ALCOAST 319/23 - SEP 2023 EIGHT BELLS - A SEA SERVICE CELEBRATION ON 18 OCTOBER 2023

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 09/11/2023 06:58 AM EDT

united states coast guard

R 081050Z SEP 23 MID120000414076U
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS 
ALCOAST 319/23
SSIC 1710
SUBJ:  EIGHT BELLS - A SEA SERVICE CELEBRATION ON 18 OCTOBER 2023
A. Coast Guard External Affairs Manual, COMDTINST M5700.13A
1. On 18 October 2023, The Coast Guard Office of Cutter Forces (CG-
751), the Heart of the Service, is sponsoring a Sea Service 
Celebration 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 233 years of our sea-
going traditions, currently upheld by more than 8,000 active duty 
personnel aboard our 245 cutters. 
2. Eight Bells - A Sea Service Celebration is intended to recognize 
the hard work done by all who serve in the cutter community, 
including career cuttermen, cuttermen-to-be, and those who support 
cutters. Our seagoing traditions serve as the basis for our Coast 
Guard culture and unite the cutter community. While our cutters 
operate globally in diverse missions, a new crewmember can report 
aboard a cutter of any size or class and be comforted by the shared 
traditions of the 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, 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. One-page essay/poem/sea story contest: By 29 September 2023, 
our current, past, and aspiring future professional mariners are 
invited to submit a one-page essay, story, or poem, on the theme of 
"The Sea and its Lore: Our Nautical Traditions and Legacies." 
Submissions are encouraged to reflect on our roots and culture 
carried forward from the Revenue Cutter Service. Entries will be 
judged on creativity, quality, and ability to inspire esprit de
corps. 
      (1) Submissions have no format requirement beyond the one page
limit. Submissions must include the name of the author, unless unit, 
department, or group name applies. The poem may rhyme like a New 
Year's Day log entry, be free flowing like a body of water, or even a 
haiku or two. Pictures and other artwork are also encouraged if they 
add value to the essay, poem, or story. Chain-of-command-approved 
contest submissions should be sent via email to the two POCs listed 
below. The top three winning entries will be posted on social media 
platforms, the COMDT (CG-751) SharePoint page, and shared with 
Surface Naval Association Presidents, Rating Force Master Chiefs, and 
Operational Commanders for distribution within the cutter community. 
Do not submit entries from prior years.
      (2) All submissions should be of good taste and professional in
nature. For more information on this and other public affairs 
policies, see REF (A), Chapter 3. 
      (3) Submissions will be judged by a panel consisting of 
representatives from the Office of Cutter Forces (CG-751), Board of 
Directors of the Douglas Munro Chapter (CGHQ) of the Surface Navy 
Association, other illustrious cuttermen, and King Neptune. 
      (4) Winners of the essay/poem contest will be announced on 18
October 2023 at Coast Guard Headquarters during an Eight Bells 
Celebration.
    b. Local events: 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, Dining-Ins, or cutter round-ups
with friendly competitions (DC Olympics, shiphandling challenges,
etc.). 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) 
photography competition showcasing the Naval Surface Warfare and 
Coast Guard Cutter communities, submit photos by 1 October 2023 at
the website below under the CAPT Raymond Komorowski Photo Award
section. 
(Copy and Paste URL Below into Browser)
http://navysna.org/awards/ 
4. POCs: Primary: LT Christine McCulla, Christine.C.McCulla@uscg.mil
Secondary: LT Jeffrey Porter, Jeffrey.E.Porter@uscg.mil.
5. RADM Todd C. Wiemers, Assistant Commandant for Capability (CG-7),
sends.
6. Internet release is authorized.