Operations TRAINING. Auxiliary Helps With Pony Swim page 6. What Can I do in AP Status? page 8. Report from NACON page 9 SEPTEMBER

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1 District Eight Eastern Region Auxiliary Helps With Pony Swim page 6 What Can I do in AP Status? page 8 SEPTEMBER Report from NACON page 9 Operations TRAINING To be good at anything one needs to train. To be great at anything one needs to train all the time. The United States Coast Guard recently held a Coxswain Crew Boat Force College at MSU Paducah. Qualified Coxswain, or Crew from the Reserve side attended the training from Sector Ohio Valleys Area of Operation. They were invited to attend the Operations training, the first class of its kind for the Coast Guard. During this class there were 12 Coxswain break-ins and 3 Crew break-ins. This class was the first where instructors from Coxswain C school have gone outside of Yorktown to instruct this hands on response qualification. Many of the Reservists who attended from MSU Pittsburgh and Huntington along with Response Boat Small (RBS) With reservists on board taking Auxiliary vessel in a Stern to bow tow. The vessels were on Kentucky Lake Near Kentucky Dam Marina. Continued on page 2

2 Operations Training Continued from page 1 RBS 25 with Reservists pulling in from the bow tow to tie up a side by side tow. These evolutions were practiced many times during the three day period. the MSD Cincinnati group already knew all the topics, but everyone must train. BM1 DeWayne Visser from MSU Paducah was contacted by Yorktown a couple of months before to help set up space and arrange for the area familiarization. BM1 Visser was excited to be part of this first ever event, and stated this training is vital for all Coxswain and Crew. Everyone needs to be on the same page so we can work together flawlessly in any event or evolution. The skills used on a boat underway are not normal. They are learned the way one learns any skill, they must be performed over and over again. For those people who spend lots of time on the water it is second nature to always have 3-point contact, for those people who do not have a clue what 3-point contact is, training would be essential for you to just not fall overboard. The class was centered on Reservists going for their Coxswain qualification. While they were here they completed about 90% of Coxswain PQS and logged 70 plus underway hours. During the classroom training required topics such as legal requirements, navigation, regulations, equipment, safety briefs and debriefs, along with Operational Risk Management (GAR), were learned and checked off. The RBS s tied up at Kentucky dam Marina s fuel dock after the evolutions were completed. Continued on page 3 2

3 Operations Continued from page 2 Training Continued from page 2 When the groups were ready to practice their skills on the water, they went over boat handling, operating a vessel safely while towing or recovering a person in the water. They practiced and then practiced some more. The skills of towing a vessel from the stern and then along side, docking the disabled vessel and making sure the people on the disabled vessel were uninjured, lawful and boating in a safe manner, were repeated many times. This is where the training of active duty and the Reserves meets the Coast Guard Auxiliary. During the second week, one of the college RBS s (Response Boat Small) broke down, BM1 contacted the division 8 auxiliary operations officer to ask for help, of course the auxiliary Coxswain and Crew are always eager to get underway. In the past very little cross training has been done between active duty and auxiliary. This summer that changed for the Auxiliary in Division 8. BM1 Visser, from MSU Paducah asked members of Division 8 to launch their Operations Facilities and assist with towing evolutions for the Coxswain/Crew College. The Auxiliary members were honored to participate. For three days the Auxiliary supplied an asset to act as a disabled vessel and was towed by the Active Duty Response Boats Small (RBS) for training purposes. They went through the stern tow evolution and then transitioned to the side tow, over and over again. It was an eye-opening experience for the Aux crew to see how the Active Duty operated. The opportunity to watch several different operators perform the evolutions, the systematic methods of each procedure, the commands given and the required responses, and the efficiency of each task was a priceless training aid for the Aux crew. It made them rethink a lot of their methods of training. Auxiliarist Gregg McKee said this was the best training I have ever had McKee supplied one of the OPFAC for the training, BM1 Visser joined he and his Crew on the third day of training on facility to observe how things were going during training. The Auxiliary members involved have worked with the Active duty and Reserve in the past, the training they witnessed will be carried over as training continues with the Auxiliary members. As each person in the Coast Guard - whether Active Duty, Reserve or Auxiliary - is asked to do so much more with much less time and assets, it is vital that everyone: speaks the same language, handles a line the same, repeats commands the same, and understand the importance of everyone being on the same page. Everyone involved with the training efforts agreed, these tasks need to be repeated and repeated and repeated. Story by Geri McKee ADSO-PB Photos by Paul Memmer SO-MT, and Geri McKee Rob Sorg, FC 08-05, sitting in the bow of his vessel waiting to be taken in tow by the RBS. 3

4 MESSAGE FROM The Chief of Staff From NACON to D-TRAIN The bags are unpacked and the laundry is done from National Conference (NACON 2015) in San Antonio, Texas recently and now we are gearing up for Fall DTRAIN I would like to offer a few observations of NACON and give you a bit of insight in what to expect for Fall DTRAIN. Job #1 is Recreational Boating Safety. This statement resounded throughout NACON and could not be more appropriate in stating our Primary Mission for the Coast Guard. In everything we do, Boating Safety Classes, Program Visits, Vessel Examinations, our focus should be on continually improving our processes and sharpening our talents. Commodore Schal and I had the good fortune to spend a few minutes with Captain F. Thomas Boross, Chief Director of the Auxiliary (CHDIRAUX). Captain Boross, both in this conversation and in his speeches, had Job # 1 RBS as the main subject and in his voice was a level of passion you rarely see. One point Captain Boross made was to not rest on the laurels of our successes. If we (we are all in this together) lose even one life due to a boating accident, then we have failed. Even though the period of 2012 to 2014 was one of the safest periods in the history of statistics, we failed over six hundred times each year during that period. Six-hundred members of the boating community failed to come home. Moving on, we have had an astronomical amount of New Member Applications (ANSC 7001) returned and due almost entirely attributed to improperly filling out the paperwork in the application process. The majority of these are Flotilla Commanders, Human Resources Officers, or others signing as Certifying Officials on Section Nine, page three (Auxiliary FT/ CV). There is some confusion in this area as to who is a Certifying Official. This is a subset of being a Finger Print Technician, so the only person that can verify Citizenship is either a Finger Print Technician or Police Officer if having the prints done, downtown. More will be brought out in Lynn Miles HR Workshop at DTRAIN. The Auxiliary homepage, CGAUX.org has had a much San Antonio is also home to the famous Alamo mission and site of the historic 1836 battle that ultimately united the people of Texas to repulse the Mexican Army. Continued on page 5 4

5 Chief of Staff Continued from page 4 needed facelift, so please check it out. The intent is to make the homepage more user friendly. Look for this concept to roll throughout the Auxiliary system and I have seen many changes to quite a few of the sites already. Commodore Rick Washburn, VNACO, spoke on an item of interest for everyone in this organization. You are who you attract. We should all raise and push the standards of how we wear the uniform. On the subject of Mandated Training, Commodore Washburn reminded everyone that Mandated Training is not unique to the Auxiliary, that every Industry or Business has required training and standards in some form. I could fill this newsletter with notes from NACON 2015, Commodore Mark Simoni, NACO, Admiral Paul Zukunft, and others passed on great information and perhaps we can revisit at a later date. Commodore Larry King, Deputy National Commodore will be at our Fall DTRAIN and will give us a more comprehensive update from NACON. Turning our attention to our upcoming DTRAIN I would like to give everyone a bit of information on a few things that we have going on. One, as many of you may have heard, our Ships Store will be having a Consignment table. This is your opportunity to bring in serviceable Auxiliary items and offer these items for sale. The Ship s Store will keep a portion of the sale and you can get your unwanted, but yet usable items out of the closet. Please do not bring anything that is unserviceable or not Auxiliary related. It will be the individuals responsibility to pick up any unsold item before the Ships Store closes on Saturday or the items become the property of the Ships Store. While the concept may not be new, we are having a Staff Officer Workshop on Saturday. This workshop is not only for our District Staff Officers, but Staff Officers on the Flotilla and Division levels, and anyone that may be interested in becoming a Staff Officer on any of these three levels. This will also be an opportunity for our Staff Officers meet and get to know those that are in their Parallel Staffing Chain. Additionally anyone may attend. On the subject of Staff Officers, as I close, Commodore Schal and I will be asking that every DSO, ADSO, and anyone desiring to become a District Staff Officer or Assistant District Staff Officer, fill out an application for the position you desire. This will be a yearly requirement and the form is found on our District website requiring a Member Zone login. Click the link on the left District Staff, then Policies and Procedures on the dropdown. The form is the second item down on the list in the middle of the page. There is also a copy of the application on the last page of this newsletter. Please fill it out and send it back to me if you are interested in a District Staff Office or Assistant position. All applications will be considered. I look forward to seeing you all at Fall DTRAIN EDITORIAL STAFF Curt Pratt DSO - PB Division 18 Geri McKee ADSO - PB Division 8 Bill Smith ADSO - PB Division 12 Alesea Casto Smith ADSO - PB Division 2 DISTRICT REVIEWER CONTRIBUTORS Paul Memmer - SO-MT Fred Gilman - ADSO-IM Randy Ventress - DCOS Diane Gilman ADSO - PB Division 11 Randy Ventress, DCOS 8ER 5

