R 141812 MAR 20

FM COMCOGARD FORCECOM NORFOLK VA//FC-C//

TO ALCOAST

UNCLAS //N06200//

ALCOAST 087/20

COMDTNOTE 6200

SUBJ: COVID-19 AND CONTINUITY OF READINESS ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING “A” AND “C” SCHOOL TRAINING

A. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 061306 MAR 20/ALCOAST 071/20

B. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 140021 MAR 20/ALCOAST 084/20

C. DOD “STOP MOVEMENT FOR ALL DOMESTIC TRAVEL…” MEMO OF 13 MAR 2020

1. As a result of the impacts of Coronavirus (COVID-19), the domestic travel situation is changing

rapidly. We are limiting FORCECOM and training system official domestic travel to mission-essential,

time-sensitive work. This ALCOAST provides Coast Guard (CG) members with updated guidance identifying

time-sensitive, mission-essential readiness activities including assessments, exercise support, and

formal Accessions, “A” and “C” schools that must continue online or in-person. All others will be

postponed or cancelled.

2. DoD Training Facilities, Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETCs), and CG Training Centers

(TRACENs) remain open to conduct time-sensitive, mission-essential training. In light of DoD’s travel

restrictions (ref C), expect many DOD training courses to be delayed or cancelled. FORCECOM teams

remain available to conduct other time-sensitive mission-essential readiness activities. For purposes

of this ALCOAST:

a. Mission-essential readiness activities means training, assessment, or exercise support which, if

not delivered, renders CG units, teams, and members unable to successfully complete core, non-deferrable

mission-essential operations, maintenance, health protection, or force protection.

b. Time-sensitive readiness activities means training, assessment, or exercise support which cannot be

delayed until after the normal PCS season. For example, pre-arrival training required to have a

mission-ready qualified cutter crew after PCS rotation of personnel is time-sensitive.

3. We have reviewed a comprehensive list of all FORCECOM readiness activities scheduled to begin during

the period specified in ref B, and posted this list with the current status online at the Education and

Training Quota Management Command (ETQC)

CGPortal https://cg.portal.uscg.mil/units/forcecom/ETQC/SitePages/Home.aspx. Commands, supervisors,

Unit Training Officers, and individuals involved in FORCECOM readiness activities should check this

site frequently given the dynamic situation.

a. Each listed readiness activity has one of four statuses: CANCELLED, DELAYED PENDING RESCHEDULE,

ON IN-PERSON, or ON-FACILITATED ONLINE.

b. FORCECOM will update this list as changes occur and at minimum once daily.

c. FORCECOM will post this link to the CG COVID-19 Portal Site and on community sites for exercise

support, assessment, and training.

4. FORCECOM has implemented extensive risk mitigation at TRACENs and when FORCECOM teams conduct

mission-essential, time-sensitive readiness activities at field units. For example, while at training

locations, students will continue to be evaluated for signs of infection, will be screened prior to

returning to their units, and will undergo training in social distancing conditions. To supplement

and make these measures effective, upon receipt of orders and no more than 48 hours prior to traveling

to training, commands shall screen their members using the following questions. If the answer to any

screening question is “yes” that member shall not travel to training and the member's command shall

submit a training cancellation message via Admin OIX.

a. Are you having flu-like symptoms, such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath?

b. Are you in a Higher Risk group for travel?

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-in-the-us.html

c. In the last 14 days, have you traveled to a high-risk area such as China, South Korea, Europe,

or other areas identified by the CDC as high risk?

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/after-travel-precautions.html.

d. Have you been in close contact with someone confirmed or being evaluated for COVID-19? If yes,

what date did you last have contact with the suspected carrier?

5. Coast Guard Active Duty, Reserve, and Civilian members shall execute orders to mission-essential,

time-sensitive training, including Class "A" and Class "C" Schools, with the following exceptions:

a. Members who are confirmed or suspected of having a COVID-19 infection by a competent medical

authority, or who are awaiting results of testing for a COVID-19 infection, shall not travel to

training and the member's command shall submit a training cancellation message via Admin OIX.

b. Members who have had close contact with someone with a confirmed COVID-19 infection and feel

sick with a fever, cough, or difficulty breathing shall not travel to training and the member's

command shall submit a training cancellation message via Admin OIX and contact their medical provider.

c. Any member who has traveled through or from a country with widespread or sustained community

transmission (Level 3 or Level 2 Travel Health Notice) in the last 14 days shall not travel to

training and the member's command shall submit a training cancellation message via Admin OIX. The

CDC provides travel health advisories at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html.

d. Any member who lives in an area deemed by the CDC or local authorities to have sustained or

widespread community transmission and has a listed mitigation strategy on the CDC web site, to

include - but not limited to - New Rochelle, New York, Santa Clara County in California, or Seattle-King,

Pierce, or Snohomish Counties in Washington state, shall not travel to training and the member's command

shall submit a training cancellation message via Admin OIX.

e. If a course is listed on the ETQC web site as DELAYED or CANCELLED, or if notified by a TRACEN or

ETQC that a class convening has been cancelled.

6. Unless the traveler has an exception per paragraph 5, pre-arrival training courses, including some

command cadre courses, are mission-essential and time-sensitive. Under existing policy, quotas to these

courses may not be cancelled by units, supervisors, or members without the concurrence and approval of

the cognizant program office. In view of the need to protect force readiness and be responsive to rapidly

changing family support issues which may impact a member’s availability to travel, we are requiring

requests for cancellation to have an endorsement from the first O-6/GS-15 in the submitting unit’s

chain of command.

7. If a course is listed as ON-FACILITATED ONLINE, units, supervisors and members shall execute orders

to that course on-site, at the home unit. The member is to be considered TDY for training, and may not

be tasked with collateral duties and additional work outside training. Where units have an operational

need to task a member assigned to training with collateral duties or primary responsibilities, the unit

shall submit a training cancellation message via Admin OIX.

8. Commands may submit cancellation or substitution messages via Admin OIX for members who are at high

risk of serious complications from contracting COVID-19 or living with someone who is at higher risk

(older adult or with a severe chronic health condition).

See https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/high-risk-complications.html.

9. Travel under the excepted condition in 5.d above may be authorized by the first O-6/GS-15 in the

chain in writing only for mission-essential, time-critical training.

10. This guidance will be modified (as needed) IAW any new or updated COVID-19 policy.

11. Points of Contact:

a. ETQC Customer Service Phone Number: (757) 366-6583.

b. ETQC POC: LT Erica Linnemann, Erica.l.linnemann@uscg.mil, (757) 756-5339, or YNCS Richard Bullard,

richard.p.bullard@uscg.mil, (757) 756-5333.

c. FC-T POC: CDR Matthew Chong, matthew.m.chong@uscg.mil, (202) 475-5479.

d. FC-A POC: CDR Marcus Ivery, marcus.a.ivery@uscg.mil, (757) 628-4515.

e. FC-ES POC: CDR Deborah Lindquist, deborah.s.lindquist@uscg.mil, (757) 628-4049.

12. RDML B. Penoyer, Commander, Force Readiness Command, sends.

13. Internet release is authorized.