I see your point, kinda, but it feels like a distinction without a difference. PHS is a "uniformed service of the United States." As you know, the other uniformed services are the armed forces and NOAA. Commissioned Corps members have military titles and wear Navy uniforms (with some slight differences in what is affixed to them). The Pr…
I see your point, kinda, but it feels like a distinction without a difference. PHS is a "uniformed service of the United States." As you know, the other uniformed services are the armed forces and NOAA. Commissioned Corps members have military titles and wear Navy uniforms (with some slight differences in what is affixed to them). The President can take over the Commissioned Corps at any time to use as a military branch. The Secretary of Defense is traditionally a civilian -- so even the military commanders usually report to a civilian boss. So you're saying the uniformed services are not technically the military even though they include the military and can be used militarily? Or am I misunderstanding something more fundamental here?
I see your point, kinda, but it feels like a distinction without a difference. PHS is a "uniformed service of the United States." As you know, the other uniformed services are the armed forces and NOAA. Commissioned Corps members have military titles and wear Navy uniforms (with some slight differences in what is affixed to them). The President can take over the Commissioned Corps at any time to use as a military branch. The Secretary of Defense is traditionally a civilian -- so even the military commanders usually report to a civilian boss. So you're saying the uniformed services are not technically the military even though they include the military and can be used militarily? Or am I misunderstanding something more fundamental here?
This brief history is clarifying: https://lhncbc.nlm.nih.gov/LHC-publications/PDF/pub2001060.pdf