R 141301Z AUG 07 ZUI ASN-A00226000003 ZYB
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-1//
TO ALCOAST
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UNCLAS //N12451//
ALCOAST 395/07
COMDTNOTE 12451
SUBJ: THIRD ANNUAL DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (DHS) AWARDS
CEREMONY REQUEST FOR NOMINATIONS
1.  THE SECRETARYS THIRD ANNUAL AWARDS CEREMONY WILL BE HELD EARLY
DECEMBER 2007.  SPECIFIC DETAILS REGARDING THE DATE WILL BE
PROVIDED AS THE INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.  THE LOCATION WILL
BE DAR CONSTITUTION HALL.  THE CEREMONY WILL RECOGNIZE EXCEPTIONAL
INDIVIDUAL AND TEAM/GROUP ACCOMPLISHMENTS WITHIN EACH DHS
ORGANIZATIONAL ELEMENT/COMPONENT FOR THE PERIOD 1 JANUARY 2006
THROUGH 30 SEPTEMBER 2007.  NOMINATIONS ARE SOLICITED FOR
SECRETARIAL AWARDS IN THE 7 CATEGORIES BELOW IN PARAGRAPH 2.
NOMINATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY SEPTEMBER 21, 2007 FOLLOWING THE
GUIDANCE IN PARAGRAPH 3.  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 VIA A SEPARATE PROCESS.  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 (07/07),
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 (DHL).
  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, THE NAME AND PHONE NUMBER OF THE PERSON TO CONTACT FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE NOMINATION WRITE-UP.
  C. THE NAME, TITLE AND SIGNATURE OF THE APPROVING OFFICIALS MUST
BE PROVIDED IN BLOCK 9 INCLUDING DATES, LEAVING THE LAST LINE IN
BLOCK 9 BLANK FOR THE COMMANDANT, WHOSE SIGNATURE OF ENDORSEMENT IS
REQUIRED ON EACH COAST GUARD NOMINATION.
  D. EACH NOMINATION MUST BE TYPED USING TIMES NEW ROMAN (10 OR 12
POINT), CONFINED TO THE SPACE PROVIDED ON THE DHS FORM 3100-1
(07/07).  THE FORM IS AVAILABLE ELECTRONICALLY VIA THE CIVILIAN
PERSONNEL WEBSITE AT
HTTP://WWW.USCG.MIL/HQ/CGPC/CPM/NEWS/2007DHSAWARDSCEREMONY.HTM.
ATTACHMENTS TO THE NOMINATION FORM ARE PROHIBITED.  ALL SUBMISSIONS
MUST INCLUDE A CLEAR, PLAIN ENGLISH, CITATION OF 15 WORDS OR LESS
FOR EACH NOMINATION.  AWARD CATEGORY INFORMATION IS ALSO AVAILABLE
VIA THE CIVILIAN PERSONNEL WEBSITE AT
HTTP://WWW.USCG.MIL/HQ/CGPC/CPM/NEWS/2007DHSAWARDSCEREMONY.HTM.
  E. A LISTING OF TEAM MEMBERS FIRST NAMES, MIDDLE INITIALS, LAST
NAMES, RANKS, TITLE, (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.
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 SEPTEMBER 21, 2007.  LATE NOMINATIONS WILL NOT BE
ACCEPTED.  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 AND
MS. JOYCE WELLS AT (202)475-5266.
6. 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.
7. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.
8. RADM CLIFFORD I. PEARSON, ASSISTANT COMMANDANT FOR HUMAN
RESOURCES, SENDS.
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