ALCGENL 067/20 - BOATSWAINS MATE (BM) ASSIGNMENT YEAR (AY) 2021

united states coast guard

04 MAY 20

ALCGENL 067/20
SUBJ: BOATSWAINS MATE (BM) ASSIGNMENT YEAR (AY) 2021
A. ALCGENL 059/20
B. Military Assignments and Authorized Absences, COMDTINST M1000.8(series)
C. COMDTINST 16114.32(series), BOAT OPERATIONS AND TRAINING MANUAL, VOL. I
1. This SITREP kicks off AY21 for the BM Rating. Members who are
tour complete in AY21 should begin to look ahead to their next
assignment. Consideration for career progression and professional
development should be a key focus. BMs are strongly
encouraged to seek advice from their mentors. Commands must
evaluate AY21 readiness impacts and submit command concerns to
EPM-2 during the COMCON window IAW REF (A). Commands should also identify all
members who are nearing the end of their enlistment for reenlistment
eligibility and career intentions for continued service and communicate
RELAD intentions to their appropriate AO. Finally,
commands must counsel tour complete members ensuring they are
ready and available for worldwide assignment. Members enrolled
in the Special Needs program must ensure their enrollment
information is updated within 9 months of transfer and every 3 years. 
2. Slating: BM AOs begin the assignment year by slating
command cadre (OIC and XPO) followed by a single E-resume
deadline for all general duty assignments. This allows
all members to compete for afloat and ashore assignments
simultaneously. For timely updates, members and commands should
subscribe to the BM Portal site for assignment process updates and
specific AY21 timeline guidance.
3. Advancement: Members are reminded that the Coast Guard advances
to fill vacancies. Accordingly, members and commands are reminded,
as outlined in Ref B, personnel who compete for advancement
must be prepared for reassignment to fill any authorized position
at the next higher pay grade. Commands cannot expect to keep a
newly advanced member, or a member above a SWE cut at their
unit in a pay grade to position mismatch, unless specifically
communicated by the AO. This also applies to members on the BM2
supplemental list. If a fleet-up opportunity is not
available at the unit, the member should expect to rotate
regardless of tour completion date. Command cadre members who are,
or are forecasted to be in a pay grade to position mismatch should expect
to rotate, regardless of tour completion date. In summary, members who come
above the cut in AY21, are in a pay grade position mismatch, or
double encumbered, should consider themselves tour complete in AY21
and submit an e-resume accordingly. Additionally, members who compete
for advancement should take the appropriate action and plan to transfer
in the event they are above a future advancement cut. Members should
utilize the BM Portal site for updated guidance after each SWE cut or
revision during the assignment year.  
4. Extensions: BM AOs will continue to maximize first time extension
opportunities in AY21. Member requests and command endorsements are
required for all extension requests. The preferred method to request
an extension is for the member to email the command requesting the
extension, then the command forwards that email with their endorsement
to the appropriate AO. Extension requests and endorsements
should also be noted in the unit's AY21 command concerns. Command cadre
members who desire an extension must screen and compete for an extension
amongst their peers.
5. Fleet-Ups: Fleet up opportunities are always maximized to accomplish
geographic stability and full tour lengths for members. Fleet ups for
members in non-command cadre positions are maximized by the AOs,
per Ref B. Early identification of fleet up opportunities is critical
to unit cohesion and geographic stability for members. If commands are
willing to accept a billet to paygrade mismatch in the hope or knowledge
that a BM will either be placed on a supplemental list or come above a
future cut, they should contact the appropriate BM AO early, to explore
options for the member. For example, a unit has an open BM2
position in AY21. That command knows their BM3 will be adding their name
to the supplemental list or foresees the member will certify coxswain in
the next year. The command should email their AO and include in the
request in COMCONs to fleet that member into the BM2 position.
Similarly, a BM2 could be fleeted up into a BM1 position opening in
the next AY with command approval. Early action regarding this could
benefit units and members. Each case will be evaluated by the AOs. 
6. Career management:               
A. Defining a realistic E-resume across all pay grades is difficult
based on the diverse nature of the BM rating and varying personal goals.
