use of "Dr" in title

[dogboy]

I've noticed that Medical Officers use a title like "Major (Dr.) Joan Smith".

I'm a Health Services Officer with a doctorate in public health/ epidemiology. Is it proper for me to use this form of title or is it restricted to medical doctors? How about a dentist? Doctor of Pharmacy?

[FW]

If you are addressed as "Dr." in your profession, it is proper to add "DR" to your title.    Even if you are not a Health Services officer, adding "Dr." to the title is not wrong, IMO.  We had a Sec. of State who was known as Sec. (Dr.) Kissinger.  On occasion, I've received emails, snail mail, or have been introduced to fellow members as; "Col., Dr.  F.W."  No one ever objected.  However, I don't make an issue of it either way.

[IceNine]

I can't find any guidance on this, and I'm sure it is a minor technicalty but,

All the chaplains I know are addressed as Chaplain Major lastname, I'm sure there is a precedent for the order in which you put those titles.  Anyone know the real rule

[Eclipse]

I believe that's recognition that the Chaplin role is a higher power than the military one.

[MIKE]

I found this:

9. Signature Element. Type or stamp the signature element at least three spaces to the right of page center, five lines below the last line of text. Show the name in capitals, grade in upper/lower case, and service in capitals, (i.e., CAP or USAF) on the first line. Duty title in upper/lower case on the second line, and name of the office or organizational level on the third line in upper/lower case (if not announced in the heading). Avoid using legal, educational, or ecclesiastical degrees or titles. If a part of the signature block is so long that it exceeds the length of the line, indent two spaces on the second line. THE NATIONAL COMMANDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HAVE A THREE-LINE SIGNATURE.

Emphasis mine.

[Smithsonia]

My brother is a medical doctor. I never call him by the title Doctor.  I call him goofball, idiot, nimrod, and maroon... but that's left over from before he was a Doctor. I hope that's of service to you.

[DNall]

By tradition, special branch officers use the format in you example: Chap (Maj) John Smith, or LtCol (Dr) Joan Smith.

They are outside the normal chain of command. If I'm a Major and a Capt is sending me a note saying one of my enlisted soldiers shouldn't do PT, they don't have the authority to do that, but if they're a doctor then things are different. Likewise, if my unit is assigned to defend a base complex, a doctor that outranks me cannot come out & take charge of that defense because they aren't a line officer. But, as an aviation officer, I can take charge of an infantry unit from a lower ranking infantry officer, because I am a line officer, even though I'm in a different branch and chain of command.

[dogboy]

I found this:

9. Signature Element. Type or stamp the signature element at least three spaces to the right of page center, five lines below the last line of text. Show the name in capitals, grade in upper/lower case, and service in capitals, (i.e., CAP or USAF) on the first line. Duty title in upper/lower case on the second line, and name of the office or organizational level on the third line in upper/lower case (if not announced in the heading). Avoid using legal, educational, or ecclesiastical degrees or titles. If a part of the signature block is so long that it exceeds the length of the line, indent two spaces on the second line. THE NATIONAL COMMANDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HAVE A THREE-LINE SIGNATURE.

Emphasis mine.

Here's an example of the usage:

http://capnhq.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/capnhq.cfg/php/enduser/fattach_get.php?p_sid=BHQn_5hj&p_li=&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_file_id=86&p_tbl=9&p_id=277&p_created=1043960408&p_olh=0

[lordmonar]

6.1.7. Military Chaplains. Always address military chaplains as "Chaplain." When addressing her/him in writing, it should read, "Chaplain, Colonel Jill Smith."

6.1.8. Military Doctors/Dentists. Doctors and dentists can be addressed as either "Doctor" or by their rank. Always use their rank when writing.

[O-Rex]

In civilian correspondence, you use your academic title, i.e, John Doe, M.D.

In the Military, I've seen  Dr. (Maj) John Doe, and I believe that after a certain rank, the user simply uses their military title, period.  If I recall, in the Navy, it's CDR and above.

If anyone has reference to "Military Etiquette" or similar guide, maybe they can look it up.

