
Our Mission
Our mission is to provide advice and consultation to the Surgeon General, Chief
Professional Officers, Professional Advisory Committees, and other Commissioned
Corps groups on issues relating to professional practice and personnel
activities affecting Junior Officers in the USPHS Commissioned Corps.
What is JOAG?
In 1999, Leadership of the corps recognized need to obtain information regarding
issues of importance to junior officers pertaining to policy and career
development. RADM Blackwell met with selected junior officers and formalized the
Junior Officer Ad Hoc Advisory Group.
JOAG was officially chartered by then Surgeon General, VADM Satcher, on December
7, 2001, JOAG was a grass roots organization with no budget. Most budget items
were contributed individually by members through their OPDIVS or Categories.
There are 20 voting members representing each category within the USPHS.