It is highly recommended that members contact their respective AO by
email early in AY21 (April-June) to schedule a career counseling session.
To schedule a time for career counseling, please send an email
to your respective AO with the subject line
(Career Counseling-Name-EMPLID).  Career counseling requests
for AY21 may be submitted until 01 August 2020 and counseling
will continue until all requests are completed.
B. Members should always craft their E-resume to reflect a
diverse career path of sea to shore. No member should try, or
expect to remain only at land or afloat positions for consecutive
tours. Tour complete members who submit an unrealistic e-resume,
and do not earn assignment subsequently receive a list of remaining
positions to be filled by tour complete members.
There is only one general duty E-resume deadline for AY21.
This requires each member to take a more holistic approach to
crafting their E-resume. Every member must add substantially more
picks than in past years. A realistic E-resume includes positions
in multiple districts, afloat, ashore, and OCONUS positions. As
always, the member's E-resume remains the primary communication
tool with the AOs. A member must be aware every position not on
an E-resume directly communicates to the AO the member
would rather receive a list of unfilled positions rather than apply
for those jobs. Members' comments must accurately and concisely
describe member's desires. 
C. Sea Duty candidates are BMs that are E6 and E7 who do
not possess a Deck Watch Officer (DWO) certification. Furthermore,
if members have a DWO, but have completed two or more consecutive shore
assignments, they are considered a sea duty candidate and will
be considered for afloat assignment. This year a member's total
career sea time is also a determining factor when selecting
afloat/ashore assignments. This definition neither creates an
exhaustive list of candidates, nor specifies only Sea Duty
candidates for afloat assignments. However, it does
identify members who need either afloat qualification or sea time for
advancement. This also identifies members with a higher probability of
being selected to fill afloat or ashore assignments. No BM should create an
E-resume of only afloat, or only ashore jobs. Instead an E-resume with
a substantial amount of geographically diverse, afloat, and ashore
picks leads to a successful assignment off an E-resume. Additionally,
members who completed back to back afloat assignments or attained a
DWO certification may be considered ashore duty candidates and should
expect a follow on ashore assignment.
D. Career Diversity: Today's Boatswain's Mates are expected to be
experts in their craft. The assignment officers recognize this and
make every effort to maintain continuity for every member in their
area of expertise. E4 and E5 are learning their craft and are open
to transfer between ATON and multi-mission (M/M) units. When members
advance to E6 their career history determines their assignment future.
Members who have been primarily ATON will remain in ATON, members
primarily with a M/M background should expect M/M assignments for
all future assignments. Occasionally there are members who have a
background and qualifications in both ATON and M/M. When this happens
the member may be eligible for either field and assignment officers
will work with those members during career counseling to determine
their best course forward. Diversity is considered when a member
switches between afloat and ashore in their field of expertise,
ATON or M/M. Additionally, members can attain diversity by considering
assignments as instructors, support billets, and special assignment
billets. Members E6 and above with no certifications in a particular
mission set should not expect assignment to that missions set. For
example, a BM1 never assigned to an ATON unit, should not list an
E-resume of only ATON units and expect to earn an assignment.
E. BMs in the appropriate pay grade, who have the requisite
operational experience, and have an interest in training, should
consider an assignment to an instructor position at TRACEN
Yorktown, SMTC, MLEA, or a Regional Fisheries TRACEN. Instructors
are instrumental in developing and shaping the BM workforce
across a myriad of different mission-sets. 
7. General assignment guidance:
A. As outlined in Ref B, some positions require the command to
submit a command endorsement. Members must work with their command
to ensure they meet the specific requirements of the position requested
and that a command endorsement is included in the E-resume submission.
Failure to include a command endorsement prohibits a member from
earning those positions.
B. PATFORSWA assignments are based on the criteria contained in the
solicitation message released per the below timeline. Specific
requirements and the application process are contained in the
solicitation message. For more information please see:
https://cgportal2.uscg.mil/units/psc/psc-epm/SitePages/PATFORSWA-
MIPFTAG.aspx 
C. Prospective Surfman assignments are made based on criteria
contained in the solicitation message released per the below
timeline. Prospective Surfman Positions (PSP) are intended to
provide a continuous pool of Surfmen to the heavy weather
community. Individuals assigned to these positions receive
orders for a four-year tour with the possibility of a subsequent
two year extension upon certification as a Surfman. Interested
individuals should carefully read Ref C prior to applying.
