R 172028Z FEB 10 

ALCOAST 081/10
COMDTNOTE 5728
SUBJ: PUBLIC AFFAIRS STANDARDIZATION UPDATE - PIER SITE
STANDARDIZATION
A. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 091250Z MAY/ALCOAST 274/09 COAST
GUARD PUBLIC AFFAIRS STANDARDIZATION
B. USE AND MANAGEMENT OF COAST GUARD INTERNET AND INTRANET WEB
SITES, CONTENT, AND ACCESS, COMDTINST 5230.62 (SERIES)
C. COAST GUARD IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REHABILITATION ACT, SECTION
508, COMDTINST 5230.60 (SERIES)
1. PURPOSE:   AS PART OF THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAMS EFFORTS TO
STANDARDIZE WORK PROCESSES THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM AS DETAILED IN
REF A AND B. THIS ALCOAST ANNOUNCES THE STANDARDIZATION OF COAST
GUARD PIER (PUBLIC INFORMATION FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE) WEB SITES.
2. BACKGROUND:  FOR MORE THAN 13 YEARS COAST GUARD PUBLIC AFFAIRS
OFFICES HAVE USED PIER AS THE PRIMARY MEANS OF PROVIDING MEDIA WITH
COAST GUARD NEWS.  PIER PROVIDES OUR SERVICE A UNIQUE OPERATIONAL
COMMUNICATIONS TOOL THAT FACILITATES ESTABLISHMENT OF JOINT
INFORMATION CENTERS SUPPORTING RESPONSE OPERATIONS, CRISIS
COMMUNICATIONS AND DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS.  AS THE INFORMATION
ENVIRONMENT HAS CHANGED, PIER SITE ADMINISTRATORS HAVE ADOPTED
EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND TACTICS TO HELP MORE EFFECTIVELY
TELL THE COAST GUARD STORY NOT ONLY TO THE MEDIA, BUT TO MANY OTHER
AUDIENCES, USING COAST GUARD PIER SITES.  THE INNOVATIVE USES OF
PIER HAVE HELPED DISTRICTS REACH COMMUNICATION GOALS. HOWEVER, THE
LACK OF STANDARDS AND DOCTRINE, AND INCONSISTENT ADHERENCE TO
AND/OR INTERPRETATION OF SECTION 508 REQUIREMENTS AND THE
REQUIREMENTS PROMULGATED IN REF (B) HAVE RESULTED IN A SYSTEM OF
SITES THAT DO NOT PRESENT A COMMON LOOK AND FUNCTIONALITY FOR THE
MEDIA AND THE PUBLIC. THIS SITUATION PREVENTS THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS
PROGRAM FROM MAXIMIZING OPPORTUNITIES TO DRIVE INTERESTED PUBLICS
TO OUR NEWS, SOCIAL MEDIA AND OTHER ONLINE CONTENT AND DEGRADES OUR
CAPACITY TO PRESENT A CONSISTENT COAST GUARD BRAND. VARYING SITES
ALSO CREATES REDUNDANT TRAINING AND WORK PROCESSES AMONG A SMALL PA
COMMUNITY.
3.  SITUATION:  BECAUSE OF PIERS PROVEN OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES
AND THE CURRENT ABSENCE OF A SIMILARLY ROBUST TOOL IN THE DOT GOV
OR DOT MIL DOMAIN, COMMANDANT (CG-092) CONTINUES TO SEEK ANNUAL
WAIVERS TO CONTINUE OPERATION OF THE PROGRAMS PIER SITES.  KEY TO
RETAINING PIER AS OUR SERVICES PRIMARY INTERFACE WITH THE MEDIA, IS
ENSURING OUR PIER SITES COMPLY WITH REFS B AND C.  THIS REQUIREMENT
IS ONE OF THE PRIMARY DRIVERS BEHIND THIS STANDARDIZATION
INITIATIVE.
4.  IMPLEMENTATION:  TO FACILITATE NECESSARY CHANGES IN PIER SITES,
COMMANDANT (CG-0922) HAS DEVELOPED CASCADING STYLE SHEETS (CSS) TO
STANDARDIZE THE LOOK AND FUNCTION OF ALL COAST GUARD PIER SITES.
