Heartland Guardian A Newsletter of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, District 082 May 14, 2011 Volume 1, Issue 2 Editor s Note By Timothy W. Hooker, ADSO-PA Welcome to the 2 nd edition of the Heartland Guardian. As the weather gets warmer, I hear my FC calling, asking when we ll be going out to do some VSCs. If you re not familiar with the Vessel Examiner or the Recreational Boater Safety programs, I d encourage you to get involved. It s a hands-on face-to-face opportunity to promote boater safety, as well as the Auxiliary. Meanwhile, there are plenty of other missions popping up in the Auxiliary. Whatever your skill set or interests may be, I m sure there s a place where the Auxiliary needs you. Throughout the summer, as we serve our fellow citizens and put our love of country into action, I hope you ll keep us informed. In so many ways, your flotilla and its members shine. And, we love to brag about you. TWH Director s Cup Award Winners By Lynn Miles, DSO-PA Congratulations go to Jim and Doris Armour for winning the USCG 8th District Commander Prestigious award (the Director s Cup Award), given out annually to a USCGAUX Member. This was the first time that it was awarded to a couple. Jim serves as Flotilla Commander and Doris serves as Vice Flotilla Commander for 082-16-09, located in Cleveland, TN. The Armours are active in the Auxiliary at the Flotilla, Division, and District levels. Jim and Doris Armour are new ADSO-PA's who are working on stepping up a new program for our Public Affairs Department for our District. They are developing the Flags and Ceremony program. There will be an article in the next edition about this new program. Pictured left to right are FC Jim Armour, LCDR William Butler, VFC Doris Armour, and COMO Rick Washburn. They were in civilian clothing because of the Government shut down. Table of Contents Volunteers of Safety 2 Providing Dignity. 3 Staying in the Coast Guard Family.. 3 There is an Opportunity. 3 Heroes Among Us. 4 Crossing the Bar.. 5 1
Volunteers of Safety By Brandon Jones SO-PB, DIV 6 8ER We are the Coast Guard Auxiliary; We check your vessels, then set you free. To roam through our lakes and waterways; For safer boating throughout your days. So take a moment and stop on by; To pass our checklist, on the first try. A sticker of safety you will receive; For a safer voyage, we do believe. Preventative checks, that s what we do; Volunteers of safety through and through. To keep safe in whatever way we can; Every boy and girl, woman and man. We are your Coast Guard Auxiliary; Your friends in safety, we ll always be. Send your stories and photos to thookercgaux@hotmail.com. We d love to hear from you. TWH 2
Providing Dignity By Doris and James Armour, ADSO-PA-- District Color Guard Branch VDCR David Cox is a member of the 16th Division Color Guard Team and has been serving as a Bugler. Since January 2011, VCDR David Cox has played Taps at three funerals of USCG veterans. David has also been working with the Chattanooga National Guard Color Guard Branch. The National Guard Color Guard Branch would like the USCG (after proper Training) to assist them in Presenting the Flag to the Family members of the USCG veterans. We ll keep you posted, as this opportunity to serve develops. Staying in the Coast Guard Family By William Husfield, Divison 8 William G. Keene III, who prefers to be called Gerry, joined the Auxiliary in September 2008 as a result of planning for an air show over the Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau, MO. Gerry was on the Cape Girardeau Airport Board and as it happened the air show never came about but Gerry met Bill and Mary Husfield, members of Auxiliary Flotilla 85 who recruited him. Gerry had some knowledge of the Auxiliary from his active duty, after he graduated from the Coast Guard Academy in 1986. Because of his Academy affiliations, it was a natural fit that he has gotten involved with the Academy Partners Program. Most recently he helped a potential candidate make the choice to go to the Academy versus a real college. She is now a 3/c doing wonderfully and having the time of her life. Earlier, Gerry again assisted a candidate from Cape Girardeau, MO who is currently a LTJG serving in Alaska. During his active duty time he thoroughly enjoyed being at sea and hopes to reactivate that enjoyment by getting into the Auxiliary Boat Crew Program. This is just one of his goals. He would like to become certified as both a Vessel Examiner and as a Program Visitor; he also wishes to advance his skills in the Public Affairs Program that will assist him in getting out the message of the Academy Partners Program and generate more interest in the Auxiliary and eventually earn the Public Affairs Specialist Ribbon. He hopes to see Cape as it is known by locally become a detachment and eventually become a flotilla. There once was a flotilla in Cape back in the days when it was part of Second District Southern Region. There is an opportunity, if you want it By Chuck Tibbens, FSO-PA, Division Four, Flotilla 41 Interviews: At some point in time, as a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary, you just might be asked to either conduct an interview or be interviewed by the press. Just the thought of doing an interview or being interviewed will send some folks running for the hills. If you break down either one into a simple 3
process, it is not the monster you think it is. Conducting an interview: If you need to do an interview for a story that you want others to read, you need to ask yourself some simple questions. Who is going to read the article? What information does the person who you are interviewing have that you want to share? Will you be able to verify the facts that may be presented? Write down your questions; how many will depend on the time the person you have is able to spare. Edit the questions that you have several times, coming up with very concise questions. Remember you are not Dan Rather, trying to get the scoop for the evening news. If possible, let the person you want to interview see a preview of the questions you want to ask. This will help in getting complete answers to your questions. Unless you can take short hand, get a small hand-held recorder and record the interview. Why record? Your biggest job is to be accurate in your reporting and a recorder will allow you to go back and listen to the responses to your questions. Ask permission from the person being interviewed if they would object to being recorded and explain that you do not want to misquote them. They will appreciate your efforts. Being interviewed by the press: Now is the time to think what possible questions you may be asked and write down the answers that you may give. When do you think you would be asked for an interview? In many cases, it is during an Operational Situation. If time is on your side, ask for the questions in advance, so you can respond after gathering the facts. Under no circumstances should you fabricate a false answer. The biggest friend you have is the truth. If you don t know the answer to the question, refer it to a higher authority for an answer. In most cases, the press is not out to get you and they do appreciate your honesty. I recommend that you study the interviews done by Admiral Thad Allen; he was one of the best when it came to being interviewed. Think of the interview, whichever end you are on, as a conduit of information and the main goal is to get the information not only correct, but in a form that can be understood by your audience. Heroes Among Us By Rudy Achata, DCP 16 A few weeks before Memorial Day 2008, I received a Certificate of Auxiliary membership Service Award for Mr. James K. Gribble for 45 years of continuous membership in Chattanooga Division 16, Flotilla 16-07. Mr. Gribble has been on our roster for many years. I had never had the opportunity to meet this gentleman, so I called his home and made an appointment to visit him. My wife and I visited him on Memorial Day and I presented him with the Certificate. I believe that it is appropriate to present such a prestigious certificate in person, rather than just mailing it. And, I discovered a hero in our membership. Mr. Gribble was born in Hickory, NC on August 18, 1922. Shortly after graduation from high school, he was drafted into the U.S. Army Air Corps on January 1, 1943. Very soon after training, he saw action with the 11 th Army Air Corps in Dutch Harbor, AK. After defeating the Japanese in Kiska and Attu, his unit returned to the States for more gunnery training. Soon, he was deployed to North Africa with the mission of destroying enemy positions in Egypt, Libya, and Italy. One day at Torano Air Drome (field) Italy, several G.I.s were in a German abandoned air field looking for light bulbs in a building. They needed these bulbs to use in their tents. PFC Gribble found a German Air Force Officer s uniform, complete with a Photo ID book in one of the pockets. He took it as a war souvenir. His unit also found an abandoned Stucka fighter aircraft which they thought had been piloted by the owner of the uniform. 4
Once, in a Morocco air field, they set up showers for the airmen, since they had not showered for days. The shower was located 300 yards from their tents. Since there were no females in the camp, they walked to the showers with only towels. Upon returning to their tents, they found out the Moroccan civilians stole their uniforms, boots, and all. It was funny to see that many naked G.I.s. Mr. Gribble flew 21 combat missions with the 15 th Air Force, some of them to supply Allied POW camps. He participated in bombing action in Italy at Monte Cassino, Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and oil fields in Romania and the southern part of Germany. While on a mission in Munich, Germany, his plane was damaged by anti-aircraft fire and he was injured. For this action, he received the Purple Heart. His plane, a 24 Liberator, received flak from an ME 262 jet. Since these jets, new to the war, flew so fast, it was hard to fire on them. After finding a Lugar and bringing it to the States, Mr. Gribble started a hobby of collecting weapons. He married his high school sweetheart, Margaret Hobbs, who lived across the street. They have one daughter, Sandra Gribble. He was with the USCGAUX 2 nd Southern Division, Flotilla 6-7-2 and is now one of the charter members of 16-07. He was VFC of Flotilla 10-27. After selling his boat, he became an inactive member. The moral of this story is to learn about members that you do not know. You may find some heroes among them. Crossing the Bar Darrell Gammon, Flotilla 08-11 Upcoming Events May: C-School: Aux 12 Class, BSU Portsmouth, Va., 13-15 May 2011 National Safe Boating Week May 21-27 June: National Fishing and Boating Week - June 4th -12th (possible VSC opportunities). National Marina Day June 11th USCGAUX Birthday June 23rd Operation Dry-Water June 25th-27th Send your stories and photos to thookercgaux@hotmail.com. We d love to hear from you. TWH 5