ALCOAST 448/08
COMDTNOTE 1160
SUBJ:  CITIZENSHIP POLICY FOR USCG SERVICE MEMBERS
A. COAST GUARD PERSONNEL MANUAL, COMDTINST M1000.6 (SERIES)
B. PERSONNEL SECURITY AND SUITABILITY PROGRAM, COMDTINST M5520.12
(SERIES)
C. EXECUTIVE ORDER 12968 DATED AUGUST 2, 1995
D. THE COMPACT OF FREE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THE FEDERATED STATES OF
MICRONESIA AND THE UNITED STATES, SECTION 201(A), PUBLIC LAW 108-
188 (117 STAT. 2784, 48 U.S.C. 1921 NOTE)
E. THE COMPACT OF FREE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF THE
MARSHALL ISLANDS AND THE UNITED STATES, SECTION 201(B), PUBLIC LAW
108-188 (117 STAT. 2823, 48 U.S.C. 1921 NOTE)
F.  THE COMPACT OF FREE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN PALAU AND THE UNITED
STATES, SECTION 201, PUBLIC LAW 99-658 (100 STAT. 3678, 48 U.S.C.
1931 NOTE)
1. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ALCOAST IS TO ESTABLISH AND RE-CLARIFY THE
COAST GUARD POLICY CONCERNING NON-U.S. CITIZENS CURRENTLY SERVING
IN THE U.S. COAST GUARD. REF (A) PERMITS NON-U.S. CITIZENS TO
VOLUNTEER FOR SERVICE IN THE COAST GUARD, HOWEVER, THEY MUST BECOME
NATURALIZED U.S. CITIZENS PRIOR TO THE END OF THEIR FIRST
ENLISTMENT IN ORDER TO RE-ENLIST. IN ADDITION, REFS (B) AND (C)
STATE THAT ONLY U.S. CITIZENS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR SECURITY
CLEARANCES UNLESS SPECIFIC AND UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES REQUIRE NON-
U.S. CITIZENS TO HAVE TEMPORARY ACCESS TO CLASSIFIED INFORMATION.
RATINGS WHICH REQUIRE MEMBERS TO QUALIFY FOR A SECURITY CLEARANCE
ARE AET, AMT, AST, ET, GM, PA, OS, IT AND IS.
2. EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, ARTICLES 1.G.5.5, 1.G.7.5, AND 1.G.15.B
OF REF (A), REGARDING PERMANENT WAIVERS OF THE CITIZENSHIP
REQUIREMENT FOR THOSE WHO ENLISTED FROM THE REPUBLIC OF THE
PHILIPPINES, NO LONGER APPLY FOR NEW ACCESSIONS. CURRENT COAST
GUARD MEMBERS WHO ARE CITIZENS OF THE PHILIPPINES WILL FOLLOW THE
CITIZENSHIP PROVISIONS THAT EXISTED UPON THEIR INITIAL ACCESSION,
AND, AS SUCH, ARE AUTHORIZED TO MAINTAIN THEIR PHILLIPINES
CITIZENSHIP STATUS FOR THE DURATION OF THEIR CONTINUOUS SERVICE.
3. IN ADDITION, AS PER REFS (D) THRU (F), CITIZENS OF THE REPUBLIC
OF THE MARSHALL ISLANDS (RMI), THE FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA
(FSM), AND PALAU ARE EXEMPT FROM THE REQUIREMENT TO BECOME U.S.
CITIZENS IN ORDER TO RE-ENLIST IN THE COAST GUARD. AS LONG
AS THEY REMAIN NON-U.S. CITIZENS, THEY ARE INELIGIBLE FOR A
SECURITY CLEARANCE AND CANNOT SERVE IN OR PURSUE ANY OF THE RATINGS
LISTED IN PARAGRAPH 1 ABOVE. THIS CHANGE WILL BE REFLECTED IN THE
NEXT UPDATE TO REF (A).
4. A RECENT CITIZENSHIP QUERY OF COAST GUARD SERVICE MEMBERS
INDICATED THAT THERE ARE 336 (255 ACTIVE, 63 SELRES, 18 IRR) NON-
U.S. CITIZENS IN THE COAST GUARD. INITIAL INDICATIONS SUGGEST THAT
APPROXIMATELY 110 NON-U.S. CITIZENS APPEAR TO BE SERVING ON A
SECOND OR SUBSEQUENT ENLISTMENT. TO RECTIFY NON-U.S. CITIZENSHIP
STATUS OF COAST GUARD MEMBERS, THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURAL GUIDANCE IS
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY:
  A. NON-U.S. CITIZEN SERVICE MEMBERS ON THEIR FIRST ENLISTMENT,
WHO WISH TO RE-ENLIST OR EXTEND, HAVE UNTIL THE END OF THEIR
ENLISTMENT TO OBTAIN THEIR U.S. CITIZENSHIP. COMPLETE INFORMATION
REGARDING THE CITIZENSHIP PROCESS AND FORMS REQUIRED TO COMPLETE
THE PROCESS CAN BE FOUND AT THE U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION
SERVICES (USCIS) WEBSITE AT
HTTP://USCIS.GOV/GRAPHICS/CITIZENSHIP/INDEX.HTM. ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT
HTTP://WWW.USCG.MIL/HQ/CGPC/ADM/ADM3NAT.HTM. THE PROCESS TO OBTAIN
U.S. CITIZENSHIP CAN BE QUITE LENGTHY (UP TO TWO YEARS TO
COMPLETE). THEREFORE, MEMBERS SEEKING U.S. CITIZENSHIP ARE STRONGLY
ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN THE PROCESS EARLY TO AVOID A POSSIBLE
INTERRUPTION OF MILITARY SERVICE.
