ALCOAST 180/20 - MAY 2020 COVID-19: CONTINUITY OF FORCECOM READINESS ACTIVITIES (TO INCLUDE CLASS “A” AND “C” SCHOOLS)

R 200952 MAY 20
FM COMCOGARD FORCECOM NORFOLK VA//FC-C//
TO ALCOAST
UNCLAS //N06200//
ALCOAST 180/20
COMDTNOTE 6200
SUBJ: COVID-19: CONTINUITY OF FORCECOM READINESS ACTIVITIES (TO INCLUDE CLASS “A” AND
“C” SCHOOLS)
A. COMCOGARD FORCECOM NORFOLK VA 232031 MAR 20/ALCOAST 101/20
B. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 061306 MAR 20/ALCOAST 071/20
C. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 202055 MAR 20/ALCOAST 098/20
D. FORCECOM “CONTINUITY OF TRAINING AND READINESS SYSTEM” MEMO 1000 OF 20 MAR 2020
E. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 171929 APR 20/ALCOAST 144/20
F. Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Planning Order (series)
G. COAST GUARD ASSESSMENT, INSPECTION, AND AUDIT GOVERNANCE, COMDTINST 5040.6 (series)
H. COAST GUARD ASSESSMENT, INSPECTION, AND AUDIT (AIA) BUSINESS RULES, FORCECOMINST
M5040.6 (series)
1. This ALCOAST supersedes REF (A), updating and clarifying policy for mission-essential
and time-sensitive formal training, exercise support, and assessment activities and
supersedes REF (B) regarding international military students (IMS) only.
2. Department of Defense (DOD) Training Facilities and CG Training Centers (TRACENs)
remain open to conduct mission-essential time-sensitive training. FORCECOM teams remain
available to conduct other mission-essential time-sensitive readiness activities, including
remote third party assessments and remote virtual training.
    a. Mission-essential readiness activities means training, assessment, or exercise
support which, if not delivered, renders CG units, teams, and members unable to
successfully complete core, non-deferrable, mission-essential operations, maintenance,
health protection, or force protection.
    b. Time-sensitive readiness activities means training, assessment, or exercise support,
which cannot be delayed until after the normal PCS season. For example, pre-arrival
training required to have a mission-ready qualified cutter crew after PCS rotation of
personnel is time-sensitive.
3. The current-status of all FORCECOM Readiness Activities (AIA Activities, Exercise
Support Activities, and Class “A” and “C” schools), including information on whether
or not a course requires a Restriction on Movement (ROM) period can be found on the
ETQC Portal site at: https://cg.portal.uscg.mil/units/forcecom/ETQC/SitePages/Home.aspx.
Commands, supervisors, Unit Training Officers, and individuals involved in FORCECOM
Readiness Activities should check this site frequently, given the dynamic situation.
    a. Each listed readiness activity has one of five statuses: CANCELLED, DELAYED PENDING
RESCHEDULE, PENDS DOD DECISION, ON IN-PERSON, or ON-FACILITATED ONLINE. For Class “A”
and “C” Schools specifically, these terms mean:
        (1) CANCELLED – student orders will be cancelled, the course session will be
cancelled in Direct Access (DA), and the course session will not be rescheduled in FY20.
        (2) DELAYED PENDING RESCHEDULE – the course session will not be held on the
original course dates, ETQC will save the course session roster, student orders will
be cancelled, the course session will be cancelled in DA, and the course session (with
a new session number) will attempt to be rescheduled in FY20, if possible. If rescheduled,
students will receive new orders to a new course session.
        (3) PENDS DOD DECISION – while FORCECOM awaits decision from DOD on the course
session status, student orders will remain intact (if previously issued), the course
session will remain active in DA, and the course will remain in an “ON IN-PERSON” status
unless DOD cancels or delays the course session. Once DOD reaches a decision, the course
session will change to the appropriate status on the FORCECOM Readiness Activities
spreadsheet and new orders will be issued (if not previously issued).
        (4) ON IN-PERSON – the course session will commence as specified on the FORCECOM
Readiness Activities spreadsheet, per paragraph 3. Student orders will be issued, or
remain active, and the course session will be active in DA. Commands and members shall
review the total length of training on the orders, as days may have shifted, or lengthened,
due to risk mitigation measures outlined in paragraph 4.
