District AuxAir 82nd Squadron

Transcription

1 District Eight Eastern Region New Focus for Spring D-Train page 6 Interview with CAPT Boross page 9 FEBRUARY 2016 Auxiliary a Force Multiplier page 11 District AuxAir 82nd Squadron Responds to Mississippi River Flood Assessment The District 8-Eastern Region AuxAir 82nd Squadron deployed multiple aircraft and crews in response to a Sector Ohio Valley (SOHV) request to provide air support for the assessment of the Mississippi River flooding in the Paducah, Kentucky area and western edge of the District Area of Operations (AOR) during the period December 31, 2015 through January 4, Squadron flight crews safely flew six operational sorties during the five-day mission in complex, challenging and physicallydemanding flight conditions and environment, and provided immediate, critical and significant information and photographs that otherwise could not have Flooding waters on the Mississippi River shoot over this spillway near Paducah, KY. Unusually severe winter storms forced the river to rise to near record levels, causing thousands to evacuate their homes. Continued on page 2

2 Flood Assessment Continued from page 1 Personnel directly involved with missions: LT Paul Williams, USCG ATC Mobile LT Mark Bender, USCG Sector Ohio Valley 82nd Squadron personnel: Mark Elvis Lapenna, DSO-AV 8ER Loren Gizmo Schafer, ADSO-AV-AAC 8ER Kevin Carnac Gallagher, DFSO-8ER Steve Cappy Campbell, Aircraft Commander Byron Rambo Chapman, Aircraft Commander Don Joker Hunnicutt, Aircraft Comdr. Nick Hutch McManus, Co-pilot Mike Doc Heid, Air Crew Ruth Panther Ring, Air Crew Barge travel continues down the swollen Mississippi River, even when it becomes hard to see where the river ends and dry land begins. been gathered by Sector Ohio Valley resources. 82nd Squadron aircraft also provided an airborne platform for active duty Coast Guard personnel to observe the situation first-hand. Fortunately the weather cooperated and the missions were successful. Behind the scenes, LT Paul Williams, HC-144 Pilot and Auxiliary Liaison Officer (AuxLO), Coast Guard Aviation Training Center (ATC) Mobile (flight orders issuing authority); LT Mark Bender, Incident Management Chief and AuxLO, Sector OHV; Aircraft Commander Loren Schafer, Assistant District Staff Officer-Aviation, and Squadron Commander Mark Lapenna, DSO-AV, worked overtime and late into the day by phone, and text messaging to get the logistics sorted out for every mission: aircraft and crew assignments, flight planning, flight order approvals and mission parameters. Flight crews also worked late into the day after each mission to ensure that photos, related logs and mission-related information were uploaded and distributed. Overall, 82nd Squadron flights were able to cover a significant portion of Sector OHV s AOR for high-water assessment including the Ohio River from east of Cincinnati to Louisville; on to Evansville, Indiana and from northeast of Paducah to the confluence with the Mississippi River at Cairo, Illinois. The Squadron flights also covered the Upper Mississippi River from mile 082 to Lower Mississippi River mile 880. In addition to 82nd Squadron aircraft on scene, Coast Guard provided additional assets of two HH-65 Dolphin helicopters and one HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft. BRAVO ZULU to Team Coast Guard personnel and 82nd Squadron flight crews for their initiative, dedication and commitment to a job well done. Story by Mark Elvis Lapenna, DSO-AV Photos by Nick Hutch McManus ADSO-AV 2

