ALCOAST 457/08
COMDTNOTE 5700
SUBJ: SOCIAL MEDIA - THE WAY AHEAD
1. THE GLOBAL INFORMATION ENVIRONMENT IS UNDERGOING REVOLUTIONARY
CHANGE, PARTICULARLY IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
TOOLS. AS WE MODERNIZE THE COAST GUARD WE MUST LEARN HOW TO
EFFECTIVELY USE SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLS TO ENHANCE OUR ABILITY TO
PERFORM AS A MORE TRANSPARENT, CHANGE-CENTRIC ORGANIZATION PREPARED
TO MEET INCREASINGLY COMPLEX MISSION DEMANDS.
2. SOCIAL MEDIA, ALSO REFERRED TO AS THE NEW MEDIA OR WEB 2.0, IS
THE EVOLUTION AND INTEGRATION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIAL
INTERACTION THROUGH VARIOUS MEDIA INCLUDING BLOGS (WEB LOGS),
WIKIS, SOCIAL NETWORKS, REALLY SIMPLE SYNDICATION (RSS) FEEDS,
SOCIAL BOOK MARKING, AND PODCASTS. AS I HAVE TOLD MY SENIOR
LEADERSHIP AND RESTATED IN NUMEROUS EXTERNAL SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS,
SOCIAL MEDIA IS NOT A FAD. IT IS A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE IN OUR
ENVIRONMENT.  HOW WE COMMUNICATE, AGGREGATE WITH OTHERS, AND
INTERACT WITH OUR ENVIRONMENT IS CHANGING DRAMATICALLY WITH
SUCCESSIVE GENERATIONS.
3. BECOMING A MORE AGILE AND CHANGE-CENTRIC ORGANIZATION REQUIRES
THAT WE UNDERSTAND AND INTERACT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA. ACCORDINGLY
WE MUST ADJUST TO THIS PARADIGM CHANGE AND MOVE FROM A VERTICAL
INFORMATION MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE TO A MORE NETWORKED ORGANIZATION.
THESE CHANGES OFFER TREMENDOUS ADVANTAGES IN MISSION EXECUTION AND
SUPPORT, COMMUNICATION, AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT, INCLUDING OUR NEW
BUSINESS MODEL FOR LOGISTICS. HOWEVER, THE MANAGERIAL AND CULTURAL
IMPLICATIONS OF THIS CHANGE ARE SIGNIFICANT. THAT SAID WE WILL MOVE
FORWARD TO ADAPT OUR ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURE, POLICIES, AND
PROCEDURES TO POSITION US FOR SUCCESS IN THE FUTURE.
4. COMDT (CG-092), THE GOVERNMENTAL AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIRECTORATE,
WILL COORDINATE OUR ORGANIZATIONAL ENGAGEMENT IN THE SOCIAL MEDIA
ENVIRONMENT WITH INTERIM POLICY, GUIDANCE, TOOLS, AND PROCESSES. IN
THE WEEK AHEAD, EXPECT THE FIRST ALCOAST THAT WILL PROVIDE INTERIM
DIRECTION. MORE GUIDANCE WILL FOLLOW AS THE PROGRAM EVOLVES.
5. COMDT (CG-6), THE ASSISTANT COMMANDANT FOR C4IT, WILL PROVIDE
THE TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES FOR THIS INITIATIVE. COMDT (CG-6) WILL
MANAGE THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN
THE COAST GUARD NETWORK AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE. TECHNOLOGIES
PRESENTLY IN DEVELOPMENT FOR ROLL-OUT INCLUDE AN ADVANCED COAST
GUARD WEB PORTAL TO REPLACE CG CENTRAL AND THE WWW.USCG.MIL SITE,
OUTLOOK WEB ACCESS CAPABILITY, COLLABORATION TOOLS, AND INSTANT
MESSAGING.
6. I HAVE ALSO ASKED THE VICE COMMANDANT TO ESTABLISH A WORKING
GROUP THAT WILL LOOK AT THE OPPORTUNITIES ASSOCIATED WITH SOCIAL
MEDIA INCLUDING HOW WE USE THESE TOOLS TO WORK INTERNALLY AND
COLLABORATE EXTERNALLY.
7. FINALLY, THIS PAST COAST GUARD DAY I FORMALLY INTRODUCED OUR
GUARDIAN ETHOS. AS WE ENGAGE IN THE SOCIAL MEDIA REALM, REMEMBER
THAT THE GUARDIAN ETHOS APPLIES TO HOW WE TREAT EACH OTHER AS WELL
AS THE PUBLIC WE SERVE, INCLUDING IN THE SOCIAL MEDIA REALM.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO ENSURE THAT INFORMATION PASSED
VIA THE SOCIAL MEDIA IS COMPLETE AND ACCURATE, THUS, THE READER HAS
TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR JUDGING THE VALIDITY OF THE
INFORMATION.  THAT SAID, THE ETHOS IS AN EFFECTIVE "NAVIGATION
AID" AS WE PARTICIPATE IN SOCIAL MEDIA WHETHER WE ARE RECEIVING OR
PROVIDING INFORMATION.  HEAR MORE IN MY VIDEO ON SOCIAL MEDIA AT
HTTP://CGVI.USCG.MIL (CLICK ON "VIDEO," THEN CLICK ON MY SOCIAL
MEDIA VIDEO) OR PODCAST AT HTTP://WWW.USCG.MIL/TOP/PODCAST.ASP
(SCROLL TO BOTTOM OF PAGE).
8. ADM THAD ALLEN, COMMANDANT, U.S. COAST GUARD, SENDS.
9. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.