ALCOAST 358/08
COMDTNOTE 1650
SUBJ: 2008 BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT (BIG) CIVILIAN AND MILITARY
MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD RECIPIENTS
1. IT IS MY PLEASURE TO RECOGNIZE AND CONGRATULATE MS. LOVERNA
MILLER, COMMANDANT (CG-12D) AND LIEUTENANT COMMANDER CORNELL I.
PERRY, COAST GUARD PERSONNEL COMMAND ON THEIR SELECTION FOR THIS
HONOR. BOTH WILL BE RECOGNIZED AT THE BIG NATIONAL TRAINING
CONFERENCE IN NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA ON 15 AUGUST 2008.
2. MS. MILLER IS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF BIG WHO WITHIN IT HAS HELD
SEVERAL CHAPTER, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL POSITIONS.  ONE OF MS
MILLERS MOST NOTEWORTHY ACHIEVEMENTS WAS FOUNDING THE BIG COAST
GUARD CHAPTER IN 2002.  TODAY, WITH APPROXIMATELY 120 MEMBERS, IT
IS THE LARGEST IN BIGS REGION XI. PREVIOUSLY AS CHAPTER PRESIDENT,
MS MILLER INAUGURATED MANY PROGRAMS AND ACHIEVED NUMEROUS GOALS.
SHE CURRENTLY IS CHAIR OF THE COAST GUARDS AGENCY FORUM.  SHE WAS
ONE OF THE CATALYSTS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CREATION OF AN UPDATED
VERSION OF THE CIVILIAN CAREER ENRICHMENT GUIDEBOOK THAT CHARTS
CAREER PATHS FOR UPWARD MOBILITY.  MS. MILLERS ACTIONS DISPLAY
GREAT CREDIT UPON HERSELF, THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD AND THE
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY.
3. LCDR PERRY HAS DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF BY PREPARING YOUNG MEN AND
WOMEN FOR A CAREER OF SERVICE IN THE COAST GUARD, AND BY
STRENGTHENING THEIR PERFORMANCE FOLLOWING THEIR ACCESSION. LCDR
PERRY HAS MENTORED AND ASSISTED MORE THAN FIFTEEN COLLEGE STUDENTS,
COLLEGE STUDENT PRE-COMMISSIONING INITIATIVE (CSPI) PROSPECTS, AND
SIX ENLISTED MINORITY MEMBERS WITH OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL (OCS)
OR PRE-COMMISSIONING PROGRAM FOR ENLISTED PERSONNEL (PPEP)
APPLICATIONS.  DUE TO HIS LEADERSHIP AND MENTORING ABILITY, ALL 21
WERE  SELECTED FOR THE PROGRAMS TO WHICH THEY APPLIED.  LCDR PERRY
IS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF HIS COMMUNITY COACHING YOUTH BASKETBALL,
SOCCER, AND BASEBALL, SPENDING TIME MENTORING CHILDREN AND HELPING
SET THEM ON PATHS OF PRODUCTIVITY AND PROGRESS.  HIS EFFORTS HAVE
MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THE COMMUNITY AND IN THE COAST GUARD.
4. THE SELECTION PANEL RECOGNIZED LIEUTENANT ZEITA MERCHANT AND
ENSIGN ROBERTO CONCEPCION AS HONORABLE MENTION CANDIDATES.  THESE
TWO NOMINEES ARE DESERVING OF HIGH PRAISE FOR THEIR COMMUNITY
SERVICE AND SELFLESS VOLUNTEER EFFORTS ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT
EXPECTED.  ALL PANEL MEMBERS WERE ESPECIALLY MOVED AND HEARTENED BY
LT MERCHANTS AND ENS CONCEPCIONS COMMITMENT TO SERVICE AND
ACTIVITIES WHICH FURTHER THE CIVIL RIGHTS EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
MISSION.
5. DETAILS REGARDING THE BIG 30TH NATIONAL TRAINING CONFERENCE CAN
BE FOUND AT WWW.BIGNET.ORG.
6.CAPT JOSEPH B. KOLB, ACTING DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS,
SENDS.
7. INTERNET RELEASE IS AUTHORIZED.