WITHIN THE LANDING PAGE IS AN IDENTIFYING SECTION THAT ALLOWS FOR
PROMINENT DISPLAY OF THE DISTRICT/UNIT LOGO AND CONTACT
INFORMATION.  DISTRICT/UNIT SPECIFIC CONTENT CURRENTLY FEATURED ON
PIER SITE LANDING PAGES WILL NOW BE HOSTED ON A CHILD PAGE OF THE
SITE, ACCESSIBLE FROM A DROP DOWN MENU.  THIS RETAINS THE ABILITY
FOR DISTRICTS TO CONTINUE TO POST DISTRICT/UNIT SPECIFIC PRODUCTS
SUCH AS PHOTO FEATURES, NEWS FEATURES AND ONLINE MAGAZINES, WHILE
SIMULTANEOUSLY STANDARDIZING OUR PIER SITES.  THE CSS ALSO HAVE
BEEN TESTED TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH REFS B AND C.  THE CSS
PROVIDE TEMPLATES FOR ALL NEWS RELEASES, PHOTO/VIDEO RELEASES AND
MULTI-MEDIA RELEASES.  THE CSS CANNOT BE CHANGED BY PIER SITE
ADMINISTRATORS.
5. ACTION:  PIER SITE ADMINISTRATORS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO TAKE ANY
ACTION IN PREPARATION FOR TRANSITION TO CSS PIER SITES.  COMMANDANT
(CG-09222) HAS DEVELOPED A SCHEDULE TO SWITCH CURRENT PIER SITES
OVER TO THE NEW STANDARDIZED CSS FORMAT.  IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO
DEVELOP DISTRICT/UNIT SITES ON THE PRIVATE SIDE OF PIER AND THEN
SWAP THE NEW SITE FOR THE OLD SITE, SO SOME INTERRUPTION OF SERVICE
IS LIKELY TO OCCUR.  COMMANDANT (CG-09222) WILL MAKE CHANGES
BETWEEN 2230 AND 0600 EST TO MINIMIZE IMPACT.
 A. TRANSITIONING TO CSS PIER SITES WILL NOT AFFECT THE FUNCTIONS
OF PIER USED BY PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALISTS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS
OFFICERS - THE INQUIRIES, MEDIA TOOLS, DISTRIBUTION LISTS AND OTHER
FUNCTIONS WILL WORK AS THEY ALWAYS HAVE.
 B. PIER SITE ADMINISTRATORS ARE PROHIBITED FROM CHANGING ANY CODE
OF THE CSS - COMMANDANT (CG-0922) IS THE OFFICE RESPONSIBLE FOR
MAKING ANY NECESSARY CHANGES TO CSS TEMPLATES.  PIER SITE USERS
EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTIES SHALL CONTACT PA1 CANGEMI AT 202-372-4634
OR NYXOLYNO.A.CANGEMI(AT)USCG.MIL TO REPORT ISSUES.
6. ELEMENTS OF THIS STEP IN THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS STANDARDIZATION
EFFORT WILL ALSO HELP REDUCE ERRORS IN FORMATTING OF RELEASES.
7. THE COAST GUARD PUBLIC AFFAIRS STANDARDIZATION TEAM CONTINUES TO
WORK ON PRODUCTS IN MEDIA RELATIONS, ADMINISTRATION, COMMUNITY
RELATIONS, SOCIAL MEDIA, TRAINING AND OPERATIONS.  AS INITIATIVES
COMPLETE BETA TESTING AND REVIEW, THEY WILL BE ANNOUNCED THROUGH
FUTURE ALCOASTS.
8. GUIDANCE CONTAINED IN THIS ALCOAST SHALL BE INCORPORATED IN THE
NEXT CHANGE TO THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS MANUAL.
9. COMMANDANT (CG-0922) HAS TAKEN GREAT MEASURES TO MAKE THE
STANDARDIZATION PROCESS AS COLLABORATIVE AS POSSIBLE.  WE SEEK
FEEDBACK ON STANDARDIZATION INITIATIVES AND APPRECIATE CONSTRUCTIVE
IDEAS FOR IMPROVEMENT.  MY POC FOR STANDARDIZATION ISSUES IS CWO
ADAM WINE, (202) 372-4638 OR ADAM.M.WINE(AT)USCG.MIL.
10. RELEASED BY RDML K. L. SCHULTZ, DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENTAL AND PUBLIC
AFFAIRS.
11. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.