Reservist

ISS1 2015

Reservist Magazine is the award-winning official publication of the United States Coast Guard Reserve. Quarterly issues include news and feature articles about the men and women who comprise America's premier national maritime safety and security

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To the Editor: During his inaugural parade in January 1961, President John F. Kennedy observed that there was not a single African American in the cadet corps of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. One of his first official acts was to order the integration of the Academy. Today I received my copy of the Reservist and found that of the hundreds of faces depicted in the photographs in this issue, there are no more than two or three African Americans. It seems that 53 years after President Kennedy's order, the Coast Guard Reserve remains overwhelmingly white and still has a long way to go before it achieves meaningful integration. — Lt.j.g. Francis W. Hoeber, USCGR (ret.) Editor's Note: Sir, thank you for your letter. We have checked with workforce program managers regarding the current state of minorities serving in the Coast Guard Reserve. The number of minorities serving peaked in 2009 at slightly less than 11% and has been holding steady at that percentage. The Coast Guard and Coast Guard Reserve remain committed to being an employer of choice for all those wishing to serve. To the Editor: In addition to the excellent tips provided by Cmdr. Jim Johnson (Volume LXI, Issue 3), I would like to add one more item that assists selection boards in their deliberations; a letter to the board. The attitude towards a letter to the board has shifted over time, it isn't required, but it could prove beneficial. It is an excellent opportunity to provide the selection board a bit more information regarding your official record. An excellent example would be the change of status, such as from selected reserve or active duty into the individual ready reserve or active status list. If a member transitions status due to living outside the country, family hardships, or the lack of available billets, this would be the place to explain so. A letter to the board would also be an opportunity to then explain what you are doing to stay involved in your reserve career: drilling for points not pay, electronic based distributed learning courses for points, etc. The mere act of writing a letter to the board may be enough to set your record above those of your peers. Additional information on letters to selection boards can be found at http://www. uscg.mil/rpm/rpm1/comms2brd.asp and in selection board message traffic. — Cmdr. Lisa VanBuskirk, USCGR USCG Headquarters (CG-ODO-1) To the Editor: Thank you for the coverage of the U.S. Coast Guard Pipe Band and of band member Chief Sean Lynch in the 2014 Issue 3 of the Reservist. We are an all volunteer group of active duty, reservists, retirees, and Coast Guard Auxiliary pipers, drummers, and color guard members from across the United States. Members travel to local, regional, and national performances, such as Grand Haven, at their own expense to represent our Coast Guard, so recognition by the Reservist is greatly appreciated. We will return to Grand Haven in 2015, as well as honoring fallen Coasties at the 2015 National Law Enforcement Memorial Week services in Washington, D.C. in May 2015. If anyone is interested in joining the band or engaging a band member for a performance, they can visit the band website; http://www.uscgpipeband.org/. Again, thank you! — Cmdr. Kenneth Hines, USCGR (ret.) USCGPB, Board of Directors Secretary Reserve Pay Changes 1/1/2015 For more information, ask a yeoman. Go to PPC website (http://www.uscg.mil/ppc/da/portal/ Act now to ensure your pay is accurate in January What is changing: • The Coast Guard is changing the software which calculates and processes your bi- monthly pay checks. • Direct Access will directly calculate and process pay. • Your Direct Access data will immediately impact your monthly pay. • The current payroll system (JUMPS) will continue through the 2014 calendar year and process all W2s as in previous years. What you can do to help: • Process all pending leave • Process all Reserve Orders (IDT/ADT/etc) • Process all pay and separation transactions • Verify all Direct Access information is accurate. • Be Patient, the change may create delays in processing information which was not entered properly before the change. What you need to know: • Your pay and benefts are not changing IF they Do: PPC is prepared to assist • DA will be shut down on 18 Dec 2014 and not be available until 5 January 2015. • That means NO self service, NO ability to submit a leave chit, its too late to update your records before the activation of DA Global Pay.

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