R 181449Z MAR 10 ALCOAST 122/10 COMDTNOTE 12990 SUBJ: VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY - HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF THE MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST A. PERSONNEL MANUAL, COMDTINST M1000.6 (SERIES), CHAPTER 7.A.10.B.7. 1. MORE THAN 1,000 DHS EMPLOYEES HAVE ANSWERED THE CALL FOR HELP IN THE RECOVERY AND REBUILDING EFFORT IN THE GULF COAST REGION AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA. MUCH PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE IN THE FIVE YEARS SINCE KATRINA, HOWEVER, THE REBUILDING EFFORT CONTINUES. 2. EMPLOYEES HAVE AN ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO HELP THROUGH A TEAM MADE UP OF DHS VOLUNTEERS WHO WILL WORK WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF THE MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST (HFHMGC) IN THE REBUILDING EFFORTS. THE HFHMGC HOPES TO BUILD 800 HOMES BY 2012. MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HFHMGC MAY BE FOUND AT THE FOLLOWING LINK: HTTP://WWW.HFHMGC.ORG/ 3. DHS HAS RESERVED SPACE FOR DHS EMPLOYEES DURING THE WEEK OF 3-8 MAY 2010 UNDER THE NAME TEAM DHS. THE HFHMGC CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE IS MONDAY-SATURDAY. VOLUNTEERS WILL BE HOUSED AT CAMP VICTOR, LOCATED AT 1515 GOVERNMENT STREET, OCEAN SPRINGS, MS. CAMP VICTOR HAS DORMITORY-STYLE HOUSING, WITH BUNK BEDS IN ROOMS SEPARATED BY GENDER. NO JOINT HOUSING IS AVAILABLE FOR MARRIED COUPLES. BATHROOMS AND SHOWERS ARE LOCATED IN THE FACILITY, AS IS A DINING HALL. CAMP VICTOR HAS COMMON AREAS, CABLE TV, COMPUTERS, WIRELESS INTERNET AND LAUNDRY FACILITIES AVAILABLE FOR VOLUNTEERS (DETERGENT NOT PROVIDED). ACCOMMODATIONS AT CAMP VICTOR COST 125 DOLLARS PER PERSON PER WEEK, WHICH COVERS LODGING AND MEALS (3 MEALS A DAY MONDAY-FRIDAY, AND A CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST ON SATURDAY MORNING PRIOR TO DEPARTURE). VOLUNTEERS MAY ARRIVE FROM 1700 TO 1900 CENTRAL TIME ON SUNDAY EVENING BUT MUST BE PRESENT FOR THE ORIENTATION SESSION AT 1915 TO VOLUNTEER. CHECK-OUT TIME IS ON SATURDAY MORNING. HOUSING AT CAMP VICTOR IS NOT AVAILABLE ON SATURDAY NIGHTS. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON CAMP VICTOR, VISIT THE WEBSITE AT HTTP://WWW.CAMPVICTOR.ORG. VOLUNTEERS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO LODGE AT CAMP VICTOR AND ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM MISSISSIPPI AND ANY OTHER ASSOCIATED COSTS. 4. VOLUNTEERS MUST REGISTER FOR THE WEEK OF 3-8 MAY 2010 AND HOUSING AT CAMP VICTOR AT THE FOLLOWING LINK: HTTP://REGONLINE.COM/VOLUNTEER PLEASE BE SURE TO ENTER RESERVATION CODE "HFHMGC96" FOR THE APPROPRIATE DATES AND SELECT "TEAM DHS." ALL REGISTRATIONS AND PAYMENTS ARE DUE NO LATER THAN 3 APRIL 2010. CONTACT LOREN MOYLAN AT 228-314-0011, EXT 310, FOR QUESTIONS ABOUT REGISTRATION OR SEND AN E-MAIL TO VOLUNTEER(AT)HFHMGC.ORG. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE TYPES OF WORK AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS, VISIT THE HFHMGC WEBSITE AT: HTTP://WWW.HFHMGC.ORG AND SELECT "VOLUNTEER." 5. THE DHS POLICY GUIDANCE IN MANAGEMENT DIRECTIVE 254-01, VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY SERVICE, APPLIES AND PERMITS EMPLOYEES WHO PARTICIPATE IN VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE MISSION OF DHS TO RECEIVE UP TO 40 HOURS OF ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE PER YEAR FOR VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY SERVICE. THE EFFORTS TO REBUILD THE GULF COAST, COORDINATED BY THE OFFICE OF THE FEDERAL COORDINATOR FOR GULF COAST REBUILDING, QUALIFIES AS A DHS MISSION FOR WHICH EXCUSED ABSENCE, OR ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE, IS PERMISSIBLE. HOWEVER, AN EMPLOYEE WHO WISHES TO USE ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE MUST ALSO NOT HAVE EXHAUSTED THE 40 HOURS PER YEAR ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE MAXIMUM. IF THE 40 HOURS PER YEAR MAXIMUM HAS BEEN EXHAUSTED, AN EMPLOYEE MUST REQUEST ANNUAL LEAVE, LEAVE WITHOUT PAY, CREDIT HOURS (UNDER A FLEXIBLE WORK SCHEDULE), OR COMPENSATORY TIME OFF, TO BE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATION IN THIS VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT DHS GULF COAST REBUILDING EFFORTS MAY BE FOUND AT:HTTP://WWW.DHS.GOV/GULFCOASTREBUILD 6. CIVILIAN AND MILITARY MEMBERS MUST HAVE THE CONCURRENCE OF THEIR FIRST-LEVEL SUPERVISORS BEFORE VOLUNTEERING FOR THIS ACTIVITY. UPON APPROVAL OF THEIR CHAIN OF COMMAND, MILITARY MEMBERS ARE AUTHORIZED ADMINISTRATIVE ABSENCE TO SUPPORT THIS VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY IN ACCORDANCE WITH REFERENCE A. 7. CIVILIAN AND MILITARY MEMBERS WHO ARE CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO CREATE A RECORD OF THEIR VOLUNTEER SERVICE HOURS BY REGISTERING WITH THE PRESIDENTS SERVICE AWARD WEBSITE: HTTP://PRESIDENTIALSERVICEAWARDS.GOV THE GROUP CODE FOR THE COAST GUARD IS RNP-224X. THE EFFORTS TO REBUILD THE GULF COAST, COORDINATED BY THE OFFICE OF THE FEDERAL COORDINATOR FOR GULF COAST REBUILDING, IS A MISSION OF DHS. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT DHS GULF COAST REBUILDING EFFORTS MAY BE FOUND AT: HTTP://WWW.DHS.GOV/ 8. FOR ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE REGARDING THE APPROPRIATE USE OF LEAVE OR WORK SCHEDULES AND FLEXIBILITIES, OR FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY, CONTACT YOUR SERVICING COMMAND STAFF ADVISOR OR HUMAN RESOURCES SPECIALIST. 9. RELEASED BY RADM RONALD T. HEWITT, ASSISTANT COMMANDANT FOR HUMAN RESOURCES. 10. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.