees formed to support the national conference reported on their progress.  All groups have made significant headway with the conference still four months out.

Based on the results of the planning meeting, calls for volunteers will be issued regularly as needed by the committees.  The first call for volunteers for select committees and activities will be issued in early February.  Stay tuned.  This will be another exciting year with many opportunities for Atlanta area officers to serve.  On behalf of the EC, thanks in advance for your support!

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