R 182049Z NOV 09 ALCOAST 662/09 COMDTNOTE 1650 SUBJ: ANNUAL INSPIRATIONAL LEADERSHIP AWARDS - CALL FOR NOMINATIONS A. MEDALS AND AWARDS MANUAL, COMDTINST M1650.25 (SERIES) 1. NOMINATIONS ARE BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE CAPT JOHN G. WITHERSPOON, MCPO ANGELA M. MCSHAN, AND GEORGE R. PUTNAM INSPIRATIONAL LEADERSHIP AWARDS. THESE PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS RECOGNIZE A COAST GUARD OFFICER, A COAST GUARD CHIEF PETTY OFFICER (ACTIVE DUTY OR RESERVE), AND A COAST GUARD CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE (APPROPRIATED OR NON- APPROPRIATED) WHO BEST EXEMPLIFY THE COAST GUARD CORE VALUES OF HONOR, RESPECT, AND DEVOTION TO DUTY. 2. CAPT WITHERSPOON JOINED THE COAST GUARD IN 1963 AFTER SERVING A THREE-YEAR ENLISTMENT WITH THE U.S. ARMY. AFTER ADVANCING TO QM1, HE WAS SELECTED TO ATTEND OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL AND WAS COMMISSIONED AS AN ENSIGN ON 10JUN1971. HIS CAREER SPANNED OVER THREE DECADES AS HE ROSE FROM E-1 TO O-6. DURING THIS TIME, HE SERVED IN A NUMBER OF ASSIGNMENTS THROUGHOUT THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES, GUAM, AND HAWAII. HE ALSO SERVED AS COMMANDING OFFICER OF USCGC MALLOW AND USCGC VALIANT. CAPTAIN WITHERSPOON IS REMEMBERED AS AN EXEMPLARY LEADER. A COAST GUARD PIONEER, HE WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN TO COMMAND A SHORE UNIT WHEN HE ASSUMED COMMAND OF VTS HOUSTON/GALVESTON. ANY COAST GUARD OFFICER WHO MEETS THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA IN PARAGRAPH FIVE BELOW MAY BE NOMINATED FOR THIS AWARD. 3. MCPO MCSHAN JOINED THE COAST GUARD IN 1979 AND SERVED MORE THAN TWO DECADES WITH GREAT DEDICATION AND DEVOTION TO DUTY. REMEMBERED AS AN EXEMPLARY LEADER, MCPO MCSHAN SERVED AS A STOREKEEPER, YEOMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS COUNSELOR, AND AN "A" SCHOOL INSTRUCTOR. SHE ENDED HER CAREER AS THE SENIOR INSTRUCTOR AT THE CHIEF PETTY OFFICER ACADEMY IN NEW LONDON, CT. A COAST GUARD PIONEER, SHE WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN TO ATTAIN THE RANK OF MASTER CHIEF PETTY OFFICER. ANY CHIEF PETTY OFFICER (E-7 AT THE TIME OF NOMINATION), ACTIVE DUTY OR RESERVE, WHO IS A GRADUATE OF THE COAST GUARD CHIEF PETTY OFFICER ACADEMY OR OTHER MILITARY SENIOR ENLISTED ACADEMY (NOMINATION PACKAGE MUST IDENTIFY ACADEMY AND DATE OF GRADUATION) AND MEETS THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS IN PARAGRAPH FIVE BELOW MAY BE NOMINATED FOR THIS AWARD. 4. GEORGE R. PUTNAM WAS THE FIRST COMMISSIONER OF THE U.S. LIGHTHOUSE SERVICE. HE EXEMPLIFIED INSPIRATIONAL LEADERSHIP. RETIRING FROM THE LIGHTHOUSE SERVICE IN 1935 AFTER 45 CONTINUOUS YEARS AS A CIVIL SERVANT. HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS HAVE STOOD THE TEST OF TIME. HE ROSE FROM A CLERK IN THE COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY TO BE THE COMMISSIONER OF THE LIGHTHOUSE SERVICE IN 1910, A CAPACITY IN WHICH HE SERVED FOR 25 YEARS. MR. PUTNAM WAS KNOWN FOR DEMONSTRATING GREAT COURAGE OF CONVICTION BY HIRING THE MOST COMPETENT PEOPLE, BASED "SOLELY ON THEIR RECORD AND THEIR MERITS" AND WITHOUT REGARD TO PATRONAGE. HE INTRODUCED BENEFITS SUCH AS ANNUAL LEAVE, PAID SICK LEAVE, AND A RETIREMENT SYSTEM FOR LIGHTHOUSE SERVICE EMPLOYEES. HE WAS ALSO AN INNOVATOR, CHAMPIONING THE USE OF RADIO AIDS TO NAVIGATION AND SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASING THE EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY OF THE U.S. LIGHTHOUSE SERVICE. ANY COAST GUARD FULL-TIME CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE WHO HAS BEEN EMPLOYED BY THE COAST GUARD FOR AT LEAST THREE YEARS AND MEETS THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA IN PARAGRAPH FIVE BELOW MAY BE NOMINATED FOR THIS AWARD. 5. ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES FOR THE INSPIRATIONAL LEADERSHIP AWARDS ARE AS FOLLOWS: A. EXEMPLIFIES THE COAST GUARD CORE VALUES OF HONOR, RESPECT, AND DEVOTION TO DUTY. B. DEMONSTRATES EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP COMPETENCE, INCLUDING THE ABILITY TO GAIN GENUINE COMMITMENT FROM ALL LEVELS OF THE ORGANIZATION. C. DISPLAYS A KEEN SENSE OF ETHICAL CONDUCT AND EXHIBITS A HIGH DEGREE OF PERSONAL INTEGRITY. D. DEMONSTRATES SINCERE INTEREST AND CONCERN FOR JUNIOR PERSONNEL BY HELPING THEM REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. E. MOTIVATES OTHERS TO EXCEL IN MISSION PERFORMANCE. F. IS A POSITIVE ROLE MODEL AND MENTOR. G. FOSTERS THE SPIRIT AND INTENT OF DIVERSITY. H. IS HELD IN THE HIGHEST ESTEEM BY SENIORS, PEERS, AND JUNIORS. 6. SPECIFIC NOMINATION GUIDELINES: A. PER REF A, NOMINATIONS MAY BE SUBMITTED BY ANY COAST GUARD SERVICE MEMBER OR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE USING A STANDARD MEMORANDUM NOT TO EXCEED TWO PAGES. EACH NOMINATION MUST BE TYPED USING TIMES NEW ROMAN (12 POINT) FONT WITH ONE INCH MARGINS. A SAME-PAGE OR NEW- PAGE ENDORSEMENT FROM THE RECOMMENDED MEMBERS CHAIN OF COMMAND MUST BE INCLUDED. NOMINATIONS MUST BE FORWARDED TO COMDT (CG-133) VIA THE CHAIN OF COMMAND (UNIT LEVEL, OR IF CO IS NOMINATED, THE NEXT HIGHER LEVEL IN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND SHALL ENDORSE THE NOMINATION) NLT 17 DEC 2009. B. NOMINATIONS SHOULD IDENTIFY SPECIFIC EXAMPLES AND SUPPORTING INFORMATION DEMONSTRATING HOW THE NOMINEE EXEMPLIFIES EACH OF THE CRITERIA ESTABLISHED IN PARAGRAPH FIVE BY USING ACTION IMPACT STATEMENTS EXPLAINING HOW THE MEMBER INSPIRED OTHERS AND INFLUENCED FAVORABLE OUTCOMES. FEEDBACK FROM PREVIOUS SELECTION PANELS CONTINUES TO STRESS THAT NOMINATIONS SHOULD DIRECTLY ADDRESS LEADERSHIP METHODOLOGIES AND CLIMATE RATHER THAN SIMPLY REPORTING ACCOMPLISHMENTS. C. SCANNED COPIES OF SIGNED NOMINATIONS MAY BE SENT BY E-MAIL TO SHAWN.M.LUCAS(AT)USCG.MIL. ADDRESS NOMINATIONS MAILED VIA USPS FIRST CLASS MAIL TO COMMANDANT (CG-133), OFFICE OF LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, U.S. COAST GUARD, 2100 SECOND STREET S.W. STOP 7801, WASHINGTON DC, 20593-7801. COMMANDS USING THIS METHOD SHOULD ALLOW SUFFICIENT TIME FOR SECURITY SCREENING TO MEET THE 17DEC09 DEADLINE. A SELECTION PANEL WILL REVIEW THE NOMINATIONS AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE DIRECTOR OF RESERVE AND TRAINING (CG-13) FOR APPROVAL. 7. AWARD PERIOD IS 1OCT08 - 30SEP09. TIMING OF THE AWARD PERIOD WAS ADJUSTED AS A LEADERSHIP ADVISORY COUNCIL INITIATIVE IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE VISIBILITY OF THESE AWARDS. COMMANDS SHOULD CONSIDER THE PRESTIGIOUS NATURE OF THESE AWARDS AND THE PROSPECT OF THE NOMINEES PARTICIPATION IN HIGH VISIBILITY INITIATIVES. THESE AWARDS WILL BE PRESENTED AT A CEREMONY SPONSORED BY COMDT (CG-133), WHO WILL ALSO FUND THE TRAVEL EXPENSES OF EACH AWARD RECIPIENT. 8. QUESTIONS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO MR. SHAWN LUCAS, COMDT (CG-133), AT 202-475-5516 OR SHAWN.M.LUCAS(AT)USCG.MIL. 9. CAPT S. E. VANDERPLAS, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF RESERVE AND TRAINING, SENDS. 10. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.