D. Women Afloat assignments vary from year to year depending upon
the requests received. Every year cutters are converted to mix gender
and this is due to members communicating directly with the women afloat
coordinator.  In addition to normal AO counseling all women are highly
encouraged to contact the Women Afloat Coordinator listed at the bottom
of this message.
E. Potential position reprogramming: EPM-2 receives numerous
requests to fill billets being proposed for reprogramming. As
outlined in Ref B, EPM is prohibited from assigning members
in anticipation of billet reprogramming. Assignment officers can
only assign members to approved positions. Commands/program
managers should anticipate billet reprogramming requests and
ensure requests/approvals best align with the assignment season
to capitalize on a robust candidate pool, and adequately address
the intended position reprogramming action (e.g. rate change,
location change).
F. Execution of AY20 fleet-up and extension orders: Commands must
work with their admin staff to finalize all AY20 extension and
fleet-up orders prior to 1JUL20. Failure to do so results in PAL errors,
incorrect rotation dates, members not appearing in the appropriate
position on the unit PAL, and delays future order issuance.
8. BM AY21 Timeline:
01 MAY 2020: Career counseling begins
01 MAY 2020: Commands/AOs conduct PAL validation
10 JUL 2020: E-resumes due for the OIC screening panel
15 JUL 2020: E-Resumes due for the PSP screening panel
27 JUL 2020: OIC screening panel begins
01 AUG 2020: All command concerns due
01 AUG 2020: Career counseling request deadline
14 AUG 2020: OIC screening panel results posted on BM CG Portal site
25 Aug 2020: PSP screening panel begins
01 SEP 2020: Available PSP billets posted on BM Portal site
02 SEP 2020: BM PATFORSWA solicitation message released
15 SEP 2020: PSP screening panel results posted on BM CG Portal Site
18 SEP 2020: XPO screening panel E-Resumes due
25 SEP 2020: AY20 Shopping List posted in DA
30 SEP 2020: XPO screening panel begins
01 OCT 2020: PSP E-resume deadline
15 OCT 2020: PSP slate posted on the BM Portal
16 OCT 2020: OIC/Senior BM (E-8/E-9) E-resume deadline
19 OCT 2020: XPO screening panel results posted on BM Portal
13 NOV 2020: OIC/Senior Enlisted (E-8/E-9) BM slate posted on
the BM CG Portal site
27 NOV 2020: XPO E-resumes deadline
16 DEC 2020: XPO slate posted on the BM Portal
04 JAN 2021: General duty E-Resume deadline (all assignment priorities
both afloat and ashore)
31 MAR 2021: All routine AY21 orders issued
9. Timeline changes, additional information, and how to subscribe
to Portal updates can be located at the following website:
http://cglink.uscg.mil/BM_Portal
10. Command representatives and members can contact the AOs
using the information below:
A. BOSN2 R. Seymour: D5, D7, and PATFORSWA, (202) 795-6614 
B. BOSN2 P. Brown: D11, D13, All TRACEN's, BM-A school, and Surf units,
(202) 795-6585
Until 15JUN20:
C. BOSN2 R. Radakovich: D1 & D9 (202), 795-6571
D. BOSN2 S. Stone: D8, D14, D17, (202) 795-6607
Between 15Jun and 15Jul please email
HQS-DG-CGPSC-BM-AssignmentOfficers@uscg.mil
regarding D1, D9, D8, D14, and D17.
After 15JUL please contact:
E. BOSN2 J. Tessier: D1 & D9 (202), 795-6571
F. BMCS J. Laufenberg: D8, D14, D17, (202) 795-6607
G. OSC R. Mason: Women Afloat Coordinator (202) 795-6573
H. LT C. V. Collins: Central Assignments Coordinator (202) 795-6578
11. Released by: CAPT S. Matadobra.
12. Internet Release Authorized