ALCOAST 229/11

COMDTNOTE 12990
SUBJ: VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY - HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF THE MISSISSIPPI
GULF COAST
A. PERSONNEL MANUAL, COMDTINST M1000.6 (SERIES), CHAPTER 7.A.10.B.
1. MORE THAN 1,000 DHS EMPLOYEES HAVE ANSWERED THE CALL FOR HELP IN
THE RECOVERY AND REBUILDING EFFORT IN THE GULF COAST REGION AFTER
HURRICANE KATRINA. PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE IN THE SIX YEARS SINCE
KATRINA, HOWEVER, THE REBUILDING CONTINUES. THIS VOLUNTEER
OPPORTUNITY QUALIFIES AS A DHS MISSION FOR WHICH EXCUSED ABSENCE OR
ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE IS PERMISSIBLE. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT
DHS GULF COAST REBUILDING EFFORTS MAY BE FOUND AT:
(HTTP://WWW.DHS.GOV/GULFCOASTREBUILD).
2. EMPLOYEES HAVE AN ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO HELP THROUGH A TEAM
MADE UP OF DHS VOLUNTEERS WHO WILL WORK WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF
THE MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST (HFHMGC) IN THE REBUILDING EFFORT. THE
HFHMGC HOPES TO BUILD 800 HOMES BY 2012. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE
TYPES OF WORK AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS, VISIT THE HFHMGC WEBSITE AT:
(HTTP://WWW.HFHMGC.ORG AND SELECT VOLUNTEER).
3. HOMELAND YOUNG PROFESSIONALS (HYP), A CHARTERED DHS EMPLOYEE
NETWORKING ORGANIZATION, CURRENTLY PENDING FORMAL STATUS AS AN
EMPLOYEE ASSOCIATION, IS COORDINATING THE EVENT THIS YEAR. THE HYP
HAS RESERVED SPACE FOR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES AND MILITARY MEMBERS DURING
THE WEEK OF MONDAY 6 JUNE THROUGH SATURDAY 11 JUNE 2011. MEMBERSHIP
IN HYP IS NOT REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE.
4. INTERESTED VOLUNTEERS MUST REGISTER FOR THE WEEK OF 6-11 JUNE
2011 AT THE FOLLOWING LINK: (HTTP://WWW.REGONLINE.COM/VOLUNTEER). IN
THE 6-11 JUNE FIELD, ENTER THE REGISTRATION CODE HABITAT36, CLICK YES
TO TEAM NAME, SELECT TEAM DHS. FOR ANY REGISTRATION QUESTIONS OR
PROBLEMS (INCLUDING HOUSING OPTIONS), PLEASE CONTACT LOREN MOYLAN AT
228-314-0011, EXT 310, OR AT (VOLUNTEER(AT)HFHMGC.ORG).
5. VOLUNTEERS HAVE THE OPTION OF STAYING AT THE VOLUNTEER CAMP OR
CHOOSING ALTERNATE ACCOMMODATIONS AT AREA HOTELS. DETAILS MAY BE
FOUND ON THE HFHMGC WEBSITE (HTTP://WWW.HFHMGC.ORG), SELECT VOLUNTEER
AND VOLUNTEER VILLAGE. TRANSPORTATION TO BILOXI, MS AND HOUSING ARE
AT THE EMPLOYEES OR MEMBERS EXPENSE. HOUSING AT THE VOLUNTEER CAMP IS
125 DOLLARS PER PERSON FOR THE WEEK, WHICH COVERS LODGING AND MEALS
(3 MEALS A DAY, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, AND A CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST ON
SATURDAY MORNING PRIOR TO DEPARTURE). THE COST OF ALTERNATIVE
HOUSING AT AREA HOTELS VARIES.
6. THE DHS POLICY GUIDANCE IN MANAGEMENT DIRECTIVE 254-01, VOLUNTEER
COMMUNITY SERVICE, APPLIES AND PERMITS CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES WHO
PARTICIPATE IN VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE DHS
MISSION TO RECEIVE UP TO 40 HOURS OF ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE PER YEAR
FOR VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY SERVICE. EMPLOYEES WHO WISH TO USE
ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE MUST NOT HAVE EXHAUSTED THE 40 HOURS PER YEAR
ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE MAXIMUM FOR VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY SERVICE. IF THE
40 HOURS PER YEAR MAXIMUM HAS BEEN EXHAUSTED, AN EMPLOYEE MUST
REQUEST ANNUAL LEAVE, LEAVE WITHOUT PAY, CREDIT HOURS (UNDER A
FLEXIBLE WORK SCHEDULE), OR COMPENSATORY TIME OFF, TO BE ELIGIBLE TO
PARTICIPATE IN THIS VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY.
7. CIVILIAN AND MILITARY MEMBERS MUST HAVE THE CONCURRENCE OF THEIR
FIRST-LEVEL SUPERVISORS BEFORE VOLUNTEERING. UPON APPROVAL OF THEIR
CHAIN OF COMMAND, MILITARY MEMBERS ARE AUTHORIZED ADMINISTRATIVE
ABSENCE TO SUPPORT THIS VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY, IN ACCORDANCE WITH REF
A. MILITARY MEMBERS ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO WEARING THEIR UNIFORMS
WHILE VOLUNTEERING WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.
8. CIVILIAN AND MILITARY MEMBERS, WHO ARE CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN
VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES, ARE ENCOURAGED TO CREATE A RECORD OF THEIR
VOLUNTEER SERVICE HOURS BY REGISTERING WITH THE PRESIDENTS SERVICE
AWARD WEBSITE: (HTTP://PRESIDENTIALSERVICEAWARDS.GOV). THE DHS GROUP
CODE IS LSM-22515. IN JANUARY 2011, FORTY-NINE COAST GUARD CIVILIAN
AND MILITARY VOLUNTEERS WERE RECOGNIZED BY THE PRESIDENT FOR THEIR
INDIVIDUAL VOLUNTEER SERVICE HOURS, TOTALING 15,414 HOURS. THEY WERE
AWARDED A LETTER, SIGNED BY PRESIDENT OBAMA, AND BRONZE, SILVER, OR
GOLD CERTIFICATES BASED UPON THE NUMBER OF SERVICE HOURS COMPLETED
AND DOCUMENTED IN THE PRESIDENTS SERVICE AWARD WEBSITE.
9. FOR ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE REGARDING THE APPROPRIATE USE OF LEAVE,
WORK SCHEDULES AND WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITIES, CONTACT YOUR SERVICING
COMMAND STAFF ADVISOR OR HUMAN RESOURCES SPECIALIST AT:
(HTTP://WWW.USCG.MIL/CIVILIANHR/CONTACT.ASP) .
10. RADM RONALD T. HEWITT, ASSISTANT COMMANDANT FOR HUMAN RESOURCES,
SENDS.
11. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.