R 121824Z OCT 12 ALCOAST 455/12 COMDTNOTE 5700 SUBJ: 2013 JOINT CIVILIAN ORIENTATION CONFERENCES (JCOC85/86) ANNOUNCEMENT AND GUIDANCE ON NOMINATION PROCEDURES 1. NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2013 JOINT CIVILIAN ORIENTATION CONFERENCE (JCOC) WILL BE ACCEPTED BY THE OFFICE PUBLIC AFFAIRS FROM NOW THROUGH NOVEMBER 2012. THIS YEARS PROGRAM WILL CONSIST OF TWO CONFERENCES. THE FIRST, JCOC 85, IS TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR SUNDAY, 27 APRIL TO FRIDAY, 3 MAY 2013 (INCLUSIVE). THE SECOND, JCOC 86, IS SCHEDULED FOR SUNDAY, 11 AUGUST TO FRIDAY, 16 AUGUST 2013. 2. JCOC IS THE OLDEST PUBLIC LIAISON PROGRAM IN DOD AND IS THE ONLY OUTREACH PROGRAM THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE SPONSORS. THE COAST GUARD PARTICIPATES FULLY WITH ITS FELLOW SERVICES. THE MISSION OF JCOC IS TO INCREASE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF NATIONAL DEFENSE. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY IMMERSING AMERICAN BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS IN THE DAY-TO-DAY LIFE OF U.S. MILITARY MEN AND WOMEN. THE PROGRAM OBJECTIVES ARE TO ACQUAINT PARTICIPANTS WITH THE STRENGTH AND READINESS OF THE U.S. ARMED FORCES THROUGH THE PERSONAL OBSERVATION OF ARMY, NAVY, AIR FORCE, MARINE CORPS AND COAST GUARD TRAINING ACTIVITIES AND FACILITATE THE CANDID EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION ON DEFENSE MATTERS AMONG SENIOR CIVILIAN AND MILITARY DEFENSE OFFICIALS AND JCOC PARTICIPANTS. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1948, JCOC HAS PROVIDED THOUSANDS OF OUTSTANDING CIVILIAN LEADERS WITH AN UNPARALLELED, HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE OF HOW THE U.S. MILITARY OPERATES. THE JCOC EXPERIENCE HAS GIVEN PARTICIPANTS STRONG AND POSITIVE INSIGHTS ABOUT THE CAPABILITIES OF OUR FORCES, WHICH THEY CONTINUE TO SHARE WITH THEIR FELLOW CITIZENS OVER MANY YEARS THROUGH SPEECHES, ARTICLES AND COMMUNICATION WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS. 3. BOTH JCOC TRIPS WILL BEGIN AND END IN WASHINGTON, D.C. PARTICIPANTS WILL TRAVEL TO BASES AND INSTALLATIONS WITHIN THE UNITED STATES. 4. OASD(PA) WILL SELECT 100 CANDIDATES TO PARTICIPATE IN 2013. FIFTY WILL PARTICIPATE IN JCOC85 AND 50 WILL PARTICIPATE IN JCOC86. 5. NOMINEE EXAMPLES: NOMINATORS SHOULD FOCUS PARTICULAR ATTENTION ON LEADERS OF INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS WHO, BOTH PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY, COMMUNICATE ON AN ONGOING BASIS WITH DIVERSE AUDIENCES. EXAMPLES OF APPROPRIATE NOMINEES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: PRESIDENTS OF UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES, PUBLISHERS/EDITORS OF NEWSPAPERS AND OTHERS WITH MANAGEMENT POSITIONS IN PRINT AND BROADCAST MEDIA, PUBLISHED AUTHORS/SYNDICATED COLUMNISTS, NATIONAL AND REGIONAL LEADERS OF MINORITY AND WOMENS ORGANIZATIONS, RELIGIOUS LEADERS, MEDICAL EXPERTS, CEOS AND SENIOR OFFICIALS OF PRIVATE ENTERPRISES AND ORGANIZATIONS WITH REGIONAL OR NATIONAL REACH SUCH AS SCOUTING, FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, TECHNOLOGY CORPORATIONS AND LAW FIRMS. IN ADDITION, STATE AND LOCAL ELECTED AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS CAN BE NOMINATED AS LONG AS THEY ARE NOT IN CAMPAIGN STATUS DURING THE NOMINATION PROCESS. NOMINATORS SHOULD FOCUS PARTICULARLY ON YOUNGER AND EMERGING LEADERS WHO HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO RISE TO FUTURE POSITIONS OF INCREASED RESPONSIBILITY AND AUTHORITY. WHILE MANY INDIVIDUALS IN THIS CATEGORY ARE LIKELY TO HAVE PARTISAN AFFILIATIONS, JCOC IS A NON-PARTISAN PROGRAM. 