ALCGENL 266/23 - SUBJ: AY24 MAJOR CUTTER ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN PROGRAM

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 02/16/2024 01:35 PM EST

united states coast guard

R 041838Z DEC 23 MID120000688702U
FM COMCOGARD PSC WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCGENL
ALCGENL 266/23
SUBJ: AY24 MAJOR CUTTER ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN PROGRAM  
A. Military Assignments and Authorized Absences, COMDTINST M1000.8A
B. ALCGENL 475/23 AY24 MAJOR CUTTER ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN PROGRAM
C. ALCOAST 474/23 WORKFORCE PLANNING TEAM RESULTS - MONETARY AND 
NON-MONETARY INTERVENTIONS
1. In order to retain valuable training and experience for specific 
technical ratings in the major cutter community and increase geographic
stability for our members, the Coast Guard is establishing the Major 
Cutter Engineering Technician (MCET) Program that allows members to 
spend two years afloat in a major cutter position before and after a 
three-year shore support tour (commonly referred to as 2-3-2). This new
arrangement will be available to MKs, EMs, and DCs to support WMSL 418
and WMEC 270s in four distinct locations. The program has three phases. 
In AY24 interested applicants will apply to either Phase One and/or Two of 
the program. Phase One will begin with a 2-year assignment at sea in the 
E4 or E5 paygrades; Phase Two will begin with a 3-year assignment to the 
co-located Maintenance Augmentation Team (MAT); Phase Three completes 
the program with technicians returning afloat to key engineering leadership 
roles for a 2-year assignment. MCET will be limited to the following 
homeports: Portsmouth, VA; Charleston, SC; Alameda, CA, and Honolulu, HI.
2. The MCET Program offers several benefits to members and their families
that include:
a. MCET 2-3-2: $55,000 Critical Skills Retention Bonus (CSRB) for 2-3-2 in 
accordance with (IAW) reference C. 
b. MCET 3-2: $35,000 CSRB for 3-2 accelerated entry into Phase 2
IAW reference C.
c. Geographic stability for a five-to-seven-year period.
d. Allows members to avoid some of the challenges associated with 
attending pipeline training and completing their duties and
responsibilities while developing foundational knowledge of major
cutter engineering systems.
3. Billet banding will be applied to each phase of the MCET program.
Members assigned to the program will not advance out or be required 
to transfer early due to advancement. 
4. Eligibility: IAW reference B. EMs and MKs are eligible for the 
MCET Program in all four homeports identified in paragraph 1. DC 
eligibility is limited to the WMSL 418 homeports of Charleston, SC;  
Alameda, CA; and Honolulu, HI.
a. MCET 2-3-2. DCs, EMs, and MKs who are tour complete in 
any AY with E4 Date of Rank on or before 01 July 2024 or E5 Date of 
Rank on or after 01 January 2024, on E5 supplemental advancement
list before 01 January 2024, or above the cut for E5 on the 2023 
Service Wide Exam (SWE) Eligibility List. Members who are not tour 
complete in AY24 will not normally be considered primary candidates.
b. MCET 3-2. DCs, EMs, and MKs in E4 or E5 paygrades who are tour 
complete in any AY following a successful assignment to a WMSL 418 or 
WMEC 270 in any homeport. Members will only be considered for Accelerate 
entry into Phase Two MCET 3-2 to a supporting asset class that aligns 
with their previous tour and will receive orders to one of the four 
homeports identified in paragraph 1. Members who are not tour complete 
in AY24 will not be considered primary candidates.
5. Interested members should contact their Assignment Officer (AO) to 
discuss the application process and evaluate how the MCET program
will factor into their career development. Those that wish to apply
for the MCET program should email their respective AO by 05 JAN 2024 
and place their respective rated position at the top of their AY24 eResume 
with comments regarding the following opportunities:
a. MCET 2-3-2: Members applying for 2-3-2 will initially be assigned afloat 
in Phase One. Eligible E4s or E5s will apply for their desired location 
from positions identified below. 
Location    Rate Position       Available Opportunities
Charleston, SC     MK 19365701 5
    EM 19365638 3
    DC 19365693 1
Alameda, CA     MK 00086580 4
    EM 00090626 2
    DC 19371432 2
Honolulu, HI     MK 19376772 2
    EM 19376717 1
    DC 19373924 1
Portsmouth, VA      MK 00001194 9
    EM 00032252 4
b. MCET 3-2: Members applying for 3-2 accelerate entry into Phase Two 
will be assigned ashore to a co-located MAT. Eligible E4s and E5s will 
apply for their desired location from positions identified below. 
Location    Rate Position       Available Opportunities
Charleston, SC     MK 19379513 2
    EM 19379522 1
Alameda, CA     MK 00106998 2
    EM 00094800 1
    DC 00106992 1
Honolulu, HI     MK 19378401 1
    EM 19384449 2
    DC 19377124 1
Portsmouth, VA      MK 19383389 5
    EM 00006778 1
6. Assignment Procedures: Those who are tour complete in any 
assignment year can apply. Selected members will be placed in an available 
position at their desired location. Members selected to MCET 2-3-2 
will be placed to an available afloat position for Phase One. 
Members selected for MCET 3-2 accelerate entry into Phase Two
will be placed in an available co-located MAT position at their 
desired location. Interested members must have a command 
endorsed eResume by 10 JAN 2024.
7. Applicants should be aware that documented rated experience
and qualifications may take precedence over assignment priority 
when making selections for this program.
8. Obligated Service:
a. 2-3-2: Members selected for Phase One, first afloat assignment, 
will be required to obligate six years of service.
b. 3-2: Member selected for accelerated entry to Phase Two will 
be required to obligate five years of service. 
9. Command endorsement criteria: All MCET endorsements should 
address the following:
a. Verify that member meets eligibility requirements in 
paragraph 3.
b. Backfill concerns: When addressing backfills for members not tour 
complete in AY24, commands should keep in mind that receiving an 
immediate backfill is not always possible. The commands backfill request 
will factor into the candidate selection process. Additional guidelines 
for command endorsements can be found on EPM 2’s SharePoint, 
Assignments Branch (EPM-2) (sharepoint-mil.us). 
10. PSC-EPM-2 POCs:
a. MK D1, D7: CWO Christopher Wolf, Christopher.N.Wolf(at)uscg.mil.
b. MK D5, PATFORSWA: CWO Ryan Phillips, Ryan.B.Phillips(at)uscg.mil.
c. MK D11, D13, D17, D14: CWO Nicholas Johnson, 
Nicholas.D.Johnson(at)uscg.mil.
d. DC: CWO Christopher Corbett, Christopher.J.Corbett(at)uscg.mil.
e. EM: CWO Brandon Frawley, Brandon.P.Frawley(at)uscg.mil.
f. Women Afloat Coordinator: EMC Sharina Komen, Sharina.S.Komen(at)uscg.mil.
11. Released by: LT J. Loewenstein.
12. Internet release authorized.