ALCOAST 364/20 - SEP 2020 EIGHT BELLS – A SEA SERVICE CELEBRATION ON 18 OCTOBER 2020

R 250955 SEP 20
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-7//
TO ALCOAST
UNCLAS //N01710// 
ALCOAST 364/20
COMDTNOTE 1710
SUBJ:  EIGHT BELLS – A SEA SERVICE CELEBRATION ON 18 OCTOBER 2020
A. Coast Guard External Affairs Manual, COMDTINST M5700.13 (series)
1. The Coast Guard Office of Cutter Forces (CG-751), the Heart of the Service, is
sponsoring a Sea Service Celebration centered around 18 October 2020 that honors
the sacrifices of the men and women serving aboard Coast Guard cutters, and
highlights the hard work of the thousands of shoreside administrative, training,
and engineering personnel who enable our fleet to operate. On 18 October 1974,
the Office of Personnel promulgated the Coast Guard Cutterman Insignia program,
to "recognize the contributions and qualifications of our personnel." This year,
we celebrate more than 230 years of our sea-going traditions, currently upheld by
over 8,000 active duty personnel aboard our 256 cutters.
2. Eight Bells – A Sea Service Celebration is intended to recognize the hard work
done by everyone who serves on a cutter, including career cuttermen,
cuttermen-to-be, and those who support cutters, every day, all week, all year, on
every type of cutter. Despite the diversity in missions and capabilities among the
cutter classes, the time-tested sea going traditions unite and bind the entire
cutter community together. A new crewmember can go aboard a cutter of any size or
class and be comforted by the shared traditions of ringing of eight bells and
testing the ship’s alarms and whistle at noon, completing underway checklists,
checking the setting of material condition Yoke, closing the brow at first call to
morning and evening colors, and, of course, 1000 coffee break for the crew among
many others.
3. As part of Eight Bells – A Sea Service Celebration, COMDT (CG-751) encourages
all cuttermen, operational commanders and cutter support elements to participate in
the following events:
    a. Audio/Video contest: Submit an original audio or video clip of no more than
2 minutes around the theme of Eight Bells: A Sea Service Celebration. Submissions
should highlight cutters’ sea service traditions and should artfully incorporate the
actual sounding of eight bells. Videos will be posted on social media platforms, and
copyrighted music must be royalty-free or have proof of authorization for use to
prevent copyright violations. Videos will also be displayed at CGHQ, the 2021
Surface Navy Association (SNA) National Symposium and 2021 Major Cutters Commanding
Officers Conference. For more information on this, and other public affairs policies
and restrictions, see REF (A), Chapter 3, Section H. Entries are limited to formats
that can be viewed and opened on a standard CG workstation, must be approved by the
unit CO/OiC, and must be submitted to POCs in paragraph 4 below on or before 12
October 2020 using https://safe.apps.mil/. Submissions will be judged on creativity,
quality and ability to inspire esprit de corps.
    b. Local events: All commands are encouraged to host appropriate functions that
celebrate sea service traditions during the month of October, particularly on 18
October if possible. Suggestions include: local Cuttermen’s Calls, Dinings-In, or
cutter round-ups with friendly competitions (DC Olympics, Shiphandling challenge,
etc.), while adhering to local and Coast Guard pandemic guidance. Notify POCs in
paragraph 4 below of any planned events and tag any social media posts with
#EightBells.
    c. For a concurrent annual Surface Naval Association (SNA) competition, submit
photos and videos by 01 October 2020 at: http://navysna.org/awards/#photo and at:
http://navysna.org/awards/#video (2019 Photo Contest won by HAMILTON and 2018 Video
Contest won by BAILEY BARCO). Videos for the SNA contest must incorporate the SNA
logo, can be the same video submitted for the Eight Bells contest, and have a cash
prize of up to $600 for first place.
    d. On 19 October there will be a 1000 coffee break for the crew at CGHQ with
details announced in separate correspondence based on local event pandemic guidance
and the award winners will be announced at this event.
4. POCs: LCDR Keith Blevins and LCDR Paul Ledbetter at HQS-SMB-CG-751-CMD@uscg.mil.
5. RDML John W. Mauger, Assistant Commandant for Capability, sends.
6. Internet release is authorized.