Good Morning Shipmates!

As Assignment Year 2022 winds down and we kick off Assignment Year 2023, we want to first say good-bye to CWO3 William “Todd” Wall. Mr. Wall was a tremendous advocate for our rate and revolutionized the Assignment Officer position, truly setting the bar! He will be missed for the leadership, communication and transparency that he brought to this job. We wish him the best of luck in his new position!

This past year we welcomed aboard two members, CSCS Nicholas Wright and CWO2 Nicholas Wernicke. Senior Chief Wright reported in November 2021 as the new Junior CS Assignment Officer. I relieved Mr. Wall this past July as the Senior CS Assignment Officer. We are both excited to be able to serve as your next assignment officers and help shape the future leaders of tomorrow. Our doors are always open for career counseling or as just an ear to listen.

On July 25^th, ALCOAST 127/22 was released soliciting for the Culinary Specialist- Field Support Branch. The Culinary Program (CG-1113), Subsistence Product Line and AO’s have been fighting to get these billets back to provide some much needed support to members out in the field. If you have any questions about what these positions will be doing, please do not hesitate to reach out. E-resumes for these positions are due 1 September 2022!   

Additionally, ALCOAST 121/22 and 122/22 soliciting for Patrol Forces Southwest Asia (PATFORSWA) were released. For members desiring a certain location or job, this is the perfect opportunity to earn that Assignment Priority 1 or 2. PATFORSWA has a lot of benefits, to include International Leave Authorization, TAX Exemptions, Overseas Cost of Living Allowance, Family Separation Allowance, Hardship Duty Pay and 30 Days Proceed time upon PCS departure! If you are on the fence or have any questions about it, please give us a call. E-resumes for these positions are due 19 October 2022!

Calling all Master Chiefs!! ALCOAST 130/22- AY23 Solicitation for Rating Force Master Chiefs was released. This is your opportunity to give back to the rating and represent the greatest rate there is as the senior subject matter expert! If you ever wanted to make changes and advocate for our rating, now is your time! E-resumes for this positions are due 19 SEP 2022.

Attached is the Assignment Year 2023 Timeline. Please take a moment to review it. If you have any questions, please let us know!

We will be setting up a Microsoft Teams meeting at the end of August/ beginning of September to introduce ourselves, go over this timeline and answer questions that anyone may have. Be on the lookout for the Teams meeting invite!

One final piece! As we move into the AY23 transfer season, please ensure that you have updated your job title in EDMS! This will ensure that you are able to get the all CS emails that are being sent out from both Program and the AO’s. Your title can be changed by accessing the EDMS link in the Pixel Dashboard, selecting milConnect, then My Profile, log in with your CAC, select the MIL tab and update your Job Title as appropriate.  It usually takes several days for the update to execute, but that should ensure that you are attached to the distribution list for all CS! Also go into Direct Access and update your phone number and email address, that way if we need to call or email you during the slating process we can reach you!

As new opportunities come available we will send out updates. Continue to reach out to Senior Chief Wright or myself if any question! We are here for you!

Thank you all for everything that you do! We look forward to having a great AY23 and talking with everyone!

Very Respectfully,

CWO2 Nicholas Wernicke

Culinary Specialist Assignment Officer

I wanted to share the information I’ve learned this year through recruiting efforts. As I mentioned, I’ve been lucky enough to attend some large-scale recruiting efforts with fellow CSs and recruiters around the country, and I thought it necessary to share this info that could help get you in front of tons of perspective CSs.

First, to better help everyone understand the dire situation with personal shortages we are currently experiencing. Are rating is presently vacant at around 30% at E4; with current numbers, we are projecting to attend A-School this FY our vacancy percentage could grow to 40% at E4 by this time next year. We all come from operational backgrounds and understand what it means for our teams when they have to operate short-staffed, which most currently have to do.

Some areas we found that seem to be target rich with perspective CS recruits and Centers Of Influence have been the (PROSTART ProStart – National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation @prostartprogram (chooserestaurants.org) and (SkillsUSA Front Page – SkillsUSA.org.) @skillsusa Both these organizations work with vocational high schools and colleges to train and develop members passionate about careers in the culinary industry and many other technical fields that align with our ratings. In addition, Skills-USA and ProStart hold state-level events encouraging Industry and the Military to set up recruitment booths. We’ve already attended the nationals for both organizations and had overwhelmingly successful recruiting events.

I think an area where we have room for improvement with Coast Guard Recruiting and the new SCA as a recruiter policy (soon to publish) would be attending the state-level events these organizations hold. Growing our presence with all these Centers of Influence opens up opportunities for us to expand our workforce. If you ever need help with an event or working a booth let me know I will do my best to help support you all and your efforts. Keep up the great work we really do need CSs more than ever.