6 Sharing Duties Across Districts Two members perspectives Tens of thousands of spectators from around the world gather on Chincoteague Island, VA each year to watch this annual pony swim marks the 90th year for the event. The Auxiliary participates by performing safety patrols during the event. Place: Sector Hampton Roads-Station Chincoteague We were invited to help out with the open house at Station Chincoteague. This is our old District 5 SR Flotilla Our friends from our past Flotilla asked us [Fred and Diane Gilman] to help with Coastie at their open house at the Station. Being Coastie operators we were happy to say yes that we would be there. Each year during Pony Swim Week on the Island of Chincoteague, USCG Station Chincoteague holds an Open House. We helped by setting up some of the booths and getting Coastie ready to greet the visitors. The visitor count numbered about 700 at the end of the day. We ran Coastie #45. He spent most all day talking to visitors, children and adults alike, stopping and spending time at the PA Booths around the base. The booths showed and talked about safety with Vessel Exams, Life Jackets, Knot Tying, Paddle Craft, and a Boat driving simulator and a demonstration on the automated radio checks. Coastie enjoyed a chance to watched a helicopter demonstration of a USCG swimmer going in the water to make a rescue and being picked up back into the helicopter. It was a great day and we had lots of fun. The next day Fred crewed for an Auxiliary patrol for Station Chincoteague. While getting underway heading to their assigned Visitors take time to watch a USCG rescue swimmer demonstration. Continued on page 7 6

7 Sharing Continued from page 6 patrol zone we heard a distress call come over the radio. A boat had run aground with one person reporting injuries. PATCOM asked that we take the CG safety zone as well as our no wake zone while they attended to the incident. The person was brought to a close harbor where EMS personnel had her medivaced to a hospital. When the Coast Guard returned we resumed our assigned no wake zone. After the swim was over we noticed a Charter Boat was sitting hard aground. We made sure everyone was safe and reported the findings to PATCOM. The Coast Guard was going to check on them after everybody exited the area and until the next high tide 12 hrs. later if needed assuring everyone s safety. This event was set up under the Incident Management System. It involved multiple agencies; the Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary, State and Local Police, EMS, Virginia Marine Police, National Park Service, Fireman and the Salt Water Cowboys. The Incident Management System has no boundaries and when used properly is a useful tool to work together as a unit as it did in this National event. Coastie poses with his big brother at Station Chincoteague. Story and Photos by Fred Gilman ADSO-IM and Diane Gilman ADSO-PB Operation: Consignment Sale Beginning Fall D-Train 2015, in Pittsburgh, we will be having a consignment table available at our Ships Store. Members may bring in usable, serviceable Auxiliary items for sale on a seventy-five to twenty-five (75% / 25% )split on the proceeds with the twenty-five percent going into the Ships Store fund. All items must be Auxiliary related such as uniforms, operational items, radios or logo wear. District members are encouraged to use this venue to clean out cabinets, closets, etc. Outdated, non-serviceable, and soiled items will not be accepted. Any item left when the Ships Store closes on Saturday of D-Train will become the property of the Ships Store to sell at a later date. Pickup is the responsibility of the member leaving the item(s). This will be a good way to put a little back into the coffers of the Ships Store while giving us all an opportunity to share what we are no longer using. 7

