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The Strengthening Service Culture initiative is the Service-wide effort to invigorate and sustain the Coast Guard’s Culture to more effectively align our behaviors – how we treat each other and the public we serve – with our Core Values. Strengthening Service Culture will reinforce who we are and how we engage with one another. The initiative is achieved through engagement of all elements of the Coast Guard community by actively and consciously aligning our words and actions to our values through multiple channels and platforms. This includes – but is not limited to – training, deck-plate engagements, leadership initiatives, and workplace activities. Strengthening Service Culture is a sustained effort that will reinforce WHO we are and HOW we engage with one another. We have a great foundation in our mission excellence, which is forged by a culture of initiative, communication, and teamwork. Coast Guard crews evaluate risk, communicate real-time, and adjust actions to meet mission – they watch out for each other and for the people that they are serving. We need to treat one another with the same care, attention, and devotion with which we conduct our missions.
Through the Commandant’s Directed Actions issued this past November, Coast Guard leadership is keenly focused on moving the Service forward and providing the workplace climate that all of our members expect and deserve. A workplace intolerant of harm. Of the Commandant’s 33 directed actions following the Accountability and Transparency Review, nearly half have already been completed. These actions span the following lines of effort:
You can find more detail regarding the Commandant Directed Actions, and their current status, here: https://www.uscg.mil/Strengthening-Service-Culture/Directed-Actions/
The Coast Guard handles reports of harmful behaviors through a fair and impartial system that ensures due process and protects the privacy of everyone involved.
The Coast Guard takes every allegation of sexual misconduct seriously, including past cases, and encourages reports be made to the Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS). Reporting is the best way to ensure accountability and get the necessary support, and there have been recent improvements to the reporting options available.
All investigations involving victims are reviewed by the Office of the Chief Prosecutor (OCP), an independent team outside the member’s chain of command. The OCP then decides whether there is enough evidence to take criminal or administrative action.
All military branches were required to establish an OCP as part of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2022. With Congress’ support, the Coast Guard stood up the OCP in April 2023.
The Coast Guard is fully supporting the investigations by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and five Congressional committees and subcommittees. The Coast Guard has built a team to handle investigators’ requests for information as quickly as possible. The team has examined over 1.8 million pages of e-mails to date. Thanks to their efforts, we have provided Congress with over 75,000 pages of documents, including the full investigation reports for every OFA case and 90 reports from Academy cases between 2006 to 2023. When possible, we provided investigators with accommodations that allowed us to lift redactions while still complying with Executive Branch standard procedures and ensuring personal privacy.
Redactions are necessary to protect materials covered by executive privilege, such as attorney-client communication and attorney work products. Redactions are also used to protect the privacy of victims and witnesses as much as possible. Working with DHS, we have fully complied with all congressional requests for information.
While the DHS OIG investigates, they have instructed the Coast Guard to not engage in any further investigative activities related to OFA or take any other actions that may interfere with their ongoing investigation. If the Coast Guard investigates OFA-related cases during these other investigations, it could create conflicts that negatively impact those investigations.
We look forward to the results of OIG and congressional investigations. We will carefully evaluate their findings to determine whether any actions are warranted.
The Coast Guard is aggressively improving policy and programs to improve transparency, accountability, and members’ well-being. Although there is much more work to be done, the system is already better.
New policies, like Safe to Report, help encourage victims to report assaults.
Every command is receiving practical training on how to respond to sexual assault and harassment incidents.
Any new assault allegations – outside the OFA-specific investigation – are now overseen by a fully independent Office of the Chief Prosecutor.
Victims can now be present and participate in administrative separation proceedings related to sexual assault.
If a retired officer committed sexual assault or harassment while on active duty, that legal finding now triggers the service to reopen their Highest Grade Satisfactorily Held Determination.
Members found to have committed sexual assault or harassment will be processed for separation, and they will not receive an honorable discharge; this policy also applies to Academy cadets.
Many victims would like to see the investigation into their allegations, as a way to support their recovery. However, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Privacy Act require executive branch agencies to receive a FOIA request before releasing criminal investigation records – even if the victim themselves is the requestor. The law also requires executive branch agencies to redact certain information in order to protect the personal privacy of witnesses and others who might be mentioned in the records. (You can learn more about these requirements on the Department of Justice’s Privacy Act website.)
Once victims file their FOIA request, they deserve to receive their records quickly. The Coast Guard has been adding personnel and streamlining processes to help expedite victims’ requests.
