Breeze
Volume LVII
Number 1
Spring 2011
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary 7th District http://www.cgaux7.org/
Left: MIAMI– Members of the Aux-12 Public Affairs C-School conducted in Miami February 10-13, 2011 tour the hangars at Air Station Miami. Photo by Christopher Todd Below: ST. LOUIS, Mo.—COMO Walter Jaskiewicz and RADM William D. Baumgartner, USCG, at the National Training Conference on January 14, 2011. Photo by Christopher Todd
Members of USCG Air Station Savannah, Coast Guard Auxiliary and Citadel personnel in front of the Citadel during Coast Guard Week February 2011. Photo by Barbara Burchfield, SO-PA 2
Is the official publication of the
UNITED STATES COAST GUARD
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary
District Commander:
7th District
Volume LVII
Number 1
Spring 2011
RADM William D. Baumgartner, USCG Director of Auxiliary District 7:
In this Issue: From the Bridge COMO Walter Jaskiewicz, DCO 7…………………………………………………...…....4 John Tyson, DCOS 7 ………………………………………………………………...….....5 Donald Frasch, IPDCOMO, DNACO-P…………………………………………………...6 Robert Weskerna, District Captain North ……………………….………...……...….…..8 Pat Feighery, District Captain East………………………………………………...….…..9 Melvin Manning, District Captain West ……………………………………………..…..10 Departments Bruce Lindsey, Directorate Chief of Prevention ………………………………………..12 Richard Leys, Directorate Chief of Response ………………………………………….14 James Dennen, Directorate Chief of Logistics …………………………………………16 Articles Flotilla Builds Station New Outdoor Galley Janice Kittsmiller, FSO-PB 13-3……....17 Auxiliarist Serves as Cadet Aboard USCGC Eagle Carol M. Bareuther……..….….18 Auxiliarist Don Hoge Honored by ADM Papp Thomas Loughlin, DSO-PA ………...21 D7 Takes FLC on the Road Barabara Burchfield, SO-PA2………………...………..22 Silver and Gold in AUX-12 Public Affairs C-School Felipe Pazos IPFC 6-11 and Jose Acosta BA-ASVC …………………….....24 NACO Comes to D7 Dottie Riley, DSO-PB ……………………………………………25 End of an Era Christopher Todd, Deputy Director/Public Affairs ……………………26 Honoring Those Who Served Diane Riggan, ADSO-PA-E …………………………..28 Charlotte Harbor Regatta Support Frank Wondolkowski FSO-OP Flotilla 98 …….30 Auxiliary Takes Boating Safety to Vieques Angel Rivera, FC Flotilla 11 ………..…32 Auxiliarist Aboard Cutter Mohawk Ken Bagge …….…………………………………..33 Auxiliarists Aid Five Boaters Thomas Loughlin, DSO-PA ……………………..……..34 Station Yankeetown On Santa’s Route Morris Harvey, FSO-PA 15-1 ……………..35 Four Chaplains Brian Lichtenstein, FSO-PV 38 ………………………………………36 St. Croix AUXOP Recipients Duane R. Minton, IPDCDR 16 and Paul D. Lordi, FC 16-1………….……...37 Houses of Refuge Otto Spielbichler, FSO-MS 54 …………………………………….38 Team Coast Guard Rescues Boater Geralyn Ryan, FSO-PA 15-8 ………….……..40 Cutting Room Floor (Photos from throughout D7) ……………………………………42
Cover photos: MIAMI BEACH, Fla.—Vickie Aponte aboard the HH-65 “Dolphin” helicopter from Air Station Miami photographs the retirement of the last 41-foot Utility Boat (UTB) from USCG Station Miami Beach on March 3, 2011. Aponte was one of many members of Flotilla 6-11’s Auxiliary Public Affairs Detachment – Miami (AUXPADET) covering this much publicized event. Her photograph of the parade of combined Coast Guard and Auxiliary vessels that escorted UTB 41450 on its farewell voyage appears on the back cover of this issue.
CDR Donald L. Winfield Operations Training Officer: CWO Ursula Walther
U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY District Commodore COMO Walter Jaskiewicz District Chief of Staff John Tyson Immediate Past District Commodore COMO Donald L. Frasch District Captain North Robert Weskerna District Captain West Melvin Manning District Captain East J. Pat Feighery, Jr.
BREEZE is the official and educational tool of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary 7th District and is intended as a publication to keep the membership apprised of the activities of the Auxiliary. All articles and photographs submitted must be consistent with the policies of the Coast Guard and the Auxiliary and may not be returned. Electronic submissions are encouraged. Personal information of members is protected by the Privacy Act of 1974. The use of these rosters, addresses and telephone numbers on any computer or online service including the Internet is prohibited by the Act. Comments are encouraged and may be sent to Dorothy Riley, Editor (District OfficerPublications) at: dottieriley1@verizon.net. Articles in the BREEZE may be reprinted provided credit is given and a copy is sent to the above Editor and Publications Officer. Do not send changes of address to the BREEZE. You can obtain a change of member information report (7028) from your Materials Officer and submit it through channels.
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United States Coast Guard Auxiliary District 7
From the Bridge Commodore Walter Jaskiewicz As I stepped up to the bridge in January, my first priority was to ensure that all of our newly elected Flotilla Commanders and Flotilla Vice Commanders had the opportunity to attend the Flotilla Leadership Course. This class offers tremendous educational tools and assistance in developing the many skills needed to properly handle the responsibilities of an elected officer. Although the class is offered on-line, I felt it in the best interest of our district to bring the class directly to our members in person, with instructors made up of current and past leadership staff who could answer questions one-on-one, based upon their experiences. John Tyson, Chief of Staff, joined me in instructing this ninehour class to the members of all seventeen divisions throughout our district. Over 360 members attended including those wanting to receive the Operational Auxiliary Program (AUXOP) credit. We completed our last class at Division 13 in February. My participation as an instructor provided me the opportunity to meet the newly elected officers in person and discuss our common issues. This proved to be of tremendous benefit to all of us.
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One of biggest challenges we, as well as other agencies face is funding. It is extremely important that we provide documentation for the support that we provide to the Coast Guard that they may substantiate their continued funding of our activities. Let us remind everyone to commit to filling out the staff and elected office reports and 7029 and 7030 forms in a timely manner. The Auxiliary offers many training opportunities to develop our skills for Coast Guard support missions. Recently, I attended an Auxiliary Air (AUXAIR) training class and I want to acknowledge how impressed I am with their dedication. They contribute their time, travel, and offer their air facilities to support the Coast Guard despite the recent Standard Auxiliary Maintenance Allowance (SAMA) cuts. Our pilots stand firmly at the controls of their aircraft and continue with unwavering support of air missions. I thank you AUXAIR for your service to the Coast Guard and to your Country. Lastly, please review our District Strategic Plan and the Organizational Chart on our web site for guidance on where we need to focus this year and whom within the chain of leadership to contact when assistance is needed. â„Ś Semper Paratus
Walter R. Jaskiewicz
am America’s Maritime Guardian. I serve the citizens of the United States. I will protect them. I will defend them.
I will save them. I am their Shield. For them I am Semper Paratus. I live the Coast Guard Core Values. I am a Guardian. We are the United States Coast Guard.
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From the Bridge John Tyson Earlier this year, COMO Jaskiewicz and members of the District 7 leadership team provided the Flotilla Leadership Course (FLC) to the newly elected and appointed flotilla leaders. Over 360 members attended those classes, which for the district leadership team was a great opportunity to meet and welcome the 2011 class of flotilla leaders. Not surprisingly, everyone who helped conduct those sessions was duly impressed with the skills, talents and knowledge they observed within this outstanding group of flotilla leaders. The written feedback that participants provided at the end of the course was extremely positive, and many said they plan to use the Power Point slides and materials they received to offer the FLC to the members of their flotilla. Although there were many excellent questions raised by the participants at the FLC sessions, some that really stood out had to do with our district goals and how they align with those of the Auxiliary National leadership. One person who raised a question on that clearly saw the importance of aligned goals and strong member support, but several others showed a gap in their understanding of district and national goals. In actuality, there are few differences between National and Seventh District goals. For example, our district goal of having a strong Recreational Boating Safety program is aligned with National’s goal of steady incremental Mission Effectiveness. In fact, all of District Seven’s supporting strategies are highly focused on a goal of reducing boating casualties in District Seven by five percent a year for the next five years through strategies in public education, public affairs, expanding the Vessel Safety Check program and increasing the number of recreational boating safety Program Partners.
