Um, yes they are.And you're willing to bet your life on it AFTER Obama called for a "Civilian national security force"?
Why do we need another branch of the military reporting to the Surgeon General...why?
The United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps is not a branch of the military ....
No, they're not. They're one of the 7 Uniformed Services, but not one of the 5 Armed Forces. From Title 10
In general, the PHS Commissioned Corps falls under Title 42, not Title 10. However, members of the Commissioned Corps can be assigned or attached to one of the Armed Forces and then do fall under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, though they normally do not.§ 101. Definitions
(4) The term armed forces means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.
(5) The term uniformed services means
(A) the armed forces;
(B) the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and
(C) the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service
(8) The term military departments means the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, and the Department of the Air Force