Awards and decorations of the Public Health Service
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The United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHSCC), one of the eight uniformed services of the United States, has the authority to issue various awards, commendations, and other insignia to its members. These include individual honor awards, unit honor awards, service awards, training ribbons, special skill badges, and identification badges. The following PHSCC awards are listed in the service's order of precedence:[1][2][3]
Personal awards and decorations
Unit awards
 | Public Health Service Presidential Unit Citation – the highest unit decoration of the Public Health Service. |
 | Public Health Service Outstanding Unit Citation – the second highest unit decoration of the Public Health Service. |
 | Public Health Service Unit Commendation – the third highest unit decoration of the Public Health Service. |
Service and campaign awards
Association and organization awards
The following awards are awarded by various associations and organizations related the PHS mission and may be worn on the uniform (in order of precedence shown) when attending a function of that association:[5]
 | Commissioned Officers Association of the U.S. Public Health Service (COA)[6] |
 | Association of Military Surgeons of the United States (AMSUS) |
 | Reserve Officers Association (ROA) |
Attachments worn on ribbons
  | Bronze letter "V" device worn on the Distinguished Service, Meritorious Service, and the Outstanding Service Medals to indicate an award for valor. |
  | 5/16th inch gold stars are worn on the Distinguished Service, Meritorious Service, Surgeon General's Exemplary Service, Outstanding Service, Commendation, Achievement, and PHS Citation Medals to indicate subsequent awards. |
  | In lieu of five gold 5/16th inch stars, a silver 5/16th inch star is worn. |
  | 3/16th inch service stars in bronze are worn on campaign, unit, and service awards to indicate subsequent awards. In lieu of five bronze stars, a silver star is worn. |
 | A gold frame is placed around the Presidential Unit Citation to indicate a second award.[7] |
  | The Expeditionary Attachment is worn centered on the suspension ribbon and ribbon bar.[8] |
Badges and insignia
Commissioned Corps officers may wear two authorized special skills badges and two breast or identification badges on the Corps uniform. Badges of the USPHS take precedence over badges earned in other uniformed services.[3][9][10]
- Assistant Secretary for Health / Principal Deputy Secretary for Health Officer-In-Charge Badge (ASHOIC)
- Surgeon General Badge (SG)
- Deputy Surgeon General Badge (DSG)
- Officer-in-Charge Badge (OIC)
- Chief Professional Officer Badge (CPO)
- Field Medical Readiness Badge (FMRB) [11]
- Recruiter Badge[4]
- Associate Recruiter (AR) Badge[4]
- Public Health Service Music Ensemble Badge
- Department of Health and Human Services Identification (HHS ID) Badge
- Other badges and insignia issued by other uniformed services