US Coast Guard Reserve News & Announcements

2008 USCG Enlisted Persons of the Year Selections: MST2 James K. Wilkinson of Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach, Calif. has been selected as the Reserve Enlisted Person of the Year, while AMT2 Stephen M. Sanders of Air Station Atlantic City, N.J. is the Active Duty Enlisted Person of the Year. For more info, see ALCOAST 273/09. (Posted 6 MAY 09)

Reserve Members With More Than 30 Years of Service: Effective 1 JAN 2010, reservists requesting a waiver will have to submit requests for approval on a case by case basis. The five-year phased plan for reservists with more than 30 years service will end 31 DEC 2009. For more info, please see ALCOAST 271/09. (Posted 6 MAY 09)

H1N1 Flu Outbreak Updates: Coast Guard Headquarters has set up an Internet page at www.uscg.mil/h1n1 to post Coast Guard specific H1N1 Flu Outbreak information. (Posted 1 MAY 09, Updated 1 MAY 09)

Mandatory Self-Validation of Your Admin Data in May 2009: During the month of May, all active duty and reserve members are required to self-validate key Human Resources (HR) information in Direct Access (DA). There are 12 data elements that members need to verify that determine the accuracy of pay and benefits such as the post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. The HR data that is required to be validated is information such as your pay base entry date, active duty base date, date of initial entry into military service, total qualifying service, date of birth, and several other data elements. All members should read Flag Voice 319/09 (http://www.uscg.mil/hr/flagvoice/date.asp) and ALCOAST 206/09; contact your supervisor immediately if you haven’t seen these messages. More ALCOASTs about the self-validation compliance will be published during May.  If you have problems entering DA go to http://www.uscg.mil/ppc/ccb/.  If you have questions about the self-validation process go to: http://www.uscg.mil/ppc/selfvalidation/. Also, see THE RESERVIST magazine, Issue 3-09, Page 23 for a one-page article on Self-Validation. (Posted 31 MAR 09, Updated 27 APR 09, Updated 5 MAY 09)

PS to ME Rating Lateral Process: The Commandant announced in a June 2008 All Hands message that the Port Security Specialist (PS) rating will integrate into the Maritime Enforcement Specialist (ME) rating when it is stood up on Jan. 1, 2010. The ME Implementation Team has designed a lateral process to the ME Rating for current PSs and for reservists from other ratings who seek to lateral to the ME rating. To learn more, click here. For more info, contact MECM Sam Allred, 202-372-1004, William.B.Allred@uscg.mil. (Posted 4 MAY 09)

Educational Benefits/Programs for Coast Guard Reservists: Here's the latest on Educational benefits/programs for reservists including MGIB-SR (Chapter 1606), REAP (Chapter 1607), and Post 9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) . To read, click here. If you have questions, please e-mail: reserveVAeducation@uscg.mil. When sending an e-mail, please put the title of the education program and member name in Subject Line. (Posted 1 MAY 09)

New RESERVIST Magazine: Issue 3-09 of THE RESERVIST is "ready for inspection!" It commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Reserve Program Administrator Corps. Also highlighted are the North Dakota floods, District Spotlight on D8, CGR Medical 101, and the "Art & Science of OER Writing." Hard copies will be out in mid-May. (Posted 29 APR 09) 

Senior Enlisted Reserve Conference: 25-26 JUL 2009 at Inverness Hotel, Denver, Colo. All E-8 & E-9 CGR Selected Reservists that are actively drilling (in a paid status), all Gold & Silver Badge CGR members (including E-7s serving as a Silver Badge), and Active Duty Sector Silver Badge members should consider attending. Reservations deadline is 29 JUN 09. For more info, click here and/or contact your local Gold/Silver Badge or YNCS Tracy Ripkey, 202-372-4532, Tracy.A.Ripkey@uscg.mil. (Posted 28 APR 09)

Enlisted Reserve Advancements: Enlisted Reserve Advancement Announcement (ERAA) No. 005-09, lists those eligible for advancement or change in rating to fill vacancies in the Selected Reserve as of 01 MAY 09. To review the list, see ALCGRSV 017/09. Bravo Zulu! (Posted 27 APR 09)

FY09 Reserve Policy Board Issues: The Coast Guard Reserve Policy Board (RPB) is soliciting issues for consideration by the FY09 RPB. The RPB, mandated by 14 USC 703, is an important forum for ensuring matters affecting the operational Reserve Component are considered at the highest levels of the service. Submission deadline is 22 MAY 09. For more info, see ALCOAST 232/09 and/or contact LTJG Yanira Tirado, Yanira.Tirado@uscg.mil, 202-475-5450. (Posted 22 APR 09)

Uniform Board No. 44: The Office of Military Personnel (CG-122) anticipates convening the next Uniform Board on 15 SEP 09. Input from the field is strongly encouraged. Suggestions or recommendations should be received by 31 AUG 2009 in Memorandum format to Commandant (CG-122) through appropriate chains of command. For more info, see ALCOAST 222/09. Questions should be addressed to CWO Tarvin Greene, 202-475-5369, Tarvin.T.Greene@uscg.mil.  (Posted 20 APR 09)

Coast Guard Portal Is Here: Coast Guard Portal is a one-stop "shopping" platform for meeting Coast Guard  internet, intranet, and extranet needs. CG Portal is replacing CG Central starting in April 2009 and functionality will be introduced in phases. Phase I will replace CG Central Microsites and Communities. Phase II will replace the remainder of CG Central Content. Subsequent Phases will replace our www.uscg.mil internet presence and add new capabilities. For more info, see ALCOAST 128/09, and recently released ALCOAST 220/09. (Posted 13 MAR 09, Updated 20 APR 09)

Coast Guard Periodic Health Assessment (PHA) Update: The PHA is a targeted medical screening that replaced the routine five-year physical examination for all Coast Guard members on 1 MAR 09. It is devised to ensure all members are healthy and medically ready to support Coast Guard missions and is focused on evidence-based preventive services. All Coast Guard Active Duty and Selected Reserve personnel are required to complete an annual PHA during their birth month. For ease of scheduling, it is recommended that SELRES members call the Reserve Health Readiness Program (RHRP) call center at 1-888-MYPHA99 two months prior to their birth month as is authorized in ALCOAST 118/09. If the RHRP call center cannot schedule a PHA within two months of the request due to lack of provider within 50 miles of member's home/work address, the member should notify his/her supervisor and CG-1311 for further guidance. CG-1311 point of contact is LT Richard Lavigne, 202-475-5449, Richard.J.Lavigne2@uscg.mil. Detailed SELRES specific clarification and guidance was issued in ALCOAST 217/09. (Posted 17 APR 09).

Our Military Kids: Is a non-profit organization that provides grants to children three years of age through the 12th grade of deployed National Guard and Reserve personnel and children of all severely injured service members, to cover fees for tutoring, athletic, or fine arts programs. Between April 2005-December 2008, over 6,400 children of Guardsmen and reservists have received grants from "Our Military Kids." To learn more, write: 6861 Elm Street, Suite 2A, McLean, VA 22101; 1-866-691-6654; E-mail: omkinquiry@ourmilitarykids.org; Web: www.ourmilitarykids.org. (Posted 15 APR 09)

October 2009 Reserve Servicewide Examination Competition: The 2009 Reserve Servicewide is scheduled for Saturday, 17 OCT. All personnel intending to participate need to be aware of the requirements and it is their responsibility to ensure they are met. For amplified information, see ALCGRSV 014/09. Refer all RSWE questions to PPC(adv) at 785-339-3400 or e-mail: ppc-dg-adv@uscg.mil. (Posted 3 APR 09)

CAPT Edward R. Williams CGR Award for Excellence Nominations: Nominations are now being accepted for the Calendar Year 2008 CAPT Williams Award. This award is presented annually by the National Naval Officers Association to recognize the CGR program administrator, Reserve officer or Reserve CWO determined to have been most supportive of initiatives to achieve, value and manage diversity in the Coast Guard. Paper copy deadline is 15 MAY 09; electronic copy deadline is 29 MAY 09. For more info, see ALCOAST 183/09. (Posted 31 MAR 09)

OER Writing Assistance: LT Russell Mayer, PSC-rpm-1, gives guidance on how to write effective Officer Evaluation Reports (OERs). His article, "The Art and Science of OER Writing," will be included in Issue 3-09 of THE RESERVIST, but we wanted Supervisors writing ensign OERs to have this guidance now. To read the article, click here. For more info, go to: www.uscg.mil/rpm. (Posted 23 MAR 09)

Reserve Component Member Workshop: The Procedures and Development team at Pay & Personnel Center (PPC) in Topeka, Kan. are offering a new workshop -- The Reservist! It is open to all Coast Guard Reserve members and those assigned to assist Reserve members. Some of the topics include: Direct Access, ASQ, Direct Deposit, TSP, Reserve Bonus programs, advancement policies and procedures, your LES and Reserve Retirement Point Statements and more. For more information, go to: www.uscg.mil/ppc/, go to "Popular Searches" box on the right and click on "Workshops & Training," then scroll to " Reserve Component Member Workshop." Use the Quota Request Form for workshops being offered through September 2009. Travel and per diem expenses must be funded by the benefiting unit (no PPC funds available). ADT/ADT-OTD orders for reservists must be funded and approved by the servicing ISC. (Updated 20 FEB 09)

Personnel Service Center FY09 Weekend Staffing Dates: If you need assistance from PSC on the weekends, they will be open on the following weekend dates during Fiscal Year 2009: 16-17 MAY, 13-14 JUN, 27-28 JUN, 18-19 JUL, 1-2 AUG, 15-16 AUG, 12-13 SEP, 19-20 SEP. PSC's number is 1-866-PSC-USCG (772-8724). (Posted 30 SEP 08, Updated 23 MAR 09)