ALCOAST 368/08 COMDTNOTE 12451 SUBJ: REQUEST FOR NOMINATIONS FOURTH ANNUAL DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (DHS) AWARDS CEREMONY 1. THE SECRETARYS FOURTH ANNUAL AWARDS CEREMONY WILL BE HELD WEDNESDAY, 29 OCTOBER 2008 AT DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION (DAR) CONSTITUTION HALL, WASHINGTON DC. THE CEREMONY WILL RECOGNIZE EXCEPTIONAL INDIVIDUAL AND TEAM/GROUP ACCOMPLISHMENTS WITHIN EACH DHS COMPONENT FOR THE PERIOD 1 OCTOBER 2007 THROUGH 1 AUGUST 2008. NOMINATIONS ARE SOLICITED FOR SECRETARIAL AWARDS IN THE SEVEN CATEGORIES BELOW IN PARAGRAPH 2. NOMINATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 15 AUGUST 2008 FOLLOWING THE GUIDANCE IN PARAGRAPH 4. PLEASE NOTE THIS DEADLINE, YOU ONLY HAVE TWO WEEKS TO SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATIONS. THE SECRETARY WILL ALSO RECOGNIZE AN INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP WITH THE GOLD MEDAL, THE HIGHEST HONORARY AWARD GIVEN DURING THE CEREMONY, FOR EXCEPTIONALLY OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP OR SERVICE. NOMINATIONS WILL NOT BE SOLICITED FOR THE GOLD MEDAL. MILITARY MEMBERS ARE ELIGIBLE WHEN NOMINATED AS A TEAM MEMBER OR PARTICIPANT. MILITARY MEMBERS MAY ALSO BE RECOGNIZED FOR ACTS OF HEROISM AND/OR VALOR. NON APPROPRIATED FUND (NAF) EMPLOYEES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR ALL AWARDS. 2. THE AWARD CATEGORIES FOLLOW: A. SILVER MEDAL (CIVILIAN): THIS IS THE SECOND HIGHEST AWARD GRANTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. THIS AWARD RECOGNIZES EXCEPTIONAL INDIVIDUAL LEADERSHIP OR SERVICE THAT IS DISTINGUISHED BY ACHIEVEMENTS OF MARKED SIGNIFICANCE OVER TIME TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. THIS AWARD WILL RECOGNIZE A BODY OF WORK CHARACTERIZED BY SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE RELATED TO SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS, BUSINESS IMPROVEMENTS OR NOTABLE RESOURCEFULNESS AND DILIGENCE THAT SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY IN ONE OR MORE PROGRAM AREAS. B. VALOR (CIVILIAN): THIS AWARD IS THE HIGHEST DEPARTMENTAL RECOGNITION FOR EXTRAORDINARY ACTS OF VALOR BY A CIVILIAN, OCCURRING WHILE ON OR OFF DUTY. THE AWARD IS ONLY TO BE GIVEN IN EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES. THE EMPLOYEE MUST HAVE DEMONSTRATED EXTRAORDINARY COURAGE IN A HIGHLY DANGEROUS, LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION OR EMERGENCY UNDER EXTREME STRESS AND INVOLVING A SPECIFIC ACT OF VALOR, SUCH AS SAVING ANOTHER PERSONS LIFE OR PROPERTY. VALOR AWARDS FOR MILITARY MEMBERS PRESENTED DURING THE CEREMONY ARE HANDLED SEPARATELY BY COMMANDANT (CG-1221) AS DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPH 6 BELOW. MR. MICHAEL GABLE (CG-1221) AT (202)475-5385 IS THE POC. C. EXEMPLARY SERVICE (CIVILIAN): THIS AWARD RECOGNIZES EXEMPLARY INDIVIDUAL SERVICE BY DHS EMPLOYEES SERVING IN ADMINISTRATIVE, TECHNICAL, CLERICAL, AND GENERAL SUPPORT POSITIONS. EMPLOYEES IN SUPPORT SERVICES POSITIONS BELOW GS-11 AND WG-8 MAY BE NOMINATED FOR THIS AWARD. D. EXCELLENCE (CIVILIAN): THIS AWARD RECOGNIZES OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT OR INNOVATION BY AN EMPLOYEE ENGAGED IN WORK TO ADVANCE THE MISSION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. THIS WORK MAY HAVE RESULTED IN SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE, SIGNIFICANT OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS, OR NOTABLE INNOVATION IN SUPPORT OF DHS MISSIONS. E. TEAM DHS EXCELLENCE (CIVILIAN AND MILITARY): THIS AWARD RECOGNIZES OUTSTANDING TEAM ACHIEVEMENTS BY EMPLOYEES WORKING IN A GROUP TO ADVANCE THE MISSION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. THE NOMINEES MAY BE PART OF AN ONGOING WORKING GROUP OR AN AD HOC TEAM. THE WORK OF THE TEAM MAY HAVE RESULTED IN SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE, SIGNIFICANT OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS, OR NOTABLE INNOVATION IN SUPPORT OF DHS MISSIONS. NOMINATIONS THAT INCLUDE MULTI-COMPONENT TEAMS PARTNERING TO ACHIEVE A NOTABLE DEPARTMENT- WIDE OBJECTIVE ARE PARTICULARLY