Our district also aligns well with the National goal of maintaining a Ready Volunteer Force. To achieve that goal the district has innovative strategies in place for enhancing recruiting and retention, increasing leadership development, strengthening member training and recognition, and diversifying the organization. The Seventh District and National Auxiliary are also aligned in their goals for building Effective Partnerships. Our district’s strategies call for increased work with Coast Guard units to ensure Joint Operational Planning, assist the Office of Boating Safety and State Boating Law Administrators, support our counterparts in other nations, and provide Interpreters whenever needed by the Coast Guard. Lastly, National and District 7 are aligned in leveraging new technology for communicating with our various customers, and many departments in our district are already leaders in the use of new technologies. That is a very short answer to the question of how our district and national goals align. I hope everyone in District 7 understands that our fundamental objective is to maintain an organization in which all members may participate in the activities of their choosing, and be recognized for their contribution to strengthening the Auxiliary as a force multiplier for the Coast Guard. And, we will only meet that objective if we all work together to achieve our common goals and the strategies for securing their accomplishment. Ω
MIAMI BEACH, Fla.— Auxiliary and Coast Guard vessels joined forces to send off the last 41-foot Utility Boat on March 3, 2011 from Station Miami Beach in a much publicized retirement ceremony. Photo by Vickie Aponte
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Immediate Past District Commodore Commodore Donald L. Frasch, DNACO-P I cannot believe it is already April, more than three months since I handed the reins of D7 over to COMO Jaskiewicz. I also cannot believe how busy I have been in my new job. Since taking over as Deputy National Commodore, Operations Policy and Atlantic East, I've attended a National Change of Watch, four District Training Conferences, a National Executive Committee (NEXCOM) meeting, a District Seven Executive Committee (EXCOM) meeting, a three-day meeting with the Atlantic (LANT) Area Commander and his Deputy, and a LANT Area Commanding Officer & Command Master Chief Conference. I am tired, but I have enjoyed it tremendously. The good part of all this is I get to experience how the other four Districts in LANT East operate. I can tell you that D7 does
not take a back seat to anyone. You are the best of the best! I had the pleasure last weekend of attending the D7 Executive Committee (EXCOM) meeting in Jacksonville. What impressed me was how well your new Bridge has come together as a unit, all pulling in the same direction. They have gotten over the fright of putting together a new team and staff, have gotten to know and trust each other, and are truly committed to your success as a District. I have no question or hesitation that they, with your support, will be wildly successful. Moving forward, I ask you to do three things: 1. Always keep a positive attitude 2. Always do the right thing 3. Take care of each other. I guarantee you that if you do these three things, your Auxiliary experience will be fantastic. Semper Paratus
MIAMI – Capt. Scott A. Busman, Chief of Sta, 7th District, USCG, introduces RADM William Baumgartner, Commander District 7 USCG, COMO Donald L. Frasch, outgoing Commander , District 7 USCG Auxiliary and COMO Walter Jaskiewicz, incoming Commander District 7 USCG Auxiliary at the 7th District Auxiliary Change of Watch held at USCG Air Station Miami on January 15, 2011. Photo by Christopher Todd, A DIR-Ad
Breeze, Volume LVII
Spring 2011
The is changing! As members of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, we have grown accustomed to the word ‘change’. Over the past several years, many of those changes resulted from our realignment with the Coast Guard. We have a new leadership structure and office titles, new uniforms and new training guidelines. While adapting to these ongoing changes is sometimes difficult and often frustrating, we cannot deny that we are more efficient, more effective and better able to serve the Coast Guard in its missions. Change has come to our award-winning Breeze. Budget constraints have made it impossible to continue the printed edition. We will however, continue to publish online in PDF format. Like the Chinese character for crisis, this change also presents a great opportunity. The Digital Age is upon us, and digital, or electronic edition of books, magazines, newspapers and other publications have made it possible to download hundreds of publications and take them with us anywhere. Starting with the summer 2011 edition of the Breeze, we can adapt our layout so that the Breeze can be read online or downloaded and read on Kindle™, iPad™, Nook Color™, Sony® Reader and other electronic reading devices. All of these and other electronic readers can read PDF files, however, the layout must be adapted so that they will display properly. We want to hear from you. With our print edition no longer available, would you like to like to be able download and read the Breeze on an electronic reader? Times are changing, and the Breeze is willing to go the extra mile to meet the needs of our members. Contact the editor at dottieriley1@verizon.net and let us know what you think.D
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United States Coast Guard Auxiliary District 7
District Captain North Robert Weskerna, DCAPT-N North Star. I am sure there must be a number of D7 members who remember the 1920’s. Just for the record, I’m not one who does- not quite. For you ‘youngsters’, this was the decade of Winnie the Pooh, Lincoln Logs, the Yo-Yo, Kleenex, and Reader’s Digest magazine. I do remember Reader’s Digest magazine, especially the feature “My Most Unforgettable Character.” My focus in this article will be one Auxiliarist from the six divisions of the ‘north’ who has impressed me. I hope you will find his story interesting, if not inspiring. He is a “most unforgettable character”, a true “North Star.” I cannot recall when I first heard Lyle Letteer’s name mentioned to me. As a regular visitor to Station Charleston, it could have been any one of the active duty members I worked with. It could also have been either Bruce Lindsey or Dave Fuller (Immediate Past Division Commander and current Division Commander of Division 2) at one of our Auxiliary Sector Coordinator meetings in Charleston. What impressed me then was that this Auxiliarist from the Atlanta, Ga., was traveling to Charleston on a monthly basis and spending a week each month working on his Trident qualification. A week’s worth of hotel bills and a 320 plus mile drive each way sounded like a big commitment to me. Here’s Lyle’s story.
sistant Pollution Investigator, Commercial Fishing Vessel Examiner, Auxiliary Assistant Container Inspector, and more. Not too bad for a grandfather of eight and a great-grandfather of two! A retired Delta Airlines L-1011 International Captain, Letteer uses this background to the benefit of the Coast Guard. He says, “Having tracked Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELTs) and Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) both on the ground and from aircraft for over twenty years, I am now working with Mr. Greg Johnson, Sector Charleston’s Chief of Commercial Fishing Vessel Department, on the EPIRB program. Letteer and Johnson are working jointly to improve the time from when an EPIRB is first heard by a satellite until it is found. According to Letteer, “Shortening this time could be the difference between life and death for a boater.”
Lyle Letteer presents at the Flotilla Leadership Course on Jan. 22, 2011 at Hunter Air Field. Photo by B. J. Ferguson
Lyle Letteer does in fact drive at least once a month from Atlanta to spend a week working at Sector and Station Charleston, and no, he is not reimbursed for these expenses. His monthly quest is to assist the Coast Guard in its Marine Safety Program. Letteer remarked, “I cannot believe how the Coast Guard goes out of its way to provide training for their Auxiliary members.” Letteer’s point of view is that the Coast Guard has provided him the opportunity for training. In 2010, that training included: Hazardous Waste Operations (Hazwoper) Awareness Level training, Hazwoper Operations Response Level training, Shoreline Assessment Course, Personal Qualification Standard training for Auxiliary Assistant License and Document Evaluator, Auxiliary Assistant License and Document Examiner, As-
Because of an upcoming congressional regulation requiring mandatory boating safety decals for the fishing industry, Letteer has written checklists for the Coast Guard boarding officers to use when they inspect Commercial Fishing Vessels. Also among his projects, Letteer is writing a Microsoft Access database to track the dollar amounts spent on EPIRB searches each year. This will include EPIRB false alerts. Letteer asserts that the Coast Guard is presently receiving a high rate of Digital Selective Calling and EPIRB false alerts, and a very high percentage of these units are either not registered or do not have an updated registration.
With a great attitude, Lyle writes, “I am proud to have the opportunity to give my time, resources, and experiences to Team Coast Guard and to assist them in accomplishing their duties and service to the people of the United States.” Dave Fuller, Division Commander 2 is proud of his member’s accomplishments. Dave writes, “It seems like the more he does, the more they ask him to do.” Say, that sounds familiar. I’m proud to serve with this ‘North Star’ and many others like him whom I’ve met in the past few months while serving as District Captain North. I look forward to introducing some of these amazing Auxiliarists to you down the road. By the way, 7-UP, Wheaties, miniature golf—you guessed it-all products of the 1920’s. Ω
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Lyle Letteer and Ronnie Merritt, members of Division 2, earn the Operational Auxiliarist Status (AUXOP) on March 12, 2011. From left are COMO Walter Jaskiewicz, District Commodore D7, Lyle Letteer, Division Staff OfficerMarine Safety 2, Ronnie Merritt, Division Staff Officer-Program Visitor 2, David Fuller, Division Commander 2 and John Tyson, District Chief of Staff D7. Photo by B.J. Ferguson
District Captain East Pat Feighery, DCAPT-E The divisions and flotillas of the East area of responsibility (AOR) have come out of the 2011 starting gate at full throttle. Flotilla Leadership Course (FLC) training was held in four different locations during the months of January and February. My thanks to the Division Bridges for taking the time to organize these sessions and for your support in insuring the success of each class. Over 170 members in the east attended the training and now have a better idea of what leadership at the flotilla and division level entails and how to make their programs successful. Four Division Commanders have seen fit to reinforce the training received in FLC by having the participants return for some intense “deck plate” training for Flotilla Commanders, Vice Commanders and Staff Officers to help them better understand the day to day working of Flotilla Leadership and Management. All of the above fits quite well with my vision for the East AOR in 2011, which is to develop a better understanding of not only the ‘what’, but the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary. All of us know the mission of the Auxiliary, but it is important that all of us understand what makes up that mission, why it is important that the mission be carried
out, and how to carry out that mission in a professional manner that allows us to identify the value, worth and contribution of each of our members in order for the mission to succeed. All members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary, as leaders, need to take care of each other through education, mentoring and building strong relationships within our flotillas and across flotilla lines to leverage our strengths and overcome our challenges.Ω Semper Paratus
The Eastern AOR dominates this issue with articles from Stuart, Fla., all the way south through Miami, Key West, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands!
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United States Coast Guard Auxiliary District 7
District Captain West Melvin Manning, DCAPT-W A preview of the type of year we expect for “Team West” actually occurred last October when the newly elected National Commodore, COMO Jim Vass visited Tampa to attend the US Coast Guard Innovation Expo in Tampa. Two Auxiliary surface facilities from Division 7 conducted a boat tour of Tampa Bay with COMO Vass and several other Auxiliarist from Division 7 and 11 on board. The District 7 Executive Committee (EXCOM) held its first meeting of the year the first week in January. Those in attendance included COMO Walter Jaskiewicz, District Commodore, John Tyson, District Chief of Staff (DCOS), CDR Donald Winfield, DIRAUX, CWO Ursula Walther, OTO, Jim Mayer, District Staff Officer-Finance and the three new District Captains (DCAPT). The Division Commanders (DCDR) attended the first DCAPT/DCDR meeting of the year a week later at Sector St. Petersburg with CAPT Sheryl Dickinson, Commander Sector St. Petersburg and members of her staff. The Division Com-
manders, Craig Elliot (15), Amos Johnson (7), Jim Ryder (11), Braxton Ezell (8) and Lou Conti (9) along with Auxiliary Sector Coordinator, Don Hoge, Chick Svoboda, Auxiliary Aviation Coordinator and the Division Vice Commanders, are set to provide the leadership to the flotillas’ officers and members to enable Auxiliary support to Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater (the largest single command in the Coast Guard), Sector St. Petersburg and the Stations at Yankeetown, Sand Key, St. Petersburg, Cortez and Fort Myers Beach. The Flotilla Leadership Course for Flotilla Commanders, Operational Auxiliarist Status (AUXOP) candidates and those interested in seeking elected office was held at Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater and in Punta Gorda with approximately 180 attendees. I attended the DCAPT Academy in St. Louis along with the other District Captains in D7, Pat Feighery, DCAPT-E and Bob Weskerna, DCAPT-N. The divisions and flotillas have completed their staffing, set their goals and are engaged in mission fulfillment for the Coast Guard and the boating public. Preparations for conducting Auxiliary Chef (AUXCHEF), Incident Command System 210, and
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RADM Baumgartner Honors Member of Division 7
Auxiliary Search Coordination and Execution (AUXSC&E) as well as other member training courses are underway. Program evaluation and training is ongoing to enhance Auxiliary operational capability and support at the Small Boat Stations and Air Station Clearwater. Recreational Boating Safety programs are off to a great start. Individual members continue to serve the Coast Guard as Watchstanders, Officers of the Day, in galleys as food service personnel, as Team Coordination Training Facilitators, first aid and CPR instructors among other specialties. Auxiliary Air (AUXAIR) continues its role in Search and Rescue, Law Enforcement support and training missions. Cooperation and support among the divisions and flotillas serves to increase the potential of the Auxiliary in all our missions. CAPT Dickinson has invited all Auxiliary members to attend the monthly “All Hands Muster” at Sector St. Petersburg and moreover, uses that event to present awards to Auxiliarist before the assembled Regular, Reserve and Auxiliary members of TEAM COAST GUARD. This area is especially proud of the fact that one of our own was selected for special recognition by Admiral Papp, Commandant of the Coast Guard at the State of the Coast Guard Speech and Ceremony in February in Washington. Don Hoge, a member of 11-10 in Dunedin, is Auxiliary Sector Coordinator St. Petersburg, Florida.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.- Cliff Martin, Staff OfficerMember Training and Staff Officer-Operations Division 7, and BMCS Sean Benton, USCG, Station St. Petersburg, are presented awards by RADM William Baumgartner, USCG District 7 Commander, and CAPT Sheryl L. Dickinson, Commander, Sector St. Petersburg, at the Windjammer Club in St. Petersburg on Nov. 5, 2010. While Martin was honored earlier that morning by Admiral Robert Papp, Commandant of the Coast Guard, for his contributions to the USCG, on this occasion he accepted the Meritorious Team Commendation on behalf of the Auxiliary for support to the USCGC Eagle in June. Photo by Tim Teahan
The outlook for the rest of this year, while ambitious is realistic. The talented team in the West is up to the task and will accomplish its missions. Ω
Photo left page: TAMPA, Fla.- Upon his arrival on October 31, 2010 for the U.S. Coast Guard 2010 Innovation Expo, COMO James Vass, NACO, tours Tampa Bay aboard Auxiliary vessel Miss Marla from Flotilla 72 in St. Petersburg. Aboard with him are Richard Short, coxswain (FL 72), Marla Short, Flotilla 72, and Loren Reuter, Flotilla 79, guests Veronique Koken, Flotilla 11-10, Courtney Blum, Flotilla 72, Amos Johnson, DCDR 7 and photographer Mike Moore, Flotilla 15-2. COMO Vass took the helm in Tampa's Seddon Channel. Photo by Dottie Riley Photo above: Mel Manning, District Captain West 7 escorts COMO James Vass, National Commodore from his hotel to the waiting boats before the tour of Tampa Bay on October 31, 2010. Photo by Dottie Riley
Read more about COMO Vass’ visit to District 7 on page 25 Don Hoge honored by ADM Robert Papp during the State of the Coast Address on page 21
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United States Coast Guard Auxiliary District 7
Prevention Directorate Bruce Lindsey, DDC-P D7 International Boating & Water Safety Summit Strategic Plan of the National Recreational Boating Safety Program Boating Safety Initiatives 2011 Prevention Directorate Staff
2011 Goals for the D7 RBS Plan
Greetings from the International Boating and Water Safety Summit, in Savannah, Ga. where 2011 is looking like an exciting year for recreational boating safety initiatives for several reasons. First, will be some highlights from the International Boating and Water Safety Summit that just concluded in Savannah, Ga. Next, is to introduce this year’s Prevention Directorate staff, with expansion of staff duties and finally, this year’s plans for D7 Recreational Boating Safety. The 15th Annual International Boating and Water Safety Summit started with the signing of the 2012-2016 Strategic Plan of the National Recreational Boating Safety Program. The USCG Office of Prevention Policy working with about twodozen law enforcement, boating safety and recreational boating manufacturers developed this five-year plan. The plan was signed for the USCG by RADM Kevin Cook, followed by the National Association of Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA), Army Corps of Engineers, National Water Safety Congress, National Safe Boating Council, the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, US Power Squadron, Marine Manufacturers Association, and many others. This plan has performance goals to reduce recreational boating casualties and injuries. The plan details 11 Objectives and 76 Strategies, with the Auxiliary support needed for 18 of the Strategies supporting six of the plan Objectives. Additional details on these will be provided through the Public Education, Program Visitor and Vessel Examinations Departments. This leads to our second topic, introduction of Prevention Directorate staff. This year, all of the District Staff Officers have Assistant District Staff Officers (ADSOs) with specific assigned duties, either functional, geographic, or both. The Prevention Directorate staff are:
DSO- Marine Safety, John Sprague-Williams ADSO-MS Joel Aberbach, South Florida, AWW & SP ADSO-MS David Bird, North area, Trident & MSTR ADSO-MS Marc Lang, East area & monthly MS Infogram ADSO-MS Mike Shea, West area & Clean Marina Programs DSO-Member, Training Reggie Hollar ADSO-MT Frank Lann, AUXOP Courses ADSO-MT Bill Hanlon, ICS Courses DSO-Public Education, John VanOsdol ADSO-PE Charles Chirila, South Carolina ADSO-PE Dave Wall, Georgia & AUXplusPE program ADSO-PE Gretchen Bacon DSO-Program Visitor, Bill Riley ADSO-PV Charles Reiner, East area ADSO-PV Festus Burchfield, North area ADSO-PV Ann Bennett, West area DSO-Vessel Examination, Chuck Kelemen ADSO-VE Moe Ziadan, East area ADSO-VE Eric Kozak, East area ADSO-VE Phillip Talon, North area ADSO-VE Ron Foreman, North area ADSO-VE Richard Tome, West area Ω
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Public Education System– Simplified Dave Wall, ADSO-PE The Coast Guard Auxiliary has a computerized system to automate, manage and record all aspects of the Flotilla Public Education program. The AUXplusPE program has been available for several years from the National E Department website and has undergone extensive testing and development to become the complete tool to support the Flotilla Staff Officer-Public Education (FSO-PE). Major elements of the AUXplusPE program are:
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Class Scheduling: location confirmation, instructor assignments, student registration and welcome letter, directions and instructions.
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Course completion: attendance and instructor rosters, course completion certificates and/or wallet card printing and financial accounting.
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Reporting: database management and search functions, statistical reporting to the Coast Guard, data export to state agencies for boat licensing or certification, import or export to other programs and replacement of lost cards or certificates. Course historical data can easily be passed on to succeeding FSO-PEs.
The program is currently in use in over 300 flotillas nationwide. Additional information and training can be arranged through your Assistant District Staff Officer-Public Education and Division Staff Officer-Public Education. The program and tutorials on AUXplusPE, Introduction, Basic and Optional are available at the web address provided below. Questions can be referred to ADSO-PE Dave Wall at: nq5e@bellsouth.net. Ω
The AUXplusPE site is easy to navigate. Enter the web address in your browser: http://cgauxed.org/completecourses.html. In addition to the tools available for Public Education instructors, complete tutorials are offered on the site. Contact your SO-PE or ADSO-PE (Dave Wall) for further questions.
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United States Coast Guard Auxiliary District 7
Response Directorate Richard Leys, DDC-R D7 The Response Department consists of four District Staff Positions: Aviation: Cecil Christopher, DSO-AV; Operations: Janee Henderson, DSO-OP; Communications: Joseph Colee Jr., DSO-CM; Navigation Services: Michelle Orman, DSO-NS. Each branch is proactive in their support to the Coast Guard and ready to respond when needed in such diverse areas as search and rescue, migrant interdiction support, weather related emergencies, watchstanding or a public event, including providing Auxiliary facilities on a stand-by status. In this issue, we feature aviation operations with an article by Lee Bertman.