        (5) ON-FACILITATED ONLINE – the course session will commence as specified on the
FORCECOM Readiness Activities spreadsheet, per paragraph 3. Students will be issued
no-cost orders and the course session will be active in DA. Commands and members shall
follow guidance outlined in paragraph 7.
    b. FORCECOM will update these lists as changes occur, which is usually on a daily basis.
    c. FORCECOM will post the link to access FORCECOM Readiness Activities status lists
to the CG COVID-19 Portal Site and under Military Guidance on the CG COVID Webpage under
the Topic Area: Military Guidance at https://www.uscg.mil/Coronavirus/military/ as well
as on community sites for training, assessment and exercise support.
    d. To aid in identifying real-time changes, orange items indicate those activities
updated in the last day. Those items in yellow indicate activities updated in the last
two days.
4. FORCECOM has implemented extensive risk mitigation at TRACENs and when FORCECOM teams
conduct mission-essential, time-sensitive readiness activities at field units. For example,
while at training locations, students will continue to be evaluated for signs of infection,
will undergo training in social distancing conditions when training objectives allow or
will undergo a period of Restriction on Movement (ROM) prior to close contact training.
Additionally, students will be screened prior to returning to their units. As outlined
in REF (D), FORCECOM is implementing the following additional measures:
    a. Cloth face coverings. All students will adhere to cloth face covering guidance
in REF (E) and as directed by the hosting TRACEN. Additional resources are located on
the PPE one stop Portal site at:
https://cg.portal.uscg.mil/units/cg113/PPE_One_Stop/SitePages/Home.aspx.
    b. For training which does not involve close contact, but does not allow for appropriate
6 foot social distancing, FORCECOM will reduce the number of available seats to allow
for social distancing. Students will be subject to additional restrictions to base
facilities and services as directed by the hosting TRACEN, and in accordance with state
and local guidance.
    c. For training which inherently involves close contact, including recruit basic
training, officer accessions, most Class “A” Schools, and many Class “C” Schools,
FORCECOM will impose a 14-day Restriction on Movement (ROM) for students on board the
TRACEN or at other designated facilities. All students in ROM must remain aboard TRACEN
(or in the designated facility) and will be subject to additional restrictions to base
facilities and services during the ROM period. Several courses have been restructured
to provide “Training During ROM” (T-ROM) using Facilitated Online Training or other
distributed training (i.e. self-study or e-learning). Students will be required to
complete the 14-day ROM before starting the close contact training with appropriate
further controls to prevent the potential contraction of Coronavirus. There will not be
a ROM period following training. However, as noted in paragraph 5, all students will be
screened following training, before returning to their respective assigned units. Courses
subject to ROM will be noted on the current-status status lists per paragraph 3 of this
message.
    d. Students are encouraged to plan ahead, prior to departing for training. Students
are encouraged to bring necessary sundries and supplies to include prescriptions, as
they will be unable to leave the training center during the ROM period and for the
duration of training. A POC from the Training Center will contact incoming students 2
weeks prior to arrival for a course to confirm transportation arrangements/airport
pickup and provide a package of information on ROM requirements and expectations.
    e. Coast Guard Headquarters program and capability managers may determine, for
specific short-duration Class “C” schools, that the 14-day ROM period poses an
unacceptable burden on field units when compared to the mission-essential training
benefit. In these cases, FORCECOM will, with concurrence of the program or capability
manager, cancel these courses. Any additional course cancellations or change of convening
dates will be published during regular updates to the current-status status lists per
paragraph 3 of this message.
5. To supplement and make these measures effective, upon receipt of orders and no more
than 48 hours prior to traveling to training, Commands and supervisors of trainees shall
screen their members using Enclosure (2) of REF (F): COVID_19 RISK Assessment Flowchart.
If the result of the flowchart is isolation or quarantine of the member, or if in the last
14 days the member has been restricted from returning to a CG workplace due to travel in
accordance with REF (C) the member's command shall submit a training cancellation message
via Admin OIX, stating the member did not meet requirements per paragraph 5 of this message.
6. Pre-arrival training courses, including some command cadre courses, are mission-essential
and time-sensitive. Under existing policy, orders to these courses may not be cancelled
by units, supervisors, or members without the concurrence and approval of the cognizant
CGHQ program office. In view of the need to protect force readiness and be responsive
to rapidly changing family support issues, which may impact a member’s availability
to travel, requests for cancellation must have an endorsement from the first O-6/GS-15
in the submitting unit’s chain of command to be considered for a waiver by the program
office.
