ALCOAST 158/19 - MAY 2019 SOCIETY OF AMERICAN INDIAN GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES 16TH ANNUAL NATIONAL TRAINING INSTITUTE

R 071014 MAY 19
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-12//
TO ALCOAST
UNCLAS //N05420//
ALCOAST 158/19
COMDTNOTE 5420
SUBJ: SOCIETY OF AMERICAN INDIAN GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES 16TH ANNUAL NATIONAL TRAINING INSTITUTE
A. Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 Travel and Community Outreach Guidance 2 Nov 16
B. Military Assignments and Authorized Absences, COMDTINST M1000.8 (series)
1. The Society of American Indian Government Employees (SAIGE) 16th Annual National Training
Institute will be held 10 - 13 June 2019 at Seneca Niagara Resort in Niagara Falls, New York.
2. The purpose of this training institute is to foster education, career development and
training, as well as provide networking and mentoring opportunities to attendees. While the
focus of the affinity conference is identified in the title, all conferences are open for
ALL employees to attend, regardless of gender, race, or ethnicity. In alignment with the
Vice Commandant's "Carry Our Message" campaign, the Coast Guard supports and encourages
participation in affinity group symposiums in an effort to increase the retention of a diverse
and talented workforce. Affinity group events are valuable professional development
opportunities that provide a forum for mentoring, networking, and optimizing career success
for the total workforce.
3. IAW REF (A), the Office of Diversity and Inclusion COMDT (CG-127) is the Coast Guard's
coordinator for the event and has responsibility to account for all attendance and overall
costs to DHS. Coast Guard funded attendance is limited. All travel and registration fees may
be covered by the member's unit funds. To request attendance, members shall submit a TDY Travel
Request Worksheet through their chain of command for unit-level approval. Once command approval
has been obtained, members will email their approved TDY request to: Damien.J.Terry@uscg.mil
no later than 24 May 2019. Approval priority will be based on the following criteria:
(1) first time attendees, (2) junior members, and (3) all others. COMDT (CG-127) will issue
final approval to attendees via email. Once attendees are notified that their attendance is
approved, they may register for the conference.
4. Commanding Officers/OICs are strongly encouraged to support the professional development of
civilian and military personnel. If unit-level funding is not available:
    a. For military members permissive orders are authorized IAW CH 2.a.10. of REF (B).
Attendance via permissive orders is unlimited for military members, but members must notify
COMDT (CG-127) via email to: Damien.J.Terry@uscg.mil for accountability.
    b. For civilian employees, attendance including travel time is considered work time. For
civilian employees self-funding attendance and travel, supervisory approval to attend during
work time (including a reasonable amount of travel time) must be indicated by email, and
reflected in the remarks section of the employee's timecard. The remarks must state the
employee is approved work and travel time to attend the SAIGE event during his/her scheduled
tour of duty from 10 June 2019 to 13 June 2019. The employee's attendance at events outside of
the employee's scheduled tour of duty is not required and is at the employee's discretion;
therefore, overtime and compensatory time for work cannot be approved. Civilians attending
must notify COMDT (CG-127) via email to: Damien.J.Terry@uscg.mil for accountability.
5. DHS requires a post-conference report 30 days after the event. To comply, all travelers
must submit a copy of their completed travel claim settlement to COMDT (CG-127) via email to:
Damien.J.Terry@uscg.mil no later than 28 June 2019.
6. National Training Program attendance information:
    a. Agenda information and registration is available at:
https://www.eiseverywhere.com/ehome/index.php?eventid=390334&/.
    b. Do not register until you have been approved by COMDT (CG-127) to attend.
    c. Attire: uniform of the day is Tropical Blue Long for military members and business
attire for civilians.
    d. Attendees are responsible for making their own travel and lodging accommodations through
ADTRAV. SAIGE has a room block at the Seneca Niagara Resort, (address: 310 4th Street, Niagara
Falls, NY 14303) for the government rate.
    e. Members may utilize local travel (including UBER/Lift/Taxis) to the conference. Rental
cars are not authorized.
    f. Make all travel reservations AFTER you receive approval from COMDT (CG-127).
7. Please submit all questions via email to Mr. Damien Terry, COMDT (CG-127), Diversity
Outreach Program Manager, Damien.J.Terry@uscg.mil.
8. Mr. Michael D. Emerson, Director, Marine Transportation Systems & Senior Arctic Policy
Advisor is the Executive Champion for The Society of American Indian Government Employees.
9. Ms. Michelle Godfrey, Director of Civilian Human Resources, Diversity and Leadership, sends.
10. Internet release is authorized.