Fly, Land, Live By Lee Bertman
The mission of the Coast Guard Auxiliary air group is to support the four Air Stations in District 7 in fulfilling their mission by flying Safety Patrols, Law Enforcement Support (migrants, drug interdiction and fishery enforcement), Search and Rescue, Area Familiarization, Transport and numerous other tasks. For most of these missions, the Auxiliary pilot is accompanied by his or her crew which typically consists of non-pilot Air Crew or Observers. What happens if the pilot is incapacitated? Will the crew be able to bring the aircraft to a safe landing? The sky can be a busy place. Is the crew able to assist the pilot in the landing, take-off and enroute phases of the mission? These are issues of both safety and mission effectiveness. To address these concerns, Mike Renuart, former District Staff Officer-Aviation, along with a team of Auxiliary Air pilots and crew from the Clearwater area led by Ed Smith, worked to develop the course called “Fly, Land, Live.” The course is designed to equip Air Crew and Observers with the skills and confidence necessary to assist in the safe conclusion of a mission should the pilot become incapacitated. An additional ob-
jective is to give crews added skills to better support the pilot in his or her responsibilities. The program is computer based using three different screens to depict the outside view, the instrument panel, and the GPSdriven moving map, all typical of the equipment in Auxiliary aircraft. Control of the “aircraft” is achieved through a yoke and rudder pedals complete with throttles and other aircraft controls. The course consists of instruction on the elements of aircraft control and flight maneuvers, use and interpretation of aircraft instruments, radio procedures, basic navigation, and landing the aircraft. Scenarios include taking control of the aircraft in the event of pilot incapacitation and flying and navigating to a safe landing at a near-by airport. Communication with air traffic control (ATC) and the airport tower are critical aspects of the exercise. The course was taught at the January Savannah Aviation Workshop by Mike Renuart, Flight Examiner, and Gary Ford, Aircrew. Six students participated in this first course: Antonio Quesada, Brian Cummings, Daniel Bridges, Jim Bertucci, Mark Miller and Margaret Ellen Hill. All six attendees remarked that they gained a better understanding of aviation procedures to assist the pilot during the mission and were better equipped to handle an emergency. Involving the Aircrew and Observers in the conduct of the mission augments their participation and deepens enthusiasm. Two of the participants expressed a renewed interest in taking flying lessons and pursuing a private pilot’s license. A typical comment was from Jim Bertucci: “I very much appreciated the seminar that Mike and Gary conducted. At one time I was thinking about obtaining a private pilot’s license and your seminar has rekindled my thoughts of doing so.” Too often Aircrew and Observers are not included in mission planning and the conduct of the flight. Yet the demands on their skills can suddenly materialize with a pop-up search and rescue or another emergency. The pilot cannot be expected to do everything: program the GPS, communicate with ATC and the Coast Guard and fly the aircraft while searching for the TOI (target of interest). Hence, there is need for trained crewmembers able to function seamlessly with the pilot in the safe and effective conduct of the mission. This kind of crew coordination requires training both on the ground and in the air. According to Cecil Christopher, District Staff Officer-Aviation, Renuart’s course is a critical component of enhancing those skills Mike Renuart and Gary Ford have plans to offer their course to more D7 aviators. “I have been working on this course for a
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SAVANNAH Ga.– Several Auxiliary members tried out the flight simulator at the Auxiliary Air workshop held in January at Air Station Savannah. If air support crew can fly the simulator, they have a much improved chance of safely landing a real aircraft should that need occur. Time and resources permitting, Mike Renuart hopes this course will be made available to aviators throughout D7. Photo by Mike Renuart
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number of years, periodically enhancing the equipment to provide a more realistic experience. Participants become very involved to the point that they become convinced that they are flying a real aircraft. If they can fly the simulator, they have a much improved chance of safely landing a real aircraft should that need occur. Time and resources permitting, this course will be made available to aviators throughout D7,” stated Mike Renuart.Ω
More articles highlighting Response Department support to the Coast Guard appear in this issue. See ‘Regatta Support’ on pages 30-31, ‘Auxiliarists...Aid Boaters’ on page 34.
“OPS NORMAL…”
TAMPA BAY– Using a red light emitting diode (LED) , Joseph Lamb, coxswain, Flotilla 74 Brandon, Fla., and Patrick Baldwin, crewmember from Flotilla 79 Tampa, look up their current waypoint to call in their operational status and position to Station St. Petersburg during a routine safety patrol on February 17, 2011. Photo by Flotilla 74 member, George Papabeis
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United States Coast Guard Auxiliary District 7
Logistics Directorate James Dennen, DDC-L D7 The USCGC Duane Revisited. The Treasury-class Coast Guard Cutters, also referred to as Secretary-class, were named for former secretaries of the Treasury Department. They were all 327-foot high endurance vessels. This particular cutter was named after William John Duane, Treasury Secretary for President Andrew Johnson. The cutter Duane is considered the “Queen of the Class”. Her keel was laid on May 1, 1935 at the Philadelphia Navy Yard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After a storied career as a search and rescue and law enforcement vessel with 15 citations or medals for gallantry through several wars that included tours in the Pacific and in the waters off Viet Nam, the cutter Duane was removed from service in 1985. The Duane, along with its sister ship, Coast Guard Cutter Bibb, are now artificial reefs and very popular dive spots in the waters off Key Largo, Florida, one mile south of Molasses Reef. The U.S. Coast Guard Station Islamorada has the honor
of displaying both ship’s bells at its front entrance. The Duane Association, consisting of Coast Guard men and women who served on the Duane, meet yearly for a reunion in various locations and publish a newsletter, “The Helm” http:// home.comcast.net/~whec33/. The association’s president, Stan Barnes, contacted me this past year and asked for photos of the “Duane Bell”. He then decided to visit the bell and dive the Duane reef with his son, Kevin. Jeff Bronsing, Division Commander 13, Jim Dennen, Directorate Chief for Logistics, and Boatswains Mate Second Class, Chris Lino, USCG, met with Barnes and his son and gave them a tour of U.S. Coast Guard Station Islamorada and its various assets. They took photos with the “Duane Bell” that Barnes had faithfully polished during his tour of duty. After the visit, Barnes and his son headed off to Key Largo to dive her site for a firsthand look at the cutter that he had not seen since he served aboard her as a crewmember. While aboard the Duane, Barnes wrote an interesting story about two young men who in 1966 decided to row across the Atlantic ocean with unfortunate consequences http:// home.comcast.net/~whec33/Puffin%20Story.rev.pdf Ω
KEY LARGO, Fla.—Stan Barnes, former crewmember of the Coast Guard Cutter Duane, visits Station Islamorada on March 6, 2011 with his son, Kevin Barnes. Jeff Bronsing, Division Commander 13, and Jim Dennen, Directorate Chief of Logistics D7, pose with the fatherson team behind the bells of two of the Treasury-class cutters, the cutter Duane and the Coast Guard Cutter Bibb. Both were sunk and now form an artificial reef off the waters of Key Largo, Florida. Photo by BM 2nd Class Chris Lino.
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Flotilla Builds New Outdoor Galley for Coast Guard Station. Article and photos by Jan Kittsmiller, Flotilla 13-3 Big Pine Key, Fla. BIG PINE KEY, Fla.—In June 2010, FS1 Joseph Scott of Station Marathon attempted without success to light the barbecue grill in order to ‘feed the troops.’ Don Kittsmiller of Flotilla 13-3 Big Pine Key happened to walk by and asked if there was anything that he could do to help. Scott told him that the grill needed several new parts, to which Kittsmiller replied, “Perhaps the Auxiliary can help with this problem.” Scott thought that maybe the Auxiliary might get some new parts or possibly even a new grill. He never envisioned getting an entire new outdoor galley. Kittsmiller went back to his flotilla. A few of their members were knowledgeable about construction and were good handymen, and Kittsmiller pitched the idea of constructing a new outdoor grill for Station Marathon. He presented the idea to the entire flotilla, which voted upon it as a worthy undertaking.
Above: Ted Giesbrecht and Luke Moore attach the roofing paper to the new outdoor galley at Station Marathon. Below: Station Marathon’s food service specialists show off the new grills at the barbeque in November. Photos by Jan Kittsmiller
At that point, no one guessed that this augmentation project would evolve into such a large and long undertaking, or would result in such a successful outcome. Jan Kittsmiller said, “Not to ring our own dinner bell, but the process of learning each and every job needed in the building process made everyone who participated in this project evolve. We became a more cohesive team, and each person expressed to me that they learned new skills and discovered talents that they did not realize they possessed.” To express their appreciation, on November 12, 2010, Master Chief Charles Lindsey and BMC William Hillyer hosted a barbeque/picnic complete with lobster, brats, juicy hamburgers and lots of donated dishes. Most of the personnel of Station Marathon attended as well as around 22 Auxiliary members. In addition, Commander Tom Walsh, Chief of Response, Sector Key West attended. They had a fantastic time socializing and enjoying the great food prepared in the new galley.
