R 281807Z JAN 10 

ALCOAST 043/10
COMDTNOTE 5401
SUBJ: DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (DHS) EMPLOYEE AND
ORGANIZATIONAL RESILIENCE PROGRAM
1. DAY AFTER DAY, I AM STRUCK BY THE PASSION AND DEDICATION OF
EXTRAORDINARY COAST GUARD MEN AND WOMEN WHO TRAIN FOR AND EXECUTE
THE MOST DEMANDING MISSIONS OF OUR SERVICE. ON AND OFF DUTY,
GUARDIANS SELFLESSLY PUT THE WELFARE OF OTHERS ABOVE THAT OF
THEMSELVES. IT IS AWE-INSPIRING TO SEE SUCH DEVOTION TO DUTY - A
DUTY BORN OF THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE AMERICAS MARITIME GUARDIANS,
BOUND TOGETHER BY AN ETHOS TO SERVE AS A SHIELD TO PROTECT, DEFEND
AND SAVE. OUR EXTRAORDINARY SURGE EFFORT TO ASSIST THE VICTIMS OF
THE EARTHQUAKE IN HAITI UNDERSCORES OUR NEED FOR A RESILIENT
WORKFORCE.
2. I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE MY SUPPORT FOR A NEW DHS INITIATIVE
CALLED DHS TOGETHER. DHS TOGETHER IS A 5-YEAR, DEPARTMENT-WIDE
PROGRAM FOR EMPLOYEE AND ORGANIZATIONAL RESILIENCE DESIGNED TO
PROMOTE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF THE ENTIRE DHS WORKFORCE AND
ENSURE THAT EMPLOYEES HAVE THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES AT THEIR
DISPOSAL TO BALANCE WORK AND LIFE ISSUES, AND THE STRESSES THAT CAN
RESULT. THE DHS DEPUTY SECRETARY HAS DECLARED FEBRUARY AS EMPLOYEE
RESILIENCE MONTH.
3. DHS TOGETHER IS UNDERWAY NOW AND ALL UNITS WILL PARTICIPATE IN A
STAND DOWN TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF FEBRUARY, EXCEPT AS NOTED
BELOW. DURING THIS STAND DOWN, EMPLOYEES WILL HEAR FROM DHS
LEADERSHIP, WATCH A VIDEO PRESENTATION ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE
RESILIENT, AND PARTICIPATE IN A FACILITATED DIALOGUE WITH
SUPERVISORS AND CO-WORKERS. FEEDBACK FROM THE DIALOGUE WILL BE
COLLECTED AND INCORPORATED AS PART OF THE PROGRAMS DEVELOPMENT.
4. ALL ACTIVITIES FOR DHS TOGETHER WILL BE DRIVEN BY A SENIOR
LEADERSHIP TASK FORCE. THE TASK FORCE WILL BE CHARGED WITH CREATING
A STRATEGIC VISION FOR THE PROGRAM, IDENTIFYING RESOURCES,
REVIEWING BEST PRACTICES AND ULTIMATELY PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR DEPARTMENTAL ACTION. I HAVE ASKED RADM MARK TEDESCO, DIRECTOR
OF HEALTH, SAFETY AND WORK-LIFE, TO SERVE AS THE CG REPRESENTATIVE
ON THIS TASK FORCE.
5. STAND DOWN MATERIALS ARE ACCESSIBLE ON THE CG PORTAL AT:
HTTP://TINYURL.COM/YCTWGLN. THIS SITE INCLUDES INSTRUCTIONS FOR
COMPLETING THE STAND DOWN AND ACCESS TO THE VIDEO PRESENTATION, A
FACILITATORS DISCUSSION GUIDE, AND THE CG RESOURCE GUIDE. TO THE
MAXIMUM EXTENT POSSIBLE, UNITS SHOULD ARRANGE FOR GROUP VIEWINGS,
FOLLOWED BY A FACILITATED DISCUSSION USING THE GUIDE PROVIDED.
PARTICIPATION IN THE STAND DOWN AND ANY FEEDBACK GENERATED FROM THE
DISCUSSION REGARDING WAYS TO IMPROVE RESILIENCE, OR EXISTING BEST
PRACTICES, SHOULD BE CAPTURED AND PROVIDED IN THE REPORTING
MECHANISM DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPH 9 BELOW. EACH EMPLOYEE SHOULD ALSO
BE PROVIDED WITH ACCESS TO OR BE GIVEN A HARD COPY OF THE CG
RESOURCE GUIDE.
6. MEMBERS THAT ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND THE GROUP VIEWING SHOULD VIEW
THE PRESENTATION INDIVIDUALLY, AND THEN BE AFFORDED AN OPPORTUNITY
TO PROVIDE ANY FEEDBACK THEY HAVE FOR INCLUSION IN THE UNIT
RESILIENCE SURVEY DISCUSSED IN PARAGRAPH 9 BELOW.
7. UNITS THAT ARE UNABLE TO ACCESS THE MATERIALS VIA THE LINK
ABOVE, ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY VIEWING THE MATERIAL FROM CG PORTAL,
OR HAVE LIMITED BANDWIDTH MAY REQUEST A DVD COPY OF THE "DHS
RESILIENCE PROGRAM" MATERIALS FROM THE CG INSTITUTE. SEND AN E-
MAIL REQUEST TO CGI-PF-RESOURCE(UNDERSCORE)SUPPORT(UNDERSCORE)
SECTION(AT)USCG.MIL WITH "DHS RESILIENCE PROGRAM" IN THE SUBJECT
LINE. PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU INCLUDE YOUR UNIT SHIPPING ADDRESS
AND A POINT OF CONTACT. FOR ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ORDERING THE DVD,
PLEASE CONTACT GMCM DENNIS BROOKS AT DENNIS.R.BROOKS(AT)USCG.MIL OR
405-954-7238.
8. UNITS THAT HAVE ACCESS TO THE PRESENTATION ON CG PORTAL SHALL
COMPLETE THE STAND DOWN BY 28 FEB 2010. DEPLOYED UNITS (INCLUDING
FLOATING ASSETS) AND UNITS UNABLE TO VIEW THE PRESENTATION USING CG
PORTAL, SHALL COMPLETE THE STAND DOWN WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THEIR
RETURN FROM DEPLOYMENT OR RECEIPT OF MATERIALS FROM THE INSTITUTE.
9. UNITS SHALL REPORT COMPLETION OF THE STAND DOWN USING THE
TRAINING MANAGEMENT TOOL LINK WHICH IS AVAILABLE AT THE CG PORTAL
SITE. COMPLETION OF THE STAND DOWN SHALL BE RECORDED FOR EACH UNIT
MEMBER IN THE MANNER THAT COMPLETION OF TRAINING IS TYPICALLY DONE
(COURSE CODE: DHS-RES). UNITS SHALL ALSO COMPLETE THE UNIT
RESILIENCE SURVEY LOCATED AT THE CG PORTAL SITE, WHICH WILL PROVIDE
FEEDBACK ON THE STAND DOWN, FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO REDUCED
RESILIENCE, AND RECOMMENDATIONS AND BEST PRACTICES FOR IMPROVING
RESILIENCE. COMDT (CG-11) WILL PROVIDE WEEKLY REPORTS OF PROGRESS
TO DHS USING THIS DATA.
10. UNITS WITH EMPLOYEES REPRESENTED BY A UNION MUST ENSURE THE
APPROPRIATE UNION REPRESENTATIVE IS NOTIFIED IN ADVANCE OF THE
DATE, TIME, AND LOCATION OF ANY ASSOCIATED FORMAL DISCUSSION WITH
EMPLOYEES. FORMAL DISCUSSION NOTICES SHOULD BE COORDINATED WITH
YOUR SERVICING COMMAND STAFF ADVISOR/HR SPECIALIST.
11. IN MY COMMANDANTS INTENT I STRESSED THE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF
EACH OTHER, TAKE CARE OF YOUR FAMILY, AND TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.
THIS INITIATIVE IS CONSISTENT WITH THAT MANDATE, AND SUPPORTS OUR
GUARDIAN ETHOS. TAKING THE TIME TO FOCUS ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE
WILL ENSURE THAT WE IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES TO ENHANCE OUR CULTURE
OF SUPPORT FOR OUR MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
12. CG POC FOR THIS INITIATIVE IS MR. BOB SKEWES, COMDT (CG-111),
202-475-5140, E-MAIL: RESILIENCE(AT)USCG.MIL. CG POC FOR UNION
ISSUES IS MS. AMANDA WAYMAN, COMDT (CG-12), 757-628-4763, E-MAIL:
AMANDA.L.WAYMAN(AT)USCG.MIL.
13. RELEASED BY ADM THAD ALLEN.
14. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.