U.S. NAVAL SEA CADET CORPS REGION 3-4 208.00 Standing Operating Procedure COMMUNITY SERVICE Headquarters, Region 3-4 Office of the Director 01 July, 2014
Headquarters, Region 3-4 Office of the Director Naval Operation Support Center - NYC 4 Pennyfield Ave, Bronx, NY 10465 REPLY TO ATTENTION OF 034REG 01 Jul 2014 MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD SUBJECT: COMMUNITY SERVICE SOP 208.00 1. REFERENCES: a. NSCC/NLCC Awards Manual b. NSCC Regulations The Community Service ribbon will be awarded to those NSCC Cadets, Instructors, Midshipmen and Officers that distinguish themselves by accumulating 30 hours or more of community service work. NLCC Cadets may earn the ribbon by accumulating 20 hours or more of community service work. The NLCC Cadet cannot transfer this ribbon. This award is for true community work, i.e. serving meals for the homeless, community clean up, work at Veteran's Homes charity work, etc. Attendance at parades or public events is not the purpose of this ribbon. Recording of service time will be on the Admin Remarks page (NSCADM 008) and on the Record of Awards (NSCADM 009 or 010). Approval authority is the unit CO. Community service is important to the development of our cadets to make a difference. Community Service is in keeping with our mission to inform, encourage and inspire the volunteer within us who believes in making a difference in the world around us. 2. GENERAL This SOP covers the certification, and tracking of hours devoted to community service with the goal of award of the NSCC community service award. 3. PURPOSE This SOP defines the standards and procedures for certification and authorization for acceptable forms of community service. It further offers suggestions for bone fide opportunities for community service. This SOP also provides units with a simplified means of confirming that community service was completed to the degree required. 4. SCOPE This SOP is applicable to all personnel assigned to or attached to Region 3-4, USNSCC.
5. PROCEDURES The U.S. Navy and U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps both recognize the need to encourage volunteer activity by its members to benefit their communities. To this purpose both have created ribbon awards to recognize such activity. The command of Region 3-4 strongly desires all Region 3-4 members strive to earn the NSCC Community Service Ribbon, which requires 30 hours of service for NSCC and 20 hours for NLCC. In furtherance of Region 3-4's observance of the Navy core values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment, and the principles of leadership to which all members should aspire, it is hereby established as Region 3-4 policy that unit CO s shall require a minimum number of community service hours (as directed in this SOP) prior to each advancement in rank. 1. With the exception of the annual Toys-for-Tots mission support, community service performed as part of a required division activity such as a drill, bivouac, or advanced training generally, should NOT be used to satisfy this requirement. 2. The following suggestions are provided as a not all inclusive list of appropriate service that would qualify for the community service ribbon: a. Sorting and packing at Operation Support Our Troops, or participating in fundraising efforts on their behalf. b. Participating in fundraising activities for other organizations such as the American Red Cross, United Way, etc. as approved by the Commanding Officer. c. Volunteer services at a school (such as classroom aide, building/grounds cleanup and maintenance, office aide, tutoring students through a school program who are NOT related to the member, etc.). d. Volunteer services at a public library or museum, including such programs as Reading Buddies, etc. e. Visiting residents of retirement centers who are NOT related to the member, especially veterans. f. Roadside, park, waterway, and other public property clean-up efforts. g. Working with and supporting Wounded Warrior Project activities. h. Other activities as approved by the Commanding Officer who shall have full and final authority to determine the acceptability of any hours earned. 6. Appendix A is a locally produced form that is provided for units to use as a simplified means of tracking legitimate community service. When performing community service, the member shall take Region 3-4 Community Service Report form, (available from the Resources page of Region 3-4 website), to the work site and have a responsible person document the times worked. The member will turn the form with the original signature to their Division Officer or whomever the Commanding Officer designates. The Division Officer will
ensure the report form is placed into the member s administrative working file. (See Appendix A) a. On this form, the member will record their name and rank, the date, the name of the organization, and the nature of the work performed. b. They should have an organization representative record and sign for the time they arrive and for the time they depart, in similar fashion as summer training orders confirm successful completion of training. 7. Commanding Officers are required to apply the formula below to tie active community service to advancements. While some Cadets may have very full schedules, service to one s community is a large part of character building. Remember that such things as documented community service are looked for when our Cadets apply for scholarships, college acceptance, and acceptance to a Service Academy. If you intend to nominate a Cadet for NSCC or Region Cadet of the year, community service can make or break their selection or non-selection. FORMULA: Hours required for each advancement as listed below may NOT be banked, i.e. the required minimum hours must be performed at each rank. For example, if you perform 6 hours of community service as an E-1, three hours are applied to the E-2 advancement but you will still be required to perform at least 3 more hours as an E-2 for advancement to E-3. a. For advancement to SN the member will perform at least 3 hours of community service as an SA. b. For advancement to PO3 the member will perform at least 3 hours of community service as an SN. c. For advancement to PO2 the member will perform at least 6 hours of community service as a PO3. d. For advancement to PO1 the member will perform at least 6 hours of community service as a PO2. e. For advancement to CPO the member will perform at least 9 hours of community service as a PO1. 8. When a member has completed the time in grade, coursework, and advanced training requirements for advancement, the Commanding Officer will consult with the Awards Officer to ensure the member has completed his/her community service requirement. If they have not, the advancement will be held in abeyance until the requirement is met.
9. When a member has completed 30 hours of Community Service, the Awards Officer will advise the Commanding Officer and arrange for the member to be awarded a certificate and ribbon (or bronze star) at the next opportunity. LCDR Forrest W. Woodward NSCC, Regional Director Effective Date: 01 July, 2014
Appendix A United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps Region 3-4 Member Name & Rank USNSCC COMMUNITY SERVICE REPORT Name of Organization Where Community Service is Being Performed Description of Work Performed: Time Reported Date Reported Organization Signature Time Departed Date Departed Organization Signature OFFICE USE ONLY Date Received Hours Authorized PAO Signature Comm Service Report Admin Remarks Admin Officer Signature See paragraph 6 a through e for explanation of required information and how to fill out this report.