Bravo Zulu to our augmentation team which consisted of Ted Giesbrecht, Don Kittsmiller, Brad Miller, Martin Mara, Dan Shtob, Nick McManus, and Luke Moore. Everyone at Station Marathon is thrilled with the flotilla’s contribution, but no less than the members who constructed the outdoor galley. Building the galley gave them immense pleasure. Ω
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Young Auxiliarist Serves as Cadet Aboard the Eagle By Carol M. Bareuther, photos provided by Rian Bareuther SAINT CROIX, U.S. Virgin Islands- Cadet Rian Bareuther joined Auxiliary Flotilla 16-1 St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands after his 17th birthday while a student at St. Croix Country Day School. He was active with the Auxiliary and involved in many community projects. Bareuther then applied and was accepted to the US Coast Guard Academy where he is currently in his second year. The following article was prepared by his proud mother, Carol M. Bareuther and appeared in Caribbean Compass. A Caribbean cruise might sound like an opportunity for nonstop, rum-swizzling party time, but for cadets at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (CGA), based in New London, Connecticut, its serious training- albeit with some fun mixed in. Rian Bareuther, a third class cadet and lifelong resident of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, was onboard the tall ship, Coast Guard Cutter Eagle, for the first six-weeks of the vessel’s summer training cruise which embarked from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and stopped at ports in Cartagena, Curacao and Cozumel . “When I learned the summer cruise would be to the Caribbean, I thought ‘great, it’ll be good to get back home where it’s warm and maybe see some of my old friends,’” says Bareuther, who had just completed his first year at the CGA. The CGA is one of the U.S.’s five federal service academies. The other academies are the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Col., and Merchant Marine Academy at King’s Point, New York. Following four years of study and military training, cadets graduate from the CGA with a Bachelor of Science degree in majors ranging from government to five areas of engineering and are commissioned as ensigns into the U.S. Coast Guard. Five years of
obligatory duty is required after graduation from the tuitionfree Academy that only accepts some 300 candidates from a pool of over 2,000 applications annually. For Bareuther, along with over 100 of his fellow third class cadets as well as an equal number of first class or senior cadets, the cruise meant a nice break from classroom studies and a chance to learn hands-on from Eagle’s 50-plus permanent enlisted and officer crew. The cadets on Eagle’s first tour flew to San Juan the day after they finished Final Exams. “We were handed a list with all the essential items we needed to pack the night before we left,” says Bareuther. “Everything had to be packed into one sea bag, plus a uniform bag. Once onboard Eagle, we went below decks, stowed our gear in the racks and made our beds. There were 18 bunks in our room, so it was close quarters.” Eagle is a 295-foot, three-masted tall ship. It’s the seventh in a line of same-named vessels that dates back to the Coast Guard inception as the Revenue Cutter Service in 1792, which was founded by Nevis-born U.S. Treasury Secretary, Alexander Hamilton. The present day Eagle was built in 1936 at the Blohm & Voss Shipyard in Hamburg, Germany. Adolf Hitler christened her the Horst Wessel and the vessel was used to train German Naval Cadets. The U.S. took the vessel as a war prize after World War II and commissioned her into the U.S. Coast Guard in 1946. Eagle, which homeports out of New London, has served as a sea-going good will ambassador and cadet training ship ever since. Training is no joke. For example, cadets handle more than 20,000-square-feet of sail and five miles of rigging. There are over 200 lines that need to be handled during a major
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Photo left page: Tall ships are pictured in port at Cartagena, Columbia on May 23, 2010. From left are the USCGC Eagle, the ARC Gloria from Columbia and Capitan Miranda from Uruguay.
Right: Cadet Rian Bareuther disembarking a Coast Guard C-130 flight from Veracruz, Mexico in June 2010.
ship’s maneuver and cadets are tasked with learning the name and function of each and every line. “Years of sailing dinghies and bigger boats in regattas like Rolex, BVI and Antigua Sailing Week helped me know what to do, how to fill the sails, tack and jibe,” says Bareuther, “but what I liked best, and what you really can’t do on a dinghy, was climbing up to the royals when something needed to be fixed or adjusted. I like to be active and hands on, and Eagle provided a lot of opportunities to do just that.” Hands-on training started the minute the cadets pulled out of San Juan on May 10, 2010.
steering, scullery duty and cleaning the heads. Cadets could be called anytime, day or night, to maneuver the sails during progressive wears, which says Bareuther, “is a fancy word for a square rigger doing a jibe.” “The training is all perfectly timed so that you are always busy and always working towards finishing up all your sign-offs,” says Bareuther, who is majoring in electrical engineering. Cadets all receive a sea training packet at the start of the cruise with all the proficiencies they are to learn during their time onboard.
Then came some fun couched in another lesson: anchoring.
Eagle, along with a dozen other majestic tall ships and fanfare escort of official and private vessels, arrived to Cartagena on the morning of May 19 as part of ‘Vela Sudamerica’. This was a several-month-long South American Tall Ships regatta that celebrated the bicentennial of the independence of many South American nations.
“We anchored off Cabo Rojo (Puerto Rico) and were all allowed to go swimming,” says Bareuther. “Some kids dove for conch, others just swam around. Even Capt. Jones (Captain Eric C. Jones, commanding officer of the Eagle) jumped in for a swim. It was pretty cool.”
“There were official functions like representing the Coast Guard at a concert, military parade and church service, and then intercompany sports,” says Bareuther. “For example, we played Panama and Uruguay in soccer on the beach. It was a great time.”
Afterwards, it was time to hoist the sails for a 10-day voyage to Cartagena, Columbia.
Eagle experienced its roughest weather of the trip during the passage from Cartagena to Curacao.
A typical day at sea, Bareuther tells, meant waking at 6:30 a.m., followed by breakfast and morning muster on deck for announcements and assignments. Training for the third class cadets meant learning what the enlisted personnel did onboard. (The first class cadets shadowed the officers, with the goal being for cadets to have knowledge of all jobs shipboard by the time they graduate and are in a command position.) This meant anything from polishing the brass to learning pipe patching, celestial navigation, basic rudder commands,
“Another cadet and I were on the Midnight to 4 a.m. watch and all of a sudden it started pouring, just howling with wind and rain,” Bareuther says.
“The first 24-hours we did several drills like basic damage control, firefighting, manning lifeboat stations and man overboard,” says Bareuther.
The two cadets clad in life jackets went to the front of the vessel by the anchor chain, clipped on their safety harnesses, and continued watch up by the bowsprit where it proved to be (Continued on page 20)
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United States Coast Guard Auxiliary District 7
Left: Cadet Rian Bareuther looks back at the photographer as cadets climb the rigging of the USCGC Eagle. Above: Bareuther and other cadets on the main deck of the USCGC Eagle. Below: Cadet Rian Bareuther patches a pipe while serving aboard the USCGC Eagle. Each rotation of cadets performs the many tasks required to maintain the tall ship.
(Continued from page 19)
a wild, or as Bareuther calls it, “pretty cool” ride. He was also on daybreak duty when Eagle sailed into Curacao for three days. “I was down working below decks when I got a call that there were some folks looking for me,” he says. “When I came up, there were about 20 Optimist sailors and their parents on board from Curacao Youth Sailing. I gave them a tour and then took them into the Mess for some juice. I knew a couple of them and several of them knew my younger sister, Nikki, from when she sailed in the Opti North Americans hosted in Curacao two years ago. It was great to maintain that Caribbean bond.” Eagle pulled out of Curacao on June 1, sailed north and then west along the south coast of Haiti, past Jamaica, right through the Caymans, and docked in Cozumel on June 11. This is where Bareuther’s group of cadets off-loaded onto a C -130 aircraft for the flight back to Connecticut and the other half of the third and first year classes boarded for their trip up the Eastern seaboard. “The Coast Guard Academy isn’t like a regular college where you have all summer off and can party anytime,” says Bareuther. “But, it’s a great place if you really want to learn a lot and help people stay safe on the seas.” Ω
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Local US Coast Guard Auxiliarist Honored by Coast Guard Commandant. By Thomas Loughlin, DSO-PA 7 WASHINGTON-- Donald C. Hoge of New Port Richey, Florida was honored on February 10, 201, during the State of the Coast Guard message presented in Washington, D.C. Mr. Hoge, a member of Flotilla 11-10 Dunedin, Fla., was selected from over 30,000 members to be recognized personally by US Coast Guard Commandant, Admiral Robert Papp, for his unselfish devotion to duty and for exemplifying the Coast Guard motto, “Semper Paratus,” which means, “Always Ready”. During his 24-years as a US Navy aviator, Hoge performed search and rescue helicopter missions from aircraft carriers during the Viet Nam conflict, served on the NATO staff in Belgium, and was stationed world-wide in such places as the Philippines, Denmark, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Japan, Kenya, Somalia and Kuwait. He brought this love of aviation to the Coast Guard Auxiliary and is frequently involved in the various Auxiliary Air (AUXAIR) missions in support of the Coast Guard. Hoge serves at US Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater in the Operations Section and as the Auxiliary Coordinator for Sector St. Petersburg, which is responsible for the entire west coast of Florida. It was while he was on duty one morning that the earthquake struck Haiti. Hoge spent over 15 hours that first day helping to arrange flights to support the rescue
Don Hoge charts relief flights into Haiti on February 22, 2010 in the Operations Section USCG Air Station Clearwater after the earthquake that devastated the island nation . Photo by Tom Loughlin, DSO-PA Below: Despite his many awards from the US Navy, the Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Don Hoge is most proud of capturing the 2007 International Search and Rescue (ISAR) trophy. Don Hoge (second from right) is pictured with fellow ISAR and Division 11 Auxiliary members Kevin McConn, Max Garrison, and Jim Ryder at the District 7 Conference in Jacksonville, Fla. in October 2008. Photo by Dottie Riley, DSO-PB
efforts and was present almost continuously for the following ten days sharing his Navy expertise in aircraft logistics management. Hoge is also very active with his personal boat in support of Station Sand Key in their training efforts and their search and rescue missions. His devotion to duty is exemplified by his volunteering over 3,100 hours in 2010 in support of the US Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Hoge has received numerous awards and decorations from the US Navy, the US Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Auxiliary. In spite of all of these recognitions, the one he is the proudest of is being a member of a four-man team of local Auxiliary members who won district and national championships to earn the privilege to represent the United States in the International Search and Rescue competition held in Toronto, Canada in 2007. Hoge’s team was the first American team to ever win this eight-year old event. Since this was the last year of the competition, the very large and impressive trophy is now permanently displayed at Coast Guard Station Sand Key. Ω
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United States Coast Guard Auxiliary District 7
District 7 Takes Leadership Course on the Road. Article and photos by Barbara Burchfield, SO-PA 12
“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy
SAVANNAH, Ga.—Leadership is defined as “a position as a leader of a group, organization, etc.” in the dictionary. If only it was as simple as that, especially in an allvolunteer organization. The positions of leadership and management are vitally important to the entire framework and organizational structure of the Coast Guard Auxiliary to manage successfully the citizen volunteers who make up the organization. As Auxiliarists, we all come from diverse backgrounds and geographic locations; yet somehow we all ended up in the Auxiliary for one reason or another. It is an undisputed fact that Auxiliary volunteers give an extraordinary amount of time and resources in support of our country, the Coast Guard and the Auxiliary.
