Amber Porter: Auxiliary Member Makes a Leap of Faith

Amber Porter:

Auxiliary Member Makes a Leap of Faith.

By Daniel Helou, Division Commander 7

(Reprinted with revisions from INTERCOM, Fall Issue 2022, “From the Helm” )

The Impala, a member of the antelope family, can jump up to ten feet and thirty feet in length. It’s an incredible feat and undoubtedly essential to its survival in the African wild. Yet, at many impala enclosures in zoos, you’ll find that the animals are kept in place by a wall that’s merely three feet tall. How can such a low wall contain these athletic animals? It works because impalas will never jump unless they can see where they’ll land. The wall keeps the impalas inside the enclosure because they can’t see what’s on the other side. As humans, we’re not all that different. We want to know the outcome of a

situation before we move forward.

SARASOTA, Fla.—Amber Porter from Flotilla 72, St. Petersburg, Jun. 28, aboard the Auxiliary facility “Niche II” from Division 8 during the visit of Captain Troy P. Glendye, Chief Director to Station Cortez. Photo by Auxiliarist George Papabeis, Flotilla 74, Brandon.

Amber Porter, a member of Flotilla 72, St. Petersburg, has successfully completed her summer internship with the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary University Program (AUP). The program’s mission is to provide a continuous resource of well-trained viable officer candidates who can develop into career officers in the United States Coast Guard or similar service agencies without the commitment of an ROTC Program. Two years ago, Russ Gasdia, Branch Assistant, New Unit Development, Auxiliary University Program (AUP), reached out to John Kline, Staff Officer-Diversity, and Daniel Helou, then Staff Officer-Human Resources Division 7 with the challenge of launching the AUP program in partnership with the University of South Florida. They began preparations - then came the COVID shutdown. Once the students were back on campus, face to face, our first new member with an eye toward a career in the Coast Guard emerged. Doug Colwell, National Division Chief, Recruiting, interviewed Amber Porter, a University of Tampa student, and referred her to George Bartuska, former Flotilla Commander of Flotilla 79, Tampa, and Daniel Helou. Soon after came the offer of an internship at Sector/Station St. Petersburg. Amber transferred to Flotilla 72, St. Petersburg. Russ Gasdia continued to walk Porter through step by step, so it was a TEAM effort, but make no mistake – Porter did the work and shone brightly for the Auxiliary, the University Program, and the US Coast Guard. Porter “jumped,” not knowing where she’d land. Read with pride her accomplishments to date: Porter completed the Auxiliary University Program Internship. In addition to being a University of Tampa rising Senior, Auxiliary Porter earned the Pollution Responder qualification and four other pollution and Incident Command System qualifications. She completed the drone Performance Qualification Standard, organized an underway search and rescue drone training, and demonstration event for 12 children of fallen Veterans, and coordinated a 9/11 memorial stair climb event. Amber’s qualifications include:  Completing over 32 training courses (including

Advanced Medic Training)

 Weather Operations  Unmanned Aircraft Systems Drone Pilot  Pollution Responder  Marine Safety Specialist  Logistics Officer on many community-involved projects  Aided in logistical efforts for environmental protection  Promoted new recruitment as Flotilla Staff

Officer-Human Resources Flotilla 72 for both the Auxiliary and active-duty sides.  Achieved Senior Cadet Status in the Auxiliary

University Program (with intentions of graduating from the program with distinction)  Named National Staff Division Leader and is planning to apply to Officer Candidate

School upon graduation. Auxiliarist Porter, we thank you for being an outstanding member of our Coast Guard workforce and volunteering your time and efforts to complete vital Incident Command System qualifications, along with your valuable contributions to the community. Ω

Top left: ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.— Amber Porter, Flotilla 72, St. Petersburg, assists in Coast Guard and Auxiliary recruiting efforts on Mar. 3 at the University of South Florida career day fair. Auxiliary photo by Dorothy Riley Top middle:TAMPA BAY, Fla.—Amber Porter in the cockpit of a C-130 Hercules. USCG photograph Top right: GULFPORT, Fla.—Amber Porter fl ying a drone with the Coast Guard Pollution Response team at Flotilla 7-16, Gulfport. USCG Auxiliary photograph by Howard Bush, Gulfport fl otilla.

The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary University Program (AUP) mission is to provide a continuous resource of well-trained viable officer candidates who can develop into career officers in the United States Coast Guard or similar service agency without the commitment of an ROTC Program. The United States Coast Guard has an ever-increasing need for officer candidates not only for Surface and Air Operations but for Environmental Protection, Marine Science, Legal, Marine Safety, Engineering, Facilities Management, Humanitarian Assistance, and Homeland Security. These are just a few career paths for successful AUP program graduates. The AUP offers college students multiple levels of training, culminating with an Active-Duty Coast Guard Internship placement program and AUP graduation status once the program courses are completed per the AUP Program of Study (link). AUP draws its leadership philosophy from the active-duty Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary.Ω