ALCOAST 171/09
COMDTNOTE 1650
SUBJ: RADM BENNETT "BUD" SPARKS AWARD
A. MEDALS AND AWARDS MANUAL, COMDTINST M1650.25 (SERIES)
1. NOMINATIONS ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE FY08 SPARKS
AWARD. THIS AWARD IS PRESENTED ANNUALLY BY THE RESERVE OFFICERS
ASSOCIATION (ROA) TO THE COAST GUARD UNIT JUDGED TO BE THE MOST
SUPPORTIVE OF A TOTALLY INTEGRATED COAST GUARD FORCE AS
DEMONSTRATED BY ITS EFFECTIVE USE OF COAST GUARD RESERVISTS.
2. THE CRITERIA LISTED IN REF A ARE SUPERSEDED BY THIS MESSAGE.
3. NOMINATION PROCEDURES:
 A. NOMINATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED FROM UNITS POSSESSING A VALID
OPFAC AND MUST BE ROUTED THROUGH THE FIRST FLAG-LEVEL COMMANDER IN
THE RESPECTIVE CHAIN OF COMMAND. EACH AREA, DISTRICT, MAINTENANCE
AND LOGISTICS COMMANDER, OR HEADQUARTERS PROGRAM MANAGER MAY
SUBMIT ONE NOMINATION. NOMINATION PACKAGES MAY BE IN EITHER PAPER
OR ELECTRONIC FORMATS.  DUE DATE FOR PAPER COPY IS 01 MAY 2009,
FOR ELECTRONIC COPY, 08 MAY 2009.  SUBMIT NOMINATION PACKAGES TO
POC BELOW.
 B. NOMINATION PACKAGES SHALL INCLUDE A ONE-PAGE COVER MEMO AND A
ONE-PAGE SUMMARY OF ACTION IN 12-POINT TYPE WITH ONE INCH MARGINS.
 C. THE SUMMARY OF ACTION MAY BE IN NARRATIVE OR BULLET FORMAT AND
SHOULD ADDRESS HOW THE UNIT OPTIMIZED RESERVE READINESS DURING
FY08, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON HOW THE SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE MEASURES IN
PARAGRAPH THREE BELOW WERE ADDRESSED AND IMPROVED. EXPLANATION OF
EXCEPTIONAL READINESS MEASURES AND BEST PRACTICES AND/OR LESSONS
LEARNED IS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED.
4. AS PART OF THE SELECTION PROCESS, STATISTICAL DATA FROM COAST
GUARD BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE (CGBI), THE TRAINING MANAGEMENT TOOL
(TMT), AND DIRECT ACCESS WILL BE CONSIDERED IN ADDITION TO THE
NARRATIVES SUBMITTED. COMMANDS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REVIEW THE FY08
END OF YEAR REPORT ENTITLED "END-OF-FY08-IDT-ADT.XLS". IT IS POSTED
ON CG CENTRAL UNDER RESERVE OPERATIONS COMMUNITY, WHICH CAN BE
FOUND BY NAVIGATING TO COMMUNITIES: COMMAND: RESERVE OPERATIONS:
READINESS-INACTIVE DUTY FOR TRAINING (IDT) AND ACTIVE DUTY FOR
TRAINING (ADT) REPORTS. THE FOLLOWING PERFORMANCE MEASURES WILL BE
USED FOR FY08:
 A. OVERALL SELRES STRENGTH (AS A PERCENTAGE OF SELRES ASSIGNED TO
UNIT VS SELRES POSITIONS ON PAL),
 B. PERCENT OF SELRES MEMBERS WHO MEET SATISFACTORY IDT
PARTICIPATION STANDARDS,
 C. PERCENT OF SELRES MEMBERS WHO MEET SATISFACTORY ADT
PARTICIPATION STANDARDS,
 D. PERCENT OF SELRES MEMBERS WITH CURRENT MEDICAL EXAMS,
 E. PERCENT OF SELRES MEMBERS WITH CURRENT DENTAL EXAMS,
 F. PERCENT OF SELRES MEMBERS WHO HAVE COMPLETED THE ANNUAL
SCREENING QUESTIONNAIRE, AND
 G. PERCENT OF SELRES MEMBERS WITH DATA ENTERED IN TMT.
5. COMMANDANT (CG-13) WILL CONVENE A SELECTION PANEL AND ANNOUNCE
THE RESULTS VIA ALCOAST.
6. THE AWARD WILL BE PRESENTED AT THE ROA NATIONAL CONVENTION IN
ORLANDO, FL, 8-11 JUL 2009.  THE SELECTED UNIT WILL BE INVITED TO
SEND TWO REPRESENTATIVES, ONE ACTIVE COMPONENT MEMBER AND ONE
RESERVE COMPONENT MEMBER, TO RECEIVE THE AWARD. COMMANDANT (CG-131)
WILL FUND TRAVEL AND ADSW-RC ORDERS, IF NECESSARY, FOR THE UNIT
REPRESENTATIVES. ROA WILL FUND APPROPRIATE CONVENTION FEES.
7. COMMANDANT (CG-131) POC IS CWO GREG HUNTON, PHONE: 202-475-5461,
E-MAIL: GREG.P.HUNTON(AT)USCG.MIL.
8. RDML D.R. MAY, DIRECTOR OF RESERVE AND TRAINING SENDS.
9. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.