3 MESSAGE FROM The Commodore COMMODORE S PERSPECTIVE Now that I have completed one year of my two year term as Commodore, I can not only look back at 2015, but I can also look ahead to was a great year with many accomplishments and firsts. We started by ensuring each of our twenty-one Staff areas had a strong capable District Staff Officer with strong capable Assistant District Staff Officers to assist and develop as future District Staff Officers assignments. We implemented aggressive goals and objectives set forth by the EXCOM and the Auxiliary manuals. The District leadership encouraged close working relationships with the Division Staff Officers and Flotilla Staff Officers as well as Staff Officers from other Districts. Finally, we set-up reporting procedures to monitor and ensure our goals were being met. The District implemented the new Incident Management Program and exceeded the goals set by National. We appointed a new DSO-IM and IM Staff. The District integrated our existing Communications Program with our Everbridge Notification Program and Division calling tree program to greatly increase our communication capabilities during any type of threat or emergency event. The DSO-CM increased the number of HF radio stations and held regular exercises with the other Eighth Western Region members. In conjunction with the new IM Program, the District ensured that we had a strong Coordinator with Sector, our three Marine Safety Units and our two Marine Safety Detachments within the Eighth Eastern Region. This not only improved our working relationship with Sector, the Units and Detachments, but it also increased our overall Force Multiplier capability with the Coast Guard. In 2015, many Districts went from two D-Trains per year to one D-Train per year. This was a direct result of decreased Coast Guard funding due to sequestration. Our District was able to hold two full D-Trains, the Spring D-Train in Dayton, Ohio, and the Fall D-Train in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. We were able to do this by having the District fund all the District Staff Officers expenses to Pittsburgh. This was money well spent as our District Staff Officers are such an important part of our organization. In 2016, we are also planning on having two full D-Trains. Our Spring D-Train will be at McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base in Knoxville, Tennessee, on April 7th, 8th and 9th. Having a D-Train on a military base will be a first for our District. McGhee Tyson has state-of-the-art classroom and video/audio facilities along with potential cost savings. Much of the training will be geared toward our newer members in an effort to get them more involved. Our Fall D-Train will be held in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on September 15th, 16th and 17th. Once again the District will fund the Staff Officers to attend to ensure a full D-Train and not just a District Board meeting as many other Districts are doing. McGhee Tyson ANGB is home to the I.G. Brown Training & Education Center will see an even greater emphasis on Coast Guard cooperation through an expanded Incident Management Program, better working relationships with the Sectors, Units and Detachments as well as increased training opportunities to backfill Coast Guard functions. The Auxiliary represents approximately thirty-five percent of the active, reserve, civilian and volunteer Auxiliary members of the Coast Guard family. No other military service has such a component authorized to assist in nine out of eleven stated Coast Guard missions. Continued on page 5 3

4 MESSAGE FROM The Chief of Staff TIME FLIES We have heard the phrase, Time Flies When You re Having Fun. With this said, I had a tremendous time in The year passed so fast and here we are well on our way into 2016, with the promise of a fantastic year for District Eight Eastern Region. I have had the honor of meeting with a few Divisions so far this year at your Change of Watch Events. With the energy your incoming leadership shows, you are in for a successful year. I will not be able to get around to all our Divisions for their Change of Watch, but will make every effort to get to your Division this year to visit. For those of you that have completed your Mandated Training, thank you! In checking completions, our District continues to improve from month to month, however the rate of improvement could be much better. I don t need to remind you, the reader, of the consequences of not completing these simple courses. Our Flotillas have an added incentive in the area of Mandated Training. In a recent L2 (National Messaging System) Digest entry, our National EXCOM has announced that there is now a National Commodore (NACO) Three Star Award. This award recognizes those Flotillas that achieve at least ninety percent of membership completing the 10 Auxiliary Mandated Training Courses. Some Flotillas have met this qualification requirement and will be recognized for efforts in meeting this goal. I hope you took the time to read The Navigator Annual Edition when it was published late last year. Commodore Mark Simoni explained his thoughts on mentoring and why mentors matter more now, more than ever. Mentoring is vital to success. A good mentoring program will elevate our retention levels in our Flotillas. Commodore Rick Washburn followed with his article on personal involvement being one of the keys to the Auxiliary s future. The only way our future will work and be successful is through our membership, and not the old twenty percent of the old eighty/twenty rule, but all our members working together. So, you can see that our National Leadership is on the same page. We can grow and succeed if we follow the lead set forth from NACO and VNACO. I also offer you a few more ingredients for success that I use for my personal guidance in the form of Watch Words, and I share these with not only our Elected and Appointed Leadership, but every member of District Eight Eastern as well. Communication is primary to success of any organization. The Chain of Leadership and Management and the Parallel Staffing Chain are two proven lines of communication and should be used for continuity in communication. However, I ask you all to open up lines of communication outside your comfort zones. I found early on when I was first elected to the position of Flotilla Commander that I could learn from others, all I had to do was go to the Auxiliary Directory and randomly find the phone number of someone in the same position I held, call them and strike up a conversation. I believe in networking, using the available tools we have and I cannot begin to tell you how much information you can pick up by speaking with a new friend. Energy is contagious. Ever sit through a meeting that you wish you hadn t gone to? Have you ever gone to a meeting you didn t want to leave? I think you see where I m going with this. Energy is contagious, so give it a try. Responsibility is one of the most important ingredients to success. We all took a Pledge to be responsible leaders and members. As leaders we have responsibilities to our membership and the organization. Responsibility goes hand in hand with accountability and commitment. Continued on page 5 4