While the Service wants every victim to get support, we are also mindful that victims are not all the same. Every individual’s experiences and needs are unique. And some victims have clearly communicated they do not want the Coast Guard contacting them again about their case. The DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) has also directed the Coast Guard to limit outreach to individuals involved in historic cases, to avoid any potential conflicts with the OIG’s investigation.
Any Coast Guard victim in need of care is encouraged to reach out to their servicing Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) or Victim Advocate Program Specialist (VAPS). Members can also receive services for military sexual trauma at Veterans Affairs health care facilities. The VA will provide care regardless of whether the member reported the incident or provides any documentation. Individuals are not required to have reported the incident or provide any documentation in order to receive care.
Social media can be a quick, easy way to speak up about a sexual assault, and to voice concerns about process, transparency, and accountability. However, we cannot guarantee that we will see or be able to act on social media posts or other informal communications alleging misconduct.
The best way to help ensure accountability or gain access to resources is to use the established following options:
• The DoD Safe Helpline Chat Room offers a safe space for victims and serves as a resource for healing.
• The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides free treatment for any physical or mental health conditions related to experiences of Military Sexual Trauma (MST) | Veterans Affairs (va.gov).
• Restricted or unrestricted reports can be made to a SARC, VAPS, VVA and healthcare professionals, and they can help you connect with support services. You can find your local SARC and VAPS here.
• Unrestricted reports can also be made to anyone in a member’s chain of command or directly to CGIS. Contact info for CGIS regional offices can be found here, or you can call (202) 372-3000. You can also submit a report online.
Once lost, trust is difficult to regain. Coast Guard senior leaders are keenly aware that our members don’t want platitudes; they want action. The service has completed more than half of the 33 Commandant-Directed Actions designed to improve the system, the remainder either in progress or pending funding. Members are encouraged to pay close attention to these fast-moving changes, so they can help share accurate, up-to-date information on social media and throughout the Coast Guard community. To stay informed, bookmark and visit the new Strengthening Service Culture website.
A strong and resilient culture is critical to our success both as a military force and as individuals. Every Coast Guard member must have a workplace where they feel safe, valued, empowered, trusted, and connected. The Coast Guard is aggressively implementing the Commandant’s Directed Actions. We are moving the Service forward while focusing intently on providing a workplace climate that is intolerant of harmful behaviors – the workplace all of our members expect and deserve.
The Coast Guard’s new Safe to Report Policy eliminates a barrier to reporting sexual assault. Under the Safe to Report policy, a member who reports a sexual assault won’t be punished for minor collateral violations – such as underage drinking, breaking barracks rules, or an unacceptable or prohibited relationship. This policy also protects bystanders who intervene to prevent or disrupt a sexual assault. The Coast Guard wants victims to come forward and report incidents of sexual assault. However, in many sexual assault cases, the victim or a reporting witness may have participated in some form of collateral misconduct, such as underage drinking, barracks rule violations, or a prohibited relationship. Fear of repercussions may keep the victim or witness from reporting the assault. To help victims feel safe coming forward, the Safe to Report policy ensures sexual assault victims won’t be punished for minor collateral misconduct. The Safe to Report policy removes a barrier for victims who want to report sexual assault and provides direction for field commanders and the Office of the Chief Prosecutor on how to handle collateral misconduct.
In early 2024, the Coast Guard created an Enterprise Victim Advocate (EVA) position, the first of its kind within the armed forces. The EVA will advance efforts to address sexual assault and sexual harassment issues within the workforce and ensure the Service supports victims of harmful behaviors. Additionally, the EVA will take victims’ perspectives into account and be a strong connection between stakeholder groups and Coast Guard leadership.
The Coast Guard changed its Military Separations policy to make it abundantly clear that sexual assault and sexual harassment will result in the offender being processed for separation from the Service. Any military member found to have committed sexual assault or sexual harassment will be processed for separation. Those separated will receive a characterization of service no higher than General (Under Honorable Conditions). Previous policy did not directly state that committing sexual assault or sexual harassment was a standalone basis for separation. This policy gap meant that commands had to connect the dots themselves, rather than requiring one consistent response to all substantiated sexual assault or harassment claims.
Current policy is now clear:
• Officers found by at least a preponderance of the evidence — meaning more likely than not — to have committed an act of sexual assault or sexual harassment will be processed for separation for cause for moral or professional dereliction.
• Enlisted members found by at least a preponderance of the evidence to have committed an act of sexual assault or sexual harassment will be processed for separation for misconduct.
A Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC), Victim Advocate Program Specialist (VAPS), Volunteer Victim Advocate (VVA), or Coast Guard medical officer can take a report of sexual assault. Any other form of disclosure by a victim is not a report.
Taking a sexual assault report includes two key actions:
• Explaining the Victim Reporting Preference Statement (Form CG-6095) to the victim, and
• Signing the Victim Reporting Preference Statement as a witness to the victim’s election for either restricted or unrestricted reporting.
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To access physical and mental care at the Veterans Affairs, no documentation of the MST experience is required, and you don’t need to have reported the MST.
Filing a claim for Veterans Affairs disability compensation benefits does require some documentation, but not necessarily a CG-6095, (Victim Reporting Preference Statement). For help with disability compensation related to Military Sexual Trauma (MST), you can contact the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) by reaching out to the MST Outreach Coordinator at your local VBA Regional Office.
Former and current Coast Guard members who wish to file a CG-6095 or get a copy of their previously issued CG-6095 may do so by reaching out to their servicing Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) or Victim Advocate Program Specialist (VAPS).
As of the end of June, 16 of the 33 CDAs have been completed, including:
• Victim Mentor: Furthering its mission of supporting all members, the Coast Guard Mentoring Program now offers mentees the opportunity to search for and connect with a VVA-certified mentor.
• Online Mandated Training: The mandatory training for next calendar year will have a Sexual Assault Prevention, Response and Recovery (SAPRR) online module separate from the Resiliency module.
• Enhancing Rights of crime victims--Right to Be Heard: Victims may now be present or provide a statement during administrative separation proceedings related their Sexual Assault or Sexual Harassment (SA/SH).
• Cadet Swab Summer: Coast Guard Academy’s swab summer now has three distinct phases: acclimation, training, and orientation. The updated program will help cadets shift from the civilian world into the military environment and make sure they’re prepared to act in alignment with the Service’s Core Values.
• Cadet Oversight: To provide Coast Guard Academy cadets with more oversight in Chase Hall (the cadet barracks), four additional company officers and four additional company chiefs arrived before this year’s swab summer.
• Cadet Conduct System: Numerous updates to SA/SH reporting and the Coast Guard cadet conduct system have been made at the Coast Guard Academy.
• Resources Hub: Coast Guard has published crisis resource hubs on both MyCG and Pixel. You’ll find the same info on both platforms, so you can quickly and easily figure out how to get help if you’ve experienced harassing behaviors or are experiencing crisis of any kind.
• On MyCG, click Crisis Support.
• On the Pixel Dashboard, click the “In Crisis? Click Here” button on the bottom of the left-hand column.
• VA to IPERMS Connection: The Coast Guard decreased the time some members wait for their U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability rating. To adjudicate claims of military sexual trauma (MST), the VA uses designated teams specialized in the unique nature of MST-related claims compared to other service-connected conditions. These teams need access to a member’s personnel file since medical records alone may not clearly reflect how a victim was impacted by MST. Now, the Coast Guard allows the VA direct access to iPERMS (interactive Personnel Electronic Records Management System) to retrieve needed records. Previously there was a significant delay in the manual transmission of the personnel file. Separating and retiring members who need to file an MST-involved claim will now receive their disability rating much sooner, ensuring they have continued access to support and medical services.
The EVA amplifies victim’s voices and addresses service-wide issues to help create a more effective, transparent, accountable, and victim-centric system. The EVA also serves as a focal point for victims’ advocacy groups. The Enterprise Victim Advocate is not a trained volunteer victim advocate and does not provide survivor services or confidentiality.
Restricted or unrestricted reports can be made to a SARC, VAPS, VVA and healthcare professionals, and they can help you connect with support services. You can find your local SARC and VAPS here.
We must reinvigorate and sustain the Coast Guard’s culture to more effectively align our behaviors – how we treat each other and the public we serve – with our Core Values.
The Core Values Project invites every member of Team Coast Guard to contribute their unique perspectives and experiences, helping us create a shared understanding of how we conduct ourselves, treat one another and the people we serve, and accomplish our mission.
To start, the Core Values Project team will engage with the workforce through one-on-one interviews and other engagements, exploring two key questions:
By sharing real-life stories and reflecting on moments that exemplify our values in action, we'll gain a deeper understanding of how Honor, Respect, and Devotion to Duty are expressed in our daily lives. At the same time, we'll identify the aspirational values, behaviors and actions that represent the highest standards to which we can strive.
The insights gathered from across the Service will form the foundation of a Core Values Framework - a roadmap for integrating our values into every aspect of our work, from leadership training to performance evaluations to policies. But even more important than policy change is the individual commitment each of us makes to live these values in our interactions with one another and those we serve.