6. ELIGIBILITY FOR NOMINATION: NOMINEES MUST BE U.S. CITIZENS, MUST BE IN GOOD HEALTH AND MUST BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND 12-16 HOUR DAYS OF STRENUOUS ACTIVITY. THEY SHOULD BE PROVEN LEADERS WITH ESTABLISHED AUDIENCES WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES/AREAS OF EXPERTISE. THE FOLLOWING WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR THE CONFERENCES: JCOC ALUMNI, ANYONE, WORKING OR RETIRED, DRAWING ANY KIND OF FEDERAL PAYCHECK, EMPLOYEES OF GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS WHOSE PRIMARY AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY IS MILITARY RELATED, MEMBERS OF CONGRESS OR THEIR STAFFS, ANYONE WHO HAS SERVED IN THE ARMED FORCES SINCE 1985. PERSONS WHO ARE ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH THE COAST GUARD AND ITS MISSIONS SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR JCOC. 7. NOMINATORS: ELIGIBLE NOMINATORS INCLUDE DISTRICT, AREA AND HQ UNIT COMMANDERS, ASSISTANT COMDTS, AND HEADS OF DIRECTORATES. ELIGIBLE NOMINATORS WILL DESIGNATE ONE POC FOR THE ENTIRE COMMAND WHO WILL GATHER AND COLLECT NOMINATIONS. DESIGNATED POCS SHOULD EMAIL KATHERINE SOWERS AT KATHERINE.C.SOWERS(AT)USCG.MIL WITH THEIR NAME AND THE NOMINATOR WHO DESIGNATED THEM. ONCE ALL POCS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED, AN EMAIL WILL BE SENT WITH DIRECTIONS DETAILING THE NOMINATION PROCESS. 8. NOMINATOR RESPONSIBILITIES: A. CONTACT THEIR CANDIDATES PRIOR TO MAKING NOMINATIONS AND INFORM THEM OF CONFERENCE COMMITMENTS. B. ENSURE CANDIDATES ARE FULLY INFORMED OF ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND ARE ABLE TO COMMIT TO PARTICIPATING. PLEASE DO NOT NOMINATE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE UNLIKELY TO ATTEND. C. INFORM THEIR CANDIDATES THAT A NOMINATION DOES NOT GUARANTEE A CONFERENCE INVITATION. D. EMAIL COMPLETED 2013 NOMINATION FORMS AS MICROSOFT WORD DOCUMENTS BY 16 NOVEMBER 2012 TO MS. SOWERS. E. NOMINATORS WILL BE NOTIFIED OF SELECTION RESULTS AND WILL BE REQUIRED TO NOTIFY THEIR CANDIDATES OF THEIR FINAL STATUS. 9. SELECTION PROCESS: 600 NOMINATIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR THESE TWO CONFERENCES WITH ONLY 100 SLOTS AVAILABLE. SELECTIONS ARE BASED ON THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE NOMINEES AS DETERMINED BY THE SELECTION PANEL AND NOT BY THE RANK OR THE POSITION OF THE NOMINATOR AS THAT INFORMATION IS REMOVED FROM THE APPLICATION DURING THE FINAL REVIEW PROCESS. JCOC STAFF WILL DETERMINE WHICH CONFERENCE THE NOMINEE WILL ATTEND. 10. INVITATIONS: THE JCOC STAFF WILL ISSUE INVITATIONS TO SELECTED CANDIDATES FOR JCOC 85 AND 86 IN MARCH 2013. THE INVITEES WILL BE GIVEN A DEADLINE BY WHICH TO ACCEPT OR DECLINE THIS INVITATION. ACCEPTANCES MAY BE CONFIRMED BY E-MAIL OR PHONE CALL TO THE DIRECTOR, JCOC. FORTY ALTERNATES WILL BE SELECTED TO FILL ANY REMAINING VACANCIES. NOMINATORS WILL RECEIVE INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF THEIR CANDIDATES AFTER THE LIST HAS BEEN FINALIZED. 11. THE COAST GUARD HAS A STRONG INTEREST IN THIS MULTI-SERVICE PROGRAM, WHICH PRESENTS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE THE PERFORMANCE OF COAST GUARD PEOPLE IN A HIGH PROFILE WAY. 12. POC IS COMMANDANT (CG-09223), KATHERINE SOWERS AT (202) 372-4632, OR E-MAIL: KATHERINE.C.SOWERS(AT)USCG.MIL. 13. RDML STEVEN D. POULIN, DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENTAL AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS, SENDS. 14. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.