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My Coast Guard
Commentary | Sept. 20, 2022

EPM-4 opens its doors!  

By Christie St. Clair, MyCG Staff

The Coast Guard’s first Enlisted Career Advisory Branch (EPM-4) will start offering career advisory sessions to the active duty enlisted workforce on Oct. 3, and is opening its scheduling tool starting today. To schedule your session, please access the EPM-4 Scheduling Tool via the EPM-4 SharePoint Site.

The new team’s four Enlisted Career Advisors (ECA) will capitalize on relationships with assignment officers, rating force master chiefs, rating knowledge managers, command senior enlisted leaders, and affinity groups to educate members on career enhancing opportunities and tools available to mitigate personal challenges that sometimes complicate the achievement of professional desires.

“At EPM-4, we want to empower the enlisted workforce by educating them on the opportunities for personal and professional development,” said one of the ECAs, Senior Chief Petty Officer Adam Shelton. “The opportunities are really endless.” 
  
Drawing from their breadth of experiences and skill sets, EPM-4’s ECAs are here to offer personalized career advice to all enlisted members. They will help folks navigate through the advancement and assignment processes and highlight professional development opportunities.  

Any active duty enlisted member may schedule a career advisory session, with priority going to E-4 through E6, one year from end of enlistment (EOE).

The team is part of the Coast Guard’s workforce-wide effort to increase transparency in assignment, advancement, evaluation, separation and career retention processes and policies.  

ECAs will compliment support available through assignment officers, rating force master chiefs, rating knowledge managers, command senior enlisted leaders, affinity groups, and career guides. All active duty enlisted members are encouraged to use these services EPM-4 provides while continuing to seek guidance from their Chief Petty Officer Mess, participating in mentorship programs, and engaging with their assignment officers when considering future assignments or professional development opportunities.

Also starting today, EPM-4 will begin actively engaging with active duty enlisted members serving in paygrades E-4 thru E-6 who are exactly 12 months out (to the month) from their EOE, and encourage them to schedule a career advisory session with an ECA.  This initial engagement will take place via e-mail.  So, if you’re an active duty E-4, E-5, or E-6 with an EOE in October 2023, check your email!

Resources

  • Members and commands can obtain more information regarding EPM-4 and access the EPM-4 Scheduling Tool by visiting the EPM-4 SharePoint Site
  • Questions regarding this initiative should be directed to the EPM-4 shared inbox
  • See EPM-4, Enlisted Career Advisory Branch, Open for Business ALCGENL 171/22.