ALCOAST 269/08
COMDTNOTE 7130
SUBJ: POLICY FOR THE PURCHASE AND AWARD OF COMMAND COINS
A. FINANCIAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT MANUAL, COMDTINST M7100.3(SERIES)
B. COAST GUARD MORALE, WELL-BEING AND RECREATION MANUAL, COMDTINST
M1710.13(SERIES)
1. THE PURPOSE OF THIS MESSAGE IS TO ESTABLISH DETAILED COAST GUARD
POLICY, CONSISTENT WITH EXISTING LAWS, FOR THE CREATION AND
DISTRIBUTION OF COMMAND COINS. OVER THE COURSE OF U.S. MILITARY
HISTORY, COMMAND OR CHALLENGE COINS HAVE BECOME A PART OF MILITARY
TRADITION. IN RECENT YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS GROWTH IN THE
PROCUREMENT AND USE OF COINS THROUGHOUT THE COAST GUARD AND AS A
RESULT, UNITS MAY HAVE DEVELOPED INTERNAL POLICIES THAT CONFLICT
WITH CURRENT CG AUTHORITIES. THE CG DOES NOT HAVE STATUTORY
AUTHORITY TO DISTRIBUTE COINS INTERNALLY TO MEMBERS AS GIFTS,
TOKENS OR MEMENTOS. THE AWARD OF A COIN TO A MILITARY OR CIVILIAN
MEMBER OF THE CG USING APPROPRIATED FUNDS MUST BE FOR THE PURPOSE
OF INFORMAL RECOGNITION OF SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE. THE POLICY
PROVIDED BELOW IS INTENDED TO ENSURE THAT THE AWARDING OF COMMAND
COINS COMPLIES WITH COAST GUARD STATUTORY AUTHORITY AND PRESERVES
THE MILITARY TRADITION AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE COINS. THIS POLICY
WILL BE REFLECTED IN A FUTURE REVISION OF REF (A).
2. USE OF APPROPRIATED FUNDS:
 A. INTERNAL INFORMAL RECOGNITION:
  (1) FLAG OFFICERS, SES, MCPOCG, MCPOCGRF, GOLD BADGE E9S, AND
UNIT COMMANDING OFFICERS AND OFFICERS IN CHARGE MAY CREATE A UNIT
OR ORGANIZATIONAL COIN FOR PRESENTATION AS PART OF AN INFORMAL
RECOGNITION PROGRAM. CG-7 MAY CREATE A COIN FOR THE GOLD AND SILVER
ANCIENT MARINER AND ANCIENT ALBATROSS, AND THE ANCIENT KEEPER AS
PART OF AN INFORMAL RECOGNITION PROGRAM.
  (2) INFORMAL RECOGNITION PROGRAMS ARE AUTHORIZED SO THAT SENIOR
LEADERSHIP MAY RECOGNIZE SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE OR SPECIAL SERVICE BY
CG MEMBERS THAT MAY NOT RISE TO THE LEVEL OF A FORMAL AWARD.
SOQ/SOY AND COQ/COY PROGRAMS ARE EXAMPLES OF OTHER INFORMAL
RECOGNITION PROGRAMS. UNIT INFORMAL RECOGNITION PROGRAMS MUST BE
DEFINED IN WRITING AND OUTLINE AT A MINIMUM: THE CRITERIA FOR THE
AWARD, THE NOMINATION PROCEDURES, AND THE ITEMS THAT WILL BE
AWARDED. THE MONETARY LIMIT FOR THE AWARD IS $100. IN ADDITION, THE
UNIT SHALL MAINTAIN AN INFORMAL RECOGNITION ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD
THAT DETAILS THE ITEM AWARDED, THE DATE OF THE AWARD, THE RECIPIENT
AND A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE REASON FOR THE AWARD. IN RARE
SITUATIONS WHERE IT IS NOT POSSIBLE OR PRACTICAL TO OBTAIN THE
NAMES OF THE RECIPIENTS, A GENERAL ENTRY CAPTURING AS MANY OF THE
AWARD DETAILS AS POSSIBLE SHOULD BE MADE IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE
RECORD. COMMAND COINS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IN INFORMAL RECOGNITION
INSTRUCTIONS. FLAG OFFICERS/SES WHO ARE NOT SERVING AS COMMANDING
OFFICERS/COMMANDERS, THE MCPOCG, AND THE MCPOCGRF ARE NOT REQUIRED
TO HAVE A UNIT INFORMAL RECOGNITION INSTRUCTION; HOWEVER, THEY ARE
REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN THE ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD AS DESCRIBED ABOVE.
CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN TO ENSURE AWARD OF THE COINS IS TIED TO
SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE. THE GOLD AND SILVER ANCIENT MARINER AND
ANCIENT ALBATROSS AWARD, AND ANCIENT KEEPER PROGRAMS MUST BE
DETAILED IN WRITING BY CG-7 IAW THIS PARA. ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS
SHOULD BE FILED AND KEPT WITH THE UNIT PROCUREMENT RECORDS AT THE
END OF EACH FISCAL YEAR.
  (3) ALL MEMBERS AUTHORIZED COMMAND COINS CAN CHOOSE TO CREATE THE
ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD EITHER PRIOR TO OR SUBSEQUENT TO THE AWARD
PRESENTATION. FOR EXAMPLE, IF THE MCPOCG PRESENTS COINS TO CREW
MEMBERS NOMINATED BY A UNIT COMMANDING OFFICER DURING A UNIT VISIT,
THE UNIT CO/XO MAY SEND THE NAMES OF THE RECIPIENTS AND
ACHIEVEMENTS TO THE MCPOCG'S STAFF SUBSEQUENT TO THE VISIT TO
COMPLETE THE ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD.
 B. EXTERNAL RECOGNITION: ONLY FLAG OFFICERS AND SES, THE MCPOCG,
THE CHAPLAIN OF THE CG, AND THEIR AUTHORIZED DELEGATES MAY USE
APPROPRIATED FUNDS TO PROVIDE RECOGNITION ITEMS, INCLUDING COINS,
AND TO CONDUCT APPROPRIATE RECOGNITION CEREMONIES TO EXTERNAL
INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS FOR SIGNIFICANT PAST SUPPORT TO COAST GUARD
PROGRAMS AND MISSIONS. AUTHORIZED RECIPIENTS AND MONETARY LIMITS
ARE DELINEATED IN REF (A). IN ADDITION, PERSONNEL LISTED IN PARA
2.A.(1) ARE AUTHORIZED TO PRESENT COMMAND COINS TO EXTERNAL
INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS STANDARD, AND NOT AS
A COURTESY OR FOR OTHER REASONS. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE EXPENDING
FUNDS FOR A CEREMONY AND PRESENTATION UNLESS A SPECIFIC DELEGATION
IS RECEIVED FROM AN AUTHORIZED INDIVIDUAL. AN EXTERNAL RECOGNITION
ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD OF ITEMS AWARDED SHALL BE MAINTAINED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH PARA 2.A.(2).
 C. OFFICIAL RECEPTION AND REPRESENTATION (ORRF): THE ANNUAL ORRF
APPROPRIATION FOR THE CG IS EXTREMELY LIMITED ($20K APPROPRIATED IN
FY08). CONSEQUENTLY, ALL USES OF ORRF FUNDS ARE DETERMINED BY THE
COMMANDANT.  REQUESTS FOR AN ALLOCATION OF ORRF SHOULD BE MADE THRU
THE CHAIN OF COMMAND TO CG-00 ATTN: COMDTS PROTOCOL OFFICER. THE
COMMANDANT AND COMMANDS THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED AN ALLOCATION OF
ORRF MAY PROCURE COINS THAT WILL BE GIVEN TO DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN
DIGNITARIES AS A GIFT OR MEMENTO. INFORMATION REGARDING THE
RECIPIENT, ITEM PRESENTED AND THE OCCASION SHOULD BE RECORDED
EITHER BEFORE OR IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE PRESENTATION AND RETAINED
WITH THE ORRF PROCUREMENT FILES.  DHS MANAGEMENT DIRECTIVE 0540
PROVIDES AUTHORIZED USES AND ADDITIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE USE OF ORRF.  GENERALLY, THE USES OF ORRF MUST BE CLOSELY
TRACKED AND REPORTED TO DHS ON A QUARTERLY BASIS.
