R 281626Z JUL 10 ALCOAST 394/10 COMDTNOTE 12310 SUBJ: MILITARY SPOUSE APPOINTING AUTHORITY A. EXECUTIVE ORDER 13473 B. 5 CFR 315.612 C. CHAPTER 61 OF TITLE 10, UNITED STATES CODE D. SECTION 564 OF THE 2010 NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT (NDAA) (P.L. 111-84) 1. THIS ALCOAST OUTLINES THE MILITARY SPOUSE APPOINTING AUTHORITY AND ITS REQUIREMENTS FOR ELIGIBILITY. 2. REF A. IS A NEW HIRING AUTHORITY THAT PROVIDES AN ADDITIONAL HIRING FLEXIBILITY FOR MANAGERS TO CONSIDER AS PART OF THEIR RECRUITMENT EFFORTS AND PROVIDES A MECHANISM TO ASSIST CERTAIN MILITARY SPOUSES IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE DISRUPTIONS IN MILITARY FAMILIES DUE TO PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION RELOCATIONS, DISABILITY AND DEATHS RESULTING FROM ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE. TO ACHIEVE THIS, THESE PROVISIONS AUTHORIZE THE NON-COMPETITIVE APPOINTMENT OF CERTAIN MILITARY SPOUSES TO POSITIONS IN THE COMPETITIVE SERVICE. THIS AUTHORITY IS A NON-COMPETITIVE HIRING MECHANISM, IT DOES NOT ESTABLISH OR CONSTITUTE A HIRING PREFERENCE FOR ELIGIBLE SPOUSES, NOR DOES IT CREATE AN ENTITLEMENT TO FEDERAL JOBS FOR ELIGIBLE SPOUSES. COAST GUARD WILL USE THIS AUTHORITY WHEN FILLING COMPETITIVE SERVICE POSITIONS ON A TEMPORARY (NOT TO EXCEED 1 YEAR), TERM (MORE THAN 1 YEAR BUT NOT MORE THAN 4 YEARS), OR PERMANENT BASIS. MILITARY SPOUSES MUST APPLY TO THE MERIT PROMOTION VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT TO BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE MILITARY SPOUSE APPOINTING AUTHORITY. IF MILITARY SPOUSES APPLY UNDER DELEGATED EXAMINING UNIT (DEU) VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS THEY WILL NOT BE REFERRED FOR CONSIDERATION UNDER THIS AUTHORITY, BUT WILL BE REFERRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS AND REGULATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH DELEGATED EXAMAINING. ELIGIBILITY FOR THIS APPOINTMENT METHOD LASTS FOR 2 YEARS AFTER THE DATE OF THE DOCUMENTATION WHICH CONFIRMS THE REQUIRMENTS. 3. THE AUTHORITY DOES NOT ENTITLE SPOUSES TO AN APPOINTMENT OVER ANY OTHER APPLICANT. THE MILITARY SPOUSE APPOINTING AUTHORITY APPLIES TO ONLY THREE CATEGORIES OF MILITARY SPOUSES: THOSE WHO ARE RELOCATING WITH THEIR SERVICE- MEMBER SPOUSE AS A RESULT OF PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION (PCS) ORDERS, SPOUSES OF SERVICE MEMBERS WHO INCURRED A 100 PERCENT DISABILITY BECAUSE OF THE SERVICE MEMBERS ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE, AND SPOUSES OF SERVICE MEMBERS KILLED WHILE ON ACTIVE DUTY. EACH OF THESE CATEGORIES HAS DIFFERENT ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA THAT MUST BE MET. THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA ARE: A. THOSE WHO ARE RELOCATING WITH THEIR SERVICE MEMBER SPOUSE AS A RESULT OF PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION (PCS) ORDERS. SPOUSES OF A MILITARY MEMBERS MUST: BE AUTHORIZED TO RELOCATE ON THE PCS ORDERS, AND ACTUALLY RELOCATE TO THE NEW DUTY STATION. MILITARY SPOUSES CAN ONLY BE APPOINTED WITHIN THE REASONABLE DAILY COMMUTING DISTANCE OF THE NEW DUTY STATION. MILITARY SPOUSES WHO ARE PCSING WITH MILITARY MEMBERS THAT ARE RETIRING OR SEPARATING ARE NOT ELIGIBLE UNDER THIS AUTHORITY UNLESS THEY MEET CRITERIA OUTLINED IN 3. (B). TO CONFIRM ELIGIBILITY, THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD MUST VERIFY THE MILITARY SPOUSE HAS A VALID MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE OR OTHER DOCUMENTATION VERIFYING MARRIAGE (SUCH AS ANY OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION VERIFYING A RECOGNIZED COMMON LAW MARRIAGE). IN ADDITION, THE MILITARY MEMBERS SPOUSE MUST BE AUTHORIZED ON THE MILITARY ORDERS WHICH ASSIGNS THE MILITARY MEMBER TO A CERTAIN POST. THIS NONCOMPETITIVE APPOINTMENT AUTHORITY IS NORMALLY LIMITED TO THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA (AS STATED ON THE PCS ORDERS), OR THE SURROUNDING COMMUTING AREA. B. PER REF C, SPOUSES OF SERVICE MEMBERS WHO INCURRED A 100 PERCENT DISABILITY DURING THE SERVICE MEMBERS ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE. A MILITARY SPOUSE IS ELIGIBLE TO BE CONSIDERED UNDER THIS AUTHORITY, IF THE MILITARY MEMBER WAS RETIRED UNDER CHAPTER 61 OF TITLE 10, UNITED STATES CODE WITH A 100 PERCENT DISABILITY RATING FROM THE MILITARY, OR WAS RELEASED FROM ACTIVE DUTY AND HAS A DISABILITY RATING OF 100 PERCENT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OR THE MILITARY. THERE IS NO GEOGRAPHIC LIMITATION UNDER THIS CATEGORY. MILITARY SPOUSES MUST SUBMIT A COPY OF THE MILITARY MEMBERS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DD) FORM 214 AND A COPY OF DOCUMENTATION FROM EITHER THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OR THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INDICATING THE MILITARY MEMBER HAS A DISABILITY RATING OF 100 PERCENT DUE TO A SERVICE CONNECTED DISABILITY. MILITARY SPOUSES MUST ALSO SUBMIT DOCUMENTATION VERIFYING MARRIAGE TO THE MILITARY MEMBER. C. SPOUSES OF SERVICE MEMBERS KILLED WHILE ON ACTIVE DUTY. IF THE MILITARY MEMBER WAS KILLED WHILE ON ACTIVE DUTY AND THE MILITARY SPOUSE IS NOT REMARRIED, THE MILITARY SPOUSE IS ELIGIBLE. THERE IS NO GEOGRAPHIC LIMITATION IN THIS CATEGORY. THE MILITARY SPOUSE WILL BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION OF THE DEATH AND MARITAL STATUS AT THE TIME OF DEATH. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR THE MILITARY SPOUSE AUTHORITY CAN BE FOUND AT HTTP://WWW.FEDSHIREVETS.GOV/HIRE/HRP/QASPOUSE/INDEX. 4. IN ADDITION TO THE MILITARY SPOUSE APPOINTING AUTHORITY, USCG ACTIVE DUTY SPOUSES ARE ALSO ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PILOT DOD MILITARY SPOUSE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM. REF D. AUTHORIZED A DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD) PILOT PROGRAM TO SECURE INTERNSHIPS FOR MILITARY SPOUSES WITH FEDERAL AGENCIES. A. THE DOD WILL REIMBURSE FEDERAL AGENCIES FOR FIRST YEAR SALARY, BENEFITS, AND TRAINING COSTS IF AN ELIGIBLE MILITARY SPOUSE IS APPOINTED TO A PERMANENT POSITION THAT PROVIDES TRAINING AND CAREER PROGRESSION. IN FY 2010, DOD FUNDING IS LIMITED TO 120 POSITIONS. B. THESE APPOINTMENTS NORMALLY WILL BE TO OCCUPATIONS THAT ARE PORTABLE, EITHER IN VARIOUS GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS WITHIN THE HIRING AGENCY OR IN OTHER AGENCIES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. C. TO BE CONSIDERED ELIGIBLE FOR THE DOD MILITARY SPOUSE INTERNSHIP, THE APPLICANT MUST BE A SPOUSE OF AN ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBER. THERE ARE THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTIONS TO THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT: (1) A SPOUSE WHO IS LEGALLY SEPARATED FROM A SERVICE MEMBER WHEN THE PERSON BEGINS THE INTERNSHIP IS INELIGIBLE (2) A SPOUSE WHO IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES SERVING ON ACTIVE DUTY IS INELIGIBLE (3) A SPOUSE WHO IS A RETIRED MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES IS INELIGIBLE. A WEBSITE DEDICATED TO THE 2010 MILITARY SPOUSE INTERNSHIP PILOT PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT AND WILL BE LAUNCHED IN THE UPCOMING WEEKS. 5. RELEASED BY RADM RONALD HEWITT, ASSISTANT COMMANDANT FOR HUMAN RESOURCES. 6. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.