Distinguished Service Award:  The Distinguished Service Award is the highest Public Health Service Commissioned Corps award.  Criteria includes outstanding contributions to the mission of the Public Health Service.  Such achievement may range from the management of a major health program, to an initiative resulting in a major impact on the health of the Nation.  Can also be conferred for a one-time heroic act resulting in great savings to life, health or property.

Meritorious Service Medal:   The Meritorious Service Medal is presented in recognition of meritorious service of a single, particularly important achievement, a career notable for accomplishments in technical or professional fields or unusually high-quality and initiative in leadership.   The level of accomplishment meriting this award may include: a highly significant achievement in research program direction or program administration; a series of significant contributions; a continuing period of meritorious service; or exhibition of great courage in hazardous work in an emergency.

Surgeon General's Medallion & Surgeon General's Exemplary Service Medal:  No nomination procedure exists for these since the decision to confer is at the Surgeon General's discretion.

Outstanding Service Medal:  The Outstanding Service Medal is presented in recognition of continuous outstanding leadership in carrying out the mission of the Public Health Service, or performance of a single accomplishment which had a major effect on the health of the Nation, or performance of an heroic act resulting in the preservation of health or property.

Commendation Medal:  The Commendation Medal is presented for a level of proficiency and dedication distinctly greater than that expected of the average officer.  The Commendation Medal recognizes: sustained high-quality work achievement in scientific, administrative or other professional fields; application of unique skill or creative imagination to the approach or solution of problems; or noteworthy technical and professional contributions that are significant to a limited area.

Achievement Medal:  The Achievement Medal is presented for excellence in accomplishing a program's mission.  This could be in recognition of the advancement of program objectives, or sustained above-average dedication to duty over a relatively short period of time.

Public Health Service Citation:  The Public Health Service Citation is presented in recognition of a specific and noteworthy achievement generally for a short period of time.  This could include contribution toward accomplishing a program objective or high-quality achievement, but at a somewhat lesser level than is required for the Achievement Medal.

Outstanding Unit Citation:  The Outstanding Unit Citation is awarded to officers of a unit that exhibits superior service toward achieving the goals and objectives of the Public Health Service.  To merit this award, the unit must provide exceptional service, often of national or international significance.  There are no medals for this award.

Unit Commendation:  The Unit Commendation acknowledges an outstanding accomplishment by a designated organizational unit within the Public Health Service that has demonstrated a significant level of performance well above that normally expected, but at a somewhat lesser level than is required for the Outstanding Unit Citation. There are no medals for this award.

Hazardous Duty Service Award:  For 200 exposure hours over 180 consecutive days in a position requiring frequent risk to officer's safety.  Assignments where the officer's professional knowledge should significantly reduce or abolish the risk do not qualify.  Specific assignments include: - required contact with inmates/detainees at certain Bureau of Prisons' facilities, Forensic Hospital at St. Elizabeths, and Immigration and Naturalization sites; - 8 round trips or 16 duty site destinations on frequent unscheduled aircraft flights within a 6-month period (aircraft must seat 10 or fewer passengers); or - Industrial hygiene surveys of mine sites.  For service of 30 consecutive or 90 nonconsecutive days in a foreign duty post (not in training status).  Ships sailing in international waters with international port stops are eligible.

Foreign Duty Ribbon:  For service of 30 consecutive or 90 nonconsecutive days in a foreign duty post (not in training status).  Ships sailing in international waters with international port stops are eligible.

Special Assignment Service Award:  For service of 30 consecutive days on a detail, as set forth in CCPM Subchapter CC23.5, INST 5,6,7, or 8, to a special program initiative of other Federal or State agency. Does not include assignments that are a routine function of the position, or are specifically included in the billet, or involve assignments between components of Public Health Service/details to agencies with a blanket agreement with Public Health Service, or are for the purpose of training.

Isolated Hardship Service Award:  For service of over 180 consecutive days at a site designated as isolated, remote, insular or constituting a hardship.  See CCPM, Subchapter CC27.1, INST 1 for qualifying sites. - Ready Reserve officers are eligible if an aggregate of 180 days are served within a 3-year period.  - State Department 'post differential' used for foreign sites.  - Officers assigned to ships classified as 'Unusually Ardous Sea Duty,' e.g., absence from home port exceeds 180 days.

National Emergency Preparedness Award:  Must serve two continuous years of service in an organized unit that is mandated to provide emergency medical/support services.   Must also meet required activities, training and certification.  Recognized units are: National Disaster Medical System Disaster Medical Assistance Team, Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance and Commissioned Corps Readiness Force. See CCPM, Subchapter CC27.1, INST 1 for details.

Crisis Response Service Award:  The Crisis Response Service Award is for service in Public Health Service intervention activity in a crisis situation.   Service must be direct/on-site participation of a non-routine nature (i.e., not part of officer's assigned duties).  Assistance at sites geographically separate from the crisis location does not qualify.  The Surgeon General declares the event/activity/site for this award.

Bicentennial Unit Commendation:  The Bicentennial Unit Commendation is a service award given to officers on extended active duty during the Public Health Service bicentennial year (January 1, 1998 to December 31, 1998).

Regular Corps Ribbon:  For officers assimilated into the Regular Corps.  See CCPM, Subchapter CC23.3, INST 7 for details.  There is no miniature or large medal.

PHS Commissioned Corps Training Ribbon:  The first and only ribbon awarded for PHS training and authorized for wear on the PHS uniform as directed by the Uniform Handbook.  It is awarded to officers who complete both the Basic Officer Training Course (BOTC) and the Independent Officer Training Course (IOTC), a follow-up training course to BOTC offered on the Internet that requires an officer to complete a series of study modules.

Commissioned Officers Association (COA):  Miniature medal only.

Association of American Military Surgeons of the United States (AMSUS):  Miniature and large medals can be purchased from the AMSUS Association.

Reserve Officers Association (ROA):  The miniature medal can be purchased from the Reserved Officers' Association.

I wish to make a purchase using a credit card

I wish to make a purchase using check or money order **

**This is an interactive form. You can fill out this form on your computer, print it out and mail to the address at the bottom of the form.

To view the PHS Catalog Order Form you must have Acrobat Reader installed on your drive.
If you do not have Acrobat Reader here is the link to a free download....