ALCOAST 406/08
COMDTNOTE 2300
SUBJ:  OUTLOOK WEB ACCESS (OWA) AND COMMON ACCESS CARD (CAC) READER
DISTRIBUTION FOR RESERVE PERSONNEL
A. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 012011Z AUG 08/ALCOAST 375/08
1. IAW REF A, AS PART OF AN ONGOING EFFORT TO IMPROVE
COMMUNICATIONS AND THE READINESS OF OUR RESERVE PERSONNEL,
COMMANDANT (CG-1312) WILL ISSUE CAC READERS TO RESERVE MEMBERS VIA
PARENT COMMANDS, DURING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, 2008. QUALIFIED
MEMBERS CAN OBTAIN A CAC READER ONCE DISTRIBUTION IS COMPLETED AND
COMMANDS ARE READY TO DISTRIBUTE. THE CAC READERS WILL ONLY BE
ISSUED TO SELECTED RESERVE (SELRES) MEMBERS WHO ARE CURRENTLY IN
SATISFACTORY DRILLING STATUS. SUBSEQUENT TO THIS ONE-TIME
ALLOCATION, FUTURE REQUIREMENTS FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL CAC READERS FOR
NEW RESERVE PERSONNEL WILL BE A COMMAND RESPONSIBILITY.
2. OUTLOOK WEB ACCESS IS A WAY TO VIEW COAST GUARD EMAIL THROUGH A
WEB CONNECTION THAT USES THE INTERNET EXPLORER WEB BROWSER AND A
CAC WHILE CONNECTED TO A STANDARD INTERNET CONNECTION. THIS FEATURE
ALLOWS CG EMPLOYEES TO ACCESS THEIR CG EMAIL FROM ANY COMPUTER WITH
A CAC READER AND STANDARD INTERNET CONNECTION.  OWA ELIMINATES THE
NEED FOR A REMOTE ACCESS SERVER (RAS) TOKEN TO ACCESS EMAIL AND
OTHER OUTLOOK ITEMS. IT DOES NOT PERMIT ACCESS TO OTHER FILES AND
PROGRAMS ON THE COAST GUARD DATA NETWORK (CGDN). INDIVIDUALS WHO
REQUIRE REMOTE ACCESS TO FILES AND PROGRAMS, OTHER THAN OUTLOOK, ON
THEIR CG WORKSTATION WILL STILL NEED TO LOG ON TO THEIR WORKSTATION
USING THE RAS TOKEN AND ASSOCIATED SOFTWARE.
3. THE SOFTWARE AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR OWA CAN ONLY BE DOWNLOADED
FROM THE CGDN ON A CG STANDARD WORKSTATION. THE USER SETUP GUIDE
AND ALL REQUIRED SOFTWARE MUST BE DOWNLOADED WHILE CONNECTED TO
CGDN. ONCE DOWNLOADED, IT CAN BE COPIED TO A FLASH DRIVE OR BURNED
TO A CD FOR FURTHER DISSEMINATION. DOWNLOADS ARE AVAILABLE AT
HTTP://CGWEB.TISCOM.USCG.MIL/DOWNLOADS/REMTACC_DWNLD.HTM. THE
DOWNLOADS ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE ON THE INTERNET. FOR CONNECTIVITY
ISSUES USERS SHOULD CONTACT THEIR LOCAL CG HELPDESK.
4. CONNECTIVITY FOR OUR RESERVE FORCES IS VITAL TO THE COAST GUARDS
MODERNIZATION EFFORTS AND ESSENTIAL TO OUR IMPROVED READINESS.
THIS IS A MAJOR MILESTONE IN SUPPORTING THESE EFFORTS. FOR
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING SELRES CAC READER DISTRIBUTION
CONTACT CWO GARY THOMAS AT (202) 475-5445 OR EMAIL GARY.A.THOMAS
(AT)USCG.MIL.
5. RDML D. R. MAY, DIRECTOR OF RESERVE AND TRAINING, SENDS.
6. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.