R 051611Z JUN 12

ALCOAST 271/12
COMDTNOTE 1650
SUBJ: SOLICITATION FOR THE 2012 BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT (BIG)
MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD
A. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 021235Z FEB 12/ALCOAST 044/12
1. NOMINATIONS ARE BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT
MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD. THIS AWARD RECOGNIZES MILITARY MEMBERS AND
CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE SUPPORTED CG MISSIONS AND WHOSE
CONTRIBUTIONS BEST SATISFY THE CRITERIA IN PARA 4 AND EPITOMIZE THE
CG CORE VALUES OF HONOR, RESPECT, AND DEVOTION TO DUTY. ONE MILITARY
MEMBER (ACTIVE DUTY OR RESERVE) AND ONE CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE MAY BE
SELECTED TO RECEIVE THE BIG AWARD AND BE RECOGNIZED AT THE AWARDS
DINNER DURING THE ORGANIZATIONS 34TH ANNUAL NATIONAL TRAINING
CONFERENCE AT THE COBO CONFERENCE CENTER IN DETROIT, MI, 13-16 AUGUST
2012.
2. BLACKS IN GOVERNMENTS GOALS ARE TO PROMOTE EQUITY IN ALL ASPECTS
OF AMERICAN LIFE, EXCELLENCE IN PUBLIC SERVICE, AND OPPORTUNITY FOR
ALL AMERICANS. ADDITIONALLY, THE ORGANIZATION ADVOCATES FOR EQUAL
OPPORTUNITY AND THE ELIMINATION OF RACISM AND RACIAL DISCRIMINATION,
AND PROMOTES PROGRAMS THAT ENHANCE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
3. ELIGIBILITY: ALL MILITARY MEMBERS (ACTIVE AND RESERVE) AND
CIVILIAN PERSONNEL ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS AWARD. THE PERFORMANCE
PERIOD IS JUNE 2011 THROUGH JUNE 2012. NOMINATION PACKAGES, ALONG
WITH A SIGNED COMMAND COVER MEMO, SHALL BE FORWARDED AS EMAIL
ATTACHMENTS ONLY TO THE POC LISTED IN PARA 9 NLT 3 JULY.
4. NOMINEES WILL BE EVALUATED BASED ON THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENT OF ONE OR
MORE OF THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA ESTABLISHED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
DEFENSE OFFICE OF DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY:
     A. DEMONSTRATED SUPPORT FOR THE FULL INTEGRATION AND PROMOTION
OF
AFRICAN AMERICANS WITHIN THE COAST GUARD MILITARY AND CIVILIAN
WORKFORCE.
     B. SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PARTICIPATION OF
HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (HBCUS) IN FEDERAL
PROGRAMS AND ENHANCED THE CAPACITY TO BUILD AND DEVELOP
INFRASTRUCTURE TO INCREASE PARTICIPATION IN CG PROGRAMS INVOLVING
CONTRACTS AND GRANTS, STUDENT AND FACULTY EMPLOYMENT, AND RESEARCH
AND DEVELOPMENT.
     C. DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES BY PROMOTING THE TENETS OF
CIVIL/HUMAN RIGHTS, EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, HUMAN RELATIONS, AND/OR PUBLIC
SERVICE.
     D. DISPLAYED EXCEPTIONAL CHARACTER THAT DISTINGUISHES AN
INDIVIDUAL AS AN OUTSTANDING LEADER, ROLE MODEL, OR MENTOR BY
PROMOTING THE DEVELOPMENT OR ADVANCEMENT OF ALL CG PERSONNEL,
INCLUDING WOMEN AND MINORITIES.
     E. CONTRIBUTED TO THE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR SELECTION,
PROMOTION,
OR RETENTION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN SENIOR GRADE LEVEL POSITIONS
AND UNDER-REPRESENTED OCCUPATIONS.
     F. PRACTICED THE TENETS OF A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY, INCLUDING THE
U.S. CONSTITUTION-THE BELIEF THAT ALL PEOPLE ARE CREATED EQUAL AND
THAT FREEDOM IS A RIGHT THAT MUST BE PROTECTED AT ALL TIMES.
     G. ASSISTED IN OVERCOMING DISCRIMINATION AND ELIMINATING
BARRIERS
THAT HINDER EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL CG PERSONNEL, INCLUDING WOMEN
AND MINORITIES.
     H. CREATED OPPORTUNITIES THAT SUPPORT AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE
MENTORSHIP, DEVELOPMENT, ADVANCEMENT, OR RETENTION OF ALL PERSONNEL
IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE, INCLUDING WOMEN AND MINORITIES, CONSISTENT
WITH MERIT PRINCIPLES.
     I. CREATED JOB OR TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES THAT SUPPORT AND
CONTRIBUTE TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF ALL CG PERSONNEL, INCLUDING WOMEN
AND MINORITIES.
5. SUBMISSION PROCEDURES: ALL NOMINATION PACKAGES SHALL INCLUDE THE
FOLLOWING IN MS WORD FORMAT WITH 12-PITCH FONT, SINGLE-SPACED WITH
ONE-INCH LEFT AND RIGHT MARGINS FOR ITEMS A THRU C BELOW. SCANNED OR
PDF DOCUMENTS ARE UNACCEPTABLE FOR ITEMS A THRU C:
     A. TWO-PAGE NARRATIVE DESCRIBING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS WARRANTING
THIS RECOGNITION.
     B. CITATION, NOT TO EXCEED 12 LINES, HIGHLIGHTING THE
ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE NOMINEE.
     C. ONE-PAGE BIOGRAPHY OF THE NOMINEE (A RESUME WILL NOT
SUFFICE).
     D. AN OFFICIAL DIGITAL (.JPG FORMAT) HEAD AND SHOULDERS COLOR OR
BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPH OF THE NOMINEE.
     E. COMMAND COVER MEMO, WITH SIGNATURE, FORWARDING THE PACKAGE.
6. COMDT (CG-00H) WILL CONVENE A PANEL TO SELECT ONE MILITARY MEMBER
AND ONE CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE TO BE THE CG HONOREES. THE AWARD RECIPIENTS
COMMANDS WILL BE NOTIFIED, FOLLOWED BY AN ALCOAST ANNOUNCING THE
AWARD WINNERS. COMDT (CG-00H) WILL COORDINATE ATTENDANCE OF THE
TRAINING CONFERENCE AND AWARDS CEREMONY FOR THE WINNERS IAW REF A,
AND IF APPROVED, WILL FUND TRAVEL AND LODGING EXPENSES FOR THE
HONOREES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE EVENT.
7. MORE DETAILS REGARDING BIG CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.BIGNET.ORG.
8. 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/.
9. POINT OF CONTACT IS MS. GWENDOLYN WHITE, (202) 372-4519,
GWENDOLYN.E.WHITE(AT)USCG.MIL.
10. MS. TERRI A. DICKERSON, DIRECTOR, CIVIL RIGHTS DIRECTORATE,
SENDS.
11. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.