The Email:

“Hope all is well.  I am emailing you to see if there is any progress on the new Foodservice Manual? We have a lot of new systems and changes that do not align with the old manual.  Also, the Perpetual Workbook does not reflect with the new changes with FSMS.  We no longer have document # for purchases and no OGD for tracking.  I am aware of what to do but do junior members know? Where do they reference this information?  We are testing and teaching members outdated information, that no longer exist.  Putting things on Facebook is cool but not solving the issue. Not all members are on social media. I am not complaining, just frustrated. I feel we focus more on the cooking aspect than the operator side.  What do FSO’s on Cutters do about AMIO or Detainees?  I ran into this problem and had to eat the cost, because there was no guidance.  I knew what to do but still didn’t align with the new system. With no SFR, how does the CC holder verify his or her history?  BLOCK G needs updates on how to access DOC# from FSMS system.  I know I am preaching to the choir but if I am bringing this up imagine what a junior is thinking.  They will not speak up.  This is where we lose retention in our rate.  We basically have to change our whole curriculum for C School IDFSO and Perpetual. I am speaking from an Operator Standpoint and Leadership.

—————-

Great Email. Chopped it up to better itemize the question/statements for response.

“progress on the new Foodservice Manual?” “We have a lot of new systems and changes that do not align with the old manual.”

The new manual is in currently in concurrent clearance (approval). In July 2021 our manual was placed on the “chopping block” along with all other Directives published prior to 01 April 2017. We were required to have the manual placed into concurrent clearance by November 2021. The good thing is we had already started working on the manual and were able to meet the deadline with a solid product. The manual has passed through all must clears directorates with the exception of one, FORCOM. Now keep in mind, we will need to resend it through concurrent clearance (again) due to the large amount financial changes caused by FSMS. Over the next month we will observe the new CS FSMS processes, allow time for the procedures to evolve into consistent methods (that we can write policy on) and then resubmit. Since we already passed the bulk of the Manual through concurrent clearance it will make the second go around much quicker. Bottom line is the manual is on track to be completed.

“The Perpetual Workbook does not reflect with the new changes with FSMS.  We no longer have document # for purchases and no OGD for tracking.” “BLOCK G needs updates on how to access DOC# from FSMS system.”

CG-1113 (Chief Toler) has been working day and night with FINCEN and SPL to update the workbook. He has made much progress and it looks very promising that (shortly) all necessary changes for FSMS will be implemented smoothly.

“I am aware of what to do but do junior members know? Where do they reference this information?” “Putting things on Facebook is cool but not solving the issue. Not all members are on social media.”

SPL, DLA, Program and FINCEN have utilizing every form of technology (old and new) to do the best we can to communicate with the fleet. Over the last couple years we have become pioneers in the use social media, remote methods, new software, online teams, and internet resources to monitor, organize, and communicate with the CS rating. We understand that, most of the time, it is near impossible to access one or two sources of information (Portal, Email, Facebook ect), that is why, even though it is not ideal, we use every resource available to us. We deliberately use all the following methods of communication: FSMS Microsoft Teams, Mass Individual Emails, Mass Email Distribution lists, Message Traffic, Internet and intranet accessible web page, Facebook Page, Facebook Group, Culinary Support Help Tickets, CS Portal and lastly our telephones, cell phones and emails. Using multiple communication methods prevents you from being at a standstill in case portal, email or yes even Facebook is down.

“We are testing and teaching members outdated information, that no longer exist.”

Testing on old information will change with the new manual. As far as teaching outdated information, the C School staff works constantly with SPL, DLA, Program and FINCEN to update the information they are teaching. With the rollout of FSMS we all agreed that the best way forward was to teach what we know, when we know it. The C School staff strives to be the Subject Matter Experts on the latest methods so they can help the students become our new FSMS Subject Matter Experts and impart the latest methods to the fleet. We understand things are changing at lightning speed and that what we teach may be outdated immediately. We still believe holding on to the new stuff and teaching the old stuff has greater ramifications than pushing out what we know now immediately.

Just for reference CSCS Matt Wernicke and his FINCEN team wrote most of the user guides for FMFS. They did this to keep our rating on track for the rollout. Since no one else was ready, his user guides were farmed out to the entire CG for guidance.

“I feel we focus more on the cooking aspect than the operator side.”

