R 301403Z JUL 12 ALCOAST 348/12 COMDTNOTE 01650 SUBJ: 2012 BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT (BIG) MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD WINNERS 1. IT IS MY DISTINCT PLEASURE TO ANNOUNCE THAT LT NICOLE BURGESS OF CG RECRUITING COMMAND AND MS. JOYCE FAISON OF CG COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMAND HAVE BEEN SELECTED AS COAST GUARD MILITARY AND CIVILIAN WINNERS OF THE BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD. BOTH HONOREES WILL BE RECOGNIZED DURING THE ORGANIZATIONS 34TH ANNUAL NATIONAL TRAINING CONFERENCE IN DETROIT, MI, 13-16 AUGUST 2012. 2. LT NICOLE BURGESS IS A RECOGNIZED ADVOCATE FOR OUTREACH AND RECRUITING INITIATIVES INCLUDING PROVIDING MENTORSHIP, EMPLOYMENT, AND EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (HBCUS). SHE PROPOSED AND EXECUTED MORE THAN 30 HBCU CAREER FAIRS AND OUTREACH EVENTS IN SUPPORT OF THE COMMANDANTS DIVERSITY STRATEGIC PLAN. LT BURGESS EMPLOYED A NETWORK OF CG AMBASSADORS FROM 32 UNITS TO REACH COLLEGE STUDENTS RESULTING IN 300 LEADS FOR MILITARY SERVICE, 59 SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS, AND 20 COLLEGE STUDENT PRE-COMMISSIONING INITIATIVE (CSPI) SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED TO STUDENTS ATTENDING MINORITY SERVING INSTITUTIONS, WITH 14 FROM HBCUS. THIS HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL EFFORT WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE COAST GUARD RECEIVING RECOGNITION AS A 2012 TOP HBCU SUPPORTER. IN ADDITION TO HER VALUED PERFORMANCE AS A CG OFFICER, HER DEMONSTRATED DRIVE TO INCREASE DIVERSITY AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH HAS LED HER TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY PROGRAMS DURING OFF-DUTY HOURS. SHE IS AN AVID SUPPORTER OF GIRLS INSPIRED AND READY TO LEAD (GIRL), WHERE SHE HAS MENTORED OVER 75 GIRLS IN ACADEMICS, LEADERSHIP SKILLS, POSITIVE SELF-IMAGE DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY SERVICE ENGAGEMENT, AND LIVING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE. LT BURGESS DRAWS ON HER EXPERIENCE AS A HUMAN RELATIONS COUNCIL VICE-CHAIR TO ENCOURAGE A POSITIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT, RESOLVE HUMAN RELATIONS ISSUES, AND PLAN SPECIAL OBSERVANCES. HER NUMEROUS ACHIEVEMENTS AND HIGHLY COMMENDABLE LEADERSHIP SERVE AS FORCE MULTIPLIERS TO THE CG AND ITS DIVERSITY GOALS. 3. A LEADER AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMAND (CSC) WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS, MS. JOYCE FAISON IS AN ADVOCATE FOR DIVERSITY AND TRAINING TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM POTENTIAL. UNDER MS. FAISONS LEADERSHIP, THE COMMANDS DIVERSITY WORKGROUP DEVELOPED A MULTI-YEAR PLAN TO BRING A MORE DIVERSE POPULATION INTO THE NON-APPROPRIATED FUND (NAF) WORKFORCE. SHE PUT SYSTEMS IN PLACE TO ENSURE EFFECTIVE DELIVERY OF COURSES TO NAF EMPLOYEES, AND COORDINATED DELIVERY OF ADDITIONAL OFFERINGS OF THE CG LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT COURSE. MS. FAISON LED THE WAY IN IMPLEMENTING A TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR NAF EMPLOYEES AND HOSTED THE FIRST CSC EDUCATION FAIR, WHERE REPRESENTATIVES FROM LOCAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES PROVIDED INFORMATION ABOUT EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. MS. FAISON LED THE EFFORT TO ESTABLISH A PARTNERSHIP IN EDUCATION (PIE) PROGRAM AT CSC AND SERVES AS THE PIE COORDINATOR. IN ADDITION TO COORDINATING CSC PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS, MS. FAISON ALSO SERVED AS A VOLUNTEER TUTOR AND MENTOR FOR STUDENTS AT B.M. WILLIAMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND LENT SUPPORT TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY THROUGH HER ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP IN THE HAMPTON ROADS REGIONAL INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY ROUNDTABLE. 4. I COMMEND LT BURGESS AND MS. FAISON FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING SERVICE AND FOR PROMOTING THE TENETS OF CIVIL/HUMAN RIGHTS, EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, AND HUMAN RELATIONS. 5. COMDT (CG-00H) ALSO RECOGNIZES OTHER NOMINEES: CAPT JONATHAN RUSSELL, CAPT KENNETH IVERY, CDR JOHN PRUITT, LCDR ZEITA MERCHANT, LCDR ULYSSES MULLINS, LT ELROY ALLEN, LT QUINTON DUBOSE, LTJG DERRICK WILLIAMS, MS. SHEILA THOMPSON, MS. DONNA WALKER-ROSS, AND DR. RICHARD FREEMAN FOR NOTEWORTHY CIVIL RIGHTS, DIVERSITY, AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY LEADERSHIP AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS. 6. MORE DETAILS REGARDING BIG CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.BIGNET.ORG. 7. CIVIL RIGHTS AWARDS PROGRAMS HELP MAXIMIZE THE COAST GUARDS OVERALL MISSION EFFECTIVENESS BY FOSTERING A DISCRIMINATION FREE ENVIRONMENT THROUGH RECOGNITION OF MEMBER ACCOMPLISHENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO CIVIL RIGHTS, EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, MINORITY COMMUNITIES, AND PARTNERSHIP IN EDUCATION (PIE) PROGRAMS. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE USCG CIVIL RIGHTS VISION, MISSION, AWARDS PROGRAM, AND CG PIE AT HTTP://WWW.USCG.MIL/HQ/CG00/CG00H/. 8. MS. TERRI A. DICKERSON, DIRECTOR, CIVIL RIGHTS DIRECTORATE, SENDS. 9. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.