Howdy, I am going in to my third year of ADSW-AC/ADOS (long term) contract. Prior active duty time does not apply to this question but will probably come up if this generates discussion.

May 2010 will be my three year anniversary in the CGR. Since I have kept out of trouble completely, I am predicting a CGGCR award.

BUT

Nov 2010 will be three years activated under ADSW-AC/ADOS (long term) consecutively. So I would be eligible for the CGGC active duty award and the CGGCR award next year.

If the CGGCR award is based on earned retirement points then I fulfilled the 70 point requirement within the first few months of my activation. I believe this is why ADOS/EAD contracted reservists are eligible for the acitve duty award also. That means that I have an earned 1095 retirement points toward an active duty Good Conduct as a Reservistat the end of three years.

My question:

Are the Active Duty and Reserve Good Conduct Awards evenly weighed for Service Wide Comepetitions?

My Point:

They should not be of the same value on the Reserve Service Wide since one requires more retirement points (more time spent working in the Coast Guard) and more observation (of work performed for the Coast Guard) than the other.

Allow me to lay out one possibility:

Two reserve members compete for advancement. One is in my situation- ADOS for extended period. The other strictly drills. The first receives the active duty Good Conduct Award and the second receives the Reserve Good Conduct Award. Their scores are identical in all ways, and it comes down to their Good Conduct Award Points. Who beats the other out?

Based on ALCOAST 508/05- (Ref. Para. B)

