Billets

Billets:
Job/position designators which reflect the title and equivalent grade responsibilities held by a commissioned officer.

Billet description:
Listing of the major duties, responsibilities, and requirements associated with the position or job to which commissioned officers are assigned. It may also be considered a general representation of the officer's duties.

Billet description forms:
PHS Form 4392 describes the duties, responsibilities, requirements, and supervision of each officer. Each officer has a billet Form 4392 describing his/her position.

The current Billet Number to which an officer is assigned is listed in the officer's Promotion Information Report (PIR) but the billet description form is NOT incorporated into the officer's electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF).

The Agency where the officer works should have a copy of the officer's billet form. If an officer is not sure of the billet to which he/she is currently assigned, the officer should ask his/her immediate supervisor, or go to the Commissioned Corps Management Information System web site to view the PIR in his/her eOPF. Other information may be available from the PHS Billet Query Form, which requires a login.

Billet changes:
If an officer's duties change, the billet should reflect the changes.

As an officer is promoted to a higher grade, the duties of the officer should be commensurate with the higher grade.

Official changes to an officer's billet must be initiated by the immediate supervisor of the officer by filling out a PHS Form 1662, "Request for Personnel Action-Commissioned Officer."  This form must be accompanied by PHS Form 4392, a Billet Description Form. Both forms must be forwarded through the Agency Liaison to the Division of Commissioned Personnel (DCP) which will issue a personnel order for the billet change or upgrade.

It is the responsibility of the officer's immediate supervisor to assure that the officer is in an appropriate billet which is consistent with program organizational guidelines, as well as meeting the career progression needs and objectives of the officer.

Billet classifications:

     --Standard Categorical Billets
           Developed by each category Professional Advisory Committee (PAC)
           Examples of Standard Categorical Billets for Medical Officers

     --Agency Specific Billets
           Developed by each agency/program

     --Non-Standard Billets
           Unique, specialized, or one-of-a-kind

Other billet information:
Billets are assigned grade levels, so it is important for an officer to be in a billet graded equal to or higher than the officer's current grade, especially for promotion purposes.