In the Auxiliary we see frequent changes in leadership following the annual Change of Watch ceremonies. The challenge to get so many new leaders fully informed and equipped to handle new leadership roles is very real and immediate. District 7 Commodore Walter Jaskiewicz took a strong leadership role himself by hosting a series of Flotilla Leadership Courses (FLC) throughout District 7, beginning January 15, 2011 through February 19, 2011. Training classes were held for 107 flotillas in 17 divisions covering Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The training course was designed specifically for flotilla leadership with twelve modules to guide them in their role of responsibility and management, and to give a clear understanding of what District 7 expects of them. Flotilla Commanders are tasked with a great deal of responsibility. It is at the flotilla level where surface operations, member training, public education classes, program visits, and vessel safety checks take place, just to name a few of our many missions. It is a challenge to keep things going smooth-
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ly with so many missions at task. In accepting the position of Flotilla Commander, the FC becomes accountable for the duties and responsibilities that come with the position. Leadership and management must find ways to motivate the volunteer members to participate in operations, fellowship, public education, and the other countless opportunities available to them. Flotilla Commanders should manage, support and encourage members with positive leadership and management, not necessarily by ‘command’ as the title implies. Commodore Jaskiewicz stressed the importance of planning, setting goals, and careful management of human resources. “There is a web of wisdom and a wealth of information available in the Coast Guard Auxiliary,” said COMO Jaskiewicz as he emphasized the benefits of putting member resources to work, such as calling on Immediate Past Flotilla Commanders for advice or getting help from members who have specific qualifications. “This is not a one man show,” he stressed. About seventy Flotilla Commanders (FCs) and Flotilla Vice Commanders (VFCs), representing Divisions 2, 10, and 12 in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, attended the January 22, 2011, training course at Air Station Savannah, Georgia. With the key words, “Failing to plan is planning to fail” hanging in the room, everyone listened carefully to sessions on duties
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of Flotilla Commander, senior leadership was able to pass along valuable and sometimes quite candid information. A point repeated more than once was that all leaders should acknowledge emails and reply to emails within 24 hours as a courtesy, and acknowledge the email even if an issue is still pending. Throughout the day, respect and appreciation were consistently woven into the organizational objectives to develop knowledgeable and effective flotilla leadership. One day of training can really make a difference. The advantage goes to those who attended the training sessions; they come away with new information, vital resources, a network of other Auxiliary leaders, a collective think tank of ideas, and positive ways to achieve success in their flotilla. The Flotilla Leadership Course set the stage for a year of challenges and ways to meet them. Well done.Ω
GOAL SETTING STEPS • • • • •
Need to deeply desire the Goal. Visualize yourself achieving the Goal. Plan the path to follow. Commit to a Goal by puƫng it in wriƟng. Set calendar dates for checking progress.
SAVANNAH, Ga.– Approximately 70 members from District 7 northern area of responsibility attended the Flotilla Leadership Course presented at Air Station Savannah in January, and more than 360 members from District 7 attended the training conducted at various locations throughout the district January through February this year. Taking the training on location to our newly elected officers sends the clear message that our current District Bridge takes a genuine interest in developing competent elected officers from the flotilla level up.
and responsibilities, staffing, new member development, flotilla goals, communication, time management, meetings, conflicts, and leadership. Uniforms, awards, courtesy and protocol rounded off a full day of training. Even members who have been in the Auxiliary for many years were surprised to see things they never knew existed, like the new Members Help Desk at www.auxhelp.com. The FLC topics were carefully chosen and delivered by senior leadership in an effort to give FCs and VFCs the tools they need to do their job. Having already experienced the position
Left page top: COMO Walter Jaskiewicz, District Commodore 7 facilitated several of the Flotilla Leadership Courses presented between January 15 and February 19 of this year. Behind him (from right) are Reginald Hollar, District Staff OfficerMember Training, John Tyson Chief of Staff D7, and Robert Weskerna, District Captain North D7. Left page bottom: John Tyson, District Chief of Staff D7, presents Goal Setting at the Flotilla Leadership Course on January 22, 2011, in Savannah. The key words, “Failing to plan is planning to fail” hanging prominently in the room emphasized the need to set goals and to establish a plan on reaching those goals.
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United States Coast Guard Auxiliary District 7
Silver and Gold at AUX-12 Public Affairs C-School By Felipe Pazos IPFC 6-11 and Jose Acosta BA-ASVC
MIAMI - Ensign Kevin Curry of the CG Cutter Vigilant (top left) and BM2 Lance Buchannan of USCG Station Miami Beach (top right) celebrate the completion of the AUX-12 Public Affairs CSchool with Audri Amoro, Jose Acosta, Nichole Betterson, and Felipe Pazos of Miami Flotilla 611. The course was held at USCG Air Station Miami from February 10-13, 2011 and was the first time that active duty and Auxiliary members trained together in the public affairs CSchool. Photo by Christopher Todd
US Coast Guard Active Duty and Coast Guard Auxiliary Undergo Joint Public Affairs Training in Miami MIAMI – The Coast Guard Auxiliary Public Affairs Department has charted a new track as both active duty and Auxiliary members joined for the AUX-12 Public Affairs Course C-School at Air Station Miami from February 10-13, 2011. This marked the first time that members from both organizations participated in the new joint course recently accredited as equivalent to the Coast Guard Public Affairs course offered via the Defense Information School at Fort Meade, Maryland. Aux-12 is an intense three-day course designed to teach writing, public speaking, media relations and photography to members of Team Coast Guard in an effort to help them become Public Affairs Specialists. Public Affairs Specialists perform many duties ranging from writing articles and news releases to assisting at Joint Information Centers. The course leader was Manny Romero, Division
Chief – Auxiliary Public Affairs (AUXPA) Training, who routinely travels across the U.S. to teach AUX-12 courses.
lant. He is planning on taking pictures to keep his shipmates informed of day-today activities and accomplishments.
“We can now enroll active duty and reserve Coast Guard personnel in AUX-12 thanks to the hard work of Thomas Nunes, Director of Auxiliary Public Affairs and CWO3 Adam Wine of the Coast Guard Public Affairs Program Division in Washington, D.C.,” said Romero. “I'm very proud of the entire Auxiliary public affairs training team for this outstanding accomplishment. We will continue to improve and refine AUX12 to meet the public affairs needs of both Auxiliary and active duty.”
Auxiliary Public Affairs Detachment – Miami (AUXPADET) hosted a welcoming reception at the Miami Yacht Club on Thursday February 10 for instructors and students. In attendance at the reception was Lt. Joseph Abeyta, Commanding Officer, Coast Guard Station Miami Beach, who wished the group good luck in their training mission.
BM2 Lance Buchanan and Ens. Kevin Curry were the first two active duty candidates selected to participate in the Miami C-School. For them it was an invaluable experience since they will be able to use their public affairs training while serving in their individual units. BM2 Buchanan plans on using his new skills to shoot morale videos for Station Miami Beach. Ens. Curry is looking to make a difference while stationed onboard the Coast Guard Cutter Vigi-
This group was not one of his standard Coast Guard boat crews. Armed with cameras, computers, pens and notepads instead of high caliber machine guns, the group embarked into unchartered waters a joint active duty and Auxiliary three day Public Affairs Boot Camp. Public Affairs C-School is an excellent way to learn how to tell the Auxiliary story whether it is through print, broadcast or social media. Moreover, if there is a single message that should be taken away from this training, it is that Public Affairs is the responsibility of everyone wearing the Coast Guard uniform. Ω
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NACO at the Helm By Dottie Riley, DSO-PB 7
Commodore Vass Tours Tampa Bay During Visit to Tampa TAMPA, Fla.—The Coast Guard 2010 Innovation Expo took place in Tampa November 2-4, 2010, and on October 31, COMO James Vass, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary National Commodore (NACO), arrived to attend this major event. Within hours of checking into his hotel, COMO Vass was aboard Miss Marla, an Auxiliary vessel from Flotilla 72, St. Petersburg, Fla., touring Tampa Bay. Division 7 provided two vessels, coxswains and crew for the Commodore and guests for a Public Affairs mission that brought national attention to District 7. Planning boats, crew and guests for the Commodore’s tour of Tampa’s ports required considerable pre-planning from members of both Divisions 7 and 11. Tom Loughlin, DSO-PA D7 and member of Flotilla 11-10 Dunedin, took the lead in planning this event. Cliff Martin, Staff Officer-Operations, Division 7, secured vessels and crew, and of course, obtained the orders from Sector St. Petersburg for this all-important mission. Selecting members for this patrol was a careful balancing act. The two Auxiliary facilities left few seats to spread out between qualified and competent crew- the first consideration, important guests, event photographers, and a few wellchosen new members from both divisions. On board with COMO Vass were Richard Short, coxswain, Vice Commander Flotilla 72, Marla Short, Flotilla 72, and Loren Reuter, Flotilla 79, guests Veronique Koken, Flotilla 11-10, Courtney Blum, Flotilla 72, Amos Johnson, Commander Division 7, and photographer Mike Moore, Flotilla 15-2.