R 121515Z OCT 05 ZUI ASN-A00285000007 ZYB
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-12//
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS //N01650//
ALCOAST 508/05
COMDTNOTE 1650
SUBJ: POLICY CLARIFICATION ON RESERVE ELIGIBILITY FOR COAST GUARD
RESERVE GOOD CONDUCT AND COAST GUARD GOOD CONDUCT MEDALS
A. MEDALS AND AWARDS MANUAL, COMDTINST M1650.25C
1. THIS ALCOAST ANNOUNCES CLARIFYING POLICY GUIDANCE FOR AWARDING
THE COAST GUARD RESERVE GOOD CONDUCT (RGCM) AND COAST GUARD GOOD
CONDUCT MEDALS (GCM) TO RESERVISTS. THESE CLARIFICATIONS WERE
DEVELOPED IN CONSULTATION WITH THE OFFICE OF RESERVE AFFAIRS AFTER
FIELD FEEDBACK REVEALED INCONSISTENT INTERPRETATIONS OF REF A
POLICIES APPLIED TO RESERVISTS ON SUSTAINED ACTIVE DUTY.
2. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS. SEE REF A FOR ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
A. CREDITABLE SERVICE. THE REQUIRED PERIOD OF SERVICE IS THREE
CONSECUTIVE YEARS. THE PERIOD OF SERVICE APPLIED TOWARD A RGCM AND
SUBSEQUENT AWARDS MUST BE ENLISTED. SERVICE MUST HAVE BEEN ACCRUED
IN THE COAST GUARD RESERVE OR WHILE ON ACTIVE DUTY IN THE REGULAR
COAST GUARD.
B. REF A, CH 5.A.2.A(1), AMENDED THE MINIMUM ELIGIBILITY
REQUIREMENT FROM 50 TO 70 RETIREMENT POINTS PER ANNIVERSARY YEAR IN
THE COAST GUARD RESERVE. MEMBERS WHOSE GOOD CONDUCT PERIOD OF
SERVICE SPANS YEARS WITH DISPARATE ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS SHALL
APPLY THE STANDARD IN PLACE AT THE BEGINNING OF THEIR ANNIVERSARY
YEAR. CREDITABLE TIME EARNED UNDER A PREVIOUS GOOD CONDUCT STANDARD
SHALL BE COMBINED WITH CREDITABLE TIME EARNED UNDER THE NEW
STANDARD DURING THE SAME PERIOD OF SERVICE.
C. REF A, CH 5.A.2.A(4). RESERVE ENLISTED MEMBERS SERVING ON
EXTENDED ACTIVE DUTY, ACTIVE DUTY SPECIAL WORK, AND INVOLUNTARY
MOBILIZATION FOR PERIODS OF 3 CONTINUOUS MONTHS OR MORE, OR WHO
ENLIST OR REENLIST IN THE ACTIVE DUTY COAST GUARD MAY BE ELIGIBLE
FOR EITHER THE GCM OR THE RGCM, BUT NOT BOTH DURING THE SAME TIME
PERIOD. AWARD ELIGIBILITY WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE STATUS IN WHICH
THE RESERVIST PERFORMED THE MAJORITY OF TIME.
D. ACTIVE DUTY PERSONNEL WHO AFFILIATE WITH THE RESERVE WITHIN 3
MONTHS OF THEIR RELEASE FROM ACTIVE DUTY MAY APPLY ACTIVE DUTY
TIME NOT PREVIOUSLY CREDITED TOWARD A COAST GUARD GOOD CONDUCT
MEDAL TOWARD THE COAST GUARD RESERVE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL. A PERIOD
OF ACTIVE DUTY TIME CARRIED FORWARD AS A FRACTION OF A YEAR IS
APPLIED AS AN EQUAL FRACTION TOWARD THE RESERVE GOOD CONDUCT AWARD
RETIREMENT POINT REQUIREMENT (ROUNDED DOWN). EXAMPLE: AN OS2 IS
RELEASED FROM ACTIVE DUTY AND IMMEDIATELY AFFILIATES WITH THE
RESERVE. THE MEMBER CARRIES FORWARD 1 YEAR 4 MONTHS 27 DAYS
CREDITABLE ACTIVE DUTY GOOD CONDUCT TIME TOWARD THE RESERVE GOOD
CONDUCT MEDAL. CALCULATE THAT FRACTION OF AN ACTIVE DUTY YEAR (40
PERCENT) AS AN EQUAL FRACTION OF THE ANNUAL RESERVE 70 POINT
REQUIREMENT, OR 28 POINTS. AS A RESULT, THIS MEMBER MAY APPLY 1
YEAR TOWARD THEIR INITIAL RESERVE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, PLUS 28
POINTS TOWARD THE MINIMUM POINTS REQUIREMENT DURING THEIR FIRST
RESERVE ANNIVERSARY YEAR. RESERVE RETIREMENT POINTS CALCULATED FOR
THE RESERVE GOOD CONDUCT AWARD ARE NOT CREDITABLE FOR ANY OTHER
PURPOSE.
3. THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THESE CHANGES IS RETROACTIVE TO 25 OCT 02.
4. COMMANDING OFFICERS SHALL ENSURE WIDEST DISSEMINATION OF THIS
ALCOAST TO RESERVISTS ATTACHED TO THEIR UNITS. RESERVISTS ARE
ENCOURAGED TO REVIEW THEIR GOOD CONDUCT ELIGIBILITY AND AWARDS AND
REPORT ERRORS TO THEIR COMMANDING OFFICERS.
5. THESE MODIFICATIONS WILL BE REFLECTED IN A FUTURE CHANGE TO REF
A.
6. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.
7. CAPT JEAN M. BUTLER, ACTING DIRECTOR OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT,
SENDS.
BT
NNNN

I don't understand what you are asking?

You think the active duty good conduct ribbon should be worth more than the reserve good conduct ribbon?

First thing is you actually do not qualify for both reserve and active good conduct medal. Not only can you not recive both for the same time period but asl you did not complte the minimum requirements for the reserve medal.

To get the RGCM you must get 70 points AND complete 90% of your drills (along with the rest of the requirements). Since you have been on ADOS for 3 years, I'm going to assume you did not complete 90% of your drills.

quote:

Originally posted by rvacoast:
I don't understand what you are asking?

You think the active duty good conduct ribbon should be worth more than the reserve good conduct ribbon?

