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Joint Civilian Orientation
Conference 
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here for more information
OVERVIEW
The Joint Civilian Orientation Conference (JCOC) is a weeklong,
multi-Service orientation program for civilian public opinion leaders who
have limited knowledge of national defense issues.
JCOC participants attend briefings in the Pentagon
given by the highest levels of Department of Defense (DoD) civilian and
military leadership. The participants then spend the rest of the conference
in the field with all of the Military Services observing exercises, firing
weapons, and participating in training. It is a program in which the
Secretary of Defense takes a personal interest and is the only civilian
orientation program that he sponsors. It is the oldest existing Pentagon
program, having been held 77 times since 1948.
OBJECTIVES
The overall purpose is to increase public understanding of national
defense through a forum of free exchange among influential citizens, DoD
officials, and military leadership. Specific objectives are to:
- Acquaint participants with the strength and readiness of the U.S. Armed Forces through personal observation of Coast Guard, Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps activities;
- Facilitate the candid exchange of information on defense matters between the Secretary of Defense and JCOC participants; and
- Help the American public obtain a better understanding of national defense policies and programs through opinion leaders who return to their communities and share firsthand observations and knowledge gained during the Conference.
EXECUTION
A conference has two phases:
-
Pentagon Phase -- JCOC participants meet with senior defense officials in
-
Field Phase -- JCOC participants visit military commands headquartered in the
NOMINATIONS
Sources -- Nominations are solicited from major offices, military
commands, and the Military Departments within DoD, the Coast
Guard, and JCOC alumni.
Eligibility -- Nominees are regionally or nationally influential citizens
from across the country. They neither possess special knowledge of DoD nor
have existing strong relationships with senior members of the military. The
purpose of JCOC is educational. The goal is to reach individuals who have
neutral, negative, or unformed opinions on DoD or the U.S. Military. Since
the program is directed toward people with little or no exposure to DoD,
nominees should not have been exposed to any of the services' VIP, civic
leader or distinguished visitor tours. Individuals who have had special
flights on military aircraft as civilians or possess a well-rounded
familiarity with an entity within DoD are not eligible for JCOC. The
selection panel will not consider nominations of individuals with
significant military knowledge. JCOC alumni are ineligible to participate in
JCOC. Other excluded persons include those working for, retired from, or
drawing any kind of paycheck from the federal government and employees of
government contractors whose primary area or responsibility is military
related.
Nomination and selection procedures are designed to bring together a
geographical, occupational, and cultural cross-section of influential
Americans who are leaders in their fields. JCOC participants routinely
include opinion leaders such as presidents of universities and colleges;
publishers/editors of newspapers; others with management positions in print
and broadcast media; published authors/syndicated columnists; national
association and regional leaders of professional, minority and women's
organizations; and CEOs and senior officials of private enterprises with
regional or national reach.
Nominations of rising state and local elected and appointed officials are
encouraged. We also encourage nominations of leaders representing a broad
spectrum of issue areas. Examples: the law, medicine, business and finance,
religion, education, the media, philanthropies, the environment, public
service, civil rights, minority organizations, women's groups, and local,
regional and state government.
JCOC is a non-partisan program. Federally elected officials or candidates
who will be in campaign status are ineligible. Eligible elected officials
(local, state, regional) who will be in a campaign status during the JCOC
program are not eligible for nomination.
Because more than 400 nominations are received each year, and only 60 slots
are available for each conference, the selection process is extremely
competitive. Selections are based on the qualifications of the nominees as
determined by an inter-Service selection panel, not by the rank or the
position of the nominator.
Confirmation of Intent. Nominators should speak directly with their nominees
prior to nomination to establish that minimum basic eligibility requirements
are met and to ensure that if selected they will accept the invitation,
barring an emergency. Nominees must also be clearly informed that their
nomination is not a guarantee of selection.
SELECTION
Nominating components receive information on the status of their
nominees after the invitation list is compiled.
FUNDING
JCOC is financially self-supporting, except for escort officers' per
diem expenses during the Conference and routine and recurring
conference-associated expenses such as mailing costs, official film
processing, notebooks and items of this nature. Participants pay a pro rata
registration fee ($2,500 for JCOC 77) to cover meals, lodging, receptions
and incidental expenses associated with the Conference. A non-refundable
deposit of $500 is due with each acceptance. Each participant also pays the
cost of his/her transportation to the start of the JCOC and back to the
place of origin. Transportation between
MANAGEMENT
The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs is the DoD proponent
for JCOC. Within that office, the office of the Directorate for Programs and
Community Relations and Public Liaison is responsible for the orchestration
and execution of JCOC.
POINTS OF CONTACT
If you have questions about JCOC or the nominating procedure, please call
the Coast Guard JCOC Coordinator, LTJG Ryan White, at (202) 372-4641 or
Email: ryan.t.white@uscg.mil
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| Joint Civilian Orientation Conference (JCOC) | Boating Safety |
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