8 What can I do while in AP status? Story by Alesea Casto Smith, ADSO-PB Waiting on a favorable PSI (Personal Security Investigation) is one of the hardest things that you, as a Coast Guard Auxiliarist, will have to do. The PSI can take anywhere from a few months to over a year. You can almost feel the clock ticking away as you wait and wait and then wait some more. Don t worry, you are not the only one in AP status. We all had to go through the same thing! Training: May I say the worst thing you can do is absolutely nothing! You can train right alongside the best and the brightest Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliarists. Doing what you ask? Here is a partial list: You are authorized to take any and all courses that Auxiliarists are authorized to take (Flotillas should provide training materials) You can take any and all end-of-course tests associated with the courses you take You are authorized to receive the corresponding course completion certificates upon successfully completing all course requirements You can attend workshops You can complete ICS FEMA Courses You can train and complete the AUXOP Programs (with a caveat, you will not be awarded AUXOP until successful completion of the P.S.I.) NOTE: Please make sure you keep copies of all completed training! Other things you may do in AP Status: Vote in any Flotilla matter including voting for elected officers Purchase and wear Auxiliary uniform items Be administered the Pledge for New Members Be presented with the Auxiliary Membership Certificate Fly the Coast Guard Auxiliary Ensign Earn and wear Auxiliary and Coast Guard Awards Attend all Auxiliary national, district, division, and flotilla meetings & training sessions Course completions and test results are authorized to be entered into AUXDATA You can receive Auxiliary publications, flotilla newsletters, Navigator Magazine, etc. Offer your surface and air facilities for use and have them accepted Offer your personal vehicle for use with restrictions Programs that require interim certifications or have limitations (Auxiliarists may not be fully qualified until he/she has at least a Favorable OS or DO PSI determination): Coxswain, Personal Watercraft Operator and All Aviation Program Competencies Instructors, Marine Environmental Specialists and Public Affairs Outreach Events Things you cannot do: Run for, accept nomination for, or hold any elected office or appointed office You cannot be qualified as a Fingerprint Technician You are not authorized to be qualified as a Citizenship Verifier All Coast Guard Auxiliarists IQ, BQ and AUXOP have all been through the AP Status! Please be patient, your time will come. If you run out of patience please contact your Flotilla Commander or Human Resources Officer. Nobody wants you to quit! You are a very important part of our Coast Guard Auxiliary! 8

9 Deep in the Heart of Texas Attending NACON For the First Time The first time for anything can be scary and that thought was front and center as the plane touched down in San Antonio recently. Attending the National Convention of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary for the first time and tasked with writing about it was both an opportunity and a challenge that ultimately proved much more interesting and rewarding than was anticipated when the mission was accepted. way to National Commodore Mark Simoni. It was how that leadership functions and sets the course for the Auxiliary that proved to be much more interesting than was anticipated. There are a whole lot of really talented people who have chosen to help guide the ship through occasionally rough waters. Attending NACON also offered the opportunity to get to know both Eighth Eastern Region Commodore Rick Schal and Chief of Staff Randy Ventress better and to learn from them a lot about how the Auxiliary is structured at the District and National levels. Both COMO Schal and DCOS Ventress went out of their way to be inclusive and welcoming to this Flotilla member. Many members never get the chance to attend this annual gathering of the Auxiliary s top decision makers. The prospect of counting stars and stripes on shoulder boards is not why most members join the outfit. Most folks are typically concerned with their own flotilla and spend their Auxiliary careers in positions supporting missions that concern them and their home waters. But, the Auxiliary, and its mission of supporting the Coast Guard, is national in scope and as such takes leadership that starts with the flotilla and extends all the 8ER was well represented as OTO Nick Frascella, DCOS Randy Ventress and COMO Rick Schal attend a breakout session. First of all, the rumor that all the national staff and officers do is party is just not true. On Wednesday, 26 August, the conference switched from primarily C-School training and preliminary meetings to a full slate of activities that could be compared to a large D-Train on steroids. The staff and Commodores began meetings at 0800 that extended to On Thursday the meetings started at 0600 and went to 1730 as well. On Friday kickoff was at 0700 and on Saturday started at 0800 and ended at Continued on page 10 9