WELCOME. F. OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT (CIVILIAN AND MILITARY): THIS AWARD RECOGNIZES AN EMPLOYEE WHO HAS EXCELLED IN EFFORTS TO PROMOTE DIVERSITY AT DHS THROUGH EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP, INNOVATION, AND PERSEVERANCE. IT MAY ACKNOWLEDGE INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS EXCLUSIVELY WITHIN DHS OR WITH EXTERNAL PARTNERS WHO ASSIST DHS IN MEETING OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY. G. VOLUNTEER SERVICE (CIVILIAN AND MILITARY): THIS AWARD RECOGNIZES SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS BY DHS EMPLOYEES WHO SERVE AS VOLUNTEERS WITH NON-PROFIT OR COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES. THE EMPLOYEES CONTRIBUTIONS SHOULD BE DIRECT, SUSTAINED, AND HAVE MEANINGFUL RESULTS FOR INDIVIDUALS OR THE LARGER PUBLIC GOOD. 3. SPECIFIC NOMINATION GUIDELINES: A. SUBMIT ORIGINAL AND 10 COPIES OF THE DHS FORM 3100-1 (REV. 7/08), RECOMMENDATION FOR SECRETARIAL AWARD FORM, WITH COVER LETTER TO COMMANDANT (CG-1213), VIA THE CHAIN OF COMMAND, AND MAIL PACKAGE VIA EXPRESS MAIL SERVICE PROVIDER. B. THE COVER LETTER MUST CONTAIN: THE NAME, TITLE, RANK, PHONE NUMBER, AND COMMAND OF THE NOMINATOR, THE NAME, TITLE, SERIES, RANK OR GRADE, CURRENT PHONE NUMBER, AND CURRENT MAILING ADDRESS OF THE NOMINEE, AND THE NAME AND PHONE NUMBER OF THE PERSON TO CONTACT FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE NOMINATION JUSTIFICATION. C. EACH NOMINATION MUST BE TYPED USING TIMES NEW ROMAN (10 OR 12 POINT), AND CONFORM TO THE SPACE PROVIDED IN ITEM 8 ON THE DHS FORM 3100-1. THE FORM IS AVAILABLE ELECTRONICALLY VIA COAST GUARD CENTRAL AT HTTP://CGCENTRALWEB.USCG.MIL/CLINK/2600. ENSURE THE NOMINATION FORM INCLUDES A CLEAR, "PLAIN ENGLISH" CITATION OF 15 WORDS OR LESS FOR EACH NOMINATION IN ITEM 6, TO BE INCLUDED IN CEREMONY PROGRAM AND REMARKS. DETAILED INFORMATION REGARDING AWARD CATEGORIES AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMISSION MAY ALSO BE FOUND AT THE CG CENTRAL LINK ABOVE. D. A SEPARATE LISTING OF TEAM MEMBERS FIRST NAMES, MIDDLE INITIALS, LAST NAMES, RANKS, TITLE, AND ORGANIZATION (VERIFIED FOR ACCURACY BY THE NOMINATOR/APPROVING OFFICIAL) MUST BE PROVIDED. NOMINATOR(S)/APPROVING OFFICIAL MUST ALSO PROVIDE THE CURRENT DUTY LOCATION AND PHONE NUMBER FOR EACH NOMINEE AND THE NAME AND PHONE NUMBER OF THE PERSON WHO WILL ACCEPT THE AWARD ON BEHALF OF THE TEAM. TEAM AWARDS ARE LIMITED TO 50 EMPLOYEES PER TEAM. E. THE NAME, TITLE, AND SIGNATURE OF THE APPROVING OFFICIALS MUST BE PROVIDED IN ITEM 9 INCLUDING DATES, LEAVING THE LAST LINE IN ITEM 9 BLANK FOR THE COMMANDANT, WHOSE SIGNATURE OF ENDORSEMENT IS REQUIRED ON EACH COAST GUARD NOMINATION. APPROVAL MUST INCLUDE FLAG OFFICER/SES ENDORSEMENT AT THE DISTRICT, MLC, AREA, OR ASSISTANT COMMANDANT LEVEL IN YOUR CHAIN OF COMMAND. 4. NOMINATIONS MUST BE REVIEWED BY THE COMMANDANTS AWARDS BOARD BEFORE FINAL APPROVAL BY THE COMMANDANT. SELECTED NOMINATIONS WILL BE FORWARDED TO DHS FOR FINAL CONSIDERATION. 5. ALL NOMINATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY COMMANDANT (CG-1213) NO LATER THAN 15 AUGUST 2008. TO MEET THE DEPARTMENTAL DEADLINE AND ENSURE APPROPRIATE BOARD REVIEW, EXTENSIONS WILL NOT BE GRANTED. ADDRESS QUESTIONS TO MS. SHERRIE HAILSTORKS, COMMANDANT (CG-1213) AT (202)475-5318, MS. JOYCE WELLS AT (202)475-5266, OR MR. RON COLEMAN AT (202) 475-5321. 6. FOR THE VALOR (MILITARY) CATEGORY, NOMINEES SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A MILITARY AWARD FOR HEROISM DURING THE ELIGIBILITY PERIOD IN ADDITION TO THE GUIDANCE PROVIDED ABOVE. A COPY OF THE MILITARY AWARD PRESENTED TO THE NOMINEE MUST BE INCLUDED AS AN ATTACHMENT TO THE NOMINATION FORM. NOMINATIONS FOR THE VALOR (MILITARY) CATEGORY WILL BE SUBMITTED AS DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPH 2B ABOVE TO COMMANDANT (CG-1221). 7. I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY BY NOMINATING DESERVING EMPLOYEES AND TEAMS/GROUPS FOR RECOGNITION IN THE APPROPRIATE AWARD CATEGORIES ABOVE. 8. RDML DANIEL A. NEPTUN, DIRECTOR OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT, SENDS. 9. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.