5 Commodore s Message Continued from page 3 Although 2015 was an excellent year, we will start 2016 with approximately twelve percent fewer members. The factors that contributed to this decline include decreased funding, dues increases, mandated training and increased amount of time it currently takes to get an initial security clearance. We, as an organization, need to increase our efforts in recruiting and retention to build our numbers back up. Our District needs to do a better job of identifying our new member s interests, providing meaningful training and assigning a mentor or mentors to ensure we do not lose this valuable asset. As in any organization, the Auxiliary is only as good as our members. I challenge the entire membership to get more involved, to take advantage of the numerous training opportunities, to sponsor a new member and to take on leadership roles. We must remember that with challenges come opportunities. EDITORIAL STAFF Curt Pratt DSO - PB Division 18 COMO Rick Schal, DCO 8ER Diane Gilman ADSO - PB Division 11 Geri McKee ADSO - PB Division 8 Chief of Staff Message Continued from page 4 Visibility I cannot say enough about. Every time we put our uniform on we become the face of the Coast Guard to the Public. However, this is only part of the equation. Our leaders have a responsibility to be visible out front leading the team. The horizon is more visible out front than from behind the wagon. Likewise our membership has the responsibility to be visible as well in our activities. I hope you take these words to heart, ponder them, and lay out a vision of how you can better serve our organization. I think you may like the results. I would be remiss if I did not recognize our District Staff Officers and Assistant District Staff Officers from Bravo Zulu on a job well done. I want to thank those that stepped up again for 2016 and also those that are coming on board this year. I look for a great year in 2016 and as always, let me know how I can better serve you. Bill Smith ADSO - PB Division 12 CONTRIBUTORS Mark Elvis Lapenna- DSO-AV Nick McManus -ADSO-AV Pete Evans - FSO-PA COMO Rick Schal - DCO Randy Ventress - DCOS Randy Ventress, DCOS 8ER 5

6 Innovation Focus of Spring D-Train Major Format Changes Slated for McGhee Tyson Event McGhee Tyson ANGB is located at McGhee Tyson Airport near Knoxville Tenn. with the Smoky Mountains as a backdrop. It is located approximately 10 miles south of Knoxville. It was the site of McGhee Tyson Air Force Base from 1952 until Positive change, opportunity and innovation will be the focus of this year s District Eight, Eastern Region, Spring D-Train. The annual event, to be hosted by Division 12 on 7-8 April at the McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, will feature sweeping changes in format and an atmosphere that is going to be a new experience for many U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary members. I want to invite the entire membership including new members for training, fellowship and a better understanding of how we operate, District 8ER Commodore Rick Schal said. I want everyone to understand this is a first for the Auxiliary by having a D-Train on a military base. This is a tremendous opportunity for the Auxiliary to work in an active duty setting and with Air National Guard personnel. The experience will be very different, Division 12 Commander Dave Roberts said. Division 12 is really excited about hosting the Spring 2016 D-Train because I believe it may prove to be the most unusual one ever. I say unusual because we will be using the facilities of the I.G. Brown Training and Education Center on McGhee Tyson ANGB. The Brown Center is a purpose built campus with state-of-the-art classrooms and meeting facilities, plus award-winning dining & lodging, Roberts explained. Major innovations in the training, expectations and Continued on page 7 6

7 Spring D-Train Continued from page 6 general environment will greet members who choose to attend, said Roberts. We have a very ambitious training plan which includes all Mandated Training; the 3 required AUXOP courses, AUXSEA, AUXCOM, and AUXWEA; Flotilla Leadership Course; Division Commander Workshop; and the required workshops for OPS and TCT. In order to provide all of this the EXCOM has agreed that we will offer 3 half-day blocks of Instruction starting on Friday after lunch, Roberts said. We have tried to focus this D-Train on the membership by making it affordable with a wide range of training available, he added. Members will be able to attend and go home with a good start on AUXOP, plus be MT complete. What s not to like? This unique opportunity will require that participating Auxiliary members need to be ready to interact with active duty Air National Guard personnel and act as any uniformed individual would on a military base, both Schal and Roberts said. I want everyone to understand this is a first for the Auxiliary by having a D-Train on a military base, Schal said. Tropical Blue Uniform, Blue Blazer Outfit, or appropriate business casual will be the Uniform of the Day for Thursday Evening, Friday all day (Fun Night civilian casual), and Saturday Training. No ODUs. If you do not have a current I.D. you will have to register with a current drivers license number to get on base. We are working on getting base overnight housing at no cost for members under non-reimbursable orders. Members will be able to request non-reembursable orders and stay on base at no charge and eat in the dinning facility for about $15 per day, Roberts added. There will be a host hotel for anyone who wants to bring their nonmember spouse. Additional information can be obtained from your Division Commander or from our website, Schal said. Story and Photos by H William Smith, ADSO-PB The I.G. Brown Center is a state-of-the-art training facility that will be the focus of an innovative slate of training opportunities at D-Train. The base is also the home of the 134th Air Refueling Wing (134 ARW) of the Tennessee Air National Guard. 7

8 District 8ER Spring 2016 D-Train April 7-9, 2016 I.G. Brown Training and Education Center McGhee Tyson ANGB, TN info: All MEMBERS can request non-reimbursable orders to stay on base at no charge. YOU MUST HAVE ORDERS TO STAY ON BASE travel request form: Travel Request form MUST BE COMPLETED NLT 1 MAR in order to receive non-reimbursable orders. Those members accompanied by spouse, Host Hotel: COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT KNOXVILLE AIRPORT/ALCOA 141 Furrow Way, Alcoa, TN (865) Phone (865) FAX Rate: $89.00 Proposed training: AUXSEA, AUXCOM, AUXWEA, Flotilla Leadership Course, Mandated Training, Ops workshop, VE workshop, TCT refresher, DCDR workshop, DSO workshop Friday night fun night: A TASTE OF TENNESSEE Commodore s Banquet: Admiral David Callahan, Commander 8th Coast Guard District, guest speaker On base dining will be available: 3 meals/day $13.85 total There will be a Consignment Store available at D-Train that will allow members to sell their unused articles of clothing and other Auxiliary accouterments. 8

9 Keeping the Chain Bright Continued from page 2 CAPT F. Thomas Boross Links the Auxiliary and Active Service Native American traditions among tribes inhabiting the region surrounding Pittsburgh speak of keeping the metaphorical chain that binds allies together bright and solid. That ancient symbolism aptly fits Chief of Auxiliary and Boating Safety Captain F. Thomas Boross. CAPT Boross is the current link in the chain that binds the active duty Coast Guard and its Auxiliary together as the liaison between the two. During a recent conversation with the Heartland Guardian at the District 8 ER Fall D-Train in Pittsburgh, it was abundantly clear that CAPT Boross believes the link between the Auxiliary and the active duty Coast Guard is bright and strong. Throughout the D-Train activities CAPT Boross, a Pittsburgh native, was readily approachable to anyone wanting to talk Auxiliary and the Coast Guard. His enthusiasm for boating safety and the Auxiliary s mission of promoting safe boating behaviors, was obvious. What follows is a bit of the conversation between the Heartland Guardian and CAPT Boross, the active duty link between the Auxiliary and the Service it supports. The passion this man has for his work and its connection to the Auxiliary was obvious throughout the conversation. A Passion For Service Heartland Guardian Why are you so passionate about the Auxiliary? CAPT Boross - I am passionate about the Auxiliary because Auxiliarists, when you look at Maslow s hierarchy of self-actualization I am blessed to deal with human beings that are at the very top of that pyramid You are dealing with people that have lived significant lives of purpose; have significant accomplishments and are willing to contribute their time, talent and treasure for Continued on page 10 9

10 CAPT Boross Continued from page 9 the Coast Guard s mission to protect lives and to protect property at sea. This is especially true in a constrained resource world that the United States Coast Guard is confronted with at the Federal level, he added. The Auxiliary As a Resource Heartland Guardian - Throughout the discussion CAPT Boross stressed the value of the Auxiliary as a resource, not only for the Coast Guard in tight economic times, but more importantly for the American boating public. CAPT Boross - I am passionate about the Coast Guard Auxiliary because (of) the importance to the U. S Coast Guard of tapping into people who know what they re doing and who understand that the highest calling is service to others. I m very passionate about leveraging Auxiliarists to engage the boating public because we can have more force multiplying impact through the Coast Guard Auxiliary in the recreational boating safety mission than we can in virtually any other approach to the American boating public. Leadership Is The Key I look upon each and every Auxiliarist as a leader, he explained. They are leaders in their families. They are leaders in their schools, churches and communities. Generally, Auxiliarists live near and are around bodies of water and around bodies of water there are opportunities for enjoyment, opportunities for pleasure, but, there are inherent, latent, risks and Auxiliarists manage those risks very well. Heartland Guardian - Captain Boross went on to say that Auxiliary members are shining lights in the communities they serve. CAPT Boross They know what they re doing, the captain continued, saying, The American Public, and their interactions with Auxiliarists Auxiliarists represent beacons and fonts of knowledge to less experienced boaters. In effect, Auxiliarists serve as light houses, you represent safe harbor and safe havens for the American citizen and the boating public to turn to when you are out there. Because you are not law enforcement, you are not a military force projection entity, you are actually subject matter experts in your chosen craft, be it surface vessels, aircraft, communications or if you have subject matter expertise in high technology, or if you are an interpreter who speaks a language besides English. You have resources; you have time; you have talent that any Coastguardsman would be foolish to neglect or not try to leverage, or not try to engage in advancing recreational boating safety. Heartland Guardian - Captain Boross said that he considers the Auxiliary as an integral part of the Coast Guard team when it comes to promoting and developing safe boating behavior in the American boating public and that it is the absence of safe boating behaviors that contributes to the tragic loss of life on America s waterways. CAPT Boross - It is not our regulatory, thou shalt do this, thou shalt not do that approach, he said of the Auxiliary and Coast Guard s approach to boating safety. It is actually a holistic, public health approach that we need to employ, that your U. S. Coast Guard needs to employ. Because Auxiliariasts, in a very non-condescending, nonconfrontational way can communicate with the boating public, you can speak to people s interests, you can highlight for them what safe boating behaviors are. You practice them, you demonstrate them, you embody safe boating behaviors. And, the American public would be very wise and very shrewd to look and listen any time they are around a Coast Guard Auxiliarist They will learn, by observing, they will learn by engaging when they speak to an Auxiliarist, because Auxiliarists are accomplished people who have done great things in their lives. And, like I said at the top, you guys are at the top of the hierarchy of self-actualization. If you don t know how to learn on your own, the Coast Guard Auxiliary represents, I believe, the single best opportunity for an American to learn how to safely enjoy our nation s waterways. Story and Photos by H William Smith, ADSO-PB 10

11 A FORCE MULTIPLIER How the Auxiliary enhances the Coast Guard mission The January (2016 Almanac) issue of SEAPOWER magazine highlights the current state of the sea services (Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine). The almanac issue typically provides a summary of each service s, mission, priorities, status of the fleet (including aircraft) and C4ISR systems (Command, Control, Communications, Computer, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance). While the other services barely mention their reserve elements, the Coast Guard specifically mentions the Auxiliary and its mission. As stated on page 132, paragraph three, The Coast Guard Auxiliary comprises 29,620 volunteers who support boating safety, marine environmental protection and search and rescue missions. This nod to the Auxiliary shows that we are, in fact, an important element of the Coast Guard mission, a FORCE MULTIPLIER. In military terms, Force Multiplier refers to a factor that dramatically increases (multiplies) the effectiveness of an item, weapon system or group. When applying this term to the Auxiliary we are force multipliers in three important areas: 1) Boating Safety. We teach the Boating Safety and Seamanship classes, provide vessel inspections, safety patrols, aid to navigation patrols and in many inland waterways we are the only Coast Guard presence. 2) Marine Environmental Protection. Auxiliarists provided operational support for the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Through our surface and air patrols we monitor/document any abnormalities in the water/shoreline and report it to the Coast Guard. Auxiliary Air divisions recently provided operational support/aircraft during the Mississippi River flooding (Dec, 2015). Continued on page 12 11

12 Force Multiplier Continued from page 11 Aux 10 C-School City Date Kansas City, MO 3/10/2016-3/13/2016 Livonia, MI 3/31/2016-4/3/2016 Durham, NC 4/7/2016-4/10/2016 Louisville, KY 4/28/2016-5/1/2016 3) Search and Rescue. At a moments notice, any auxiliary patrol can become a search and rescue mission. We are often the first response element until additional support arrives from the Coast Guard or other agencies. Our assistance and expertise in the above areas allow the Coast Guard to focus its activeduty resources in support of our National Security strategies such as, drug and human trafficking interdiction, fisheries enforcement and expanded Arctic operations. This era of a reduced federal budget continues to provide many challenges for the Coast Guard, as well as the other armed services. Doing more with less is a common mantra within DOD and DHS circles. Story by Pete Evans, FSO-PA Photos courtesy USCG Auxiliary The preliminary 2016 Aux-10 class schedule has been published to the Aux-10 C-school web site: The classes so far scheduled for 2016 will be: We anticipate that two additional classes later in 2016 will be added to the schedule soon. IS officers who would like to attend one of the classes should submit a Short Term Training Request (STTR) to their DIRAUX as soon as possible. Regards, Kevin Redden Deputy Director IT User Support & Services Directorate 12