[notaNCO forever]

 Wouldn't it make sense to just put M.D. or whatever it is at the end of the name and not bother with Dr. at the beginning. I'd think it would look better than Maj. (Dr.).

[RiverAux]

Personally I don't see why certain professional designations deserve any special recognition while others do not as far as CAP goes.

It does seem that Mike settled the actual question at hand as far as CAP correspondence with his quote below.   

[JayT]

Personally I don't see why certain professional designations deserve any special recognition while others do not as far as CAP goes.

Pardon?

[JohnKachenmeister]

I believe that the use of the term "Dr." in military titles is reserved for medical doctors, not for PhD's even if they are in health services.  The reasons for this designation are exactly as described by DNall, so I won't repeat it here.

To use "Dr." if you are not a physician would be bad form at least, pretentious for sure, and probably misleading to the point that you will lose all your friends.

But, I have been thinking about buying an internet degree, a really cool PhD in "Pet Psychology."  I can do my dissertation about my dog, Aussie.

[Cecil DP]

Wouldn't it make sense to just put M.D. or whatever it is at the end of the name and not bother with Dr. at the beginning. I'd think it would look better than Maj. (Dr.).

Then your whole signature line would be abbreviation

[Trung Si Ma]

But, as an aviation officer, I can take charge of an infantry unit from a lower ranking infantry officer, because I am a line officer, even though I'm in a different branch and chain of command.

Are you saying that you can take charge of an infantry unit, in combat, from a fully qualified infantry officer, serving in his assigned MTOE position because you have one day more time in grade?

I'd not recommend trying it in either a Ranger or SF unit.  Although the comic relief may be good for their morale.

[ol'fido]

When there is an established commander of a combat arms unit, that person can only be relieved by their chain of command. I think the actual rule states that where there is no established commander of a unit in combat, the senior combat arms officer will assume command whether there are higher ranking officers of a service or service support branch present or not. An example would be a D-Day like parachute drop where a bunch of people from various units find each other and form a makeshift unit. A CPT of Infantry in this case would assume command even if there were MAjs or LTCs from non-cambat arms branches present.

[Trung Si Ma]

When there is an established commander of a combat arms unit, that person can only be relieved by their chain of command. I think the actual rule states that where there is no established commander of a unit in combat, the senior combat arms officer will assume command whether there are higher ranking officers of a service or service support branch present or not. An example would be a D-Day like parachute drop where a bunch of people from various units find each other and form a makeshift unit. A CPT of Infantry in this case would assume command even if there were MAjs or LTCs from non-cambat arms branches present.

The way I was taught is that the senior Combat Arms Leader (commissioned or noncommissioned) takes charge, particularly if their unit is the base of what is left.  i.e. an infantry platoon sergeant would retain tactical command over a non-maneuver combat arms person even if out ranked.

I've never had that happen in a combat situation, but have seen it played out numerous times at NTC and JRTC (seems to be a favorable situation at the old JRTC).

Granted, I've been retired since 1992 so things may have changed somewhere but my last JRTC rotation was in 2006.

Well it sure looks like this thread has drifted a bit ...

[dogboy]

By tradition, special branch officers use the format in you example: Chap (Maj) John Smith, or LtCol (Dr) Joan Smith.

They are outside the normal chain of command.

Since the CAP does not have special branches, I don't understand the relevance of your comment.

[dogboy]

I believe that the use of the term "Dr." in military titles is reserved for medical doctors, not for PhD's even if they are in health services.  The reasons for this designation are exactly as described by DNall, so I won't repeat it here.

To use "Dr." if you are not a physician would be bad form at least, pretentious for sure, and probably misleading to the point that you will lose all your friends.

But, I have been thinking about buying an internet degree, a really cool PhD in "Pet Psychology."  I can do my dissertation about my dog, Aussie.

I've seen the "Dr" along with rank used by a podiatrist and a psychologist in CAP News.

I don't really think it's appropriate to compare a DPH from Johns Hopkins with an fake internet PhD in pet psychology but I guess each of us rises to his own level.