2010 - USCGAUX District 7
2010 - USCGAUX District 7
2010 - USCGAUX District 7
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Breeze Volume LVI Number 3 Winter <strong>2010</strong><br />
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary 7th <strong>District</strong><br />
http://www.cgaux7.org/<br />
Winner of the<br />
National Public Affairs<br />
Publications Contest<br />
<strong>District</strong> Newsletters<br />
2009 & <strong>2010</strong>
Above: ORLANDO, Fla.– Sep. 23-25, Bruce and Stacey Wright<br />
brought their “Operation WEAR IT Life Jackets for Life” campaign<br />
display to DCON. The two were honored by the Past Division<br />
Captains Assoc. for their tireless activities this year.<br />
Photo by Vicki Aponte<br />
Front Cover: MIAMI- July 24– Aviation Survival Technician<br />
Chief Miles Beardsley, USCG Air Station Miami, prepares to dunk<br />
Sandra Shofner from FL 69 Opa Locka, Fla., for the third time<br />
during an AUX AIR training and recruiting exercise. The recruits<br />
are strapped into a seat with a five point harness, and while wearing<br />
a helmet, are flipped upside down. They must then release<br />
their harness and swim out through the ‘window’. Photo by Brian<br />
Lichtenstein, FL 38<br />
Left: DORAL, Fla. - Julian Corrales, Flotilla 67, spends a few<br />
minutes informing a solider about the many missions of the Auxiliary<br />
during the Coast Guard Day celebration at SOUTHCOM<br />
Headquarters on Wednesday, August 4, <strong>2010</strong>. Photo by Christopher<br />
Todd, DVC-AP. Story on page 22.<br />
Back cover: GRAND HAVEN, Mich., August 7, <strong>2010</strong>: Members<br />
of the United States Coast Guard Pipe and Drum Band from <strong>District</strong><br />
7 pose for a group photo at the Grand Haven Coast Guard<br />
Festival. The city takes pride in its self-proclaimed title, "Coast<br />
Guard City, USA". The members are from left, front row: M. L.<br />
Loudermilk, Pipe Major (Flotilla 29), Laura Farmer (FL 14-2), Max<br />
Adelson (FL 38), Susan Southerland (FL 67), Pamela Wright (FL<br />
67), Betty Rogers (FL 36), Bob Miller (FL 22), Jaqueline<br />
Southerland (applicant) and Andrew Anderson, Drum Major (FL<br />
38). Rear Row, from left: Michael Carr (USCGR), John L. Quinn<br />
(FL 29), Chuck Farmer (FL 14-2), B. J. Ferguson (FL 22), Tracy<br />
Alderman (FL 36), Jack T. Pierce (FL 29) and Steve Rogers (FL<br />
36). Photo provided by Chuck Farmer
Division Commanders <strong>2010</strong><br />
Is the official publication of the<br />
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary<br />
7th <strong>District</strong><br />
Volume LVII Number 3 Fall/Winter<br />
UNITED STATES COAST GUARD<br />
<strong>District</strong> Commander:<br />
RADM William B. Baumgartner, USCG<br />
Director of Auxiliary <strong>District</strong> 7:<br />
CDR Donald L. Winfield<br />
Operations Training Officer:<br />
CWO2 Ursula Walther<br />
U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY<br />
<strong>District</strong> Commodore<br />
COMO Donald L. Frasch<br />
Email: d7dco@aol.com<br />
<strong>District</strong> Chief of Staff<br />
COMO Walter Jaskiewicz (DCO-e)<br />
Email: captwrj@aol.com<br />
Immediate Past<br />
<strong>District</strong> Commodore<br />
COMO Allen Brown<br />
Email: allenbrown902@aol.com<br />
<strong>District</strong> Captain - East (DCAPT-E)<br />
Dan Jacquish<br />
Email: djacquish@aol.com<br />
<strong>District</strong> Captain - West (DCAPT-W)<br />
John Tyson (DCOS-e)<br />
Email: jtyson0906@aol.com<br />
<strong>District</strong> Captain - North (DCAPT-N)<br />
Reginald Hollar<br />
Email: snoopy@sccc.tv<br />
Division 1……………….. ….Osvaldo Manuel Catinchi<br />
Division 2…………………….….……....... David Fuller<br />
Division 3…………………….……... J. P. Feighery, Jr.<br />
Division 4………………………..........… Frederick Hill<br />
Division 5………………………..…….. Wilson Riggan<br />
Division 6………………...……….….…..Judith Hudson<br />
Division 7……………………...…...……Amos Johnson<br />
Division 8……………….....……….…......Braxton Ezell<br />
Division 9…………………..…………...….. Louis Conti<br />
Division 10……………………....….... William Capitan<br />
Division 11………………..………...… Melvin Manning<br />
Division 12………………………….. Robert Weskerna<br />
Division 13……………….... Russell (Dewey) Jackson<br />
Division 14………………..……...…….. Jesse Stevens<br />
Division 15…………………………. Lawrence Berman<br />
Division 16…………………...….…James “CC” Kreglo<br />
Division 17………………………………....Nevin Lantry<br />
Logistics<br />
James E. Dennen, Directorate Chief<br />
Email: jimdennen@gmail.com<br />
Prevention<br />
Bruce Lindsey, Directorate Chief<br />
Email: blind21414@aol.com<br />
Response<br />
Richard Leys, Directorate Chief<br />
Email: rjleys@bellsouth.net<br />
Editor & Publications Officer<br />
Dorothy Joan Riley<br />
dottieriley1@verizon.net<br />
The D7 PB Team (ADSO-PB Staff Officers):<br />
James Dennen, Content Editor<br />
Gary Barth, ADSO-E<br />
Susan Carty, ADSO-N<br />
Karen Miller, ADSO-W<br />
T. J. Kerbs, Pre-Press & Printing<br />
BREEZE is the official and educational tool of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary 7th <strong>District</strong> and is intended as a publication to keep the membership<br />
apprised of the activities of the Auxiliary. All articles and photographs submitted must be consistent with the policies of the Coast Guard and<br />
the Auxiliary and may not be returned.<br />
Personal information of members is protected by the Privacy Act of 1974. The use of these rosters, addresses and telephone numbers on any<br />
computer or online service including the Internet is prohibited by the Act.<br />
Comments are encouraged and may be sent to the above named Publication Officer. Articles in the BREEZE may be reprinted provided credit is<br />
given and a copy is sent to the above Editor and Publications Officer.<br />
Do not send changes of address to the BREEZE. You can obtain a change of member information report (7028) from your Materials<br />
Officer and submit it through channels.
Volume LVII Number 3 Fall/Winter <strong>2010</strong><br />
Bridge and Staff<br />
<strong>District</strong> Commodore ....................................................3<br />
<strong>District</strong> Chief of Staff....................................................4<br />
Immediate Past <strong>District</strong> Commodore ……..…..….......5<br />
<strong>District</strong> Captain North …..............................................6<br />
<strong>District</strong> Captain East ……...........................................8<br />
<strong>District</strong> Captain West ….............................................10<br />
Directorates<br />
Logistics, DDC-L…... …………………...…..…….…...12<br />
Prevention, DDC-R…..………………………...…........14<br />
Response, DDC-P ……….………...………..…...…...16<br />
Articles<br />
Lagoon Keepers …………………………………..…...11<br />
NACON: Mummy Mountain..………………………….18<br />
DCON– Motivating Experience………………………..20<br />
SOUTHCOM CG Day Celebration……………………22<br />
USCGC Eagle…………………………………………..23<br />
Admiral for Lunch……………………………………….26<br />
Division 14 Honor Guard……………………………….28<br />
Team Coast Guard……………………………………..30<br />
TV-Semper Paratus…………………………………….32<br />
Kings Bay Exercise……………………………………..33<br />
Big Pine Beachcombers………………………………..34<br />
AUXAIR Communications……………………………..35<br />
Life Jackets for Kids…………………………………….36<br />
Rescue of a Different Feather…………………………38<br />
DCON Mardi Gras photos……………………………..39<br />
Flotilla Factors in Fun and Fellowship………………..40<br />
Responding to the Call…………………………………42<br />
A Word From the Editor:<br />
With the new year upon us and the appointment of staff officers<br />
at flotilla and division levels, I will repeat a message<br />
from a previous issue of the Breeze:<br />
• Newsletters are important tools for building and maintaining<br />
member morale.<br />
• Newsletter articles about our members’ efforts convey a<br />
sense of recognition and appreciation. While none of us<br />
volunteer for this great organization in order to be rewarded,<br />
it can sometimes be disheartening when our<br />
hard work is not acknowledged.<br />
• Newsletters pay tribute to our members for their contributions<br />
of time and energy in a tangible form that can be<br />
shared with family and friends or printed and used as<br />
recruitment tools.<br />
• Besides serving as effective tools for morale building,<br />
newsletters chronicle our activities and serve as important<br />
historical records.<br />
Newsletters are a big job! Why not appoint a publications<br />
team This will help spread the load. Some of our best newsletters<br />
use this approach to publication.<br />
Once appointed, please support your publications officer by<br />
reminding staff officers to forward copies of their reports and<br />
by encouraging the members to forward photographs and<br />
information for inclusion in your newsletter.<br />
Above all, remind your publications officer to avail themselves<br />
of the resources and assistance available to them<br />
through the Publications Department.<br />
“Guard Your Own”<br />
Give generously to the Coast Guard<br />
Mutual Assistance Program.<br />
http://www.cgmahq.org/index.htm<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Dorothy Joan Riley<br />
DSO-PB D7
From the Bridge<br />
Page 3<br />
Commodore Donald Frasch<br />
I can't believe I’m coming to the end of my two year watch already! It has been a fantastic<br />
journey filled with great successes, unexpected interruptions and unbelievable activity. Now<br />
I know why Sandy didn't want me to become a <strong>District</strong> Commodore (DCO) until I retired. I<br />
could never have even begun to keep up with it and be employed at the same time.<br />
As I said, it’s been an unbelievably high-tempo two years. When you see the numbers,<br />
you‘ll know what I mean. On top of that, we lost our Operations Training Officer in January<br />
‘09 to training and deployment in Bahrain and CWO2 Walther didn’t come on board until the<br />
last week in August. Our Director left in May and his replacement was only with us for six<br />
weeks before she was reassigned to Africa. CDR Winfield reported for duty the last week in<br />
September of 2009. Obviously, we have had our difficult times, but we always got through<br />
them a bit wiser and more prepared for the next challenge. Everyone stuck with it and you<br />
all did whatever you could to help out. That was a tremendous effort and I most sincerely thank you all for it.<br />
In my almost two years as your DCO, we have put together some amazing numbers. For instance;<br />
• We went from a low of about 5,100 members in January 2009 to just over 6,000 today.<br />
• With modernization and our effort to better support the Sectors by organizational restructuring, we added one new<br />
division and seven new flotillas for a total of 17 divisions, and 106 Flotillas. DCOs in other districts are absolutely<br />
blown away by that (and we are still growing).<br />
• We contributed 67,635 total hours of operations, surface and air.<br />
• We performed 34,142 Vessel Safety Checks.<br />
• We completed 35,869 RBS Program Partner Visits.<br />
• We conducted 417 Commercial Fishing Vessel Exams.<br />
• We presented 1,023 Public Education Courses.<br />
• We inspected 9,135 Federal and Private Aids to Navigation.<br />
• We saved 49 lives.<br />
Our Operations Missions have integrated into the Active Duty units like no other district in the nation. Some call this<br />
“Mission Creep” with a somewhat negative connotation. Of course, that isn't true because we have also continually increased<br />
our Recreational Boating Safety (RBS) efforts along with it. Today, we lead the nation in jointly planning our<br />
support of the Sectors via the Standard Operational Planning Process (SOPP) and are the benchmark for everyone else<br />
to follow. Those efforts have been recognized at senior command levels in the Coast Guard resulting in their field operational<br />
commanders directed to do the same.<br />
All of this moves us in a direction we must go: "Sector Centric." We have to continue to focus the planning and execution<br />
of all our operations and support with the Sectors and the units under their command. You have all done a marvelous job<br />
of supporting that initiative. You have done everything I have asked of you, and done it to perfection.<br />
What makes my departure as DCO a bit easier is knowing that your new DCO, Commodore Jaskiewicz, and his new<br />
bridge are fully up to speed on where we are going and what we need to do. He will do a great job of moving D7 forward<br />
in showing the rest of the nation how to be the best USCG Auxiliary ever. Please give him your total support.<br />
I could not be more proud to have been your DCO these last two years, but more importantly, more proud of all of you<br />
and what you have accomplished to support the Coast Guard and help make our nation safe. You are truly amazing!<br />
Semper Paratus
Page 4<br />
From the Bridge<br />
Commodore Walter Jaskiewicz,<br />
<strong>District</strong> Chief of Staff (DCO-e)<br />
The leadership of our 7th <strong>District</strong> Auxiliary is the result of a democratic voting process.<br />
Our members are represented by their elected Division Commanders; individuals in<br />
whom you have entrusted the leadership and the destiny of our organization, and to<br />
stand watch at the bridges of our 17 divisions, 106 flotillas, several detachments and our<br />
great AuxAir crews. Together, they bring 7th <strong>District</strong> membership close to 6,000 strong.<br />
My commitment to you is to stay focused on our core values and missions, understanding<br />
we are not an independent entity, and that we are required by both oath and by law to<br />
follow and comply with the policies established by the Commandant of the United States<br />
Coast Guard. Throughout the years of war and peace, since 1939 the Auxiliary has kept its word.<br />
We believe in serving the Coast Guard and our great country with extreme pride. We have accepted<br />
new challenges as "Unformed Opportunities" to create, to re-invent and to excel. ‘Impossible’ and<br />
‘undoable’ are words we do not frequently use. Our language has a different vocabulary: “Yes, we<br />
can,” and “I know we can,” or, “Let’s try.”<br />
To our new bridge and leadership: I task you all to begin your stand at the bridge alongside me with<br />
a vision that will embrace changes and that will bring our<br />
members together as a team to work boldly and decisively<br />
together, and to execute professionally what lies before us.<br />
The winds of change will not alter our course if we recognize<br />
the wisdom and knowledge that lies within the folds of our<br />
members. This will be the prevailing winds that will fill the<br />
sails of our ships, and enable us to complete our missions<br />
and tasks.<br />
When the roll call is taken, let us all roll up our sleeves and<br />
say, “Present,” for we have been entrusted to carry the baton<br />
of the Auxiliary nation. I am committed to demonstrating that<br />
we are all professionals in the execution of our missions and<br />
that we are accountable.<br />
I cannot ask you to do more than our resources allow, but I<br />
will ask that we all do our best. We offer "Uncommon<br />
Strength" and "Unwavering Service."<br />
So, let us all continue to think innovatively and to act with<br />
conviction in all we do as part of Team Coast Guard.<br />
Thank you for your trust in my leadership,<br />
Semper Paratus Ω<br />
ORLANDO, Fla.– Newly frocked COMO Walter Jaskiewicz, (DCOe)<br />
and John Tyson, <strong>District</strong> Captain-West and <strong>District</strong> Chief of Staffelect<br />
(DCOS-e) at the formal banquet held on Sep.24, <strong>2010</strong>. The<br />
two will assume leadership of USCG Auxiliary <strong>District</strong> 7 in January<br />
of 2011. Photo by Dottie Riley
From the Bridge<br />
Page 5<br />
Commodore Allen Brown,<br />
Immediate Past <strong>District</strong> Commodore<br />
It doesn’t seem possible that fall is here already. In the larger scheme of things, just yesterday<br />
it was 2009 and tomorrow will be 2011. Much has happened in this in-between period<br />
and the majority of us are eagerly looking forward to the future.<br />