TAMPA, Fla.— COMO James Vass, National Commodore tours Tampa Bay aboard the Miss Marla, an Auxiliary facility from Flotilla 72 St. Petersburg, Fla., on October 31, 2010, while attending the Coast Guard Innovation Expo. Behind COMO Vass are Amos Johnson, DCDR 7, Loren Reuter, crew Flotilla 79, Veronique Koken, Flotilla 11-10, Courtney Blum, Flotilla 72, Marla Short, Flotilla 72 and Richard Short, Vice Commander Flotilla 72 and coxswain. Photo by Mike Moore, Flotilla 15-2.
A second vessel, Lucky Dog II from Flotilla 79 acted as ‘chase vessel’ and provided a platform for a second photographer. On board the chase vessel were J. Michael Shea, Vice Commander Division 7 and coxswain, David Langdon, Flotilla 72, crew, Dottie Riley, Flotilla 79, crew and photographer, Frank Toal from Flotilla 11-1 new member, and VIP guest Melvin Manning, District Captain West DCAPT-W (then elect). One of the principal purposes of this mission was to capture images of the National Commodore interacting with Auxiliary members in an operational environment. The photographs taken on October 31 are for use across a wide variety of publications and media, and are stored within the Coast Guard Visual Imagery (CGVI) library. Every member involved was eager to present our district in the most professional light. It is, after all, not every day that an Auxiliary
vessel has a National Commodore on board! COMO Vass is extremely flotilla oriented and thoroughly enjoys meeting the people that make the Auxiliary the organization that it is. This was evident in his easy manner and the interest he expressed when meeting our newer members. The Commodore did not flinch when asked to take the helm of Miss Marla. On the contrary, he smiled broadly and appeared to enjoy steering up the channel. It is good to know that our leaders ‘at the top’ take such great interest in supporting our flotillas and our members. Meeting him was an honor, but more than that, we may feel confident that with COMO Vass at the helm of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, we are in great hands no matter where the course leads. Ω
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United States Coast Guard Auxiliary District 7
The End of an Era By Christopher Todd, Deputy Director, Public Affairs
Auxiliarist Pilots Coast Guard Forty -One Foot Utility Boat in Farewell Mission MIAMI BEACH, Fla. -- For the better part of the last four decades, forty-one foot Utility Boats (41’ UTBs) remained the workhorse surface asset at Coast Guard Station Miami Beach – towing boats, battling drug and migrant smugglers, and conducting the vast array of assigned Coast Guard missions. With the recent modernization effort well underway, time became the new enemy that the 41’ UTBs would have to face.
MIAMI BEACH, Fla.—Auxiliarist Cal Gordon, member of Flotilla 67 Coral Gables, was one of the first skippers of the 41-foot Utility Boat while serving in the Coast Guard as Boatswain Mate 1st Class stationed in Miami. On March 3, 2011, Gordon was privileged to skipper the final 41-foot Utility Boat, Coast Guard 41450, on its farewell voyage amid much fanfare and a parade of Coast Guard and Auxiliary vessels. A HH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Miami flew over in a parting salute. The final voyage was well coordinated between the Coast Guard and Flotilla 6-11 Public Affairs Detachment and was well covered by major media outlets in the Miami area. Photos (this and top of next page) by Christopher Todd, Deputy Director, Public Affairs
With the delivery of the station’s second new forty-five foot Response Boat Medium (45’ RB/M) in mid-February, that enemy also arrived. The last remaining 41’ UTB at the station, Coast Guard 41450, was no longer needed. They planned a fitting farewell.
During the 1970’s, Auxiliarist Cal Gordon of Flotilla 67 Coral Gables served as a Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class at Station Miami Beach. Gordon, certified as an Auxiliary coxswain and Qualification Examiner, was one of the first coxswains to skipper a 41’ UTBs upon their arrival in Miami. It seemed only fitting that he would also be one of the last. On the morning of March 3, Lt. Joe Abeyta, Commanding Officer of Station Miami Beach, assembled all-hands on the station’s docks for an unprecedented mission: all surface assets including several Auxiliary vessels would be deployed
simultaneously to take a station photograph and bid 41450 farewell. At the helm of 41450 would be Gordon as the honored guest. Gordon boarded 41450 accompanied by fellow Auxiliarist and good friend Joel Aberbach of Flotilla 6-10 North Bay who can be found many days operating the station’s communications equipment. Also on board were three station members to serve as the official coxswain and crew of record. Settling into the helm station and firing up the diesel engines, Gordon barked out commands to the crew without missing a beat. Soon, 41450 was underway accompanied by the full array of station assets. The smile across Gordon’s face
was literally from ear to ear as the smell of diesel fuel invoked memories of years gone by. The parade of boats made its way through Government Cut and down Fisherman’s Channel on the south side of the Port of Miami. The vessels gathered in the turning basin and moved into a predetermined formation for the photograph coordinated by Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class Lance Buchanan. Soon a HH-65 “Dolphin” helicopter arrived from Air Station Miami with Miami Flotilla 6-11 member Vickie Aponte seated in the open side door shooting photos. Aponte was one of many members of Flotilla 6-11’s Auxiliary Public Affairs Detachment – Miami (AUXPADET) cov-
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ering the event. AUXPADET detachment leader Nichole Betterson coordinated the public affairs coverage with Abeyta and Buchanan. After circling for several shots, the Dolphin took its place in the center rear of the formation. A photojournalist from The Miami Herald then started taking photographs from Auxiliary vessel Julie Marie positioned ahead of the formation with Jim Shea of Flotilla 6-10 serving as coxswain. AUXPADET member Bill Swank, Assistant District Staff Officer – Special Projects, arranged the Herald’s participation in the project. Julie Marie then headed toward the formation to join Auxiliary vessels Double Time with Bob Bartley of Flotilla 6-10 as coxswain, Sea P. A. with Silvio Rodriguez of Flotilla 6-11 as coxswain, and Cowboy Four with Felipe Pazos of Flotilla 6-11 as PWC operator.
CG New 45-foot RB/M Arrives in Miami
A Miami-Dade (County) Police helicopter arrived on-scene carrying AUXPADET members Jose Acosta and Miles Cyr. Acosta shot video of the assets while Cyr took still photographs of the formation. After several passes, the moment came for 41450 to take the spotlight. As the formation proceeded on an easterly course at about five knots, Buchanan called out over the VHF radio for all assets – except the 41450 – to hold position. Piloted by Gordon with Aberbach next to him, Coast Guard 41450 pulled away from the pack -- including the two new RB/Ms flanking each side -- and proceeded down the channel in a symbolic moment emulating the hero in an old western movie riding off into the sunset. The end of an era had come for the 41’ UTBs at Station Miami Beach, but the memories will live on through time. SIDENOTE: The Miami Herald published a large, three-column, above-thefold photograph of the formation on the front page of the Local News section of the March, 4, 2011 issue.Ω
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. -- Members of Flotilla 6-11's AUXPADET were treated to a ride aboard USCG Station Miami Beach's new 45-foot Response Boat - Medium (RB/M) during a public affairs workshop conducted by the detachment in early December. Lieutenant Joe Abeyta, station commanding officer, was coxswain on the RB/M. An impromptu fly-over by an Air Station Opa Locka HM-65 Dolphin helicopter added to the experience and gave PADET photographers an extra special photo op. The arrival of the 45-foot RB/M spelled doom for the 41-foot Utility Boat (UTB). The last 41’ UTB was retired on March 3, 2011, amid much fanfare and farewell celebration. U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary photo by Bill Swank.
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United States Coast Guard Auxiliary District 7
A Family Affair Article and photos by Diane Riggan ADSO-PA E
Auxiliarist Gary Bowerman and Wife Ann, Honor Those Who Served. STUART, Fla. – Over a hundred people came to honor the veterans at the South River community center in February. This was the first year the organizers worked to bring together and honor those who had served their country. Gary Bowerman, a member of Flotilla 59 in Stuart and his wife Ann were very excited to be part of this day because at the end of the tribute, one veteran would be selected to receive a handcrafted walking stick. Criteria is very high to qualify for this special honor; the first requirement is to have earned a Purple Heart. Paul Horbal, Jim Quinn and William Blois, all Auxiliarists and residents, were looking over the photos, notes and displays that their neighbors brought in. “It is just overwhelming to see what our neighbors have done,” commented the trio. For the ceremony this day, Mr. Gunner Christensen was selected as the recipient for the walking stick. He was wounded while serving in “Patton’s Army” during World War II. Another veteran had as many as four Purple Hearts, but the decision this year was to award the oldest living eligible recipient the walking stick. Like other wood carvers around the country, the Bowermans carve the patriotic canes that are distinctively white and purple with a bald eagle for the grip. In some cases, the American flag in red, white and blue emblazes the cane as well. Gary turns the shafts and Ann
STUART, Fla.—Gary Bowerman, member of Flotilla 59 Stuart, Fla., along with his wife Ann, present the hand carved patriotic walking stick that the couple made to Gunner Christensen. On February 19, 2011, members of the South River condominiums in Stuart arranged a ceremony to honor their veterans. Mr. Christensen served during World War II as a member of "Patton's Army" and was subsequently wounded and awarded the Purple Heart. The hand carved canes are presented by carvers to Purple Heart veterans all over the country in a nationwide effort to recognize those who were prepared to give all to save others. Photo inset: A Bronze Star awarded to Staff Sergeant Vincent Locurcio looks like new nestled in its original case.
