Greetings Junior Officers! 

It is both an honor and a privilege to officially welcome you as the Chair of the Junior Officer Advisory Group (JOAG) for the 2012-2013 operational year. 

It is hard to believe that JOAG has been around for about a decade, and is now known as the voice of junior officers that provides relevant information and tools to help junior officers make it to the next level in their careers.  To help sustain long-term growth and development, JOAG must find ways to utilize the experience and wisdom of junior officers above and beyond their technical skills and advocate for the professional developmental needs of junior officers at different stages of their careers.  

My vision for JOAG is to provide resources and programs that actively engage all junior officers in continuous professional growth, and to work to bridge the gap among junior officers across duty stations and agencies.  Improving the communication among junior officers, while also increasing opportunities for professional collaboration and educational advancement, will help contribute to the success of all junior officers as they move forward in their careers. 

My priorities for this year are as follows:

• - Support the strategic initiatives and activities within the Office of the Surgeon General
• - Ensure JOAG representation on all Corps-level workgroups and committees
• - Advocate for increased leadership training and professional development for junior officers
• - Better engage junior officers stationed in isolated duty stations utilizing technology and social media

Please take a moment to review the 2012-2013 Call for Volunteers (http://usphs.gov/corpslinks/JOAG/documents/JOAG_Call_for_Volunteers.pdf), which outlines the mission and purpose for each JOAG committee.  I am sure you will find a committee that fits your personal and professional interests. Also attached is an updated roster of 2012-2013 Voting Members, Committee Chairs/Co-Chairs, and Liaisons. 

Lastly, I would like to thank those officers who served before me as JOAG Chair, whose commitment and support over the past ten years helped lay a solid foundation for the Group in the years to come.  With your support, I hope to continue to improve upon their legacy of leadership, service, integrity, and excellence. 

I welcome the new challenges I will experience as JOAG Chair, and I look forward to working with each and every one of you this operational year. 

Respectfully,

LT Tilghman

The Recruitment & Retention Committee has compiled and posted the November 2012 Career Fair List.  Questions and comments can be directed to LCDR Caroline Le at Caroline.Le@fda.hhs.gov or (303)-236-3088, or LT Scott Wiegand at Scott.Wiegand@ihs.gov or (605)-747-2231.

Junior Officers,

The Personnel Policy Memorandum announcing the authorization of the Operational Dress Uniform (ODU) and accoutrements is now available on the Commissioned Corps Management Information System (CCMIS). Also available is the Personnel Operations Memorandum for ordering the ODUs. Direct links to both documents are below.

http://dcp.psc.gov/eccis/documents/POM12_009.pdf

http://dcp.psc.gov/eccis/documents/PPM12_002.pdf

Fellow Officers,

The Junior Officer Advisory Group (JOAG) is pleased to announce the 2012-2013 Executive Committee:

Chair: LT Tracy Tilghman

Vice Chair: LCDR Eva McLanahan

Chair Elect: LT Racquel Stephenson

Executive Secretary: LCDR Scott Steffen

Financial Liaison: LT Tina Walther

Please join me in congratulating your fellow junior officers and future leaders of JOAG.

 Sincerely,

 LCDR Smith

 Damon A. Smith, MPH

Lieutenant Commander, USPHS

Dear Officers,

The fall semester for the 2012-2013 academic school year will begin soon and the JOAG Recruitment and Retention Committee has compiled a list of upcoming career fairs for October 2012. We encourage all officers to get out there and represent the Corps! Note that this list will soon be found on the JOAG website under Junior Officer Resources at: http://www.usphs.gov/corpslinks/JOAG/resources.aspx. Please see the attached list for further details and information.  

Questions and comments can be directed toward LT Scott Wiegand at scott.wiegand@ihs.gov or (605)-747-2231, or LCDR Caroline Le at Caroline.Le@fda.hhs.gov or (303)-236-3088.

Sincerely,

The JOAG Recruitment and Retention Committee
Career Fair Information Subcommittee