    (1) NON-U.S. CITIZEN SERVICE MEMBERS WHO ARE CURRENTLY WITHIN
ONE YEAR OF THE END OF THEIR ENLISTMENT MAY REQUEST AN 18-MONTH
EXTENSION THROUGH CGPC IF THEY HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED PAPERWORK FOR
CITIZENSHIP, BUT HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED APPROVAL FOR CITIZENSHIP
PRIOR TO THE END OF THEIR ENLISTMENT.
    (2) IF, AT THE END OF THAT 18-MONTH EXTENSION, THE SERVICE
MEMBER STILL HAS NOT OBTAINED U.S. CITIZENSHIP, THAT MEMBER WILL BE
SUBJECT TO DISCHARGE.
  B. NON-U.S. CITIZEN SERVICE MEMBERS ON SUBSEQUENT ENLISTMENTS,
REGARDLESS OF YEARS OF SERVICE, HAVE SIX MONTHS FROM THE DATE OF
THIS ALCOAST TO COMPLETE THE PAPERWORK PROCESS FOR CITIZENSHIP.
CGPC-EPM-1 MAY GRANT A SHORT-TERM RETENTION OR EXTENSION IF THE
COMMAND VERIFIES THAT THE MEMBER HAS SUBMITTED A COMPLETED
NATURALIZATION PACKAGE. FAILURE TO TAKE PROACTIVE STEPS TO OBTAIN
CITIZENSHIP WILL RESULT IN DISCHARGE AND/OR RETIREMENT.
  C. SERVICING PERSONNEL OFFICES (SPO): SPOS ARE REMINDED THAT THEY
SHALL NOT RE-ENLIST, EXTEND, OR RE-EXTEND SERVICE MEMBERS WHO ARE
NON-U.S. CITIZENS WITHOUT PRIOR APPROVAL FROM CGPC-EPM-1. TO ENSURE
THIS STEP IS NOT OVERLOOKED, A BLOCK HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE CAREER
INTENTIONS WORKSHEET (CG PSC-2045) TO REMIND COMMANDS TO CHECK THE
CITIZENSHIP STATUS OF SERVICE MEMBERS DURING THE REENLISTMENT
PROCESS. IN ADDITION, FUNCTIONALITY HAS BEEN ADDED WITHIN DIRECT
ACCESS THAT WILL PROMPT AUTHORIZED USERS TO CONFIRM A MEMBERS
CITIZENSHIP UPON RE-ENLISTMENT OR EXTENSION. AUTHORIZED USERS ALSO
NOW HAVE THE ABILITY TO ASSIGN THE MEMBERS CORRECT COUNTRY CODE AND
CITIZENSHIP STATUS, WHICH SHOULD GRADUALLY ELIMINATE THE ERRONEOUS
RE-ENLISTMENT OF NON-U.S. CITIZENS. DETAILS AND PROCEDURAL GUIDANCE
MAY BE FOUND AT HTTP://WWW.USCG.MIL/CGPC/ADM/ADM3/
5. FORMER NON-CITIZENS WHO HAVE OBTAINED U.S. CITIZENSHIP OR
NATURALIZATION SHALL CONFIRM WITH THEIR SPO THAT THEIR CITIZENSHIP
STATUS HAS BEEN UPDATED IN DIRECT ACCESS AND SHALL PROVIDE ANY
REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION NEEDED. FAILURE TO PROPERLY CONFIRM U.S.
CITIZENSHIP WITHIN DIRECT ACCESS MAY ADVERSELY AFFECT A SERVICE
MEMBERS CAREER IN THE COAST GUARD.
6. FOR GENERAL CITIZENSHIP POLICY QUESTIONS CONTACT CWO JERRY BROWN
AT (202) 475-5371, COMDT (CG-1221).  FOR QUESTIONS REGARDING THE
NATURALIZATION PROCESS, CONTACT MR. JOHN EVANS AT (202)
493-1661, CGPC ADM-3, OR YOUR LOCAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE OFFICER. FOR
SECURITY CLEARANCE QUESTIONS, CONTACT MS. LISA MCDANIEL AT (202)
372-3699, COMDT (CG-861). QUESTIONS REGARDING ENLISTMENT EXTENSIONS
FOR NON-U.S. CITIZENS, SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO MR. MICHAEL
HERSHBERGER AT (202) 493-1240, CGPC EPM-1.
7. RELEASED BY, RDML DANIEL A. NEPTUN, DIRECTOR OF PERSONNEL
MANAGEMENT.
8. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED