ACN 007/18 - PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS FOR SECTORS & AIR STATIONS

ALCOAST COMMANDANT NOTICE              CANCEL DATE  16 JAN 2019

R 171107 JAN 18
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-092//
TO ALCOAST
UNCLAS //N05700//
ACN 007/18
SUBJ:  PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS FOR SECTORS & AIR STATIONS
A. Coast Guard External Affairs Manual, COMDTINST M5700.13 (series)
1. REF (A) requires every Coast Guard unit to have an assigned collateral duty public affairs
officer (CDPAO). This ALCOAST updates REF (A) to require two CDPAOs at Sectors and Air
Stations, and for the CDPAOs to have the PA OFF (Tier 4) competency to ensure proficiency in
performing the CDPAO role. Having two qualified CDPAOs will ensure commanding officers have
sufficient capacity to perform public affairs functions per REF (A). The PA OFF (Tier 4)
competency is optional for CDPAOs assigned at all other units.
2. Members earn the PA OFF (Tier 4) competency by completing the 5-day Coast Guard Public
Affairs Course (CGPAC) at the Defense Information School at Fort Meade, MD. Members
currently serving as a CDPAO at a Sector or Air Station who have not attended the CGPAC
may continue to do so, but should attend the CGPAC as soon as reasonably possible.
3. CGPAC is offered 3 times each year with 90 available seats at the Defense Information
School. This training is funded by FORCECOM. To best manage the limited CGPAC seats,
Sectors and Air Stations have been identified as the most critical units to maintain the
PA OFF (Tier 4) competency. Members assigned to these units will take precedence to attend.
Course description and convening dates can be found at the following link:
http://www.dinfos.dma.mil/Student-Info/Course-Catalog/.
4. The addition of the PA OFF (Tier 4) competency to these units in CGBI is an important
step to ensure commanding officers at these units have qualified CDPAOs, and to improve the
ability of the Public Affairs Program to monitor and evaluate the number of qualified
Tier 4 Public Affairs Officers in the field. The competency may be added to additional units
dependent on course availability and operational requirements. Additional updates will be
released via ACN.
5. Questions should be directed to COMDT (CG-09225) POC CWO2 Kurt Fredrickson at
(202) 372-4638.
6. These changes will be reflected in the next edition of REF (A), which will be released
within the next year.
7. Released by RADM Peter W. Gautier, Director of Governmental and Public Affairs.
8. Internet release authorized.