Many changes have transpired within the Auxiliary during our time together. The majority of<br />
these changes are gathered together under the name “modernization,” and we are well on<br />
our way to seeing these actions completed. But there will be more. Congress must act in<br />
several areas before many of the final steps may be completed. In the interim, we must indeed<br />
remain “Paratus,” for as members of the Auxiliary, we endeavor to carry out our dual missions<br />
of safety and security.<br />
<strong>District</strong> Seven has always been on the cutting edge nationally. Your commitment and responsibility<br />
as a member is absolutely essential in a changing and growing organization. For many readers,<br />
you have assumed the mantel of elected and/or appointed office, and you have done so<br />
proudly. For these actions you are to be commended. Our leadership needs to be dedicated and<br />
committed not only to the Coast Guard, but also to each Auxiliary member. A good leader is committed<br />
to the development of everyone, not just self.<br />
In summary, I think that it is worthy to note that in all organizations, a perfect leader does not exist.<br />
Nowhere is this truer than in the voluntary organization – the care and feeding of the volunteer<br />
is essential. Now is the time for each of us to reassess and rediscover our commitment to<br />
“Semper Paratus.”<br />
“...Our leadership<br />
needs to be<br />
dedicated and<br />
committed not only<br />
to the Coast Guard,<br />
but also to each<br />
Auxiliary member.”<br />
Bravo Zulu to each of you for all you have done and continue to do. May you all have fair winds<br />
and following seas in the days and years ahead. Ω<br />
Allen<br />
COMO Allen Brown, IPDCO-7<br />
ORLANDO, Fla.: Past<br />
<strong>District</strong> 7 Commodores Mary<br />
Larsen and Allen Brown<br />
dine together at the<br />
formal banquet held Friday,<br />
Sep. 24, <strong>2010</strong> at the <strong>District</strong><br />
Conference in Orlando.<br />
Photo by Vicki Aponte
Page 6<br />
<strong>District</strong> Captain North<br />
Reginald Hollar, DCAPT-N<br />
After almost two years served<br />
as <strong>District</strong> Captain-North, I<br />
can look back in awe at the<br />
incredible accomplishments<br />
of “Team North.” It would take<br />
a large library of documents<br />
to mention everything that<br />
has been accomplished. Most<br />
important is that teamwork from all of the staff and membership<br />
made this incredible record possible. As this will<br />
be my final report for the “Breeze” as DCAPT-N, I will try<br />
to highlight some of the accomplishments of “Team<br />
North.”<br />
First, we will take a look at Division 2, which covers the<br />
interior Lakes of Georgia. An expansion of the Division 2<br />
area of responsibility (AOR) has greatly increased the<br />
visibility of the Coast Guard Auxiliary. In just the past<br />
year, two new flotillas have been chartered. The first was<br />
Flotilla 23, which is in northeast Georgia and borders<br />
North Carolina. This is in a generally mountainous area<br />
and the visibility of Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary<br />
was almost non-existent. The second flotilla to be<br />
chartered was Flotilla 27, which covers Lakes Sinclair<br />
and Oconee, located south of Athens, Georgia. Most of<br />
Division 2 is located many miles away from Sector<br />
Charleston, S.C. With this in mind, the Division has set<br />
up really great working relationships with multiple agencies<br />
such as the Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Power<br />
Squadron, Georgia Department of Natural Resources<br />
(GDNR), local law enforcement, and emergency medical<br />
services. With extensive ongoing training and operations,<br />
the division is educating the boating public on water<br />
safety and the protection of our environment.<br />
Division 4 in Central Florida is in an aggressive building<br />
mode to recruit new members and expand their operational<br />
capabilities. About a year and half ago, Division 17<br />
was formed by splitting up Division 4 and adding a flotilla<br />
from Division 14. This greatly reduced the size of Division<br />
4 but gave them better control to serve Coast Guard Station<br />
Ponce de Leon Inlet and the boating public in central<br />
Florida. In August of this year, a new Auxiliary detachment<br />
was formed at Welaka, Florida. This detachment is<br />
located on the St. Johns River and is miles from Station<br />
Ponce. This area now has weekend patrols by the Auxiliary<br />
in the high boating traffic area. Division 4 and Division<br />
14 are supplying weekend crews for patrol with the<br />
boat furnished by the Coast Guard. Member Training and<br />
Public Education classes are on the front burner with ongoing<br />
activities. Aggressive recruiting is steadily adding<br />
members to the roster in Division 4.<br />
Division 10 is located in coastal and inland South Carolina.<br />
This area includes the busy Port of Savannah and<br />
ever important Air Station Savannah. U.S. Coast Guard<br />
Air Station Savannah responds to search and rescue<br />
cases from Titusville, Florida to the North Carolina line.<br />
Operational support to Air Station Savannah is an ongoing,<br />
weekly priority of Division 10, and the division’s operational<br />
facilities are involved heavily in working with the<br />
Air Station. As with the Auxiliary, the ‘regulars’ have to<br />
maintain their currency maintenance and the platforms<br />
supplied by the Auxiliary help with this task. The division<br />
supplies weekly patrols to support Marine Safety Unit<br />
Savannah and Station Tybee. As we move farther south,<br />
the Brunswick, Ga. Auxiliary supports Coast Guard Station<br />
Brunswick. The division is involved in many high profile<br />
Public Affairs events including the St. Patrick’s Day<br />
celebration when the Savannah River is dyed green.<br />
Now we take a look at Division 12, which covers coastal<br />
and inland South Carolina. The area of responsibility for<br />
Division 12 begins along the coast just north of Hilton<br />
Head Island and ends at the North Carolina line. The<br />
area also moves inland to Lake Murray, which is west of<br />
Columbia. South Carolina has three major inland lakes.<br />
Lake Murray is the western most lake, then Lake Marion<br />
and Lake Moultrie. Just last year, Flotilla 12-1 was chartered<br />
on Lake Marion. This lake has hundreds of miles of<br />
shoreline and almost countless marinas and ramps. This<br />
new flotilla is serving the area well with ongoing patrols,<br />
Boating Safety classes and Public Affairs events. An Auxiliary<br />
presence here is very important as Sector Charleston<br />
is many miles away. Division 12 can also brag about<br />
the Citadel Detachment. This is one of a kind, and much<br />
credit is due to Bill Riley, Immediate Past Division Commander,<br />
for its formation. Here, cadets receive seamanship<br />
training from the Coast Guard and Flotilla 12-8<br />
Charleston.<br />
Another detachment will soon become a flotilla in Socastee,<br />
S.C., an area between Georgetown, S.C. and<br />
Myrtle Beach on the Intracoastal Waterway. To reach this<br />
area by boat or by highway from Coast Guard Station<br />
Georgetown, takes at least 45 minutes. In the summer,
Page 7<br />
with the influx of tourists, the time may double. Numerous<br />
personal watercraft rentals and the high volume boating<br />
traffic makes this a congested and dangerous area, especially<br />
during tourist season. When chartered in early<br />
2011, this new flotilla will be a huge benefit to the Coast<br />
Guard and the boating public.<br />
All of Division 12 has been running aggressive Public<br />
Education classes and the numbers reflect the efforts.<br />
Operations are ongoing in all of the flotillas and several<br />
lives were saved this year. Joining forces with multiple<br />
agencies is paying big dividends in South Carolina. With<br />
personnel cuts in South Carolina Department of Natural<br />
Resources, the Auxiliary is continually stepping up operations.<br />
From support for the Army in their parachute drops<br />
to numerous safety patrols, the Division 12 Auxiliary is<br />
highly visible.<br />
On the North Coast of Florida we find Division 14. Space<br />
will only permit me to mention a few of the major happenings.<br />
Division 14 primarily supports Sector Jacksonville<br />
and Coast Guard Station Mayport. Just over a year ago,<br />
Division 14 lost a flotilla to Division 4 when the new Division<br />
17 was chartered. Already though, the membership<br />
that was lost is recovering due to aggressive recruiting<br />
efforts. Presently, the Division is up to over 400 members.<br />
In August of this year, Flotilla 14-7 was chartered at<br />
Green Cove Springs, Florida. This flotilla is located on the<br />
St. John’s River south of Jacksonville and is a far reach<br />
for Sector Jacksonville. Through extensive planning and<br />
hard work by many Auxiliarists, this new flotilla is very<br />
healthy and providing needed support to the community.<br />
Bob Funk, Auxiliary Sector Coordinator, has worked extensively<br />
with Sector Jacksonville in relaying the Sector’s<br />
needs to the Auxiliary.<br />
Division 14 recently dedicated a memorial to pay honor to<br />
all the members within the division who have crossed<br />
over the bar. This memorial and the granite stones are<br />
located at Aids to Navigation Team (ANT) Station Jacksonville.<br />
David Green, Division Vice Commander, is to be<br />
commended for his countless hours of hard work and<br />
dedication in putting this together.<br />
Division 14 now has thirty-five members providing operational<br />
and/or administrative support to Sector Jacksonville<br />
and ANT Jacksonville. Through extensive training and<br />
practice, the Division 14 Honor Guard is in the public’s<br />
eye all over Jacksonville and the surrounding areas. This<br />
is truly a professional group of Auxiliarists and their visibility<br />
speaks highly of the Auxiliary and the Coast Guard.<br />
Division 17, The Space Coast, was chartered just over a<br />
year ago. Since that time, this Division has moved ahead<br />
in all Auxiliary programs. This Division supports Coast<br />
Guard Station Canaveral and the USCGC Confidence<br />
stationed there. Early in the year, the division set their<br />
Strategic Business Plan and stated their goals and objectives.<br />
Nevin Lantry, Division Commander, has carefully<br />
tracked the plan in the combined programs of Public Education,<br />
Vessel Examination, Public Affairs, Program Visitor,<br />
and Marine Safety. This has resulted in an unprecedented<br />
success for Auxiliary participation throughout Brevard,<br />
Orange, and Osceola Counties. Many of the Personal<br />
Qualification Standards (PQS) given to the Auxiliary<br />
by the Coast Guard have been accomplished.<br />
For starters, we will take a look at this: Five Auxiliarists<br />
completed the “Uninspected Passenger Vessel” USCG<br />
Qualification, eleven completed the “Life Raft” USCG<br />
Qualification, two completed the “Commercial Fishing<br />
Vessel Inspection” USCG Qualification and one Auxiliarist<br />
completed the Auxiliary Administration (AUX-<br />
ADMIN) PQS.<br />
In early November, the Auxiliary Chef (AUXCHEF) Training<br />
Program will begin at Coast Guard Station Canaveral.<br />
All seats have been filled for this program and the participants<br />
have taken their hepatitis A shots at Air Station<br />
Clearwater. Members Ronald and Virginia Ellis from <strong>District</strong><br />
5 will be facilitating the class. After successful completion<br />
of the class, Auxiliarists will be certified as food<br />
service (FS) technicians. They will be able to plan menus,<br />
cook, etc., at Coast Guard Stations and on Coast Guard<br />
cutters. It is a good possibility that they may even serve<br />
on cutters during tours of duty. Hopefully, this program<br />
can span out in the <strong>District</strong> as it will be a huge benefit to<br />
the Coast Guard and free their FS people for other duties.<br />
In closing, I would like to express my sincere appreciation<br />
for all of the support that each and every one of you has<br />
given me in the past two years. I am truly humbled and<br />
honored to be a small cog in the gigantic gear of the<br />
Coast Guard Auxiliary. Wishing you calm winds and gentle<br />
seas. Ω<br />
Vignette: Division 14 Honor Guard at the opening of the General<br />
Assembly at DCON, Sep. 24, <strong>2010</strong> in Orlando.<br />
Original photo by Vicki Aponte
Page 8<br />
<strong>District</strong> Captain East<br />
Dan Jacquish, DCAPT-E<br />
The “East” area of <strong>District</strong> 7 is an immense area stretching from Sebastian Inlet in Division 5<br />
in the north, all the way south through Ft. Lauderdale and Division 3, through Miami and Division<br />
6, to the end of the Florida Keys and Division 13. It also encompasses Puerto Rico and<br />
Division 1 plus the U.S. Virgin Islands and Division 16.<br />
In the last two articles, I recognized our outstanding personnel who serve in various National<br />
positions from Division 3, 5, 6, and 13. Today, I would like to recognize the many achievements<br />
of our people in Puerto Rico and Division 1 and Division 16 in the U.S. Virgin Islands.<br />
Puerto Rico is a beautiful place served by Division 1. With its varied geography and nine flotillas,<br />
they provide direct operational and administrative support to Sector San Juan as well as Air Station<br />
Borinquen.<br />
Division 1 has produced some of the most innovative programs for Safe Boating Week, setting the<br />
standard for many of those activities. Osvaldo Catinchi serves as both the Division Commander and<br />
the Auxiliary Sector Coordinator for Sector San Juan.<br />
Not far away, and still serving Sector San Juan, is Division 16 in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Led by<br />
James Kreglo, Division Commander and Lee Elvins, Division Vice Commander (VCDR), Division 16<br />
has been on the move. They recently expanded with the addition of Flotilla 16-3 in St. John.<br />
Cheryl Boynes-Jackson, Flotilla Commander (FC) 16-3, contributed to the “Commercial Fisherman<br />
Survival Kit Program” by partnering with Home Depot to provide buckets to hold survival supplies.<br />
Lee Bertman, an aircraft commander, initiated a program whereby Auxiliary aircraft remain at the air<br />
station on weekends, making them immediately available for mission support. Working in tight coordination<br />
with active duty personnel, it has become a very productive initiative.<br />
Duane Minton worked with active duty personnel, government agencies and Lee Elvins, VCDR, to<br />
produce an outstanding Safe Boating Week Program throughout the islands.<br />
Chief Lawrence O’Bry has demonstrated how to combine the Gold & Silver sides by creating joint<br />
patrols and training opportunities. He regularly attends meetings at the flotillas and has truly established<br />
the “Team Blue” concept and knitted the Coast Guard family together.<br />
Duane Minton, Division Staff Officer for both Operations and Member Training has dedicated untold<br />
hours to making the programs successful. He has traveled endlessly between the islands, Puerto<br />
Rico and Florida, most times at his own expense, in order to further the combined missions and develop<br />
new capabilities to enhance Coast Guard programs.<br />
Art Wollenweber, Flotilla Commander 16-1, led the effort in his first year as FC to increase community<br />
participation in the “Boating Responsibly” program. He leveraged cooperation with the Diagio<br />
Corporation to enhance the program.<br />
There are so many people involved in all the programs that it is almost unfair to single any out for<br />
special recognition, but some go so far enough above the call of duty. Doug Hanson, the Auxiliary<br />
Air Coordinator; Chuck Fischer, Aircraft Commander; Klaus Willems and John Graves; John Melucci,<br />
Flotilla Vice Commander (VFC) 16-2 and so many others. The islands are a tightly knit community<br />
and our flotillas demonstrate time and again what a pleasure it is to be a part of the Coast<br />
Guard Family.
Page 9<br />
And finally, I must say what a pleasure it has been to serve as <strong>District</strong> Captain-East. I did not<br />
seek re-election since I felt it more important for the position to be filled for two years by the next<br />
person. It is such a large area and the responsibility to our people so great, that I felt the next<br />
person should have two years to serve in order to perform at his/her peak.<br />
I answered the call to fill a one year term. I have left the area, I hope, better than I found it, that<br />
being the responsibility of every leader. I leave it in the capable hands of Pat Feighery, who was<br />
elected as the new <strong>District</strong> Captain-East. Knowing Pat as I do, he will do an excellent job of serving<br />
the area with distinction.<br />
I thank all of you for all you have done for this great organization. Your individual efforts do not go<br />
unnoticed, and as an organization, you lead the way.<br />
Team East-Where the sun rises and falls in <strong>District</strong> 7! Ω<br />
Dan Jacquish,<br />
DCAPT-E<br />
ORLANDO, Fla.-The current and future face of <strong>District</strong> 7’s eastern area of operation leadership share a table at the<br />
Friday night formal banquet at DCON in September. Dan Jacquish, DCAPT-E sits beside Pat Feighery, current Division<br />
Commander 3 and DCAPT-E (elect). Photo by Dottie Riley
Page 10<br />
<strong>District</strong> Captain West<br />
John Tyson, DCAPT-W (DCOS-e)<br />
As I near the end of my term as <strong>District</strong> Captain-West, I take this opportunity to thank our exceptional<br />
team in the west for their hard work, dedication and friendship. This has been a<br />
year of many challenges and accomplishments, and without the exemplary effort put forth by<br />
“Team West,” Division Commanders Louis Conti, Braxton Ezell, Amos Johnson, Melvin Manning<br />
and Lawrence Berman, Auxiliary Sector Coordinator Donald Hoge, and Auxiliary Aviation<br />
Coordinator David Lemon, the results for <strong>2010</strong> would be far less. They, and the Division<br />
Vice Commanders are an extraordinarily talented group of leaders, and behind them is an allstar<br />
cast of more than 600 flotilla and division officers who perform admirably in carrying out<br />
their duties. Together, they are the folks who make the district leadership’s dreams become<br />
reality, and through their exceptional work they make us all very proud. To the nearly 2,000 men and<br />
women of “Team West,” and the more than 6,000 Auxiliarists in <strong>District</strong> Seven, thank you, thank<br />
you, thank you for your continuing hard work and selfless dedication to the Coast Guard Auxiliary,<br />
United States Coast Guard and the boating public.<br />
As we approach the annual Change of Watch at our flotillas and divisions, let’s make every effort to<br />
use this time honored event to recognize those who have provided exceptional work. Anyone may<br />
recommend another member for a personal award, and information on how to do that can be found<br />
in the Auxiliary Manual and on the <strong>District</strong> Seven Auxiliary web site. Templates for award citations<br />
and a transmittal form (CG1650) are also available on the <strong>District</strong> Seven Auxiliary and Chief Director’s<br />
web sites. This year, make someone smile by seeing that they are recognized for their hard<br />
work and valuable contribution to our success.<br />
Looking ahead, I am excited by the opportunity to support Commodore Jaskiewicz and the 2011-<br />
2012 <strong>District</strong> Strategic Plan, and to doing all I can to assist our exceptionally talented district staff. Ω<br />
John<br />
John Tyson<br />
ORLANDO, Fla.–<br />
John Tyson receives<br />
help adjusting<br />
his new dress<br />
aiguillette from the<br />
newly frocked<br />
COMO Walter<br />
Jaskiewicz and<br />
Dan Jacquish,<br />
DCAPT-E, after the<br />
formal ceremony on<br />
Sep. 24 at DCON.<br />
Photo by D. Riley
MaKing A Difference: Lagoon Keepers<br />
Article and photos by Otto Spielbichler, Flotilla 54, Delray Beach, Fla.<br />
The Coast Guard Auxiliary’s Marine<br />
Safety and Environmental Mission has a<br />
broad scope, and like other Auxiliary missions,<br />
individual Auxiliarists contribute to<br />
making boating safer, especially for recreational<br />
boaters. One Auxiliarist in Palm<br />
Beach County Florida has gone beyond<br />
the expected standards of service and<br />
has formed a non- profit organization devoted<br />
to cleaning up and protecting the<br />
marine environment.<br />
Page 11<br />
twenty volunteers. With the support of<br />
volunteers, grants and the generosity<br />
of local marinas and towing companies,<br />
Lagoon Keepers has, in the past<br />
four years, removed four hundred forty<br />
one derelict vessels along with hazards<br />
to boaters like parts of damaged<br />
boats, docks, telephone poles, pilings,<br />
tree stumps, step ladders, shopping<br />
carts and debris that harm the marine<br />
environment.<br />
The Lake Worth Lagoon Environmental<br />
Defense Fund, the legal name of the nonprofit<br />
organization, is better known by the<br />
name it does business: Lagoon Keepers.<br />
The Coast Guard Auxiliarist that organized<br />
Lagoon Keepers is Greg Reynolds.<br />
On September 11, 2001, Reynolds completed the Boating<br />
Skills and Seamanship program at Flotilla 51 and<br />
joined the Coast Guard Auxiliary the same day. In the<br />
years following that memorable date, he began to remove<br />
marine debris from local waterways on his own. It quickly<br />
became apparent that he needed more resources to do<br />
the work necessary to clean up the waterways. Lagoon<br />
Keepers was created as a result of that need for resources.<br />
The organization became a reality when Reynolds<br />
purchased the first vessel used for clean up with<br />
his own funds.<br />
Today, Lagoon Keepers has a fleet of five boats and<br />
Greg Reynolds, founder of the notfor-profit<br />
organization known as<br />
“Lagoon Keepers.”<br />
Lagoon Keepers is best known for the<br />
debris it removes from local waters.<br />
Less well known are the individual efforts<br />
devoted to obtaining funds for the<br />
organization and the work that the volunteers<br />
do, not only to convert recreational<br />
vessels to work vessels, but to<br />
maintaining them. Additionally, the time, equipment and<br />
personnel donated by other organizations in order to<br />
transfer marine debris from waterways to a disposal site<br />
are also not well known by the boating public. The behind<br />
the scenes contributions of these individuals and organizations<br />
enable Lagoon Keepers to function effectively.<br />
Besides the daily task of cleaning waterways, Lagoon<br />
Keepers has organized volunteers for clean ups such as<br />
The Great American Cleanup and the International<br />
Coastal Cleanup. Lagoon Keeper volunteers have also<br />
participated in environmental construction and enhancement<br />
projects sponsored by Palm Beach Environmental<br />
Resource Management. Coast Guard volunteers<br />
from Station Lake Worth Inlet have participated<br />
along with Lagoon Keepers in order<br />
to make the waterways cleaner and safer to<br />
navigate.<br />
Other Auxiliarists and boaters have also contributed<br />
to maintaining clean water. Boaters<br />
who want to help should consider the following<br />
advice from Lagoon Keepers. “If you see<br />
things in the water that do not belong there,<br />
remove them. If you cannot remove them, call<br />
the Coast Guard.”<br />
That is good advice. Remember it. Pass it on.<br />
Ω<br />
Lagoon Keepers volunteers refloat a sunken vessel.<br />
The derelict boat will then be moved to a<br />
dock, lifted on to a trailer and hauled off to a<br />
dump.
Page 12<br />
Logistics Directorate<br />
James Dennen, DDC-L D7<br />
Logistics:<br />
Communication<br />
Services<br />
Human Resources<br />
Information<br />
Services<br />
Public Affairs<br />
Publications<br />
Materials<br />
The <strong>District</strong> Conference (DCON) is likely the only opportunity that a Directorate Chief has to meet<br />
with their staff, so when health reasons prevent a director from attending DCON, it can represent a<br />
loss to the entire department.<br />
These meetings are very important, not just for sharing information about program changes or resolving<br />
problems, but for the face-to-face time that promotes a sense of appreciation and feelings of support.<br />
While other directors were meeting with their staffs in conference rooms, this year, the<br />
Logistics Directorate held a ‘virtual’ meeting via the Internet. I would have much preferred<br />
being there in person, but this was the next best thing that I could do to provide my staff the<br />
opportunity to meet with me, and especially to get to know each other a little better. All that<br />
was needed was a room with a Wi-Fi connection, a laptop, a camera, and the meeting was<br />
on. The entire Logistics staff and a couple of interested guests participated.<br />
I have written about my staff in my column before. They are among the brightest and most<br />
competent people in <strong>District</strong> 7. Everyone in D7 is familiar with Angela Pomaro, <strong>District</strong> Staff<br />
Officer-Human Resources, and her ability to solve seemingly insurmountable problems<br />
getting new members onboard. Terry Barth, <strong>District</strong> Staff Officer-Materials, keeps her department<br />
running like a well-oiled machine, while Tom Brickey and the D7 Materials Center<br />
under Walter Jaskiewicz, Chief Of Staff, have done amazing things to revamp the store<br />
and process orders at unprecedented speeds.<br />
Nestor Tacoronte, <strong>District</strong> Staff Officer-Communication Services and Webmaster for D7,<br />
built and maintains a website that is second to none within the Auxiliary. Dave Hastings, his<br />
Assistant <strong>District</strong> Staff Officer built and maintains several active duty Coast Guard websites,<br />
while Susan Hastings does an amazing job keeping all of D7’s information up to date.
Page 13<br />
The accomplishments of Dottie<br />
Riley, <strong>District</strong> Staff Officer-<br />
Publication speak for themselves.<br />
For the second year<br />
straight, the Breeze earned first<br />
place in the national Public Affairs<br />
district newsletter competition.<br />
Karen Miller, my assistant,<br />
proofreads every copy of the<br />
Breeze and has done a wonderful<br />
job making certain that<br />
the final, published copies of<br />
both the Breeze and the D7<br />
Connection, edited by Angela<br />
Pomaro, are as error free as<br />
possible.<br />
Lastly, there is Tom Loughlin,<br />
<strong>District</strong> Staff Officer-Public Affairs.<br />
Tom seems to have his<br />
fingers into everything, or at<br />
the very least, on the pulse of<br />
D7. Little happens that Tom<br />
does not know about, or that he and his staff are not directly involved with. His direct involvement in<br />
and planning of National Safe Boating Week events has set the standard for the rest of the Auxiliary to<br />
follow.<br />
The group really surprised me when they presented me with the “Watch Keeper”, thoughtfully selected<br />
by the staff from a number of Dottie Riley paintings, to express their appreciation for my leadership and<br />
support of their efforts. Without<br />
my knowledge they ‘conspired’<br />
to do this before DCON and<br />
made the presentation during<br />
our virtual meeting.<br />
How does one adequately say<br />
‘thank you’ to such a wonderful<br />
and thoughtful staff Ω<br />
Photo facing page: Jim Dennen<br />
confers with the Logistics Directorate<br />
staff officers via the Internet.<br />
Photos this page top: From right-<br />
Nestor Tacoronte, David Hastings,<br />
Sue Hastings, and Vicki Aponte.<br />
(Vicki works at DIRAUX in Miami.)<br />
Right: Dottie Riley holds up the<br />
painting presented to James Dennen<br />
during the Logistics Directorate<br />
meeting. Behind her from right are<br />
David Hastings, Vicki Aponte and<br />
Diane Riggans.<br />
Photos by Gary Barth
Page 14<br />
Response Directorate<br />
Richard Leys, DDC-R D7<br />
Survival Vests for our Airborne Guardians<br />
By Barbara Burchfield, SO-PA 12<br />
Photos by Bob Hastie, ADSO-AV 10-2<br />
Response:<br />
Navigation<br />
Services<br />
Operations<br />
Qualification<br />
Examiners<br />
Aviation<br />
Communications<br />
Getting off the ground with the best aviation equipment possible, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary<br />
Air 7th <strong>District</strong> (D7) took delivery of specially designed life vests on October 16, <strong>2010</strong>, at Air<br />
Station Savannah, Georgia.<br />
The equipment upgrade is led by Bob Hastie, Assistant <strong>District</strong> Staff Officer-Aviation and<br />
Aircraft Commander, Flotilla 10-2 Savannah, Ga., with oversight from Coast Guard Air Station Savannah.<br />
The initial 104 survival vests, now the standard safety equipment, were ordered for members of<br />
the Auxiliary Air Group at the four <strong>District</strong> 7 Air Stations. Commander Winfield, Director of Auxiliary<br />
<strong>District</strong> 7, procured funding and support for the equipment which is nearly identical to Coast Guard<br />
equipment. Setting new aviation equipment standards, Hastie says, “We will replicate and conform to<br />
active duty procedures as much as we can.”<br />
The aviation survival vests meet specific requirements to provide life support and survival in the most<br />
demanding situations, like aircraft ditching in the ocean in event of an emergency. Having recently<br />
seen a passenger aircraft make an emergency landing in the Hudson River reminds us that Auxiliary<br />
Air does not serve without the potential for danger.<br />
To ensure that the maximum effort for survival is met, the new vests are designed to carry Auxiliary<br />
Aviation standard safety equipment and most items are included in the vest distribution. Each air facility<br />
will be assigned one vest containing a personal locater beacon (EPIRB).<br />
The vest is fitted with an Aviation Life Preserver System (ALPS) which is essentially a bladder that can<br />
be orally inflated or by activating a CO2 cartridge to inflate it within 30 seconds. It will elevate a person’s<br />
head above water and will right an unconscious person in the water.<br />
Perhaps the biggest change is that each crew member will now have an individual single life raft assigned,<br />
replacing the heavier 4-person life raft on each air facility. Previously, the crew member seated<br />
behind the Aircraft Commander and Co-Pilot would be tasked with making sure the 4-person life raft<br />
made it out of the plane in an emergency ditching. According to Hastie, “The single person<br />
life raft assigned to each crew member is not only smaller, but easier to get into from the<br />
water. Its light weight and small packaging makes it more portable, a real survival advantage<br />
to the crew.”<br />
Chief Petty Officer Mike Gall, USCG, Air Station Clearwater, Fla., served as advisor for the<br />
project. Auxiliary team members from Air Stations Savannah, Ga., Miami, Fla., and Clearwater,<br />
Fla., tested the vest in the water and in the aircraft, providing critical operational<br />
evaluation.<br />
At Air Station Savannah, the delivery and buildup of the survival vests in October included a<br />
very precise inspection procedure before distribution.<br />
Giving Auxiliary Air the best tools available for survival makes the air patrols and search and<br />
rescue missions much safer for everyone. Ω
Page 15<br />
Left: Freddie King, Auxiliary Air<br />
Copilot, Flotilla 10-2, proudly<br />
sports the new survival vest and<br />
single person life raft being distributed<br />
within <strong>District</strong> 7.<br />
Right: Aux Air survival vests are designed<br />
to carry standard safety equipment in easily<br />
accessible places.<br />
Photos by Bob Hastie, ADSO-AV, 10-2<br />
Note: For more happenings specific to the<br />
Response Directorate, see “...Kings Bay”<br />
on page 33.
Page 16<br />
Prevention Directorate<br />
Bruce Lindsey, DDC-P D7<br />
Thanks to all who attended the Prevention seminars at the <strong>District</strong> 7 Conference. It<br />
was great meeting you or seeing you again and sharing your ideas. As we wind into<br />
the fourth quarter of <strong>2010</strong> and the downturn in most recreational boating for the year,<br />
we still have boating safety challenges for the remainder of this year and planning for<br />
next.<br />
At the beginning of this year, the National Auxiliary Bridge made a five-year commitment<br />
to have an impact on boating safety. As a part of the national goal, the <strong>District</strong> 7<br />
Recreational Boating Safety (RBS) Team was formed with the Public Education (PE),<br />
Vessel Examination (VE), Program Visitor (PV) and Public Affairs (PA) <strong>District</strong> Staff<br />
Officers completing an RBS Tactical Plan to set <strong>District</strong> goals. The national goals have<br />
just been re-emphasized by our new National Commodore, Jim Vass, who stated,<br />
"We need to recommit ourselves to improving recreational boating safety and making a serious<br />
dent in reducing the recreational boating death growth rates.” He elaborated, “2009 saw an increase<br />
of 3.8% in recreational boating deaths because people fail to wear life jackets, are inattentive,<br />
and consume alcohol while operating boats. Nearly 75 percent of the 736 people who died in<br />
boating accidents in 2009 drowned, and 84 percent of those victims reportedly were not wearing a<br />
life jacket. Our waterways should be fun, not places where you lose your life….” Unfortunately, at<br />
this point <strong>2010</strong> looks like a repeat of 2009.<br />
The <strong>District</strong> 7 RBS Plan has been published and distributed through Command, PE, PV, VE and<br />
PA staff channels. The Auxiliary goals are very achievable, and impacting recreational boating<br />
safety is also doable. If you are not familiar with the plan, please ask for it through your staff channels.<br />
Prevention:<br />
Marine Safety<br />
This brings us to what can yet be done this year, what to plan for or assist your successor with, if<br />
you are in a staff position and will be passing it on. The heaviest volume of Vessel Exams has<br />
probably already been done, and our Public Education class schedule for the year is most likely<br />
over. But there are indoor activities that can be ramped up and transitioned to next year. Externally,<br />
Program Visitation is still open. Visit dealers and discuss plans and support for upcoming<br />
boat shows and marine events that will be occurring with the start of the New Year. If possible,<br />
have PE leadership develop a class schedule for the first part of next year and have<br />
printed copies for dealer racks and boat shows. How about PE Gift Certificates to go under<br />
the tree with other boating accessories PV qualification is still possible for new members<br />
this year, and remember that if you are close to the 120 points for the RBS award this year,<br />
PVs may be the best option.<br />
Member<br />
Training<br />
Public Education<br />
Program Visitor<br />
State Liaison<br />
Vessel<br />
Examinations<br />
Internally, since boating safety activities are decreasing and our on-the-water experiences<br />
are fresh, this is a great time for Member Training activities. Auxiliary Operations (AUXOP)<br />
courses are often neglected, but with the new AUXOP criteria that become effective on<br />
January 1 st , there are qualification options that should be of greater interest to more of our<br />
members. Marine Safety training was highlighted in the summer issue of the Breeze, and<br />
additional information will be available soon.<br />
Coming back to the RBS plan, this is the time to assist members with obtaining new qualifications<br />
as Instructor, Program Visitor and Vessel Examiner so they will be ready to use<br />
their new skills early next year.<br />
I want to thank the Prevention Directorate Staff, Tom Hayden, DSO-MT, John Sprague-<br />
Williams, DSO-MS, Ruth White, DSO-PE, Ronnie Merritt, DSO-PV, Bill Grizwold, DSO-SL,
Page 17<br />
Chuck Kelemen, DSO-VE, and their ADSOs for all of their efforts and accomplishments this<br />
year.<br />
Thanks to all of you for a great year. From the recreational boating safety statistics and your personal<br />
experiences, you know that your services are needed and appreciated.<br />
Semper Paratus Ω<br />
Is It Too Late to Take a Boating Safety Course<br />
LAKE MARION, S.C.- Both Lake Marion and Lake Murray, Columbia, S.C. have reported more personal<br />
boating accidents this year than in past years. The incident pictured above occurred on Saturday,<br />
July 31, <strong>2010</strong>, in front of Scarborough’s Landing on Wyboo Creek in Santee. A pontoon boat with no<br />
running lights was being towed at night by another pontoon boat - with this result! The photo was taken<br />
the following morning. Surprisingly, considering the amount of damage done, only one person was reported<br />
to have sustained minor injuries. Accidents like this should serve as a reminder that we have so<br />
much more to do to educate the public about Recreational Boating Safety.<br />
Photo by Perry Moses, III FC, Flotilla 12-1, Lake Marion.
Page 18<br />
The Shootout on Mummy Mountain<br />
Commodore Frasch Elected to Serve as DNACO and<br />
D7 Dominates National “A” Directorate Awards for Second Straight Year.<br />
By Christopher Todd, DVC-AP<br />
PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz. – At the foothills of Mummy<br />
Mountain above the J.W. Marriott Camelback Inn Resort<br />
& Spa lies a cookout area with building facades reminiscent<br />
of a Wild West town. Signs that say “Sheriff” and<br />
“O.K. Corral” sway in the wind as a light coating of dusty<br />
desert sand chases away rattlesnakes and scorpions.<br />
Just down the trail from here is where it all happened.<br />
Like the marshal in a old western movie with his deputy<br />
riding shotgun, Commodore Donald Frasch, <strong>District</strong> Commodore<br />
7, rode into town with Walter Jaskiewicz, <strong>District</strong><br />
Chief of Staff 7, and laid down the law at the Coast Guard<br />
Auxiliary National Conference (NACON). For the second<br />
straight year, the Seventh <strong>District</strong> captured a lion’s share<br />
of national awards as they gunned down the competition<br />
at almost every corner.<br />
It all started on Friday, August 27 just after the NACON<br />
opening ceremonies and the official roll call. It was time<br />
for the national elections and Frasch defeated two challengers<br />
on the first ballot – almost unprecedented – to<br />
become the Deputy National Commodore, Atlantic Area<br />
East and Operations (elect). He will serve in this capacity<br />
for the 2011-12 term.<br />
Soon after, Commodore David A. Elliot, Chief Response<br />
Department and Assistant National Commodore for Response<br />
and Prevention – and member of Stuart Flotilla<br />
51 – was awarded the Auxiliary Meritorious Service<br />
Medal for his work from November 2008 to August <strong>2010</strong>.<br />
Rear Adm. Brian Salerno, Deputy Commandant for Operations,<br />
presented the award.<br />
In the second session, Wilson Riggan, Division Commander<br />
5, received the Auxiliary Achievement Medal for<br />
his work as Chief, Response Air Operations Division from<br />
September 2008 to August <strong>2010</strong>. Salerno and Rear Adm.<br />
Kevin Cook presented the award. Riggan’s wife Diane,<br />
Flotilla Commander 59, accompanied him to NACON.<br />
As the sun broke over Camelback Mountain on Saturday,<br />
August 28, the towns folk scattered as tumbleweeds blew<br />
through the streets. The D7 posse had their six-shooters<br />
loaded and was ready for a fight. It was time for the prestigious<br />
national public affairs, photography, and publications<br />
awards.<br />
The first category up was photography, with First Place<br />
awards going to Albert Bidwick, Flotilla Staff Officer-<br />
Public Affairs (FSO-PA) 86 for the Operations category,<br />
his wife Judi Bidwick, Flotilla Staff Officer-Publications<br />
(FSO-PB) 86 for the Public Education category, and<br />
Christopher Todd, Immediate Past Flotilla Commander 6-<br />
11 for the Vessel Examination category. Todd won this<br />
category for the second consecutive year. The shootout<br />
was underway.<br />
Morris Harvey, FSO-PA 15-1, received First Place for the<br />
Flotilla Public Affairs Project category for the National<br />
Safe Boating Week activities by his Dunnellon, Florida<br />
flotilla. This was also the second consecutive year in
Page 19<br />
total team effort and I want to<br />
thank the many contributors<br />
from throughout the district<br />
who all played a role in making<br />
this happen.”<br />
PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz.– Commodore Donald Frasch is joined at the National Conference in<br />
Arizona by CWO Ursula Walther, Operations Training Officer, D7, his wife, Sandy, and CDR Donald<br />
Winfield, Director of Auxiliary, D7. Photo by Christopher Todd, DVC-AP<br />
Later that evening, Frasch<br />
and is wife Sandy were<br />
seated at the head table for<br />
the Commodore’s Banquet.<br />
After dinner came the<br />
“frocking ceremony” in which<br />
Mrs. Frasch, accompanied<br />
by Commander Donald<br />
Winfield, Director of Auxiliary<br />
<strong>District</strong> 7, replaced the onestar<br />
shoulder boards on<br />
Frasch with new two-star<br />
boards. Frasch then took the<br />
oath of office for his new<br />
elected position.<br />
which Seventh <strong>District</strong> units claimed first place in the<br />
Public Affairs category.<br />
Around high noon it was time for the final showdown; the<br />
publications category. Duane Ising, FSO-PB 98 Charlotte<br />
Harbor, claimed First Place for the Flotilla category for his<br />
Harbor Light newsletter, beating out competitors from<br />
throughout the Coast Guard Auxiliary.<br />
With the anticipation building into a near frenzy, the First<br />
Place winner of the <strong>District</strong> Publications category was<br />
announced. Dottie Riley, DSO-PB, had claimed the<br />
crown for the second year in a row thereby demonstrating<br />
the dominance the D7 BREEZE maintains as a marquee<br />
publication within the Auxiliary.<br />
The marshal blew a smoke trail away from the tip of the<br />
barrel on his Colt, while the deputy placed the Winchester<br />
repeating rifle back in the saddlebag. A drink seemed to<br />
be in order. Soon, the marshal will be overseeing a much<br />
larger territory, while the deputy is the top candidate to<br />
take over the marshal’s old job.<br />
As the sun began to set in the Arizona territory, both<br />
Frasch and Jaskiewicz were last seen loading their loot<br />
into an old stage coach for the trip back to Orlando and<br />
formal presentation at the Seventh <strong>District</strong> Conference in<br />
late September. The “Super Seventh” had done it yet<br />
again! Ω<br />
“I am absolutely thrilled,” said Riley. “This was another<br />
National Awards presented to <strong>District</strong> 7 at NACON<br />
National Public Affairs Award – First Place Flotilla – Morris Harvey, FL 15-1<br />
First Place Photography – Public Education – Julia Bidwick - FL 86<br />
First Place Photography – Vessel Examination – Christopher Todd - FL 6-11<br />
First Place Photography – Operations – Albert Bidwick – FL 86<br />
Flotilla Publication – First Place -“Harbor Light’ - Duane Ising, Editor, FL 98<br />
<strong>District</strong> Publication – First Place – <strong>District</strong> 7 “Breeze” - Dottie Riley, Editor, FL 79<br />
<strong>2010</strong> Best Of The Web – Division 17, <strong>District</strong> Seven
Page 20<br />
DCON: What a Motivating Experience!<br />
By Dottie Riley, DSO-PB and Thomas Loughlin, DSO-PA<br />
ORLANDO, Fla.- Unless you are a division<br />
or district officer, there is no reason to<br />
attend the <strong>District</strong> 7 Conference (DCON) -<br />
right If you are under this impression<br />
then read on, because you would be very<br />
wrong!<br />
The D7 Material Store- Jacob McCullough, Brenda Burger, John Curtis and Tom Brickey<br />
The <strong>District</strong> 7 Fall conference was held<br />
September 23-26 at the Florida Mall Hotel<br />
in Orlando, Florida. Each year, DCON follows<br />
a general format that adapts to<br />
changing needs and objectives.<br />
In truth, only the first day, the Thursday of<br />
each DCON session is primarily for the<br />
district’s “high ranking elected officers”.<br />
Sep. 23, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Photo by D. Riley<br />
A crowded General Assembly Sep. 24, <strong>2010</strong><br />
and soft drinks and a variety of pizzas to suit<br />
anyone’s pizza preferences.<br />
Photo by Vicki Aponte<br />
The training sessions begin on Friday and continue<br />
through Sunday morning. A sampling of<br />
this year’s offerings included the Flotilla Leadership<br />
Course, Incident Command System (ICS)<br />
210, sessions on how to write awards, process<br />
grants and donations, how to complete various<br />
Human Relations forms to include the 7029 and<br />
the 7030, courses in Marine Safety and Recreational<br />
Boating Safety, how to apply for a C-<br />
School, counter terrorisms training, and how to<br />
wear the uniform correctly. This brief list includes<br />
more than a few topics of interest to both new<br />
and seasoned members!<br />
This is the only day that the <strong>District</strong> 7 Executive<br />
Committee (EXCOM) reserves to<br />
themselves for closed door discussions and<br />
planning meetings. While they are in their<br />
meetings, the general membership is just<br />
arriving, registering, visiting tabletop displays,<br />
visiting local attractions, shopping in<br />
the D7 Materials Store, shopping in local<br />
stores and just generally relaxing and taking<br />
the opportunity to meet other members<br />
from throughout our district.<br />
Training– CFV Examiner, BM1 Pete Nelson and John Sprague-Williams<br />
Thursday lays claim to one other event that<br />
members generally arrive in time to enjoy:<br />
the Commodore’s Reception. The food and<br />
drink at this event are always free. This<br />
year, the members were treated to wine<br />
Sep. 25, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Photo by Dottie Riley
Page 21<br />
Tabletop displays:-<br />
Toni Borman, Ruth Ann<br />
White and Lee Waters<br />
brought an amazing variety<br />
of life jackets and<br />
brochures promoting recreational<br />
boating safety.<br />
Sep. 23, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Photo by Dottie Riley<br />
The general meeting, which includes annual elections<br />
and award presentations, is conducted on Friday afternoon,<br />
and Friday night boasts the formal banquet where<br />
the newly elected officers are ‘frocked’. Leading<br />
the new <strong>District</strong> Bridge will be Walter Jaskiewicz<br />
with John Tyson as <strong>District</strong> Chief of Staff as his<br />
second-in-command. The remainder of the<br />
Bridge consists of the all-important regional <strong>District</strong><br />
Captains. The 2011-2012 <strong>District</strong> Captains<br />
are Mel Manning-<strong>District</strong> Captain West, Pat<br />
Feighery-<strong>District</strong> Captain East and Bob<br />
Weskerna-<strong>District</strong> Captain North. Congratulations<br />
to all!<br />
modore in a silver lame jacket dancing with his lady.<br />
There was no way one could have attended and not enjoyed<br />
oneself.<br />
Formal Banquet—Expressing Appreciation to COMO Frasch, Sep. 24, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Saturday and Sunday morning is more training,<br />
with Saturday night being the most popular<br />
event of all: Fun Night. This year’s theme was<br />
Mardi Gras. On this night, the members “let<br />
down their hair” and party! The costumes were<br />
humorous and gaudy befitting a good Mardi<br />
Gras party. A good example was our new Com-<br />
Fun Night– CWO Ursula Walther with some of our Mardi Gras revelers.<br />
Photo by Vicki Aponte<br />
Unless you have attended one of these<br />
conferences, you can’t possibly understand<br />
and feel the sense of camaraderie<br />
and pride that one experiences when attending<br />
DCON. We truly are an amazing<br />
and dedicated group of people! As CDR<br />
Donald Winfield, Director of Auxiliary <strong>District</strong><br />
Seven (DIRAUX D7) remarked, he<br />
cannot comprehend why so many people<br />
willingly volunteer their time and shoulder<br />
the financial burden for membership in<br />
this great organization. We know why,<br />
but if you ever question that yourself, attend<br />
a district conference!<br />
Semper Paratus! Ω<br />
Sep. 25, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Photo by Dottie Riley
Page 22<br />
DORAL, Fla. – Coast Guard Auxiliary personnel<br />
from Divisions 5 (Palm Beaches and Treasure<br />
Coast) and 6 (Miami-Dade County) teamed up with<br />
active duty counterparts from Station Miami Beach<br />
and Tactical Law Enforcement Team South for a<br />
comprehensive Coast Guard Day celebration at the<br />
U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) Headquarters<br />
on Wednesday, August 4.<br />
USCG RADM Steven H. Ratti, SOUTHCOM Director of<br />
Operations, was joined by COMO David A. Elliot, Assistant<br />
National Commodore for Response and Prevention<br />
and member of Flotilla 59, for a special cake cutting ceremony<br />
before SOUTHCOM leadership to mark the 220 th<br />
Anniversary of the Coast Guard.<br />
RADM Ratti displayed immense pride as he spoke to the<br />
audience about the various missions of the Coast Guard,<br />
and then asked the Auxiliary members in the room including<br />
Wilson Riggan, Division Commander 5, and Judith<br />
Hudson, Division Commander 6, to stand and be recognized<br />
for the amazing work they perform on behalf of<br />
Team Coast Guard.<br />
D7 Auxiliary Recognized at SOUTHCOM During Coast<br />
Guard Day Celebration. By Christopher Todd, DVC-AP<br />
Outside in the raging South Florida summer heat, Division<br />
5 personnel were proudly displaying their Mobile<br />
Communications Rapid<br />
DORAL, Fla. - CAPT Michael Christian confers with COMO David Elliot and Wilson Riggan, DCDR-<br />
Response Team consisting<br />
of truck, trailer, and all the Mobile Communications Rapid Response Team exhibit during Coast Guard Day at SOUTHCOM.<br />
5, both of Flotilla 59, Charles Reiner, Flotilla 51, and William Tejeiro, ASC Miami, Flotilla 6-11, about<br />
-terrain vehicle. Nearby,<br />
Photo by Christopher Todd, DVC-AP<br />
members of Division 6<br />
were staffing an information<br />
kiosk offering information<br />
about the Coast<br />
Guard Auxiliary and recreational<br />
boating safety.<br />
Security was not much of<br />
a problem on the site, but<br />
just in case the TACLET<br />
South trailer had just<br />
about every type of<br />
weapon in their mighty<br />
arsenal on display including<br />
the cannon-like Barrett<br />
50 caliber rifle. Behind<br />
them, Station Miami<br />
Beach was displaying a<br />
25-foot SAFE boat which<br />
SOUTHCOM personnel<br />
were having fun climbing<br />
into.<br />
The organizer of the Coast Guard Day event, CAPT<br />
Michael B. Christian, was thrilled with the Auxiliary<br />
turnout. “Last year the Coast Guard Day celebration<br />
at SOUTHCOM consisted of a message on the bulletin<br />
board. This year, we had a real event,” he exclaimed.<br />
“My thanks to the Auxiliary for joining with<br />
us to make this a very special day.”<br />
SOUTHCOM is one of ten unified commands within the<br />
Department of Defense. Under the leadership of a fourstar<br />
commander, SOUTHCOM is responsible for providing<br />
contingency planning, operations, security cooperation,<br />
and U.S. force protection for Central and South<br />
America and the Caribbean.<br />
As a joint command, SOUTHCOM is comprised of more<br />
than 1,200 military and civilian personnel representing<br />
the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard,<br />
and several other Federal agencies. Ω
Page 23<br />
During the month of July, the USCGC<br />
Eagle made several port calls throughout<br />
<strong>District</strong> 7: Tampa –July 10th, Port<br />
Everglades - July 23rd, and<br />
Savannah - July 30th. Members<br />
from many Auxiliary divisions and<br />
their Auxiliary facilities enjoyed<br />
the opportunity to both escort<br />
and tour this beloved tall ship.<br />
The love for, and interest<br />
expressed in this historic<br />
barque, motivated the editor<br />
to ask Alejandro de<br />
Quesada, a worldrenown<br />
historian (and<br />
member of Flotilla 79<br />
in Tampa), to share<br />
with our readers a<br />
glimpse into this<br />
vessel’s lesser<br />
known past. His<br />
account is<br />
found on the<br />
following<br />
pages.<br />
The USCGC Eagle in Tampa, Photo by Valerie Fernandes, FL 78
Page 24<br />
The USCGC Eagle: A Brief History<br />
By Alejandro deQuesada<br />
The USCGC Eagle (WIX-327) is the seventh ship of the<br />
Coast Guard or Navy to bear that name. The Eagle has a<br />
standing crew of six officers and 56 enlisted; on training<br />
missions, she carries on the average a complement of 12<br />
officers, 68 crew, and up to 150 cadets. Each year, she<br />
takes one long training cruise to the Caribbean, the Pacific<br />
Coast, or Europe, and two shorter cruises along the<br />
U.S. East Coast. During her many years of service, Eagle<br />
has traveled to ports throughout the world. Among her<br />
various cruises, Eagle has participated in various Tall<br />
Ship races and events including the various incarnations<br />
of Operation Sail, most notably the American Bicentennial<br />
OpSail '76. In September 1987, she undertook a<br />
yearlong cruise to Australia from her homeport. In 2005,<br />
as part of the Trafalgar 200 International Fleet Review in<br />
the Solent off Southern England, Eagle was one of a<br />
number of tall ships from several nations to be reviewed<br />
by Queen Elizabeth II.<br />
Later that summer, Eagle returned to Bremerhaven for<br />
the first time since World War II, to an enthusiastic welcome.<br />
Amazingly, all of the ships of the Gorch Fock class survived<br />
the postwar<br />
years and<br />
are still around to<br />
this day - with the<br />
exception of the<br />
unfinished SSS<br />
Herbert Norkus<br />
that was scuttled<br />
after the war.<br />
The SSS Gorch<br />
Fock was taken<br />
by the then Soviet<br />
Navy and<br />
renamed the<br />
Tovarisch. After<br />
the collapse of<br />
the Soviet Union<br />
she was returned<br />
to Germany -<br />
The USCGC Eagle’s original namesake<br />
was of a martyred NAZI storm trooper,<br />
Horst Wessel, who was killed by<br />
communists during Germany’s political<br />
turmoil during the Weimar era. He<br />
wrote the song “Die Fahne Hoch” that<br />
would become the official anthem of<br />
the NAZI party. (Author’s Collection)<br />
where she was<br />
renamed the<br />
Gorch Fock - and<br />
serves as a museum<br />
ship. The<br />
SSS Albert Leo<br />
Schlageter is now<br />
Grossadmiral Karl Dönitz and Reichsjugendführer Arthur Axmann<br />
reviewing Hitler Youth Sea cadets aboard the SSS Horst<br />
Wessel. (Bundesarchiv)<br />
serving the Portuguese Navy as the NRP Sagres after<br />
serving with the Brazilian navy. The Mircea is still serving<br />
with the Romanian navy. The West German navy built<br />
the SSS Gorch Fock II based on the improved designs of<br />
the SSS Horst Wessel (USCGC Eagle) in 1958.<br />
There are few reminders of the Eagle’s service with the<br />
German navy that are still visible - just so slightly that is.<br />
The Original figurehead of the Eagle once bore a swastika<br />
within the wreath whereby it was replaced with the<br />
seal of the United States Coast Guard. The original now<br />
resides in the Coast Guard Museum on the grounds of<br />
the Coast Guard Academy along with other artifacts pertaining<br />
to the ship.<br />
Below: The original builder’s plate can be found in the<br />
wardroom. (Author’s Collection)
Page 25<br />
and life at sea and they are tested and challenged,<br />
often to the limits of endurance. Working aloft, they<br />
meet fear and learn to overcome it. The experience<br />
builds character and helps future officers develop<br />
skills of leadership and teamwork that prove valuable<br />
assets throughout their careers. Ω<br />
Below: The decks of the Eagle hark of another time.<br />
(By the Author)<br />
The Eagle’s figurehead on its bow proudly bears the seal of<br />
the United States Coast Guard. (By the Author)<br />
A faithfully copied duplicate figurehead now adorns<br />
the bow of the sailing ship. Aboard the ship are hidden<br />
reminders of its past such as the name plate of<br />
the Horst Wessel in the recreation room, a builder’s<br />
plate in the wardroom, and a water faucet still bearing<br />
the German words for hot and cold. On deck the<br />
ship’s wheels still bears the name<br />
“SEGELSCHULSCHIFF HORST WESSEL” but hidden<br />
under another plate bearing “USCGC EAGLE”.<br />
Today, the USCGC Eagle continues serving the<br />
United States Coast Guard, and along with the USS<br />
Constitution, is the only commissioned sailing ship in<br />
our armed forces. On the decks and in the rigging of<br />
Eagle, young men and women get a taste of salt air<br />
Recommended Reading - The following sources are recommended<br />
for those wishing to learn more about the USCG<br />
Barque Eagle:<br />
Drum, Russell. The Barque of Saviors: Eagle’s Passage from<br />
the Nazi Navy to the U.S. Coast Guard. New York: Houghton<br />
Mifflin Company, 2001.<br />
Puget, Ollivier. The World’s Great Sailing Ships. New York:<br />
Barnes & Noble Books, 1998.<br />
Tall Ships of Germany: Pamir, Potosi, Preußen, USCG Eagle,<br />
Moshulu, Gorch Fock, Herzogin, Cecilie, Parma, Pisagua, Passat,<br />
Sedov, Krusenstern. Memphis, TN: Books LLC, <strong>2010</strong>.<br />
Villiers, Allen. “Under Canvas in the Atomic Age”. The National<br />
Geographic Magazine, Volume CVIII, Number One (July 1955):<br />
49-84.<br />
The ship’s wheel has brass plates bearing the name “USCGC<br />
EAGLE” screwed over the previous name and thereby hiding the<br />
ship’s former service with the Hitler’s Kriegsmarine during the<br />
Second World War.<br />
(By the Author)<br />
Walle, Heinrich. Fünfzig Jahre Segelschulschiff Gorch Fock.<br />
Hamburg,<br />
Germany: Koehlers Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, 2008. Ω
Page 26<br />
Flotilla Hosts Admiral Baumgartner for Lunch<br />
By Diane Riggan, FC 59<br />
STUART, Fla.- Division 5 is unique in that its over 400<br />
members support two busy small boat stations, Coast<br />
Guard Stations Ft. Pierce and Lake Worth Inlet. In July,<br />
BOSN David Ladomirak, Ft. Pierce Station Commander,<br />
told the members of Flotilla 59 that on August 12th,<br />
USCG 7th <strong>District</strong> Commander, RADM William<br />
Baumgartner would tour both stations.<br />
On August 10th, Ladomirak forwarded the finalized<br />
schedule to Diane Riggan, Flotilla Commander 59. The<br />
itinerary showed the Admiral would arrive at Station Lake<br />
Worth Inlet by car. He would then travel via a Coast<br />
Guard small boat between stations with a transfer at the<br />
mid-point of Division 5, Sandsprit Park in Stuart, which<br />
happens to be home to Flotilla 59. There were no lunch<br />
arrangements indicated on the itinerary for the Admiral<br />
and his party. Flotilla members conferred with Wilson<br />
Riggan, Division Commander 5, and offered to host the<br />
Admiral for lunch at the flotilla’s facility.<br />
Early on Tuesday, August 11th, Ladomirak emailed, “He<br />
liked your idea, lunch at 59 is on!” A five page guideline<br />
from the Admiral’s aide, LTJG Ladyga, arrived via email.<br />
It covered everything from meal preferences to transportation<br />
protocols, and specified that ODUs would be the<br />
uniform of the day. Not knowing if there would be two<br />
boat crews to feed or just a few people, a few members<br />
of the host flotilla were contacted to help.<br />
It all seemed to be coming together until Ladomirak<br />
called to ask if we needed anything. “Do you have a twostar<br />
flag for the Admiral’s visit” That was something we<br />
hadn’t thought of and the answer was ‘no.’ He assured us<br />
he would arrive early and would make sure we had a<br />
proper flag.<br />
At 8:45 the next morning, Dan Jacquish, <strong>District</strong> Captain-<br />
East, was at CG Station Lake Worth Inlet. He called to<br />
tell Diane Riggan that RADM Baumgartner was ahead of<br />
schedule. Also, since BOSN Mullinax, CG Station Lake<br />
Worth Commander mentioned to the Admiral that Division<br />
5 had a mobile communications unit listed in the station<br />
contingency plan; the Admiral had expressed interest<br />
in seeing it. Jacquish asked if we could we have it onsite<br />
when the Admiral arrived. We told Jacquish that we<br />
would give it our best shot.<br />
At 9:00 a.m., lead mechanic and driver Danny DiLorenzo<br />
was about to have his first cup of coffee at home when<br />
Diane Riggan called to ask if it was possible for him to<br />
pick up and deliver the Communications Unit, parked a<br />
few miles away, to the flotilla building. DiLorenzo only<br />
asked, “By when do you need it” Riggan explained, “The<br />
Admiral arrives in 90 minutes, do what you can.” Riggan<br />
continued to assist with the final arrangements at the flotilla<br />
building.
Page 27<br />
“What an honor to have you here Admiral,” Riggan offered<br />
and introduced her staff. He seemed truly impressed<br />
with the magnificent location and quality of workmanship<br />
of the flotilla facility. Complete<br />
with a radio room, member training<br />
room and public education room, it has<br />
stood in this location since the early<br />
1980’s.<br />
Hal Harger, Vice Commander 59, Bob Davis, Flotilla Staff<br />
Officer-Operations 59, Paul Horbal and Gary Barth, Vice<br />
Commander Division 5 set up the buffet lunch. Vince<br />
Whalen and COMO David Elliot had the flags up and the<br />
radio room humming when the 30 foot long Mobile Communications<br />
Rapid Response unit arrived with time to<br />
spare! DiLorenzo and Paul David went to work raising<br />
antennas and setting up the unit’s radios, tables and<br />
chairs.<br />
At approximately 11:20 a.m., Vince Whalen, radio Watchstander,<br />
called out from the flotilla radio room that the<br />
Special Purpose Craft-Law Enforcement boat (SPC-LE)<br />
from Lake Worth Inlet was 10 minutes out. Jacquish had<br />
just arrived, and Barth headed out to the ramp to take<br />
photos. The Response Boat-Small (RB-S) from Ft. Pierce<br />
was at the boat ramp. Ladomirak brought the flag to raise<br />
for the Admiral’s arrival.<br />
The temperature was already close to 100 degrees. The<br />
boat ramp was close, but time was short. COMO David<br />
Elliot, Assistant National Commodore for Response and<br />
Prevention and the Communications Staff Officer for 59,<br />
was standing by to transport the Admiral and CMC Mello,<br />
who traveling with him.<br />
As CWO Mullinax docked and the Admiral stepped onshore,<br />
and over the radio we heard “Seventh Coast<br />
Guard <strong>District</strong> Arriving”. DiLorenzo hoisted the Admiral’s<br />
flag. Moments later, RADM Bill Baumgartner entered the<br />
Flotilla 59 building and everyone snapped to attention. He<br />
immediately put everyone at ease, shaking hands and<br />
greeting each person warmly and enthusiastically.<br />
The Admiral was surveying the square<br />
footage and joked that he could set up<br />
his office and move right in! He mentioned<br />
that many of his meetings are<br />
now in the form of video conferencing,<br />
so we suggested that with COMO Elliot’s<br />
35 years in broadcasting, we<br />
could make web-casting work for the<br />
Admiral. He could gaze out at the St.<br />
Lucie River and the passing boats and no one know that<br />
he was not sitting on the 9th floor in downtown Miami.<br />
Lunch conversation covered topics ranging from the Admiral’s<br />
love of sailing to the flotilla’s effort in public education<br />
and vessel exams, to a brief history of the unit. Elliot<br />
observed that we teach a boating safety program every<br />
month, and that, “every boater in the class has the potential<br />
to save 3-5 lives when taking into consideration how<br />
many passengers they take with them every time that<br />
boater goes out”.<br />
At the conclusion of lunch, Admiral Baumgartner graciously<br />
signed a photo for the flotilla’s collection as well<br />
as the guest book that dates back to 1983. We accompanied<br />
the Admiral outside while he inspected the Communications<br />
Unit. He thanked everyone for their efforts.<br />
Elliot transported the Admirals’ party back to the boat<br />
ramp while DiLorenzo stood by to lower the Admiral’s<br />
flag. The crew of the six passenger 33-foot SPC-LE boat<br />
was ready to get underway. Next stop for the Admiral:<br />
Coast Guard Station Ft. Pierce. As he boarded the craft,<br />
we heard, “Seventh Coast Guard <strong>District</strong> Departing”, and<br />
with that, DiLorenzo lowered the two-star flag. Ω<br />
Captions, Left Page: Flotilla 59 members pose with the Admiral<br />
inside the flotilla’s building. Back row from left: Dan Jacquish<br />
DCAPT-E, Paul David, Danny DiLorenzo, Hal Harger VFC 59,<br />
Paul Horbal, CMC Mello. Front row left to right: Diane Riggan FC<br />
59, COMO David Elliot ANACO-RP, RADM Bill Baumgartner, Bob<br />
Davis FSO-OP, CWO David Ladomirak and Gary Barth, VCDR 5.<br />
Above: RADM William Baumgartner greets Flotilla 59 members<br />
Paul Horbal , Diane Riggan FC 59, Hal Harger, VFC 59 and<br />
Danny DiLorenzo. Photos by Paul David
Page 28<br />
Division 14 Honor Guard: Standing Watch With Pride<br />
By William Sekeres, FC, Flotilla 14-2, Arlington Jacksonville, Fla.<br />
impressive.<br />
The family started arriving in the parking lot. We<br />
don’t like to be seen “out of character,” so we moved<br />
to the small room where we dressed. The family<br />
wasn’t sure the funeral home was able to get an<br />
Honor Guard for the evening. It wasn’t until they fully<br />
arrived that they were told that their loved one would<br />
be paid the respect of an Honor detail. They were<br />
thrilled and waited anxiously for us to appear.<br />
At 6 p.m., the three Honor Guardsmen exited a distant<br />
room, came to Parade Rest for just a moment,<br />
and on command, straightened to Attention, and with<br />
a hushed Forward March made their way down a<br />
long hallway towards the viewing room. The hallways<br />
were filled with friends of the family who had<br />
come to say goodbye to the deceased and to comfort<br />
the family. As one, then two, then three, then<br />
more of those gathered caught us in the corner of<br />
their eyes, they knew something important was happening:<br />
the Coast Guard had come to pay its respects.<br />
The folks in the crowded hallway parted as<br />
we moved through them and we turned to enter the<br />
viewing room. There, more visitors who had not yet<br />
realized that something special, something ‘military’<br />
was about to happen clogged the isle.<br />
JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla.: We got the call late<br />
Tuesday evening. A funeral home in Jacksonville wanted<br />
to know if we could provide an Honor Guard at their location<br />
Thursday evening to pay tribute to a deceased retired<br />
Coast Guardsman.<br />
Of course, we jumped into action. Within minutes, we had<br />
enough members of the Auxiliary Division 14 Honor<br />
Guard to commit to the service. We’ve done it before and<br />
were proud to be called upon again.<br />
Arriving early allowed us time to “visit” with our departed<br />
shipmate and study his past; a past evidenced by his<br />
shadow box of memorabilia on display near the casket.<br />
He began his career as a Seaman Recruit and worked<br />
his way up the chain to Lt. Cmdr. Inside the shadow box<br />
were his ribbons and medals, patches and collar devices<br />
of every rank he ever held, and a folded American flag;<br />
With one guard stationed outside the room, two<br />
more occupied the aisle in the back of the room, motionless<br />
and quiet. We would not proceed to the front<br />
until all those assembled realized the Coast Guard<br />
had arrived. One person tapped another on the arm<br />
then another on the shoulder; they whispered to others,<br />
and those to even more. Suddenly, some moved left,<br />
some right and the aisle was clear. There was no movement<br />
and there was absolute silence. In a hushed, respectful<br />
tone, the words Forward, March were spoken,<br />
and in a slow, deliberate pace to the front, the Coast<br />
Guard was on the move. The guards halted at the front<br />
and delivered that slow salute displaying reverence to<br />
their fallen brother. One of them took up the Watch while<br />
the other saluted again, executed an About Face and exited<br />
the room.<br />
Without exaggeration, the room remained silent for a very<br />
long time. The family and visitors were mesmerized.<br />
Those gathered had just witnessed how the military, specifically<br />
the Coast Guard, honors one of their own. And so<br />
it went, every twenty minutes for two and one-half hours.
Page 29<br />
Each time the guard was changed, the room became<br />
silent again. As some friends left and others arrived, another<br />
Change of Watch took place and another aisle full<br />
of those who had come to pay their respects moved<br />
aside because the Coast Guard was paying Honors.<br />
During one watch cycle I overheard a friend of the family<br />
tell another, “It’s nice they do this”. Of course he meant it<br />
was nice of the Coast Guard to have one of their Honor<br />
Guards present.<br />
These ceremonies are always so rewarding. Not only do<br />
they produce a very proud feeling within us to show respect<br />
for, and become one with a fallen comrade, but we<br />
also bear witness to the family that we are there to honor<br />
someone whom they love.<br />
realize that it doesn’t matter that a Coast Guardsman is<br />
sworn in under a Chain of Command and an Auxiliarist<br />
under a Chain of Leadership; the public sees us as a single<br />
branch.<br />
When you question whether or not your ODUs can be<br />
worn one more time before washing, the answer is you<br />
can’t. If you’re trying to decide if your dress shoes need<br />
to be shined yet, they do. When you’re in public and<br />
someone looks at you, and you know they’re sizing you<br />
up, remember you’re representing all the “Coasties” who<br />
brave the rough seas and stand the midnight watch that<br />
keep our country safe. You also are dressing for all of<br />
those who can no longer do so. Ω<br />
The Division 14 Honor Guard participates in many different<br />
kinds of events, from parades to the presentation<br />
of the Colors. One that is particularly rewarding<br />
is the Posting of Colors for Naturalization Ceremonies<br />
conducted by the Immigration and Naturalization<br />
Dept. of the Department of Homeland Security.<br />
We are proud of them all, however, the opportunity<br />
to pay final tribute of a member of the US Coast<br />
Guard or the Coast Guard Auxiliary makes us especially<br />
proud. It is the embodiment of that part of our<br />
mission statement which sets our level of commitment<br />
at its highest level.<br />
Most importantly, we are considered worthy of the<br />
title of Honor Guardsmen because our preparation,<br />
pride, respect and military bearing is evident and<br />
appreciated by the family and friends of those who<br />
are left behind, because one of their own- one our<br />
own has “crossed the bar.”<br />
The <strong>District</strong> Seven, Division Fourteen Honor Guard<br />
has been through so much. We have endured unbearable<br />
heat in our Dress Blues, frozen in our<br />
ODUs during practices; we have given hundreds of<br />
hours to a cause we believe in, and our families<br />
have been willingly inconvenienced because they<br />
believe in us. Our pride and passion have made us<br />
a family and we are extremely proud to say that<br />
Sector Jacksonville claims us as a worthy addition<br />
to their operation. That is another aspect of the described<br />
evening that needs to be shared.<br />
Those at the viewing of our fallen fellow Coast<br />
Guardsman didn’t notice that there was gold on one<br />
uniform and silver on others. What they saw was<br />
the United States Coast Guard. It’s important to<br />
Photographs- Left page: William R. Sekeres, Flotilla<br />
Commander 14-2, Director, Division 14 Honor Guard stationed outside<br />
a viewing room door.<br />
Below: Paul Davis, Flotilla Commander 14-4 prepares to stand watch in<br />
front of the casket during a memorial service.
Page 30<br />
“Team Coast Guard” Helps Station Fort Lauderdale<br />
Earn #1 in the USA. By Marie Duda Flotilla 38, Plantation, Fla.<br />
FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla.: USCG<br />
station Fort Lauderdale earned<br />
#1 in the U.S.A. for the number<br />
of vessel boardings completedthanks<br />
to the contributions of<br />
Auxiliary member, Marie Duda.<br />
In August 2009, LTJG Megan<br />
Naughton, Executive Officer,<br />
Station Fort Lauderdale, requested<br />
help from the Auxiliary<br />
for someone to enter boarding<br />
information into the Marine Information<br />
for Safety and Law Enforcement<br />
(MISLE) system. This<br />
is a data base that requires meticulous<br />
transfer of details from<br />
the “4100” form used by boarding<br />
officers when inspecting recreational<br />
boats. Charlie Baggett,<br />
Auxiliary Liaison Officer to Station<br />
Fort Lauderdale, asked<br />
serves as Duda's "office." Previously, she shared whatever<br />
Marie Duda enters data from a form 4100 into the MISLE system. A new laptop in the Galley<br />
computers were available..<br />
Marie Duda if she would be interested<br />
in volunteering. She<br />
immediately said, “Yes,” since her professional background<br />
was a good match for this type of work, and Assistant Operations Officer at Ft. Lauderdale, to have<br />
started the next day.<br />
BM3 Irad Delgado trained Duda on this complex system,<br />
working with her three days a week for most of the day.<br />
The 4100 form contains approximately 50 items that<br />
need to be transcribed into the appropriate MISLE dropdown<br />
menus. Before they can be entered, specific items<br />
must be on the form including the date and time of boarding,<br />
the vessel’s Florida registration number, hull identification<br />
number (HIN), latitude, longitude, and specific details<br />
about the type of boat, just to name a few. If one of<br />
these is missing, the boarding officer is required to correct<br />
and return it.<br />
Additionally, the 4100 information must match the Boarding<br />
Log which is entered by the Radio Watchstander for<br />
that day. The Boarding Log, in the form of an Excel<br />
spreadsheet, contains necessary entries for MISLE input.<br />
The boarding officer is required to make sure it is complete<br />
and accurate.<br />
At first, it took approximately one-half hour to complete<br />
one MISLE entry, but after four months of experience,<br />
Duda was able to complete an entry in 15-20 minutes.<br />
After that, she was authorized by BM1 Matthew Parker,
Page 31<br />
BM3 Ryan Andersen (kneeling) and<br />
BM1 Joshua Peelman from Station Fort<br />
Lauderdale check lines prior to deployment.<br />
The two Guardsmen are members<br />
of the Station’s boarding teams<br />
and helped in achieving the goal of 100<br />
boardings that earned Station Ft.<br />
Lauderdale first place in the nation.<br />
Photo by Marie Duda<br />
In July, GM1 Tajuana Usry<br />
advised that Sections Port and<br />
Starboard were planning a<br />
“contest” to see which team<br />
could do the most boardings.<br />
Each boarding had to be submitted<br />
promptly and closed in<br />
MISLE. The winning team received<br />
two days leave. Needless<br />
to say, this was an incredibly<br />
busy but very rewarding time for all!<br />
her own direct access to MISLE.<br />
Once the MISLE report was finished, the status was<br />
changed to “Closed – Agency Action Complete” and reviewed<br />
by LT Douglas Watson, Commanding Officer,<br />
Station Fort Lauderdale, on a weekly basis for documentation<br />
and reporting purposes.<br />
Now, here is where “the numbers”<br />
come in! On June 10,<br />
<strong>2010</strong>, Duda received an email<br />
from LTJG Naughton with an<br />
attachment showing the current<br />
number of boardings completed<br />
by all of the stations<br />
within the Coast Guard. Station<br />
Fort Lauderdale was number<br />
one with 70 per week. This<br />
inspired an even greater goal<br />
of 100 boardings.<br />
Previously, all boarding officers<br />
were required to complete their<br />
MISLE reports immediately upon<br />
returning to the Station. Now, with<br />
the data entry taken care of, they<br />
had more time to do the important<br />
things, as well as for taking some well-deserved time off.<br />
What motivated Duda to take on such an incredible challenge<br />
On 11 February 2001, Ms. Duda’s late husband, Aubrey<br />
Motz IV, was honored to receive a Burial at Sea from<br />
Station Fort Lauderdale. Duda and her late husband,<br />
Motz, were very active in many Auxiliary activities and<br />
their most cherished times were those spent at the Station.<br />
Prior to Motz’s passing, CAPT James O. Fitton<br />
(RET) of Sector Miami was Commanding Officer at the<br />
Station. He offered to perform the burial. This was an<br />
honor Duda could never repay, so when the opportunity<br />
presented itself to work on the MISLE system, LT Watson,<br />
LTJG Naughton and Ms. Duda agreed that this<br />
would be the perfect way to “give back.”<br />
It has truly been a win-win for all! Duda was able to express<br />
her gratitude to the Station, and Station Fort<br />
Lauderdale earned first place in the number of USCG<br />
boardings in the country. Ω<br />
Center: The new 45 foot Special Purpose Craft– Law<br />
Enforcement (SPC-LE) recently arrived at Station Fort Lauderdale.<br />
It is more powerful and versatile, allowing boarding officers<br />
and boarding team members to more efficiently carry out their<br />
mission. Photo by Marie Duda
Page 32<br />
Turn on the TV! It’s Time for “Semper Paratus!”<br />
By Tom Hayden and Robert Conklin, Flotilla 14-1 Amelia Island, Fla.<br />
Coastal Georgia Film Alliance,<br />
Hayden was able to<br />
secure all the talent he<br />
needed to make the pilot.<br />
Main character roles are<br />
being played by Auxiliary<br />
members, seven local actors,<br />
and extras from the<br />
southeast Georgia/<br />
Northeast Florida area.<br />
The ‘stars’ of the proposed TV series, “Semper Paratus” are shown aboard Topcat6. From left: Tom<br />
Hayden, Dustin Vaught (actor), Maggie Martin (actor) and Peter Mallory. Hayden and Mallory are<br />
members of Flotilla 14-1, Amelia Island, Fla. Photo by Eric Lund, cameraman.<br />
The story begins with a<br />
safety patrol on the Intracoastal<br />
Waterway where<br />
they advise a novice<br />
boater on safety regulations.<br />
Later, during another<br />
patrol, they help rescue<br />
bikini-clad ladies aboard a<br />
boat with engine trouble.<br />
AMELIA ISLAND, Fla.-Coast Guard Auxiliary member<br />
Tom Hayden, a motion picture producer, was on location<br />
in St. Marys, Ga., and Fernandina Beach, Fla., during<br />
June and July filming a television pilot tentatively titled,<br />
"Semper Paratus," the United States Coast Guard motto<br />
which means, "Always Ready." August was devoted to<br />
editing, mixing and adding music for the proposed TV<br />
pilot.<br />
Hayden and co-writer Mark Hildebrand of Adelphi, Md.,<br />
developed a script that focuses on USCG Sector Jacksonville<br />
and United States Coast Guard Auxiliary (Flotilla<br />
14-1, Amelia Island, Fla.), and their experiences on local<br />
waterways. Hayden plays a Division Commander while<br />
Heinz Fridrich is cast as the Flotilla Commander for Flotilla<br />
14-1. Hayden and Fridrich’s boats, TopCat6 and<br />
Swabia, are the featured operational facilities in the pilot.<br />
The film crew began shooting the television pilot in June<br />
at the Riverview Hotel and Seagle's Restaurant in St.<br />
Marys, Ga. They then moved to the Intracoastal Waterway<br />
for on-the-water scenes with Flotilla 14-1 members<br />
and their boats, along with professional actors and other<br />
civilian boats.<br />
According to Hayden, the USCG is very interested in the<br />
project and is providing technical support and will review<br />
the finished TV pilot before final approval.<br />
During night training, two<br />
of the Auxiliary vessels approach two civilian boats with<br />
no lights under tow, and the civilian boats fire at the Auxiliary<br />
vessels. One of the boats then one makes a run for it.<br />
The Auxiliary crew notifies Sector Jacksonville, which in<br />
turn calls the Nassau County Sheriff’s Department. The<br />
sheriff's office just happens to have two sheriff boats in<br />
the area and they take on the chase. Sector calls the Auxiliary<br />
vessels and tells them to break off all activity with<br />
suspected possible drug runners. The Auxiliary does not<br />
engage in law enforcement activity.<br />
Future episode story lines will feature oil spill disaster activity;<br />
a mass casualty accident (commercial airplane in<br />
the water); a missing vessel search and rescue; a safety<br />
cordon for a space shuttle launch; and Coast Guard Auxiliary<br />
activities relating to Hurricane Katrina, Haiti, Kings<br />
Bay Submarine Base, Maritime Force Protection Unit,<br />
training with Auxiliary units, USCG Criminal Investigative<br />
Service and more.<br />
The production of a pilot for a full television series is the<br />
first step in selling a TV series. There has never been a<br />
television series about the USCG or the <strong>USCGAUX</strong>, and<br />
Hayden is counting on getting the pilot marketed as the<br />
first one.Ω<br />
As a result of an open casting call facilitated by the
Coast Guard Auxiliary Assists in Kings Bay Exercise<br />
By Tom Hayden, DSO-MT<br />
Page 33<br />
FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla.-<br />
The US Coast Guard and the<br />
Navy conducted a joint exercise<br />
called Resolute Guardian,<br />
September 8, <strong>2010</strong>, in the Intracoastal<br />
Waterway on Cumberland<br />
Sound off Fernandina<br />
Beach, Fla., and Cumberland<br />
Island, Ga.<br />
While the USCG has the mission<br />
to escort Navy ships to<br />
and from Kings Bay Naval<br />
Base, Ga., this exercise was to<br />
test the Coast Guard’s ability to<br />
detect, deter, and disrupt any<br />
interference to the movement<br />
of Navy ships by recreational<br />
boaters.<br />
Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla<br />
14-1, Fernandina Beach, Fla.,<br />
played a major role by providing<br />
vessels for the exercise to<br />
simulate ‘realistic’ encounters with civilian recreational<br />
boats that could have interfered with transit. While some<br />
Auxiliary vessels played the role of recreational boaters,<br />
other Auxiliary vessels provided security zones. They<br />
handed out flyers to recreational boaters coming from<br />
Fernandina Beach, Fla., and St. Marys, Ga., advising<br />
them to avoid the area. A press release and flyers<br />
warned boaters about the 500 yard mobile security zone<br />
Tom Hayden on board TopCat6 during the exercise on Sep. 8, <strong>2010</strong> dubbed “resolute Guardian.<br />
Photo by Bill Kelly<br />
established around any warship on the water. Additionally,<br />
USCG Sector Jacksonville broadcast on Marine<br />
Channel 16, the USCG operational channel, a<br />
“SECURITE” message every 30 minutes to advise all<br />
boaters about the exercise being conducted in the area.<br />
Flotilla 14-1 provided radio watchstanders for the duration<br />
of the exercise as well as vessels.Ω<br />
Move over, Tom Hayden! You are not the only film maker in town!<br />
Coming soon to theatres near you*: Officer Snook at DCON<br />
Starring: William Tejeiro (FL 31) as Officer Snook<br />
Wardrobe: Gary Barth (FL 58) Camera: Terry Barth (FL 58)<br />
* Pure whimsy
Page 34<br />
Big Pine ‘Beachcombers’ Prove to be Good Stewards.<br />
By Jan Kittsmiller, FL 13-3, Big Pine Key, Fla.<br />
Left: Ted Giesbrecht and Don<br />
Kittsmiller (background) haul<br />
bags of garbage from the beach<br />
during the International Coastal<br />
Cleanup Day on Sep. 25, <strong>2010</strong>.<br />
Below: Donna Moore lead the<br />
group of volunteers in the<br />
cleanup campaign on Big Pine<br />
Key. They collected over 120<br />
bags of garbage– enough to fill<br />
the beds of two pick-up trucks!<br />
Photos by Jan Kittsmiller<br />
BIG PINE KEY, Fla.-Contrary to the stereotype we often<br />
have of beachcombers, those tanned and leathery foragers<br />
can be good stewards. The members of Flotilla 13-3<br />
in Big Pine Key, Florida are proof of that!<br />
On September 25, <strong>2010</strong> at 8 a.m., a group of ‘merry<br />
beachcombers’ from Flotilla 13-3 met at the Big Pine<br />
Fishing Lodge to participate in the <strong>2010</strong> International<br />
Coastal Cleanup sponsored by Ocean Conservancy.<br />
The members chose the very<br />
back and the hardest to<br />
reach corner of the beach.<br />
The tide was not too cooperative,<br />
but these brave souls<br />
trudged into the muck and<br />
cleaned up over 120 bags of<br />
garbage, lugged them out<br />
from the marshy beach and<br />
deposited the trash bags in<br />
the spot designated by the<br />
International Cleanup Committee,<br />
enough to fill up two<br />
pick-up truck beds!<br />
Bob Eichholtz, and Ted Giesbrecht.<br />
They were blessed with a slightly cloudy sky and wonderful<br />
breezes for this international clean-up event, and afterward,<br />
Moore provided a wonderful lunch for the group.<br />
They not only enjoyed the camaraderie during the<br />
cleanup project, but also thoroughly enjoyed the lunch<br />
and socializing afterward. Ω<br />
Leading the cleanup campaign<br />
was Donna Moore and<br />
assisting her were Luke<br />
Moore, Don Kittsmiller, Jan<br />
Kittsmiller, John Hedberg,
AuxAir Secure Communications<br />
Story by Barbara Burchfield, SO-PA 12 and Ken Plesser, FSO-PA 12-3<br />
Can you Hear Me Now<br />
Page 35<br />
The Commandant has directed that operational<br />
communications be encoded<br />
or encrypted whenever possible in order<br />
to enhance security of U.S. Coast<br />
Guard operations, including Auxiliary air<br />
and surface facilities.<br />
For <strong>District</strong> 7, compliance began when<br />
CDR Winfield, Director of Auxiliary <strong>District</strong><br />
7, tasked Cecil Christopher, <strong>District</strong><br />
Staff Officer Aviation (DSO-AV) to establish<br />
a team to investigate the integration<br />
of digitally compatible communications<br />
into all Auxiliary Aviation (AuxAir)<br />
facilities. This is the Coast Guard’s Rescue<br />
21 Command and Control system<br />
and is a top priority for <strong>2010</strong>. Supporting<br />
this priority, <strong>District</strong> 7 has offered surplus<br />
EFJ 5100 handheld radios to Aux-<br />
Air for this purpose. As the role of the<br />
Auxiliary changes and expands, the<br />
need for secure communications becomes<br />
more significant.<br />
Filing flight plans for the secure radio operations evaluation (flight test) at Coast Guard<br />
Air Station Miami are from left : Dan Ochsenschlager, Flotilla Vice Commander and Air<br />
Observer, Flotilla 69 Miami, Fla., Jorge Sanchez, First Pilot, Flotilla 69 Miami, Fla.,<br />
Fred Ross, Aircraft Commander, Flotilla 69 Miami, Fla., and Chuck Riedl, Aircraft<br />
Commander, Flotilla 15-8 Hernando Beach, Fla. Photo by Ken Plesser<br />
In February <strong>2010</strong>, the AuxAir Radio Evaluation Team was<br />
created. Christopher chose team members Ken Plesser,<br />
Aircraft Commander, Flotilla 12-3 Lake Murray S.C. as<br />
Technical Lead and Fred Ross, Aircraft Commander, Flotilla<br />
69 Opa Locka Fla., as Operational Evaluation Lead.<br />
Other team members are John Roderick, Assistant <strong>District</strong><br />
Staff Officer Aviation (ADSO-AV) and <strong>District</strong> Flight<br />
Safety Officer (DFSO), Flotilla 14-7 St. Augustine Fla.;<br />
Chuck Riedl, Aircraft Commander, Flotilla 15-8 Hernando<br />
Beach Fla., and Jon Hersey, USCG Senior Chief Avionics<br />
Electrical Technician, USCG, Air Station Miami Florida.<br />
The team was tasked by Christopher with investigating,<br />
studying, evaluating, reporting and recommending to the<br />
Coast Guard and to the Auxiliary a plan for integrating<br />
secure communications between AuxAir and active duty<br />
air, surface and ground facilities. A target date was set for<br />
August <strong>2010</strong>, with the final report to be presented at the<br />
<strong>District</strong> 7 Conference in September <strong>2010</strong>. Once approved,<br />
Initial Operational Capability (IOC) could begin as<br />
early as December <strong>2010</strong>.<br />
The inherent complexity of the project involved detailed<br />
and technical topics, such as analog versus digital communications,<br />
avionics installation and configuration options,<br />
electromagnetic compatibility, encryption management,<br />
and logistic support. Federal Aviation Administration<br />
regulations, <strong>District</strong> 7 policies and Coast Guard policies<br />
and directives are also taken into account.<br />
Between February and June, with the support and assistance<br />
from D7 AuxAir and Coast Guard personnel from<br />
South Carolina to Puerto Rico, the study and analysis<br />
portion of the project was completed.<br />
All along the way, radio checks were conducted between<br />
air and surface units to confirm and evaluate radio communications.<br />
The final Operational Evaluation (flight test)<br />
was held July 21-23 in Miami. Auxiliary air crews and two<br />
air facilities were recruited from Miami and Clearwater for<br />
the flight testing to evaluate the signal strengths, audio<br />
intelligibility and interference with other aircraft systems.<br />
All data and analysis is included in the team’s detailed 58<br />
page report, which may well become a valuable reference<br />
tool for AuxAir members nationwide.<br />
The Coast Guard secure communications are compliant<br />
with the nationwide suite of standards for emergency<br />
communications among public safety agencies and first<br />
responders. With this project, the Auxiliary Aviation becomes<br />
another link in this vital connection. Ω
Page 36<br />
Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 43 Makes Life Jackets<br />
Available For Lake County Children. By Carol Weber Thomas<br />
LEESBURG, Fla.-Children boating in Lake County can<br />
be made even safer on the water today, thanks to Coast<br />
Guard Flotilla 43, which has purchased 90 life jackets to<br />
be used as loaners.<br />
The jackets come in three sizes, infant, children 30 to 50<br />
pounds and youth 50 to 90 pounds. They are being issued<br />
by Flotilla 43 to Lake County Sheriff’s Department<br />
marine patrol units and also will be available at a number<br />
of marinas, beginning immediately.<br />
Eighteen of the blue and white jackets were delivered to<br />
the sheriff’s department on Friday, Aug. 6, <strong>2010</strong>, at the<br />
marine patrol headquarters at Hickory Point in Tavares.<br />
Members of the public interested in hearing more about<br />
the life jacket loaner program were invited to attend.<br />
Florida law mandates that children under six wear a life<br />
jacket while boating, and a recent study shows that there<br />
is almost 94 percent compliance with that law.<br />
However, many times children wear jackets that don’t fit<br />
properly or aren’t fastened. Some boating families also<br />
find themselves without proper jackets for youngsters<br />
visiting on vacation, so they either ignore the law or aren’t<br />
able to take the kids out for a boat ride.<br />
“Our mission is to help assure that children are trained at<br />
an early age on the importance of wearing life jackets so<br />
that they become used to them and will wear them as<br />
they get older. It can save their lives,” said Scott Smith,<br />
vice commander of Flotilla 43. He is overseeing the<br />
loaner program.<br />
The importance of life jacket wear is stressed repeatedly<br />
by the U.S. Coast Guard, which points to a 2008 study by<br />
JSH Research & Training Institute showing that out of<br />
510 boater drowning deaths in that year, approximately<br />
90 percent of the victims (459) were not wearing a life<br />
jacket.<br />
The Coast Guard cautions on its web site that “adultsized<br />
life jackets will not work for children … To work correctly,<br />
a life jacket must be worn, fit snugly, and not allow<br />
the child’s chin or ears to slip through.”<br />
Life jacket wear is a big issue on Lake County waterways.<br />
“In one recent weekend, three people drowned in<br />
our lakes, none of whom were wearing life jackets,” said<br />
Sheriff Gary Borders. “This really drives home the importance<br />
of wearing life jackets while out on the waterways.<br />
Flotilla 43 is providing a wonderful service to the community<br />
in an effort to save the lives of children, and we are<br />
thrilled to be a part of it.”<br />
The safety of children was a major issue for Shirley<br />
Gagnon, a Flotilla 43 member who died of a brain tumor<br />
in the summer of 2006. Gagnon is remembered for assuring<br />
that packets of coloring books, crayons and safety<br />
information were available for children when Flotilla 43<br />
made appearances at various boating functions. She was<br />
always the one to stay behind at an elementary school<br />
when a child had “just one more question” at the end of a<br />
safety presentation.<br />
It is in Shirley Gagnon’s memory that the life vest loaner<br />
program was developed by Flotilla 43 and presented to<br />
the National Water Safety Congress in a grant request<br />
last year. The NWSC awarded the flotilla $1,000 toward<br />
the cost of purchasing the jackets. Flotilla members also<br />
donated, and Flotilla Commander Bill Griswold wasted no<br />
time getting the jackets on board.<br />
“With over 18,000 registered boats in our county, the<br />
need to educate the public about properly fitted life jackets<br />
is a priority,” said Griswold. “Our loaner program will<br />
certainly help the children of Lake County enjoy our waters.”<br />
Here’s how the loaner program works:<br />
The Coast Guard-approved blue and white vests – one of<br />
each size – are being delivered to marinas and clubs<br />
likely to serve boaters with children. To date, 69 vests<br />
have been distributed to 23 locations, including Venetian<br />
Cove Marina, Eustis Marina and a number of on-thewater<br />
parks where adult residents might not otherwise<br />
have access to children’s vests. The flotilla will keep three<br />
vests for safety demonstration purposes.<br />
The vests have ID tags that explain they are being provided<br />
by Flotilla 43 through the Shirley Gagnon Memorial<br />
Fund and detail how they can be returned. Each venue<br />
will have a vest sign-out sheet so that the flotilla can keep<br />
track of the vests.<br />
Sheriff’s Marine Patrol Units will have jackets on their inservice<br />
boats. They will ask that loaners be returned to<br />
them at their Hickory Point headquarters, 27341 State<br />
Road 19, Tavares.<br />
Flotilla 43 Coast Guard Auxiliarists will inspect the vests
Page 37<br />
Partners in the Life<br />
Jackets for Kids Loaner<br />
Program pose with some<br />
of the blue and white life<br />
jackets made available to<br />
Florida boaters. From left:<br />
Scott Smith, Flotilla Vice<br />
Commander 43,<br />
Donald Proscia,<br />
Immediate Past Flotilla<br />
Commander 43,<br />
Roland Gagnon, Staff<br />
Officer– Vessel Examinations<br />
Division 4,<br />
William Griswold, Flotilla<br />
Commander 43,<br />
Sheriff Gary Borders,<br />
Lake County Florida<br />
SGT. Robert Hornsby<br />
CPL Len Wilkerson<br />
Officer Matt Farmer.<br />
Photo provided by Bill<br />
Griswold, photographer<br />
not identified.<br />
on an annual basis to make certain they remain in good<br />
condition.<br />
“The cooperation between the organizations involved in<br />
this venture has been outstanding,” said Sheriff Borders.<br />
With boating season now in full swing, there could be no<br />
better time to have these life jackets on hand and available<br />
for children who need them.”<br />
A key player in the life vest program is Shirley Gagnon’s<br />
husband Roland, also a member of Flotilla 43. The day<br />
before he was to have eye surgery, Roland was on the<br />
road delivering the vests to marinas.<br />
“The other day, I was cleaning house and found two of<br />
the boxes of crayons that Shirley had gathered to give<br />
out to kids,” Roland said. “It reminded me again of how<br />
important children’s safety was to her.<br />
“She would be embarrassed by the attention,” he said.<br />
“But, she is the one who deserves the credit for this program.”<br />
Ω<br />
In addition to supplying the Lake County<br />
Sheriff’s Marine Patrol Unit, Coast Guard<br />
Flotilla 43, <strong>District</strong> 7, has delivered<br />
children’s life jackets to the following<br />
locations to be used as loaners:<br />
Shangri La-by-the-Lake, Bonfire, Wintons,<br />
Haines Creek RV Village, Gator Bay<br />
Marina, Tara Village, Grand Isle Resort,<br />
Lake Griffin Harbor, Lake Brittany Estates,<br />
Venetia Cove Marina, Holiday Travel,<br />
Hawthorne, Nelson’s Outdoor Resort<br />
(Marion County), Lake Eustis Marina, Mid-<br />
Florida Lakes Boat Club, Harbor Oaks, Fox<br />
Run, Banana Cove Marina, Imperial Terrace<br />
(East and West), Dead River Marina, Royal<br />
Harbor, Banana Cove Marina.
Page 38<br />
Rescue on Tampa Bay of A Different Feather.<br />
By Paulette Parent, VCDR 8<br />
Marine Laboratories, knew something was wrong.<br />
The pelicans did not fly away or attempt to evade<br />
the oncoming boat.<br />
Upon closer examination, he noticed that the birds<br />
were wrapped up in monofilament fishing line and<br />
were, in fact, literally tied together. They could not<br />
maneuver or fly and were adrift in the shipping<br />
lanes. Obviously unable to feed, the pair was in<br />
danger of starving to death. Alerting the coxswain<br />
of the situation, the boat was brought alongside<br />
the birds in distress all the while trying to keep<br />
them out of the shipping channel.<br />
Gzyl was able to use a boat hook and bring the<br />
pair aboard. He untangled the one bird and let it<br />
go, but noticed that there were two fishhooks in<br />
the other bird’s leg. Gzyl was able to remove the<br />
hooks and determined that the bird did not appear<br />
to have any other injuries. The second pelican<br />
soon joined his fellow pelicans and was now able<br />
to feed, fly and survive another day.<br />
Fortunately, the two photographers onboard were<br />
happily clicking away and recorded this avian rescue<br />
on Tampa Bay. Ω<br />
Left: Roman Gzyl carefully removes the monofilament<br />
line from a pelican. Below, Gzyl holds up the line and<br />
hook removed from one of the two pelicans. The rescue<br />
likely saved both birds’ lives.<br />
Photos by Dick Sammartino<br />
TAMPA BAY, Fla.-In nature, birds of a feather flock<br />
together, but this situation was a little too close!<br />
Tuesday, October 5 was a windy day with a heavy<br />
chop on Tampa Bay. The Flotilla 84 Operational Facility<br />
“Sea Searcher” had been on patrol for awhile and<br />
was heading west towards the Skyway Bridge. Onboard<br />
were three Coast Guard Auxiliarists, Roy Bellas,<br />
coxswain, Flotilla 84 in Sarasota, Fla., Roman Gzyl,<br />
crew, Flotilla 86 in Venice, Fla., Drew Hodge, crew,<br />
Flotilla 85 in Palmetto, Fla., and two civilian photographers<br />
(with signed waivers), Dick Sammartino and Pat<br />
Astore.<br />
The patrol approached the midpoint of the bridge and<br />
the busy Tampa Bay shipping channel. Gzyl was keeping<br />
a lookout and spotted two pelicans floating nearby.<br />
Gzyl, who has been involved with pelican care at Mote
Page 39<br />
Is there such a thing as ‘too much’ fun Apparently<br />
not, to which these photographs attest! Saturday,<br />
Sep. 25th was set aside to celebrate to a Mardi Gras<br />
theme. Some people know how to ‘do it up right!’<br />
Even Officer Snook showed up and took a turn on<br />
the dance floor. Needless to say, he was the hit of<br />
the party.<br />
Photos by Vickie Aponte<br />
Terry and Gary Barth, FL 58<br />
Vickie Aponte, FL 6-11<br />
COMO Peter Fernandez and his wife Pat<br />
Angela Pomaro, FL 51 and William Tejeiro, FL 6-11
Page 40<br />
Flotilla 12-8 Factors in Fun and Fellowship!<br />
Article by Barbara Burchfield, SO-PA 12 and Alan Miles, FC 12-8<br />
Photos by Alan Miles, FC 12-8<br />
tailgate service and chairs for<br />
the outdoor setting which featured<br />
the beautiful Charleston<br />
harbor.<br />
Joining in the fellowship event<br />
was Coast Guard Station<br />
Charleston personnel, the<br />
crews of USCG Cutters Chincoteague<br />
(WPB-1320) and Anvil<br />
(WLIC-75301), and air crew<br />
of Coast Guard Dolphin Helicopter<br />
HH-6510 from Air Station<br />
Savannah, Ga.. Several<br />
guests and prospective Auxiliary<br />
members who attended<br />
could see for themselves how<br />
the Gold and Silver work and<br />
play together well.<br />
CHARLESTON, S.C.- Flotilla 12-8 added fun and fellowship<br />
to their monthly meeting by hosting a southern barbeque<br />
tailgate party to the meeting agenda on September<br />
8, <strong>2010</strong>.<br />
Low Country pulled-pork barbeque attracted nearly 100<br />
Auxiliarists and<br />
Coast Guard members<br />
to the meeting,<br />
held on the pier at<br />
U.S. Coast Guard<br />
Station Charleston,<br />
S.C.. Alan Miles, Flotilla<br />
Commander 12-<br />
8 Charleston, and his<br />
wife, Lynn Miles,<br />
planned the event<br />
and even slow<br />
cooked 25 pounds of<br />
pork to the perfect<br />
tenderness for the<br />
party. Flotilla members<br />
were assisted<br />
by the Citadel Detachment<br />
12-8A in<br />
doing a security<br />
sweep of the area,<br />
and setting up the<br />
As Miles put it, “As everyone<br />
knows, the three primary missions of the Auxiliary are<br />
Member Services, Recreational Boating Safety and Operations/Marine<br />
Safety. A fourth mission is Fellowship. It<br />
is the glue that helps hold us together. We just like adding<br />
a little more glue in 12-8. It makes us stronger as a unit.”
Page 41<br />
Lt. Jacobs, LTJG Drake, and Aircraft<br />
Maintenance Technician 1 (AMT1) Sanchez.<br />
With the opportunity to share information<br />
and ideas, the air crew briefed the<br />
participants about the complexities and<br />
challenges of working with surface units<br />
and boat crews.<br />
Evening Colors were observed at the<br />
close of business on the pier as the sun<br />
set slowly into Charleston Harbor. With<br />
the last of the remaining daylight, the<br />
helicopter lifted off from the pier and did<br />
one last flyover for the group before literally<br />
‘heading into the sunset’.<br />
On the serious side, two special events took place during<br />
the meeting.<br />
Miles presented the “Flotilla Auxiliarist of the Quarter<br />
Award” to Bob Mathewes for “selfless performance of duties<br />
beyond all others”. Mathewes, a 16 year member,<br />
has exhibited outstanding support of the Auxiliary and<br />
Flotilla 12-8 in his roles as Division 12 Staff Officer-<br />
Member Training, Flotilla Staff Officer-Member Training,<br />
Publications and Information Services this year.<br />
William Meehan, Laura Meehan, James Byrd, and Pamela<br />
Bray were sworn in and welcomed as new members<br />
at the meeting. Lt. Jacobs and LTJG Alex, the helicopter<br />
crew, administered the oath to the new members in the<br />
unforgettable setting on the Coast Guard pier with boats,<br />
a helicopter and the large crowd framing the occasion.<br />
New members William Meehan and Laura Meehan are<br />
father and daughter, another notable feature.<br />
Fellowship and camaraderie play a key<br />
role as one of the four cornerstones of<br />
the Auxiliary. Lead by Miles, Flotilla 12-8<br />
champions how it’s done “Southern Style” with enthusiasm<br />
and success. Bravo Zulu! Ω<br />
Captions: Page 40, top: James Byrd, Pamela Bray, Laura<br />
Meehan, and William Meehan are sworn in as Flotilla 12-8<br />
Charleston S.C. new members in a dockside ceremony during<br />
the meeting at USCG Station Charleston.<br />
Bottom: US Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 12-8 Charleston S.C.<br />
hosts a Tailgate Barbeque party on September 8, <strong>2010</strong>, for<br />
Coast Guard personnel and Auxiliary members.<br />
This page, top: Alan Miles, Flotilla Commander 12-8 Charleston<br />
S.C., and his wife, Lynn Miles, prepared Southern slow cooked<br />
barbeque pork for about 100 people at the Tailgate Party.<br />
Following the meeting and tailgate party, everyone benefited<br />
from an exclusive tour of the helicopter air facility by
Page 42<br />
Responding to the Call: Assisting the Coast Guard at<br />
the Florida Peninsula Command Post.<br />
By Audri Amoro, <strong>USCGAUX</strong> Public Affairs Officer, 6-11<br />
MIAMI - On April 22, <strong>2010</strong>,<br />
an explosion sunk the<br />
“Deepwater Horizon” transoceanic<br />
drilling rig in the<br />
Gulf of Mexico, resulting in<br />
what would eventually become<br />
the largest oil spill<br />
ever recorded in U.S. territorial<br />
waters. Immediately, the<br />
Coast Guard was called into<br />
action. Unbeknownst to almost<br />
everyone then, was<br />
the size of the crisis and the<br />
amount of effort required to<br />
respond.<br />
Soon after the scope of the<br />
disaster became apparent,<br />
the Coast Guard 7th <strong>District</strong><br />
was called in to establish<br />
the Florida Peninsula Command<br />
Post (FPCP). Located<br />
in downtown Miami,<br />
the FPCP was one of several<br />
command posts set up<br />
in and around the Gulf of<br />
Mexico to monitor the<br />
Deepwater Horizon spill. The mission of the FPCP was to<br />
coordinate response activities across the State of Florida<br />
should they be needed.<br />
LCDR Matt Moorlag, Public Affairs Officer (PAO), 7 th <strong>District</strong><br />
Public Affairs Office, was appointed as the Lead Public<br />
Information Officer at the FPCP’s Joint Information<br />
Center (JIC). After the first few weeks, Coast Guard public<br />
affairs resources throughout the Nation were taxed to<br />
capacity. Moorlag realized that the Coast Guard would<br />
need support from the Auxiliary if this response were to<br />
continue much longer.<br />
Moorlag contacted Christopher Todd, Assistant <strong>District</strong><br />
Staff Officer – Public Affairs for the 7 th <strong>District</strong> Coast<br />
Guard Auxiliary, and requested a stand-up of support for<br />
Auxiliary augmentation to help respond to the many media<br />
inquiries and other needs of the JIC operations, as<br />
well as possible public affairs support for Coast Guard<br />
Sector Miami.<br />
Upon receiving the request from Moorlag, Todd developed<br />
a response plan using Miami Flotilla 6-11’s Auxiliary<br />
A dream come true - a chance to help their country. Ruben Bruno (left) and Audri Ivery Amoro from<br />
Flotilla 6-11 Miami, Fla. work on their assignment July 17, <strong>2010</strong> at the FPCP (Florida Peninsula<br />
Command Post) set up in Miami by the Coast Guard 7 th <strong>District</strong> to monitor the Deepwater Horizon<br />
spill. Both Bruno and Amoro were volunteers, along with Stephanie Gallagher (not pictured), from<br />
Flotilla 6-11’s Auxiliary Public Affairs Detachment (AUXPADET).<br />
Photo by Jose Acosta - FSO- Public Affairs, Flotilla 6-11<br />
Public Affairs Detachment (AUXPADET [formerly ME-<br />
SEMIA - Media Services Detachment-Miami]) as the primary<br />
Auxiliary unit for coordination of the requested augmentation.<br />
Several AUXPADET members volunteered to<br />
spearhead this effort, including Audri Amoro, Auxiliary<br />
Public Affairs Officer (PAO) 6-11. Also assisting from Flotilla<br />
6-11 were Ruben Bruno, Operations, and Stephanie<br />
Gallagher, PAO.<br />
Arriving at the JIC on Saturday, July 17, Amoro was welcomed<br />
by two friendly Coast Guard Reservists who informed<br />
her of the strict protocols under which they were<br />
operated. In addition to saving pertinent electronic files<br />
and emails in a folder specifically entitled “MC252” (an<br />
abbreviation for the ruptured well, Mississippi Canyon<br />
Block 252.)<br />
Shortly thereafter, Amoro was given a tour of the JIC and<br />
the Command Center. “While touring the facilities, my<br />
attention was drawn to several people who were intensely<br />
examining computerized maps of Florida. It<br />
looked as if they were possibly studying the trajectory of<br />
the oil,” Amoro said.
Page 43<br />
“I observed different television screens with cameras<br />
trained on the leaking well, formulas written on windows,<br />
electronic maps of the Gulf and dozens of people scurrying<br />
about. There were contractors, BP employees, representatives<br />
from the Coast Guard, National Fish and Wildlife<br />
Association, Florida Department of Environmental<br />
Protection and others. While I didn’t know what each person<br />
was specifically working on, they all appeared to be<br />
very focused on getting their jobs done,” she stated.<br />
Amoro’s assignment that day, along with Bruno and Gallagher,<br />
was to search Florida newspapers, both in hard<br />
copy and online for media clips about the spill as it related<br />
to the Florida Peninsula. They also participated in<br />
conference calls with other JICs. She says she was most<br />
impressed with the synergy and organization at the command<br />
center and how “by the book” everything worked.<br />
“Many of the people I came in contact with wore vests<br />
that identified their titles and this seemed to fall exactly in<br />
line with some of the organization charts referenced in<br />
the online Federal Emergency Management Training<br />
(FEMA) classes I’d taken,” Amoro added. “Because I had<br />
taken these courses, I was able to get a good snapshot<br />
of how everyone there fit into their roles.”<br />
Amoro’s stint at the FPCP turned out to be a short one,<br />
but for good reason. BP soon announced plans to begin<br />
testing a new well cap. This was potentially good news,<br />
but required a ‘wait and see’ approach regarding staffing<br />
the FPCP. Thankfully, the well cap set in place appeared<br />
to be holding and containing the spill. This meant the JIC<br />
operation could start to wind down<br />
While short, Amoro claims that her experience at the JIC<br />
was positive, and hopes that her presence was helpful to<br />
the Coast Guard. She claims she will gladly respond the<br />
next time she is needed.<br />
“This is exactly why I joined the Coast Guard Auxiliary,”<br />
Amoro said. “I want to help when my country needs<br />
me.”Ω<br />
MIAMI - Sep 14, <strong>2010</strong> - PA2 Nick Ameen (left) discusses a new project with Bill Swank, Coast Guard Auxiliary Public Affairs Officer for<br />
Division 6 in Miami-Dade County. Swank augments active duty forces at the 7th <strong>District</strong> public affairs office on a weekly basis.<br />
Photo by Christopher Todd, DVC-AP
<strong>District</strong> Staff Officers<br />
Prevention Department<br />
John Sprague-Williams …….………....DSO-MS<br />
Tom Hayden ….…………..……………DSO-MT<br />
Ronnie Meritt ..…………………………DSO-PV<br />
Ruth Ann White…………………………DSO-PE<br />
William S. Griswold……………………..DSO-SL<br />
Chuck Kelemen ……..…....……………DSO-VE<br />
Response Department<br />
Rodney “Rocky” Reinhold……..………DSO-NS<br />
Cecil Christopher..………….…...……..DSO-AV<br />
Joseph Colee, Jr. ……………..………DSO-CM<br />
Janee Henderson ...……...………….DSO-OP<br />
Jerry Henderson …………….…QE Coordinator<br />
Logistics Department<br />
Nestor J. Tacoronte …………...……...DSO-CS<br />
Susan Z. Hastings …………….…...…...DSO-IS<br />
Thomas A. Loughlin ………….………..DSO-PA<br />
Dorothy J. Riley…. ……………………..DSO-PB<br />
Angela Pomaro .……...…….…….…... DSO-HR<br />
Terry Barth …… …………..……...……DSO-MA<br />
Nestor Tacoronte ………………….. Webmaster<br />
Lillian G. GaNun ……………...……….DSO-SR<br />
Kevin McConn ………………………..…..DSSO<br />
John Roderick . ..………………………….DFSO<br />
Andrew Anderson………….………….DSO-LP<br />
Antoinette Borman………………….……....D-LL<br />
William Malone ....…………..…………DSO-FN<br />
Gwendolyn S. Leys ……...………….PPDCPA<br />
Karen L. Miller …………...………………Grants<br />
Peter Fernandez……………...Plan Coordinator<br />
Thomas Brickey .……. <strong>District</strong> Materials Center<br />
Past <strong>District</strong> 7 Commodores<br />
2007-08…………………………....Allen Brown<br />
2005-06…………...………….Peter Fernandez<br />
2003-04 ……..…………..……... Jay Dahlgren<br />
2001-02………...…….…...…...….. Mary Larsen<br />
1999-00………………….……... Helmut Hertle<br />
1997-98…………………….….. E.W. Edgerton<br />
1995-96……………...…. George E. Jeandheur<br />
1993-94……………......…. Joseph E. Norman<br />
1991-92…………………..…… Walter W. Bock<br />
1989-90…………...………. Guy R. Markley, Jr.<br />
1987-88………………………. Rene E. Dubois<br />
1985-86……………….... Robert B. Waggoner<br />
1983-84………………….…… John C. King, Jr.<br />
1981-82……………….… William J. Callerame<br />
1979-80……………………… Bolling Douglas<br />
1977-78…………………...………. James Titus<br />
1975-76……………………….... Newton Baker<br />
1973-74…………….. Lawrence G. Danneman<br />
1971-72……………...…… Dr. Elbert C. Prince<br />
1969-70……………….….. George B.M. Loden<br />
1967-68……………....…….. Ernest A. Baldine<br />
1965-66………….……..…..…….. Roland Birnn<br />
1963-64…………….…...… Miguel A. Colorado<br />
1961-62……………….…..... E. E. Vanderveer<br />
1959-60……………………… Richard L. Smith<br />
1957-58……………….….……. Herbert L. Lutz<br />
1956…………………….… A. Harlow Merryday<br />
1954-55…………………….... Stanley W. Hand<br />
1952-53………………………... N.J.M. McLean<br />
1951-52…………………... Fred T. Youngs, Jr.<br />
1950…………………….... Guersey Curran, Jr.<br />
1948-49…………………... Charley E. Sanford<br />
1946-47……………….…….… W. N. Mansfield<br />
1939-45….….. No DCOs yet, DCPs governed<br />
<strong>District</strong> Administrative Assistant & Aide<br />
Carolyn R. Hooley ……………..…...…......D-AD<br />
Ronald Goldenberg...………………..……..D-AA<br />
Elaine J. Cornell …………………………...D-AA<br />
Rosalind M. Lucash…. …………………….D-AA<br />
COMO Mary T. Larson …………..…...Advocate<br />
Auxiliary Sector Coordinators<br />
Ronald Goldenberg …. ASC Sector Charleston<br />
Donald C. Hoge .... ASC Sector St. Petersburg<br />
Robert Funk ……...… ASC Sector Jacksonville<br />
R. Dewey Jackson ..….. ASC Sector Key West<br />
Osvaldo M. Catinchi…... ASC Sector San Juan<br />
William V. Tejeiro………….. ASC Sector Miami
<strong>District</strong> 7: From where do our stories come<br />
13.<br />
12.<br />
11.<br />
10.<br />
9.<br />
7.<br />
1.<br />
8.<br />
6.<br />
5.<br />
2.<br />
4.<br />
3.<br />
Our district covers a large area: from the Carolinas south to<br />
Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This map shows the<br />
approximate location of each article in this issue. In January<br />
and February our northern-most flotillas experience frigid temperatures,<br />
ice and snow while our southernmost flotillas enjoy<br />
warm, balmy weather. Get your activities on the map!<br />
1. DCON D7, Orlando, Fla….………………………page 20<br />
2. Pelican Rescue, Division 8……………………….page38<br />
3. Beach Clean-up, FL 13-3………..…………..…..page 34<br />
4. FPCP Assistance, FL 6-11 ……………………...page 42<br />
5. CG Day at SOUTHCOM, Divisions 5,6………...page 22<br />
6. Lagoon Keepers, FL 54……………………..…..page 39<br />
7. Station Ft. Lauderdale #1 ……………….……...page 30<br />
8. Admiral Visits FL 59……………………………...page 26<br />
9. Life Jackets for Kids, FL 43………………….…..page 36<br />
10. Division 14 Honor Guard …………….……...…..page 28<br />
11. Semper Paratus TV Pilot ………………………..page 32<br />
12. Fun and Fellowship, FL 12-8…………………….page 40<br />
13. AUX AIR Secure Communications*………...…..page 35<br />
(*Submitted by Div 12)
Homeland Security<br />
U.S. Coast Guard<br />
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary<br />
DSO-PB D7<br />
1630 Wakefield Drive<br />
Brandon, FL 33511-2325<br />
PRSRT STD<br />
POSTAGE AND FEES<br />
PAID<br />
U.S. COAST GUARD<br />
PERMIT NO. G-157<br />
OFFICIAL BUSINESS<br />
PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE $300