ALCOAST 093/24 - FEB 2024 2024 BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT (BIG) MILITARY MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD

R 261621Z FEB 24 MID120000913695U
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS
ALCOAST 093/24
SSIC 5350
SUBJ: 2024 BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT (BIG) MILITARY MERITORIOUS
SERVICE AWARD
1. Nominations are open for the 2024 Blacks in Government (BIG)
Military Meritorious Service Award. The annual recognition honors a
Coast Guard military service member (Active Duty or Reserve) or a
civilian employee whose attributes best epitomize the Coast Guard's
Core Values of Honor, Respect, and Devotion to Duty. The performance
period for evaluation is May 2023 to April 2024.
2. All nominees will be considered according to the following
criteria:
    a. Demonstrated support for the full integration and promotion
of African Americans within the Coast Guard, military, or federal
civilian workforce.
    b. Significantly increased the opportunity for participation of
Historically Black Colleges and Universities or Minority Serving
Institutions (MSIs) in Federal programs and enhanced the capacity
to build and develop infrastructure to increase participation in
programs involving contracts and grants, student and faculty
employment, Research and Development, and the Officer Training
Corps.
    c. Displayed exceptional character that distinguishes an
individual as an outstanding leader, role model, or mentor by
promoting the development or advancement of all personnel,
including women and minorities.
    d. Distinguished themselves by promoting civil/human rights,
equal opportunity, human relations, and/or public service.
    e. Contributed to equal advancement opportunities based on merit
and fitness for all Armed Services members and civilians, including
women and minorities.
    f. Believed in and practiced the tenets of a democratic society,
including the Declaration of Independence - the belief that all
people are created equal, and that freedom is a right that must
always be protected.
    g. Assisted in overcoming discrimination and eliminating
barriers that hinder equal opportunity for all Armed Services
members and civilian personnel, including women and minorities.
    h. Supported the full integration and promotion of all
personnel, including women and minorities, within the Armed Services
and civilian workforce.
    i. Created opportunities that support and contribute to the
mentorship, development, advancement, or retention of all personnel,
including women and minorities, in government Service consistent
with merit principles.
    j. Created job or training opportunities that support and
contribute to the advancement of all Armed Services members and
civilians, including women and minorities.
3. Anyone within the Service can nominate an individual who is
deserving of the Award by submitting a complete nomination
as outlined in Paragraph 4.
4. Nominations must be forwarded as email attachments to the Point
of Contact (POC) in Paragraph 6, no later than April 26, 2024.
Nomination packages must include the following items:
    a. Command cover memo, with signature, forwarding the package.
    b. Award Nomination Transmittal Form (available from POC listed
in Paragraph 6).
    c. Narrative describing the nominee's accomplishments specific
to the Award, not to exceed two pages.
    d. Citation summarizing the nominee's accomplishments, not to
exceed 12 lines or 200 words.
    e. Biography of the nominee, not to exceed one page.
    f. A digital color photograph headshot of the nominee in .jpg
format, no larger than 5 x 7 inches and no smaller than 4x6 inches
in size.
All documents must be in PDF or MS Word formats with 12-point font,
single-spaced, and one-inch margins. Please do not send scanned
documents and do not include Personally Identifiable Information
(PII).
5. COMDT (CG-00H) will convene a panel to select the top three
nominees. The Coast Guard's top three nominations will be forwarded
to BIG who will then select one individual out of those three and
notify the awardee and nominating official. An ALCOAST will announce
the winner. BIG will honor the Award recipient on August 13, 2024,
at the BIG National Training Institute (NTI) Award Ceremony and
Military Veterans Emphasis Program at the Tampa Convention Center in
Tampa, FL.
6. POC: COMDT (CG-00H), Mr. Edward Stoker, 202-372-4519,
Edward.A.Stoker@uscg.mil.
7. Dr. Terri A. Dickerson, Civil Rights Director (CG-00H), sends.
8. Internet release is authorized.