The Coast Guard is seeking advisors for a new board that will provide recommendations on matters relating to recruiting, retaining, advancing, and the wellbeing of women who serve in the Coast Guard. Congress recently authorized and provided funds to establish an advisory board. If you are interested in serving on this board, you have until Jan. 20, 2023 to get your applications in.
“Virtually no mission is off limits for women in the military. We are inspired and proud of Adm. Linda Fagan, commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard; the first female service member to lead a military department,” said Cmdr. Carrie Wolfe, gender policy advisor and deputy chief of the Coast Guard’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion (CG-127).
Nonetheless, the percentage of women in senior leader ranks remains low, suggesting more work needs to be done to recruit and retain women in the military, including the Coast Guard, explained Wolfe.
“Making sure the Coast Guard is more reflective of the population it serves; increasing diversity and equity is a challenge the Coast Guard is addressing, and we welcome help from subject matter experts,” said Lt. j.g. Molly Sternberg, assistant gender policy advisor within the Office of Diversity & Inclusion (CG-127).
One of the most well-known advisory committees is the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS), which concerns all armed forces within the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security, explained Sternberg. The impending Advisory Board on Women in the Coast Guard will supplement, not supplant DACOWITS, she said.
The Advisory Board on Women in the Coast Guard will also function separately from the Advisory Board on Women at the Coast Guard Academy, which the Superintendent of the Coast Guard Academy established in June of 2021. The Advisory Board on Women in the Coast Guard will report to the Commandant of the Coast Guard through the Assistant Commandant for Human Resources (CG-1) and the Senior Advisor for Diversity and Inclusion (SADI).
“Adm. Fagan has said, ‘tomorrow looks different. So will we.’ The Coast Guard sincerely is executing new activities to accelerate a more diverse and inclusive workforce. An environment where every person can succeed as far as their drive will take them, while also achieving our 11 missions codified in the Homeland Security Act of 2002,” said Chief Petty Officer Lana Port, gender policy enlisted advisor within the Office of Diversity & Inclusion (CG-127).
“We’re proud of the progress we’ve made, and at the same time, we’re not too proud to say that we need help. I encourage those eligible, who have the capacity to work on these complex issues, to apply for a seat on the board,” said Port, who also serves as the project manager charged with setting up the administrative support and knowledge management structure for the Advisory Board on Women in the Coast Guard.
Advisor participation on the board is in a collateral, voluntary duty capacity. Applicants may apply for a term of two, three, or four years. Total time of service on the board must not exceed six years. The board must be composed of no more than 15 members and must include an equal number of representatives from each of the following categories:
- Coast Guard active duty officers
- Coast Guard active duty enlisted
- Coast Guard reserve officers
- Coast Guard reserve enlisted
- Coast Guard retirees
The Commandant of the Coast Guard will appoint advisory board members through a selection board panel process the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (CG-127) manages.
Active and reserve applicants must have at least 24 months remaining on their current enlistment or signed service agreement as well as their command’s endorsement. Retiree applicants must provide their Certificate of Release or Discharge from active duty citing honorable discharge. No applicants may hold a fiduciary position (e.g., officer, director, trustee, board member, general partner) of any non-federal entity that may present a conflict of interest with the Coast Guard. Applicants cannot be a registered lobbyist under the Lobbying Disclosure Act.
For more information regarding the Advisory Board on Women in the Coast Guard, including complete eligibility requirements and detailed instructions for how to apply to become a member of the board please visit the Office of Diversity and Inclusion's website.
Anyone with additional questions about the Advisory Board on Women in the Coast Guard, please email the management team
“We consistently strive to inform, consult, involve, collaborate, and empower our service members and think the Advisory Board on Women in the Coast Guard will help us in those efforts. They will bring in different perspectives and we welcome diversity of thought because it makes us stronger, smarter, and more aware of the needs of service members throughout the fleet,” said Wolfe.
The application window to serve on the board is now open and will close Jan. 20, 2023. Board member selections are scheduled to be made in March of 2023.
Resources:
Solicitation for Members of the Advisory Board on Women in the Coast Guard ALCOAST 500-22