7. If a course is listed as ON-FACILITATED ONLINE, units, supervisors and members shall
execute orders to that course on-site, at the home unit. The member is to be considered
TDY for training, and may not be tasked with collateral duties and additional work
outside training.
8. Commands may submit training cancellation or substitution messages via Admin OIX
for members who are at higher risk of serious complications from contracting COVID-19
or living with someone who is at higher risk. See https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-
ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-at-higher-risk.html for more information.
9. Many CG courses are taught by, or in conjunction with, DOD partners, therefore attending
members will be subject to DOD rules and operating procedures. These requirements may
vary depending on the location of and the Service delivering the training. Members
should contact the receiving DOD training center at least three weeks prior to the
start of the course for more detailed guidance. When known, DOD delivered courses
requiring ROM will be documented in the notes section of the course status sheet on
the ETQC Portal page. All DoD training centers require the use of cloth face coverings,
and per REF (D), all personnel traveling from or through a Center for Disease Control (CDC)
and Prevention Travel Health Notice (THN) Level 3 or Level 2 location, or from or through
any area of the U.S. deemed by CDC to have widespread community transmission are to
undergo a 14-day ROM prior to the start date of the course. U.S. Navy training centers
require a 14-day ROM for all students regardless of their point of origin. Members in
the local area (within 50 miles of the training location) are required to complete a
14-day ROM in their residence prior to starting training.
10. In accordance with REF (C), REF (G) and REF (H), travel for AIA activities that
are not considered mission-essential and time-sensitive are to be deferred or cancelled.
      a. Due to the indeterminate period of time that travel restrictions will be in place,
all AIAs shall develop and start delivering third-party assessments remotely by 5 June
2020, in order to assess the continued readiness of the Coast Guard. This remote
assessment process will be done in coordination with and with approval of the FORCECOM
AIA Governance Office (AIA GO) with endorsement from their respective CGHQ program office.
      b. If a remote third-party assessment is not possible, then AIA activities shall
give authorization to the impacted unit to conduct a unit self-assessment in lieu of a
third-party visit. This unit self-assessment shall be conducted IAW the provisions of
5.B.2. of REF (H). Results of that unit self-assessment shall be reported through each
AIA’s Active Checklist maintained by the AIA Governance Office on CGPortal, or directly
to the AIA if no Active Checklist is yet operational.
      c. The official repository for current AIA checklists is the AIA checklist library
(http://cglink.uscg.mil/6b83a7b) on CGPortal. Any AIA checklists stored or displayed at
any other source must be replaced with a link to the repository of AIA checklists.
      d. If an Active Data Checklist site is developed for a governed AIA, it shall be
used to collect information; alternate methods of delivery are not authorized.
      e. FC AIA GO shall enforce the provisions of REF (G) and REF (H), and report status
by 08 Jun 2020. AIA GO group distro is D05-DG-FORCECOM-AIA@uscg.mil.
11. International Military Students (IMS). Close consultation and coordination with DCO-I,
the sponsoring U.S. agency and appropriate U.S. Country team representative(s) are required
when dealing with IMS COVID-19 related issues. Upon arrival at the CG installation, unit
Commanders will brief international students on the symptoms associated with COVID-19, and
the resources available to support monitoring and treatment efforts. CG unit Commanders
will monitor all IMS, and authorized dependents accompanying the IMS IAW the latest CDC,
State and Local requirements while they are assigned to the CG installation. In the event
an IMS, or authorized dependent, begins to show symptoms of COVID-19 while attached to the
CG installation, the unit and supporting military medical treatment facility will coordinate
with the sponsoring U.S. agency, State and Local health departments to take appropriate
action in accordance with installation protocols with Local, State, and CDC guidance.
12. This guidance will be modified (as needed) IAW any new or updated COVID-19 policy.
13. Planning efforts assume a gradual, multiyear recovery during which time adaptive
policies may be required.
14. Points of Contact:
      a. ETQC Customer Service Phone Number: (757) 366-6583.
      b. ETQC POC: LT Erica Linnemann, Erica.l.linnemann@uscg.mil or YNCS Richard Bullard,
richard.p.bullard@uscg.mil.
      c. FC-T POC: CDR Matthew Chong, matthew.m.chong@uscg.mil.
      d. FC-A POC: CDR Marcus Ivery, marcus.a.ivery@uscg.mil.
      e. FC-ES POC: Mr Eric Gandee, Eric.J.Gandee@uscg.mil
15. RDML B. Penoyer, Commander, Force Readiness Command, sends.
16. Internet release is authorized.