We are cooks. We should put focus on cooking. Do I personally spend a little time on the culinary side of the program? Yes, but with that being said (<– I hate when people say that) SPL, DLA, Program and FINCEN spend 99% of their time tirelessly focusing on supporting the current and future operational side of the rating.

“What do FSO’s on Cutters do about AMIO or Detainees?  I ran into this problem and had to eat the cost, because there was no guidance.  I knew what to do but still didn’t align with the new system. With no SFR, how does the CC holder verify his or her history?”

I will send these technical questions to FINCEN/SPL and answer offline but what I do know is FINCEN (with help from SPL, DLA, Program) is working on the following to keep up with the new ever changing FSMS environment:

– AMIO processing and updated TTP Job Aid *URGENT- 90% completed.

– Detainee processing and updated TTP Job Aid *URGENT- 90% completed, awaiting for POET information.

– Updated FSO relief memo and updated TTP job aid- (Completed and on CS Portal).

– Updated RDAP process and updated TTP job aid- Awaiting new POET. Hide original message

– Updated MIDLIFE process and updated TTP job aid- (Completed and on CS Portal).

– Updated Cutter establishment process and updated TTP job aid- 90% completed, awaiting POET and TASK information.

– Updated CGDFOS (Block G) process and updated TTP job aid-CG-1113? *URGENT- Formatted awaiting Aging Receivables Process. Meeting 1/26/22 at 1100.

– Updated CGDF folder cover sheets- (Completed and on the CS Portal).

– Updated decommissioning process and TTP job aid- (Completed and on CS Portal).

– Credit card history report (SFR) policy requirement and TTP job aid- (Completed and on CS Portal).

“I know I am preaching to the choir but if I am bringing this up imagine what a junior is thinking.  They will not speak up.  This is where we lose retention in our rate.”

You are correct. Much respect for asking the questions everyone else wants to ask.

“We basically have to change our whole curriculum for C School IDFSO and Perpetual.”

Yes, we have to change everything. I was in a meeting with C-School, SPL, DLA, FINCEN and CG-1113 and everyone is ready and willing to take on this challenge. The implementation of FSMS has shown that collaboration and cross training of the SPL, FINCEN, DLA, C-School and CG-1113 teams is imperative to create the Subject Matter Experts needed to communicate with our fleet. We are working hard to ensure our CS Support System POCs, mentors, Command advisors and decision makers are engaged and knowledgeable in this new fast changing financial and technology driven CG environment.

“I am not complaining, just frustrated.” “I am speaking from an Operator Standpoint and Leadership.”

I love this. Thank you for speaking up for the rating. We need leadership right now. Our future state will demand it. FSMS is just the start. As we have seen, it was (and will continue to be) a huge lift tackling this one financial change (FSMS). The CS rating is currently running on Excel Spreadsheets. The Coast Guard has recognized how archaic our CS financial record keeping is (it’s embarrassing the CG) and they want to bring us within minimal DHS requirements fast. Current initiatives beyond FSMS will include the transition to Noble/Noss, the implementation of Military Sealift Commands Live Time Paperwork System, a new Mobile Inventory Solution, and the further implementation of a Point Of Sale collection system. C-School, SPL, DLA, FINCEN and CG-1113 will be fully engaged at the task at hand.

Thanks for all your hard work/flexibility cooks you never fail to impress and shine.

We recived a great email from a Senior CS Leader and wanted to utilize the questions asked to provide an FSMS/Rating update to the page:

“Hope all is well.  I am emailing you to see if there is any progress on the new Foodservice Manual? We have a lot of new systems and changes that do not align with the old manual.  Also, the Perpetual Workbook does not reflect with the new changes with FSMS.  We no longer have document # for purchases and no OGD for tracking.  I am aware of what to do but do junior members know? Where do they reference this information?  We are testing and teaching members outdated information, that no longer exist.  Putting things on Facebook is cool but not solving the issue. Not all members are on social media. I am not complaining, just frustrated. I feel we focus more on the cooking aspect than the operator side.  What do FSO’s on Cutters do about AMIO or Detainees?  I ran into this problem and had to eat the cost, because there was no guidance.  I knew what to do but still didn’t align with the new system. With no SFR, how does the CC holder verify his or her history?  BLOCK G needs updates on how to access DOC# from FSMS system.  I know I am preaching to the choir but if I am bringing this up imagine what a junior is thinking.  They will not speak up.  This is where we lose retention in our rate.  We basically have to change our whole curriculum for C School IDFSO and Perpetual. I am speaking from an Operator Standpoint and Leadership,”

Answer in next post.

Testing a Culinary Specialist update page to include links, Culinary Specialist news/update BLOG and user guides/templates for CS message traffic solicitations.