R 081848Z MAY 12

ALCOAST 228/12
COMDTNOTE 1650
SUBJ: 2012 SOCIETY OF AMERICAN INDIAN GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES
MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD WINNERS
A. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 281452Z MAR 12/ALCOAST 146/12.
1. IT IS MY PLEASURE TO ANNOUNCE THAT MS. VICKIE FRANCO OF MSU MORGAN
CITY AND YN1 EILEEN NELSON OF SECTOR NEW ORLEANS HAVE BEEN SELECTED
AS THE COAST GUARD 2012 SAIGE MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD WINNERS.
2. A COMMITTED AND TIRELESS ADVOCATE FOR WIDENING OPPORTUNITIES FOR
AMERICAN INDIANS AND ALASKA NATIVES IN THE FEDERAL WORKFORCE AND
THROUGHOUT AMERICAN SOCIETY, MS. FRANCO MENTORS AND TRAVELS
FREQUENTLY SHARING THE HISTORY OF NATIVE AMERICAN TRADITIONS. BECAUSE
OF HER EXPANSIVE KNOWLEDGE AND PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH TRIBAL
LEADERS ALONG THE GULF COAST, MS. FRANCO WAS DESIGNATED IN THE EARLY
WEEKS OF THE RESPONSE TO THE BP DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL SPILL AS THE
INTERGOVERNMENTAL CONSULTANT TO TWENTY-FIVE TRIBES AND SIX DISTINCT
TRIBAL NATIONS. ONE OF MS. FRANCOS RECENT UNDERTAKINGS CULMINATED IN
THE FIRST EVER COAST GUARD MULTICULTURAL HERITAGE FESTIVALS HELD IN
NEW ORLEANS. SHE COORDINATED THE PARTICIPATION OF STORY TELLERS,
DRUMMERS, TRADITIONAL DANCE GROUPS, FOOD SAMPLINGS, AND LOCAL NATIVE
ARTS AND CRAFTS TO EDUCATE ATTENDING SERVICE AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
IN HER ROLE AS CG EIGHTH DISTRICT SPECIAL EMPHASIS PROGRAM MANAGER,
PARTNERSHIP IN EDUCATION VOLUNTEER, AND UNIT MENTOR, MS. FRANCO
SELFLESSLY DEVOTES TIME TO MEETING THE NEEDS OF SERVICE MEMBERS,
YOUTH, AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
3. AS A CULTURAL AMBASSADOR FOR THE COAST GUARD AND A MEMBER OF THE
CG DIVERSITY OUTREACH TEAM, YN1 EILEEN NELSON DEDICATED NUMEROUS
HOURS TO BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND
PROMOTING CG CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND AWARENESS. AS AN ALASKA NATIVE
AND MEMBER OF THE ALEUT COMMUNITY, YN1 NELSON WAS SELECTED TO
PARTICIPATE AS A MEMBER OF THE ALASKA NATIVE DIVERSITY EDUCATION AND
RECRUITMENT TEAM THAT REACHED OUT TO STUDENTS AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE
RURAL ALASKAN COMMUNITIES OF NOME, KOTZEBUE, AND BARROW. A
CROSS-SECTION OF CG EXPERTS COMPRISED THE TEAM WHICH STRENGTHENED THE
BOND BETWEEN THE COAST GUARD AND THE PEOPLE OF THESE REGIONS.
ADDITIONALLY, YN1 NELSON SERVES AS A MENTOR AND CG LIAISON TO
ILISAGVIK COLLEGE IN BARROW AND THE UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA.
4. COMDT (CG-00H) WILL COORDINATE ATTENDANCE FOR AWARD WINNERS IAW
REF A, AND IF APPROVED WILL FUND TRAVEL AND LODGING EXPENSES FOR
AWARD RECIPIENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE EVENT. AWARD HONOREES WILL BE
RECOGNIZED AT THE SAIGE MILITARY AWARDS LUNCHEON ON THURSDAY, 7 JUNE
IN DENVER, CO.
5. MORE DETAILS REGARDING SAIGE CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.SAIGE.ORG.
6. CIVIL RIGHTS AWARDS PROGRAMS HELP MAXIMIZE THE COAST GUARDS
OVERALL MISSION EFFECTIVENESS BY FOSTERING A DISCRIMINATION FREE
ENVIRONMENT THROUGH RECOGNITION OF MEMBER ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND
CONTRIBUTIONS TO CIVIL RIGHTS, EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, MINORITY
COMMUNITIES, AND PARTNERSHIP IN EDUCATION PROGRAMS. LEARN MORE ABOUT
THE USCG CIVIL RIGHTS VISION AND MISSION AT
HTTP://WWW.USCG.MIL/HQ/CG00/CG00H/.
7. MS. TERRI A DICKERSON, DIRECTOR, CIVIL RIGHTS DIRECTORATE, SENDS.
8. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.