Commissioned Corps Holds 2018 Promotion Ceremony

Each year, NIH celebrates the achievements of PHS Commissioned Corps officers. This year’s promotion ceremony was held recently at Natcher Conference Center. Radm. Richard Childs, NHLBI clinical director, provided the welcome, speaking about the creation of the PHS 220 years ago.

PHS is one of the United States’ seven uniformed services and the only one in the world dedicated to public health.

Corps officers fill essential public health leadership and service roles within the Department of Health and Human Services and certain non-HHS federal agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Department of Homeland Security, National Park Service, to name a few.

Eighteen officers were promoted this year. Rev. Ellen Swinford led the invocation and benediction. Childs thanked families, friends and colleagues of the newly promoted officers for their unwavering support. As the promoted officers walked on stage, their family and some of their children and friends participated in the official changing of the shoulder boards to reflect the officers’ new rank. The ceremony ended with recognition of newly retired officers and new calls to active duty officers.

NIH officers were promoted in these categories:

Medical—promoted to captain: Brian Kit, Jill Long; promoted to commander: Julia Hutter; promoted to lieutenant commander: Nathan Boggs

Nurse—promoted to captain: Robyn Bent, Hyejeong Bolan, Michael Krumlauf, Megan Startzell; promoted to commander: Janice Oparah, Ashleigh Sun; promoted to lieutenant commander: Neil Barranta, Brenda Holbrook, Alexander Ross, Melissa Spencer, Stacy Yung

Engineer—promoted to captain: Gretchen Cowman

Environmental Health—promoted to captain: Derek Newcomer

Health Services—promoted to captain: Ulgen Fideli.—Theresa Yu