First thing is you actually do not qualify for both reserve and active good conduct medal. Not only can you not recive both for the same time period but asl you did not complte the minimum requirements for the reserve medal.

To get the RGCM you must get 70 points AND complete 90% of your drills (along with the rest of the requirements). Since you have been on ADOS for 3 years, I'm going to assume you did not complete 90% of your drills.

Thanks for responding. I'll try to clarify my point by answering your question.

I do think the Active Duty should be worth more because the policy is basing the award on retirement points- 70 per year to receive the CGGCR. It takes 365 per year for the CGGC. This means more time being observed by superiors to determine those qualifying characteristics to be eligible for it. However, and this is the clincher, I am still a reservist competing against my reservist peers. I am not eligible to sit on the SWE while on ADOS (nor should I be). However, if both awards are worth the same points, then one was received with much less time and effort put forth.

To clarify I understand that I am not eligible to receive both awards at the same time. But the ALCOAST states that an individual is eligible for both, and that which one they receive will be "determined by the status in which the reservist performed the majority of time."

I'm not seeing anything about 90% of drills being completed plus competencies. Please cite a reference so that I can read up on it. Thanks.

It used to be 90% of your scheduled drills that you have to complete for three years straight. If I get a chance, I'll find the reference.

The ALCOAST you posted above is four years out of date, thus three years expired. There should be newer guidance, probably in the Reserve PERSMAN or an ALCOAST within the past year. Also read up on the M & A Manual, page 5-5.

Good luck!

And it doesn't matter if it is a CGGCM or CGRGCM. They are both worth 1 point towards the SWE, just like the CLOC. Two points when you receive a CGAM, and up from there.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: JerryG,

As the other posters tried to clear, don't get too worked-up about deserving more (voluntary) credit for a USCG GCM vs. a USCGR GCM.

Perhaps in your current stint, having served for such a long period, you may even receive a personal award such as a LOC or Achievement Medal -- both worth points for total advancement multiple. Or, look at the benefit of scoring higher on the test and getting better evaluations.

For example, as a reservist I advanced from studying for SWEs and good evaluations, not so much from award points.

To help clarify more, since the majority of your time in your 3 yr. good conduct period has been on AD, you should be be awarded the CG good conduct medal. The reserve GC doesn't even come into play. As said, it's an either/ or, and it doesn't make any difference which it is WRT SWE points. They're each worth 1 point and you can only get 1 point for good conduct, regardless of the flavor of the ribbon candy .

Are you really that worried about the point value of an award you really dont have to do anything to receive? I think the only reason its worth any points is to give the well behaved an edge over the trouble makers.

quote:

Originally posted by rvacoast: Not only can you not recive both for the same time period but asl you did not complte the minimum requirements for the reserve medal.

To get the RGCM you must get 70 points AND complete 90% of your drills (along with the rest of the requirements). Since you have been on ADOS for 3 years, I'm going to assume you did not complete 90% of your drills.

Absolutely INCORRECT!!! The member does qualify for the RGCM and meets the IDT attendance requirement. Every month that a member is on EAD counts toward his/her monthly IDT requirement.

You're missing a word - scheduled.

The OP needs to look at the requirements for the 2 different awards.

I suggest reading Chapter 5 of the Medals and Awards Manual. The 4 year old message is long out of date.

In this particular case, as the OP has spent most of the time on EAD, he'll be eligibile for the CG Good Conduct Medal (assuming he's met the rest of the requirements).

Actually even though it is from 2002, it is still up to date and current in the M&A manual...

CJ - Agreed the MANUAL is up to date.

The 2005 message has been superceded by the 2008 manual. The message is no longer good for anything.

Somewhere, there is an explanation on how the CG Directives System is supposed to work - Commandant Note's (COMDTNOTE's), Commandant Instructions (COMDTINST's) and Commandant Instruction Manuals, OH MY!

1 point is 1 point, they are equal.