3. NON-APPROPRIATED FUNDS (NAF):
 A. MORALE FUNDS ARE NOT TO BE USED TO PURCHASE COINS THAT WILL BE
USED AS PART OF THE PROGRAMS OUTLINED IN PARA 2 OF THIS MESSAGE.
REF (B) PROVIDES GUIDANCE ON THE AUTHORIZED USES OF UNIT MORALE
FUNDS FOR RECOGNITION PROGRAMS.
 B. COMMANDANT'S DISCRETIONARY FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE
COINS.  ANY USE OF DISCRETIONARY FUNDS SHALL BE DOCUMENTED IAW PARA
(2A) WITH THE EXCEPTION THAT THE RECORDS SHALL BE RETAINED WITH THE
DISCRETIONARY FUND RECORDS.
 C. PERSONAL FUNDS MAY BE USED TO PURCHASE COMMAND COINS THAT WILL
BE GIVEN AWAY AS GIFTS.  HOWEVER, IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE
DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE COAST GUARD INFORMAL AWARDS PROGRAM AND
PERSONAL GIFTS, THE PRESENTER SHOULD ENSURE THOSE AT THE
PRESENTATION ARE MADE AWARE THAT THE COIN IS A PERSONAL GIFT TO THE
RECIPIENT.
4. COIN DESIGN: PERSONNEL AUTHORIZED IN PARA 2.A.(1) TO PRESENT
COMMAND COINS WHO HAVE AN EXISTING COIN MAY CONTINUE TO USE THOSE
COINS UNTIL THEIR STOCKS ARE EXHAUSTED. ONCE CURRENT STOCKS ARE
EXHAUSTED, ALL COINS PURCHASED WITH APPROPRIATED FUNDS FOR USE AS
PART OF AND INTERNAL RECOGNITION PROGRAM WILL HAVE ONE OF THE
FOLLOWING TWO DESIGNS ON THE OBVERSE SIDE OF THE COIN:
  A. THE COMMANDANT, VICE COMMANDANT, AREA COMMANDERS, CHIEF OF
STAFF, MCPOCG AND MCPOCGRF MAY USE A DESIGN THAT INCORPORATES THEIR
POSITION, RANK, AND/OR TITLE. IN ADDITION, THE PRESENTER'S NAME MAY
BE SUBSEQUENTLY ENGRAVED ON A COIN, ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS, FOR AN
INDIVIDUAL PRESENTATION. CONTENT AROUND THE BORDER IS AT THE
PRESENTERS DISCRETION.
  B. ALL OTHER UNITS AND OFFICES MAY USE A DESIGN THAT INCORPORATES
THEIR POSITION, RANK, AND/OR TITLE BUT NOT THEIR NAME. CONTENT
AROUND THE BORDER IS AT THE PRESENTERS DISCRETION.
THE DESIGN OF THE REVERSE SIDE OF THE COIN MUST INCORPORATE THE
COAST GUARD SEAL. FOR COINS PURCHASED WITH APPROPRIATED FUNDS FOR
EXTERNAL RECOGNITION ONLY, OR WITH ORRF OR COMDT DISCRETIONARY
FUNDS, THE SECOND SIDE MAY BE ENGRAVED WITH A DESIGN APPROPRIATE TO
THE OCCASION AS DETERMINED BY THE PRESENTER. THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF
PRESENTING COMMAND COINS IS TO RECOGNIZE SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS
OR PAST SUPPORT TO CG MISSIONS THROUGH THE PRESENTATION OF AN ITEM
OF TROPHY OR AESTHETIC VALUE AND NOT TO PRESENT AN AWARD WITH
INHERENT MONETARY VALUE. CONSEQUENTLY, COINS MAY BE STRUCK FROM OR
PLATED WITH DIFFERENT METALS TO PROVIDE DISTINCTION, BUT SHALL NOT
BE STRUCK FROM PRECIOUS METALS. IN ALL CASES, PRUDENT STEWARDSHIP
SHALL PREVAIL IN THE PURCHASE DECISION.  EVERY PRESENTER SHOULD
MAKE THEIR PURCHASE DECISION UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY MAY NEED TO
JUSTIFY THE PROCUREMENT TO INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL AUDITORS AND THE
PUBLIC.
5. POCS: LT ESTEVEZ, CG-843, AT 202-372-3656 OR LCDR JEFFREY
SWANSON, CG-843, AT 202-372-3655.
6. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED