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Chronicles of a Newly Elected District Captain: The First Hundred Days By Robert Sherman, District Captain-East
Chronicles of a Newly Elected District Captain: The First Hundred Days
By Robert Sherman, District Captain-East
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2020 is a precedent-seƫ ng year for the Auxiliary. We are now working our way through a global pandemic while sƟ ll striving to be eff ecƟ ve Auxiliarists, and in my case, an eff ecƟ ve leader. I have wriƩ en down some goals, experiences, thoughts, and guidance that has helped me through the fi rst 100 days in offi ce.
In late December 2019, I contacted the 2020 District 7 East leadership team to understand their thoughts and goals for 2020. Only one Division Commander (DCDR) was in their second term, and the remaining fi ve were starƟ ng their fi rst term in offi ce, as was I. They were enthusiasƟ c, idealisƟ c and their morale was high. The fi rst month involved geƫ ng to know each DCDR and their unique leadership styles. Each division had its own set of accomplishments and challenges, and no two DCDRs were alike in their style, goals or personality. I soon found out that I had to become adaptable to each one to be an eff ecƟ ve leader. The three Auxiliary Sector Coordinators were diff erent as well; each of them was in their second term and had established a rapport with their Sector, and each had a disƟ ncƟ ve relaƟ onship and role in Sector operaƟ ons I decided to take the same leadership approach as District Captain that had served me well as a DCDR. In every conversaƟ on, every email message and every report, I tried to include the words, “One Team, One Mission.” In essence, it means that although we are very diff erent in our backgrounds, personaliƟ es, cultures, skills sets and personal goals, our shared goal is to provide excellent service to the United States Coast Guard, the public and our members. This is refl ected in our mission statement to which the enƟ re District 7 East leadership team contributed: “District 7 East is comprised of three sectors, six divisions, 34 fl oƟ llas and 1,557 members. It is my goal to provide excellent service to the District Commodore, District Chief of Staff , District 7 East Division Commanders, Auxiliary Sector Coordinators and members by being responsive, transparent, innovaƟ ve and eff ecƟ ve. District 7 East provides excellent administraƟ ve and operaƟ onal support to the Coast Guard by using the best pracƟ ces and the best qualifi ed personnel to be profi cient and safe. We provide honest, accurate, and Ɵ mely communicaƟ on and responses. We support our members by engaging them through meaningful and eff ecƟ ve training and educaƟ onal opportuniƟ es. We recognize members who provide superior services and take the Ɵ me to (ConƟ nued on page 26)
Bravo Zulu to our members of FloƟ lla 32 Fort Lauderdale who were awarded the PresidenƟ al Volunteer Service Award. This award honors individuals whose service posiƟ vely impacts communiƟ es in every corner of the naƟ on and inspires others to serve as well. Auxiliary photo-credit District 7 Facebook page
train them for success. We look aŌ er one another. We willingly serve by applying the Coast Guard core values of Honor, Respect and DevoƟ on to Duty in our daily lives. We are District 7 East: One team, One mission.” We started moving forward as one team, and although it was only January 2020, things looked promising. Then reality set in. I realized that each division has a unique set of circumstances and challenges. Each Division Commander and Auxiliary Sector Coordinator has its own management and leadership style. As the District Captain, it is my job to ensure that all district protocols, policies, communicaƟ on, and guidance make its way to the membership level. Geƫ ng the correct, accurate, and Ɵ mely informaƟ on to all members is sƟ ll a high priority. January was a whirlwind month. I spent 10 days in St. Louis aƩ ending the Auxiliary Upper-Level Offi cer Course (AULOC) course and NaƟ onal Training conference. What an eye-popping experience. As newly minted District Captains, we were permiƩ ed to aƩ end most of the NaƟ onal Training seminars and workshops. This opened my eyes to how the NaƟ onal level works. This was a diff erent ballgame for me, a diff erent league. I had the opportunity to discuss surface operaƟ ons with the Chief Director’s Offi ce, safety protocol, and profi ciency with NaƟ onal Commodore Larry King, and parƟ cipate in the discussion regarding the future of Auxiliary uniforms and Auxiliary Data System II. It was a privilege to aƩ end a seminar that discussed the new Auxiliary Data System II soŌ ware and the rollout process. Several of us who aƩ ended the AULOC course formed a friendship and kindred spirit relaƟ onship that will hopefully last a lifeƟ me. We all were in new posiƟ ons with a set of circumstances unique to our area of responsibility and geographic region. Two weeks later, it was on to Sector Key West to meet Division 13 Division Commander, Division Vice Commander, and Sector Key West Auxiliary Sector Coordinator for the fi rst Ɵ me. The 26th Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, Admiral Karl Schultz, was scheduled to address the Sector and Auxiliary members. AŌ er driving 60 miles to Florida City, I met up with COMO Gary Barth and to grab a few hours of sleep, and then drove the fi nal 110 miles to Sector Key West. I was impressed with the relaƟ onship between the Sector’s command staff , Ed Pra Ʃ , Auxiliary Sector Coordinator and Claude Bullock, Division 13 Commander. They make a great leadership team. I learned a lot from those folks that day and enjoyed the opportunity to discuss some important and relevant issues with them. The highlight of the trip was when Admiral Karl Schultz asked me if I had any quesƟ ons and invited me up to the podium. I was thinking about how lucky I was to be called up and thankful that COMO Barth gave me a new pair of blousers for my operaƟ onal dress uniform trousers! AŌ er I addressed the troops, Admiral Schultz shook my hand, thanked me and said, “Give this gentleman a microphone, and he will give you a speech!” A few weeks later, it was off to San Juan for a working weekend with CDR John Briggs, Director of (ConƟ nued on page 27)
The First 100 Days
(ConƟ nued from page 25)
Many of us have family members who work on the front lines of this pandemic both in Florida and throughout the naƟ on. Pictured is Carol Dombrowski-Gullakson, daughter of Barbara Dombrowski, FloƟ lla 38 PlantaƟ on, a COVID-19 intensive care unit nurse in Harford, Conn. We thank all of these angels! Photo provided by Barbara Dombrowski
(ConƟ nued from page 26 )
Auxiliary and COMO Barth. We were treated like royalty from the moment we stepped off the jetway unƟ l we departed March 1. I had the opportunity to meet Doug Armstrong, Division 16 Commander, and listen to his plans to rejuvenate his division. As of this wriƟ ng, it looks like they are on their way thanks to Doug and his team.
We held several meeƟ ngs with the Sector San Juan command staff , CDR Briggs, COMO Barth, Juan Vazquez, Division 1 Commander, Ramses Rodriguez-Diaz, Auxiliary Sector Coordinator and Vicki Aponte. The highlight of this trip was being a part of the Division 1 Change of Watch and meeƟ ng the terrifi c members who have been successful aŌ er two hurricanes and several earthquakes over the past two years. Their spirit is unstoppable, and their enthusiasm is irresisƟ ble.
So here we were, at the beginning of March with the enƟ re District 7 East area of responsibility fi ring on all cylinders and making real progress.
And then the global pandemic took over all our lives and Auxiliary missions.
We had to pivot and resort to distance learning and virtual meeƟ ngs quickly. Our Vessel ExaminaƟ ons, Partner VisitaƟ ons, surface and air operaƟ ons shut down. No more RecreaƟ onal BoaƟ ng Safety missions. No more face to face acƟ viƟ es. We had to adapt. Now our meeƟ ngs are held remotely. We are conducƟ ng virtual training sessions and seminars. Andrea Rutherfoord, Auxiliary Sector Coordinator Miami, engaged a face mask project for the acƟ ve duty. Many members donated face masks to other Auxiliarists. We started to look aŌ er one another vigilantly, to check up and check-in, leƫ ng all members know that they are not alone. We are sƟ ll One Team, One Misson.
Now we will be faced with a new normal. What that will be will anyone’s guess. But we will adapt, and we will succeed.
Over the past 100 days, I have made mistakes and have learned from them. I have seen people perform at their absolute best during unprecedented Ɵ mes. I have benefi ted from the mentorship of others, especially COMO Barth, Pat McMenamin District Chief of Staff , John Holmes District Captain-North, and Tom Bamford, District Captain-West.
Hopefully, I am helping others become beƩ er leaders for their units, and we will all become beƩ er Auxiliarists in the months and years ahead.Ω
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