The Coast Guard Rotational Assignment Program for Civilians (RAP-C) is now available for civilians and host commands! This program offers civilians the opportunity to expand their professional competencies, build their leadership skills, and learn about other areas of interest to them while assisting other Coast Guard commands.
“Civilian rotations are a win-win. For the individual, it’s a great opportunity to grow. Participants will broaden their current skills and learn new ones; be exposed to different leadership styles, communication methods, and work processes; and do things they’ve never done before – all while contributing to the Coast Guard mission in meaningful ways,” said Christopher A. Cruz, deputy, Coast Guard Force Readiness Command (FORCECOM) Career Investment Division (FC-CI). “For the host commands, RAP-C can provide much needed help for specific tasks, projects, surge periods, or time sensitive initiatives. Commands that are experiencing manpower challenges or are bogged down by a constantly heavy workload – they’re looking for answers. RAP-C can be that answer.”
What is a rotational assignment?
A Coast Guard rotational assignment is a temporary placement of a civilian employee, including senior executive service (SES), from one job to another within the service for training, development, and personal, and professional growth.
The employee maintains the same grade, position description (PD), bargaining unit status, and in most instances, pay from his/her position of record. Coast Guard rotational assignments shall remain within the local commuting area of the employee, unless working virtually.
By design, there is a lot of flexibility with Coast Guard rotational assignments. They can be part-time or full-time, virtual or in-person, as short as one month or as long as six months. The rotation schedule can be for specific days of the week or even specific hours of the day. All of these factors can be negotiated between the civilian, their command, and the host/receiving command.
Who is eligible to apply for a Coast Guard civilian rotational opportunity?
To be eligible for a Coast Guard civilian rotation, employees must meet all of the following eligibility requirements:
- Been employed by the Coast Guard on a permanent appointment for at least 1 year;
- Completed their probationary period;
- Have not been demoted or suspended for performance or conduct reasons within the preceding 12 months; or, have not been issued a decision to effect a removal, demotion, or suspension action;
- Have an overall rating of record of at least “Achieved Expectations” or equivalent rating from most recent performance review with no documented performance-related comments;
- Met all applicable security clearance requirements;
- Met any minimum educational, licensure, and certification requirement for the assignment; and
- Met physical fitness standards, if such is required.
What are the benefits of a rotational assignment for the civilian employee and the office hosting the rotational assignment?
- For the member - the benefits include training, development, personal and professional growth, leadership opportunities, meeting and working with new people, recognition and award opportunities, and exposure to different Coast Guard missions. Rotations can also lead to an increase in job satisfaction and a morale boost through a change of scenery, new friendships, new ways of doing business, and new challenges.
- For the office hosting the rotation - the benefits include the opportunity to bring a highly motivated civilian employee onto their staff to temporarily assist with ongoing projects, new initiatives, or time-sensitive tasks that require additional manpower. Additionally, those well-intentioned initiatives that continue to “die on the vine” due to competing priorities may be a perfect fit for a civilian rotator to drive across the finish line. RAP-C provides host commands the opportunity to audit specific programs, help identify command blind spots, conduct deep dives into DEOCS-related issues, or receive a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) assessment from an unbiased source. Because the civilians seeking to do rotations are usually above average performers and problem solvers, their fresh set of eyes and eagerness to do well can help identify new ways to approaching challenges that may be very beneficial to the host command.
How does a Coast Guard civilian apply for a rotational assignment?
- Civilian employees interested in pursuing a Coast Guard civilian rotation should register with the Coast Guard Community Marketplace and join the Rotational Assignment Program for Civilians (RAP-C) community. Rotational assignment opportunities are posted within the RAP-C community discussion board.
- Civilian employees should review the rotational opportunities and contact the point of contact (POC) identified within the advertisement for more information about the rotational assignment (e.g. part-time/full-time, virtual or in-person, and a detailed description of the duties and responsibilities associated with the rotation).
- If interested in a rotational assignment, civilian employees should fill out the RAP-C Application Form.
- Civilian employees should also visit the Coast Guard Civilian Career Management (CCM) website for additional information regarding civilian rotational assignments.
How does a Coast Guard command apply to host a Coast Guard civilian rotational assignment?
Coast Guard Civilian Rotational Assignments currently available within the RAP-C community discussion board.
The Office of Leadership (CG-128) is soliciting for three virtual part-time Coast Guard Civilian Rotational Opportunities to assist in the re-design of their portal page and website. The people selected for this position will be responsible for the following:
- Support the SharePoint migration of the Office of Leadership (CG-128) and Executive Development portal pages to create dynamic and easy to use portal (delete) pages.
- Duties include working closely with CG-128 personnel. A strong working knowledge of SharePoint is preferred.
- Timeframe – two to three days a week for a period up to three months starting as soon as possible.
- Revamp the Department of Homeland Security Development Program page on the Office of Leadership website.
- Duties include the working knowledge of content updates and website design specific to the creation of dropdowns and pages for new content (delete - where the content is live) and the integration of (deleted creation) images needed for the site, including preferred format.
- Timeframe – one to two days a week for a period up to two months.
- Conduct an audit of the Office of Leadership website to identify content that needs to be removed and/or updated and provide recommendations to improve design and ease of use.
- Duties include the working knowledge of website content and design specific to analyzing and then auditing website content to ensure continued accuracy, timeliness and ease of use.
- Timeframe – one day a week for a period up to two months and then one to three hours a week as needed for continued support. CG-128 POC – Danielle Tergis.
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