Sept. 12, 2020

Coast Guard approves new initiatives to recruit and retain members

The Coast Guard just announced monetary and non-monetary incentives designed to recruit and retain skilled members in the Coast Guard’s most mission-critical areas. The announcements cover officers and enlisted members and will be implemented in fiscal year 2021 (FY21).

Sept. 11, 2020

Body composition screenings resume Oct. 1

All Body Composition Screenings will resume Oct. 1, after being suspended this spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Body Composition Program (“weigh-ins”) is currently in a pilot phase, which has abdominal circumference (AC) as an additional method of compliance, based on medical data indicating that it provides a more accurate health snapshot. The physical fitness test (PFT) also remains a method of compliance during the pilot program extension (01 Oct – 30 Nov). The goal is to improve the Coast Guard's approach to assessing members' health and readiness.

Sept. 11, 2020

Reminder: Payroll tax deferral starts soon

The Government will defer Social Security taxes for many federal civilians and uniformed members through the end of this year. To calculate the impact on your personal pay, please see the “how-to” section below.

You must pay these taxes back in 2021. 

Sept. 11, 2020

USCG officer, civilian, named International Emergency Managers of the Year

The International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) selected LeMonde as the Uniformed Emergency Manager of the Year, and Amaral was named Civilian Emergency Manager of the Year.

Sept. 10, 2020

Remembering 9/11

The events of Sept. 11 and the Coast Guard’s role as a first responder in New York Harbor are folded into the Patriot Day mantra of “never forget.” Yet, an increasing number of our newest shipmates were too young to remember, or not yet alive.

Here is an interview between a junior officer who was in fourth grade at the time of the attacks and Capt. Michael Day, who was assigned to New York and coordinated Manhattan's maritime evacuation.

Sept. 10, 2020

Notes From Master Chief Bushey

Here’s a couple of quick notes from Master Chief Rob Bushey, Deputy  Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard

• Heart of the Service
• Deckplate Outreach 

Sept. 8, 2020

USCG launches electronic health records system

The Coast Guard is rolling out electronic health records, beginning with four pilot sites on the West Coast. The new military health system’s MHS GENESIS will enable the Service to transition from paper records to a state-of-the-art system with an impressive array of benefits for both patients and health-care providers.

Sept. 4, 2020

Federal government deferring payroll taxes for certain members, employees

Social Security taxes will be deferred for many federal civilians and uniformed members through the end of this year.

Sept. 4, 2020

Wading Into Flooded Waters – New Flood Response Training Finishes Its Inaugural Course

In August 72 Coast Guardsmen participated in the Service’s inaugural flood response training in Beltsville, IN. These members received this training because of the likelihood that they will be called on to respond to a flood within the community they serve.  

Sept. 3, 2020

Improvements to Your Coast Guard Behavioral Health Services

How are you doing? This is a question that we often ask of one another. And yet, during today’s climate and challenges—the responses you may receive may be marred with stress. Although Coast Guard leadership has responded to primary workforce needs during these unprecedented times with greater telework flexibility, a dedicated COVID-19 website and support teams, Medical Mondays, Wellness Wednesdays and more, there is still an ever-increasing need to provide the workforce with the skills to cope with stress and increase resiliency.