ALCOAST 183/25 - APR 2025 SOLICITATION FOR ANNUAL UNIT MARITIME SECURITY AND RESPONSE OPERATIONS (MSRO) EXCELLENCE AWARDS FOR 2024

R 141508Z APR 25   MID120001851575U
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS
ALCOAST 183/25
SSIC 1650
SUBJ: SOLICITATION FOR ANNUAL UNIT MARITIME SECURITY AND RESPONSE
OPERATIONS (MSRO) EXCELLENCE AWARDS FOR 2024
1. Purpose. This ALCOAST solicits nominations for the CG Maritime
Security and Response Operations (MSRO) Excellence Awards for
Calendar Year (CY) 2024.
2. Background. The MSRO Excellence Awards provide recognition for
CG commands that demonstrated outstanding contributions and
achievements in the Ports, Waterways, and Coastal Security (PWCS)
mission, specifically in MSRO activities.
    a. The Captain Godfrey L. Cardin MSRO Unit Excellence Award will
be presented to two CG commands. This year's award solicitation
includes two categories consisting of "Large" Unit and a "Small"
Unit award. A Large unit is a unit commanded by an O-5 or above and
a Small Unit is a unit commanded by an O-4 or below. In 1918, as
Commander of the CG New York Division and New York Captain of the
Port, CAPT Cardin led the largest single command in the CG
consisting of 1,400 officers and crew, four United States Army Corps
of Engineer tugs, and five harbor cutters. His pioneering efforts
defined the CG port security mission. The recipients of the Large
and Small Unit awards will receive a certificate and have their unit
names added to the plaque of past winners which is posted outside
the office of the Assistant Commandant for Response Policy (CG-5R).
3. Eligibility. All CG commands are eligible to be nominated for
MSRO-related efforts for CY24.
4. Nomination Criteria. Captain Cardin Unit Award nomination
criteria. Commands recognized for this award will have
demonstrated exceptional performance worthy of special distinction
in any of the following categories:
    a. Excellence. MSRO activities accomplished in a manner which
distinguished that command from other comparable commands.
    b. Initiative. Made significant improvement(s) in MSRO activity
execution or pioneered innovative programs/solutions. Examples may
include:
        (1) Developing a command instruction that improved use of
operational resources for MSRO activities.
        (2) Exercising proactive public affairs and external
engagement program, e.g.:
              i. Collaborating with local media outlets to report the
issuance of a Notice of Violation (NOV) to inform the local
population and deter inadvertent security zone (SZ) violations,
thereby making it easier to determine intent if terrorists violate
a SZ; or
              ii. Developing focused education programs for marinas with
high quantities of errant SZ violators.
        (3) Providing feedback to the source of a suspicious activity
report thus confirming investigation.
        (4) Developing best practices to deter interference with MSRO
activities by external threats (e.g., lasers, unmanned systems
(UxS), etc.).
    c. Results. Number of quarters in CY24 in which the Unit attained
85% resource efficiency metric for MSRO activities as documented on
the Risk-Based MSRO report.
    d. FIRs. Number of CY24 Field Intelligence Reports that resulted
from completion of MSRO activities by the command. Include FIRs on
interference with MSRO activities by lasers, UxS, and other devices.
Identify FIRs by unit serial number and FY.
    e. Significant Enforcement Actions. Describe any significant
MSRO-related enforcement actions (e.g., NOVs, etc.) in CY24 and
their impact against facilities or individuals.
    f. Other. Additional relevant MSRO achievements not listed above.
5. Submission. Commanding Officers may nominate their commands or
subordinate commands directly to the Office of Maritime Security
Response Policy (CG-MSR), NLT 30 May 2025 via CG Memo, addressing
command nomination criteria in the sequence shown in paragraph 4.
Email the CG Memo to the POC indicated below.
6. Approval. A selection committee chaired by the Director of
Law Enforcement, Maritime Security and Defense Operations Policy
(CG-5RE) and comprised of COMDT (CG-MSR) Deputy, Division Officers,
and Senior Chief will rank the nominees based on merit and levels
of accomplishments of the stated criteria.
7. The winners of 2023 MSRO Excellence Awards were:
    Sector San Francisco
    MSST San Francisco
8. Point of contact: LT Anthony Bider, COMDT (CG-MSR),
Anthony.A.Bider@uscg.mil or 202-372-2113.
9. RDML Adam A. Chamie, Assistant Commandant for Response Policy
(CG-5R), sends.
10. Internet release is authorized.