10 NACON 2015 Continued from page 9 In addition to the usual administrative functions that demand national attention there were three topics that were focal points of discussion at numerous levels. Background checks and AP Status, uniform use and new technologies funded by the dues increase were all topics that were discussed in a variety of settings throughout the conference. The backlog of new Auxiliary members in AP status was a challenge that about everyone was quick to say needed to be solved as soon as possible. It was reported that the root causes of the problem are being addressed Commandant of the Coast Guard, Admiral Paul F. Zukunft, was the featured speaker at NACON. He praised the Auxiliary and the tremendous job it does. He made it clear that the Auxiliary is an important and valued member of Team Coast Guard. There is not enough space here to detail all the topics that were addressed in the wide-ranging discussions, meetings with Coast Guard active duty personnel and training opportunities that were presented to the more than 300 individuals who attended the conference. There was a strong sense throughout the conference that increased communication within the upper echelon of the Auxiliary is a driving force that is leading to positive outcomes. ABOVE: Vice National Commodore Rick Washburn takes a moment to address the assembly. BELOW LEFT: DCOS Randy Ventress engages in a conversation with Commodore John Staggs, DCO 9th Western Region. with some success but that progress is slow. Several new Auxiliary members from around the country who are currently in AP status attended the conference and voiced their frustration with the problem. The question of uniform use and its future was a frequent topic of discussion both internally and with active duty Coast Guard members who were present. Wearing the uniform properly and with pride was stressed by everyone as the best way to represent Team Coast Guard and preserve its use by the Auxiliary. The development of training, public affairs, data transmission and social media platforms were all cited as costs that contributed to the first national Auxiliary dues increase in years. There was plenty of evidence presented Continued on page 11 10

11 NACON 2015 Continued from page 10 to support the need for the increased funding and the positive impact the $12.00 increase will have on the Auxiliary s ability to modernize its operation. Another point of emphasis during the conference was the development of the Auxiliary s paddlecraft vessel examination program and the realization that paddlers present both opportunities and challenges when it comes to promoting recreational boating safety. Here in D-8ER many firsttime boaters are paddlers on our lakes and rivers which makes adapting our missions to include them critical to our success in promoting safe boating practices. Finally, it would be less than truthful to say that the conference was all work and no play. San Antonio is a beautiful, and welcoming, city. The hotel staff made the stay pleasurable and the social functions where great opportunities for networking and discussion of what had transpired each day. As a newcomer to the process, each day ended in exhaustion with ideas for stories and things to take back to the flotilla swirling around. The capstone of the trip was the opportunity to listen to the Commandant of the Coast Guard, Admiral Paul F. Zukunft praise the Auxiliary and define its mission in terms that let everyone in the room know that the Auxiliary IS an important, and valued, member of Team Coast Guard. To say that he was inspiring would be an understatement. ABOVE RIGHT: Commander Kristina Dell Orco, DIRAUX for 8ER poses with Commodore Richard Smetka, Director HR (L) and Commodore Richard Lawrence, IPDCO, 8th Western Rivers. RIGHT: Commodore Rick Schal accepts the Flotilla of the Year Award from Chris Edmondson from Boat U.S. The award went to Flotilla in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Story by H William Smith, ADSO-PB Photos by USCG Auxiliary 11

12 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION U.S. COAST GUARD 8ER 7062 (10-28) MEMBER Date A NUMBER NAME, ADDRESS CITY/STATE/ZIP HOME PHONE - - FAX - - U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY DISTRICT STAFF APPLICATION ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS AUXILIARY AUXOP COX CREW IT VE MV AIR TRAINING OTHER HIGHEST OFFICES HELD & DATE MILITARY EXPERIENCE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE EDUCATION LEVEL HIGH SCHOOL COLLEGE DEGREE(s) MAJORS PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AWARDS/HONORS AUXILIARY AWARDS & HONORS COMPUTER SKILLS IBM/PC MAC LEVEL Amatuer PROGRAMS WHAT TYPE OF WORK DO YOU WANT TO DO LIST QUALIFICATIONS EXPERIENCE AND YEARS I hereby certify that the statements and information contained above and on any additional pages are true and correct and are made with the understanding that they are subject to verification and investigation. I hereby authorize any individual or entity to provide verification of any fact or statement for the official use of the U.S. COAST GUARD, U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY and the U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY 8TH EASTERN REGION. Signature Mail to VCO 8ER Previous editions are obsolete LAST FIRST MIDDLE POSITIONS APPLYING FOR DSO ADSO ATTACH YOUR RESUME --- APPLICATIONS MUST BE RENEWED EVERY TWO YEARS TO REMAIN ACTIVE --- THIS FORM MAY BE REPRODUCED PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT 1. Authority 14 USC 821 and Principal purpose Used to review resume and data for qualification in applying for a District Staff Office and maintaining files. 3. Routine uses All information furnished is for the official use of the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary 8th Eastern Region. 4. Disclosure Voluntary, Failure to provide the requested information may result in no further consideration for a District Staff Office. 12