Environmental Health Officer Professional Advisory Committee

Congratulations to 2011 JRCOSTEPS

A messsage from CAPT Michael Welch, Chief Environmental Health Officer:

On behalf of the Environmental Health Officer (EHO) Category, I would like to congratulate all of the 2011 United States Public Health Service (USPHS) Junior Commissioned Officer Student Training and Externship Program (JRCOSTEP) students that served in the EHO Category!  We are very excited to have had 22 environmental health students participate in the program this year. 

Twenty students were assigned to the Indian Health Service (IHS), one student at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and one student for the first time ever was stationed with Federal Occupational Health (FOH).  Students participating in the JRCOSTEP this year represented 11 different colleges and universities including:  Bowling Green State University (1), California State University, Northridge (1), Colorado State University (5), East Central University (2), Eastern Kentucky University (2), Illinois State University (1), Missouri Southern State University (1), Ohio University (1), University of Georgia (1), Western Carolina University (6), and Wright State University (1).   This unique training program has enabled students to serve in PHS duty stations across the country this summer from Bethesda, Maryland all the way to Fairbanks, Alaska.

Please join me in thanking the following students for serving as a 2011 EHO JRCOSTEP, as well as their preceptors and hosting office:

Western Carolina University:

Lauren Butner - IHS Phoenix (Lakeside, AZ), preceptor: Stephen Piontowski
Mikayla Deardorff - IHS Phoenix (Phoenix, AZ), preceptor: Ricardo Murga
Richard Greene - IHS Phoenix (Parker, AZ), preceptor: David Bales
Maika Lee - IHS Phoenix (Phoenix, AZ), preceptor: Leonard Lopez
Amanda McQueen - IHS EHS (Albuquerque, NM), preceptor: Jerry Lee
Lailani Rockholt - IHS Bristol Bay (Dillingham, AK), preceptor: Brandon Parker

 
Colorado State University:

Justin Bell - IHS Oklahoma City (Pawnee, OK), preceptor: Aaron McNeil
Justine Chavez - IHS Aberdeen (Fort Totten, ND), preceptor: Veronica Leaf
Kathryn Fromuth - IHS Albuquerque (Santa Fe, NM), preceptor: Jeff Dickson
Christopher Quinn-Vawter - IHS Albuquerque (Santa Fe, NM), preceptor: Jeff Dickson
Elle Stark - IHS Bemidji (Bemidji, MN), preceptor: Tim Duffy

Eastern Kentucky University:

Danielle Black - IHS Aberdeen (Minot, ND), preceptor: Molly Curry
Sarah Chandler - IHS Phoenix (Sparks, NV), preceptor: Kelli Stamper

East Central University:
Wesley Fowler - IHS Aberdeen (Sisseton, SD), preceptor: Martin Stephens
Justin Milton - IHS Navajo (Fort Defiance, AZ), preceptor: David Tibbs

Illinois State University:

      Zachary Hanley - IHS SEARHC (Sitka, AK), preceptor: James Clare
 

California State - Northridge

      Maggie Kong - NIH (Bethesda, MD), preceptor: Derek Newcomer
 

University of Georgia

      Ariell Lawrenece - IHS DEHC (Tucson, AZ), preceptor: Angela Hodge

Bowling Green State University

      Rachel Lucas - FOH (Bethesda, MD), preceptor: Justin Perkins

Wright State University

      Matt Porter - IHS California (Sacramento, CA), preceptor: Gordon Tsatoke

Missouri Southern State University

      Ian Saxton - IHS Tanana (Fairbanks, AK), preceptor: Mike Reed

Ohio University

      Marissa Ure - IHS Alaska (Anchorage, AK), preceptor: Troy Ritter

We have recently learned that JRCOSTEPs will be able to receive orders in a more timely manner in future years. The authority to bring on the 2011 JRCOSTEPs does not expire and we can use it for next year and future years. This means that there should be no delays in cutting orders like the 2010 and 2011 JRCOSTEP season. This is great news, and we encourage officers to share this information with hiring officials, students, and school contacts. The time is fast approaching to begin thinking about JRCOSTEP opportunities for 2012! For more information on JRCOSTEP opportunities, please visit:  http://usphs.gov/student/ and http://ehopac.org/information-for/information-for-students.html

Thanks to LCDR Jennifer Freed for her work with COSTEP's and recruitment activities within the EHO category.  

CAPT Michael Welch
Chief Environmental Health Officer