We must re-invigorate and sustain the Coast Guard’s culture to more effectively align our behaviors – how we treat each other and the public we served – with our Core Values. Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Heath Jones is championing a sweeping campaign to clarify the defining language of our Core Values and the positive behaviors associated with them. Through one-on-one interviews and a series of focus groups, the team will develop a deep understanding of how the Service best demonstrates the Core Values and then create the Core Value Framework.
Additionally, the Enlisted Performance Qualifications (EPQs), Officer Evaluations Reports (OERs), and Enlisted Evaluation Reports (EERs) will be revised to include the Core Values Framework being developed through the Strengthening Service Culture Through Our Core Values effort.
Deputy Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Jahmal Pereira provides more detail on the Core Values Framework, and how you can get involved, in this MyCG article.
The Coast Guard will kick off Sentinel Transformation and Readiness Training (START), a one-week preparatory course for Cape May graduates. START will reinforce and expand on lessons from boot camp in a learning environment more conducive for knowledge retention. The START curriculum will include health, personal finance, SAPRR/Bystander Intervention, Core Values, interpersonal relationships, substance abuse, and more.
Force Readiness Command (FORCECOM) is also establishing new training that will reinforce expectations across the workforce at more career points and will become a permanent part of the leadership development process. The expanded leadership training will start with senior leaders and then expand to more junior members.
Every Coast Guard member deserves a workplace where they feel safe and valued. The Strengthening Service Culture initiative is empowering our workforce to ensure that all members of Team Coast Guard have the positive workplace experience they expect and deserve. Together, we will invigorate and sustain the Coast Guard’s culture to more effectively align our behaviors with our values.
Guided by three overarching themes – Ensuring a Safe and Supportive Workplace, Reinforcing Our Core Values, and Fostering Engaged Leadership – this long-term campaign will reinforce who we are and how we engage with one another.
To learn more, check out the MyCG article, “Strengthening Service Culture SITREP: Initial progress to make the Coast Guard a better workplace.”
Cultivating and reinforcing engaged leadership at all levels in this effort is central to strengthening our culture. The Coast Guard must foster workforce trust in the institution, its leadership, and its processes for supporting members.
We ALL are. All of us own service culture and have an individual responsibility to strengthen it.
“It's OUR Coast Guard,” ADM Linda Fagan said. “It's not mine, it's not somebody else's. There is no they or them. It's us, ours, collectively. And so together we – WE - make the changes. Together we create the opportunity and together we create the culture that we aspire to.”
Vice Adm. Gautier, Deputy Commandant for Operations, is leading the effort as Coordinator for the Strengthening Service Culture initiative. CMC Jahmal Pereira, Deputy Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard, is championing the Strengthening Service Culture Through Our Core Values Project.
Other key leaders in the SSC Initiative are:
• Mr. Gary Rasicot, Deputy Commandant for Personnel Readiness
• CAPT Laura Collins, Enterprise Victim Advocate
• Dr. Felicia Garland-Jackson, Integrated Primary Prevention Program Manager
• Dr. Annie McKee and CMC Jerry Wolf, Core Values Project
Strengthening Service Culture is not a headquarters mandate – it is a movement inclusive of all members of the Coast Guard workforce working individually and collectively to align our everyday behaviors with our core values. The key to success is your individual commitment. Active leadership across all levels of the Coast Guard is crucial to align everyday behaviors with core values. We need each of us, every member of the Coast Guard workforce – active duty, reserve, civilians, auxiliary – to be engaged and to own their piece of our shared service culture.
There are several collateral duty opportunities that come with great training. Here are a few:
• Submit your application to be a Resilience Coordinator. Though we currently have a waitlist for people to attend training, please continue to submit your applications to help us understand the training demand from the fleet.
• Request support of a local certified Change Agent who can help your unit foster a culture that values respect, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Change Agents can offer consultations, empowerment coaching, and facilitation services. You can also sign up to be a Change Agent (CAC required to access these links).
• Become a credentialed Volunteer Victim Advocate (VVA) to provide emotional support to the victim during interviews, medical procedures, and legal proceedings and assist the SARC and VAPS in prevention-related activities.
Cultivating and reinforcing engaged leadership at all levels is central to strengthening our culture. The Coast Guard must foster workforce trust in the institution, its leadership, and its processes for supporting members. Through a number of Commandant Directed Actions (CDA) and related initiatives, recent progress has included: