ALCOAST 169/19 - MAY 2019 2019 BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT 41ST ANNUAL NATIONAL TRAINING INSTITUTE

R 151322 MAY 19
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-12//
TO ALCOAST
UNCLAS //N05420//
ALCOAST 169/19
COMDTNOTE 5420
SUBJ:  2019 BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT 41ST ANNUAL NATIONAL TRAINING INSTITUTE
A. Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 Travel and Community Outreach Guidance 2 Nov 16
B. Military Assignment and Authorized Absences, COMDTINST M1000.8 (series)
C. Coast Guard Conference Guide, V1.3, dtd 25 MAR 2019
D. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 061346 MAR 18/ALCOAST 085/18
1. The Blacks In Government (BIG) 41st Annual National Training Institute (NTI) will be
held 05 - 08 August 2019 at the Sheraton Downtown Dallas Hotel in Dallas, TX.
2. The purpose of this training 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 (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
will be covered by unit funds.
   a. 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: HQS-SMB-BIG@uscg.mil no later than
14 June 2019. If the requested attendance exceeds DHS authorized limits, approval priority
category will be based on the following:
      (1) Coast Guard Chapter of BIG Officers/Appointed Chairs,
      (2) First time new Coast Guard Chapter of BIG Members,
      (3) Coast Guard Chapter of BIG Members,
      (4) First time non-BIG member Civilians,
      (5) First time non-BIG member Military,
      (6) All others.
   b. 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: HQS-SMB-BIG@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 BIG NTI during his/her scheduled tour
of duty from 05 August 2019 to 08 August 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: HQS-SMB-BIG@uscg.mil for accountability.
Online reservation and hotel information can be found on the Blacks In Government national
website at: http://bignet.org/. COMDT (CG-127) will work with the Coast Guard Chapter of BIG
to get final approvals to meet the early registration deadline.
5. All attendees of the BIG conference must submit a copy of their completed travel voucher
summary to COMDT (CG-127) via email to: HQS-SMB-BIG@uscg.mil no later than 15 August 2019.
6. The required post-conference report is due within 30 days to COMDT (CG-81) and within 45
days to DHS, IAW REFs (C) and (D).
7. National Training Institute attendance information:
   a. Agenda information and registration is available at:
http://bignet.org/index.php/2019-nti-dallas-tx/.
   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 and business for civilians.
   d. Attendees are responsible for making their own travel and lodging accommodations through
ADTRAV. BIG has a room block at the Sheraton Downtown Dallas hotel, (address: 400 North Olive
Street Dallas, Texas 75201) for the government rate.
   e. Members may utilize local travel (including UBER/Lyft/Taxi) to the conference. Rental
cars are not authorized.
   f. Make all travel reservations AFTER you receive approval from COMDT (CG-127).
8. Ms. Terri Dickerson, Director, Civil Rights Directorate is the Executive Champion for
Blacks in Government.
9. Ms. Michelle Godfrey, Director of Civilian Human Resources, Diversity and Leadership, sends.
10. Internet release is authorized.