carves the cane tops with care and patience, “My dad would be really happy I am doing this. He served in the Navy in World War II,” Ann remarked. She was inspired to take on the challenge when someone came into their woodcarving club years ago asking if anyone would carve a cane for a veteran they knew who had served aboard the USS Guadalcanal. Ann’s father had served aboard the Guadalcanal and when no one else volunteered, she stepped up. Gary, a member for just over a year, first talked to his Auxiliary unit, Flotilla 59 in Stuart, Fla, to see if any of the members were veterans. While several were, none spoke about being Purple Heart recipients. His search continued
in the community. He and Ann went north for the summer and when they returned in the fall, plans to honor the many who had served were already underway. They learned that multiple neighbors were veterans and in fact, several were Purple Heart recipients. Ann had seen photos of her dad when he was young and covered in freckles. She wondered why in his adult life he had none. “His first ship was the USS Hornet and he was in the boiler room where their ship was attacked. He was badly burned and they didn’t even think he was alive. They had him in the dead line for burial at sea. One soldier was giving everyone one last nudge and my dad let out a groan. He was pulled out of the line and treated.” Her father received the Purple Heart and while he was in the hospital, his mother reached out to everyone she
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A Family Affair, continued
These friends and neighbors share something more in common. Besides being war veterans, Gary Bowerman, Jim Quinn and Paul Horbal are members of Flotilla 59 Stuart, Fla., and often perform Vessel Safety Checks together. (Continued from page 28)
knew to write to her son. Ann added, “One of those who wrote him letters eventually became my mom.” Spread on multiple folding tables, memorabilia brought in for that day summarized the sense of patriotism in this room. A framed yellowing document dated June 3, 1944 sent to the troops about to embark on the invasion of Normandy read: “You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-inarms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world...” Dwight D. Eisenhower The display case from one soldier who had not one or two, but four Purple
Photo left: President Harry Truman’s letter to the troops at the conclusion of the Korean War (1950-53). Truman was President from 1945-1953.
Hearts sat on the table next to a letter signed by President Harry S. Truman on White House stationary, “To you who answered the call of your country and served in its Armed Forces to bring about the total defeat of the enemy….” Off to the side and still in its case was a Bronze Star awarded to Staff Sergeant Vincent Locurcio for his “…heroic achievement in connection with military operations against the enemy at Luzon…with complete disregard for his own safety, Sergeant Locurio courageously crawled to within 20 yards… under enemy fire…knocked the gun position out with a hand grenade....” The moderator summarized by saying there were millions of service members who enlisted or were drafted in World War II, and hundreds of thousands of them were wounded and killed. The numbers for those who served in Korea were smaller but no less tragic. As for the Vietnam War, its impact is still felt today. The average age of a Vietnam vet is 64 and we are losing nearly 400 a day.
A slideshow began with the names and faces of many of the veterans present including Gary Bowerman and Jim Quinn. Nearly a dozen more had shown up unannounced. When their photo appeared on the screen that soldier, sailor or Marine stood up and told the audience when they entered the service, their branch and in some cases, a sentence or two describing what they did. In the midst of the photographs and medals and service ribbons and Purple Hearts there was an unassuming piece of paper on which was typed – “A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to The United States of America for an amount up to and including his life.” Ω
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United States Coast Guard Auxiliary District 7
Division 9 Flotillas Combine Resources To Support The 2011 Charlotte Harbor Regatta. By Frank Wondolkowski, FSO-OP Flotilla 98 2011 Charlotte Harbor Regatta Participants
Flotilla 92 John Souder Flotilla 98 George Bingley Pat Bolton Tom Bolton Ted Brady Dennis Brown Dick Carl Fred Counter David Crockwell Doug Donovan Ed Ebert John Ehmann John Ghougasian Ken Johnson Richard Kanabe Frank Kavanaugh Dick Kenyon Jeanne LaFrantz Denise LeBlanc Paul LeBlanc Wolfgang Nieft Ed Rhea Wayne Sharp Dave Smith Chuck Thomas Dennis Wilhelm Frank Wondolkowski Georgieann Wondolkowski Flotilla 99 Lloyd Abbot Hazen Bradshaw Kenneth Brumley Patrick Carter Lillian GaNun Stephen GaNun Norman Gornall Hugh Kelly Kenneth Keyser Paul Memmer Dick Metzler Carl Reiner Phyllis Reiner Richard Robert Maurice Sabourin Dominick Stabile Ron Willis Flotilla 9-10 Dan Godfrey
CHARLOTTE HARBOR, Fla.--The second annual Charlotte Harbor Regatta was February 4-6, 2011, in the northern area of the harbor. The 270 square mile harbor is located in southwestern Florida between Sarasota and Fort Myers. Charlotte Harbor Flotilla 98 and Rotunda Flotilla 99 combined labor and facilities to support regatta participants by assigning five operational facilities (OPFAC) on Friday and six on both Saturday and Sunday. The flotillas had an OPFAC at each of the three race circles, two “picket line� boats utilizing control signs to warn boaters of the regatta ahead, and one back-up OPFAC on the water each day. Approximately 380 hours were required for on-the-water support with another 100 hours during the planning phase. Forty-six members participated in the event. More than eighty boats in eleven different classes registered for the three-day race. Over 200 racing participants came from as far away as Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Ontario Canada, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, California and Florida to compete in this regatta of national significance. The different classes of boats raced through courses laid out in two separate circles on Friday and three separate circles on both Saturday and
Sunday. Some of the courses had legs that were close to two miles in length. All three days were windy with moderately choppy seas. Numerous Sailfish and Hobie Cat boats capsized, however most of the participants were able to right their boats and continue racing. Racing committee safety boats removed several damaged boats from the course but there were no serious incidents. For those unfamiliar with Coast Guard Auxiliary regatta support, the event sponsor has complete responsibility for the safety of the racers and our mission is to stand by until requested by the race committee for assistance and to keep spectator boats off the course. To assist the committee as much as possible, Flotilla 98 conducted a halfday training session two weeks prior to the race for crews staffing the race committee safety boats. Approximately thirty committee members attended the session. Topics covered included extraction of persons from the water, hypothermia, towing techniques and the appropriate equipment to have on board. Looking forward to next year, the International Federation for Disabled Sailing (IFDS) announced the 2012 IFDS World
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(Continued from page 30)
Championships in Charlotte Harbor Jan.7-15, 2012. The third annual Charlotte Harbor Regatta is scheduled during the first week of February. We will be busy and the planning process has already started. Supporting an event of this size is a very difficult task for one flotilla to accomplish without help from neighboring flotillas. Our sincere thanks for offers of help and participation go out to our neighbors: North Port Flotilla 92, Rotunda Flotilla 99, and Cape Coral Flotilla 910. We look forward to another opportunity to work together again in 2012. â„Ś
Photo page 26: The crew of Toys R Me keep a watchful lookout. Ed Rhea, coxswain with crew members John Ehmann and David Crockwell, all from Charlotte Harbor Flotilla 98. Photo by Dick Carl, Flotilla 98 Photos this page: Above: The crew of Aquaholic stands watch over the regatta, Kenneth Keyser, coxswain with crew members Hazen Bradshaw and Lloyd Abbot, Rotunda Flotilla 99. Photo by Dick Carl, Flotilla 98 Mid page: Dennis Brown, Paul LeBlanc, coxswain (partially hidden), and Dennis Willhelm warn recreational boaters that the regatta is ahead. Photo taken by John Ghougasian, Flotilla 98 Left: The more than 200 racing participants of the 2011 Charlotte Harbor Regatta coped with both considerable wind and chop this year. Charlotte Harbor Regatta photo by Sharie Derrickson/sharie@the-write-resource.com.
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United States Coast Guard Auxiliary District 7
US Coast Guard Auxiliary Takes Boating Safety to Vieques Island. Article and photos by Angel Rivera, FC Flotilla 11 Fajardo, Puerto Rico
VIEQUES, Puerto Rico—Educating boaters on a remote and hard to reach island can be a challenge, but the members of Flotilla 11 Fajardo, Puerto Rico overcame these and other obstacles. On Saturday February 12, 2011, Flotilla 11 Fajardo Puerto Rico presented the Boating Skills and Seamanship course in Vieques, Puerto Rico with 73 students in attendance. This was the result of an initiative between Wilfredo Garcia, a native of Vieques and member of the Fajardo flotilla, along with the collaboration of and support of Mayor Evelyn DelermeCamacho, Vieques. Members from Flotilla 17 Aguadilla, Flotilla 13 Ponce, and Flotilla 1-10 San Juan assisted in presenting the first Boating Skills and Seamanship course offered by the Auxiliary in Vieques. Vieques is located eight miles east of the Puerto Rican mainland and measures 21 miles long by four miles wide and has a population of approximately 10,000. The only way to reach the island is by ferry, a 45 minute trip, or by small propeller driven airplanes. Last year, during a visit to his hometown, Flotilla 11 member Wilfredo Garcia contacted Vieques Municipal Secretary Esteban Carle and offered to teach a boating course to Vieques residents. In the past, residents had to attend courses offered by the Auxiliary on the Puerto Rican mainland. After several trips to coordinate with Municipal personnel and the Mayor, registration for the course opened. This time, the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary traveled to Vieques, no small feat given the island’s history with United States military agencies. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Vieques economy depended totally upon the sugar industry and fishing. In the 1940’s, the US Navy acquired about two thirds of the island and used its pristine beaches as bombing ranges and test-
ing grounds. After years of protests by Vieques residents, the Navy withdrew in 2003. Since the Navy’s withdrawal, the government has redirected its efforts towards developing tourism to take advantage of the island’s many crystal clear beaches. Because of its numerous near-shore islets, rocks and natural bays, Vieques attracts boating and sailing enthusiasts. The island is the largest wildlife sanctuary in the Caribbean and is currently under the protection of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Vieques has the world’s largest and brightest bioluminescent bay. The luminescence is caused by micro-organisms in the water that glow neon blue when the water is disturbed. Kayaking and swimming in the bay are the main activities. Ω Above: VIEQUES, Puerto Rico—Residents of Vieques attend the Boating Skills and Seamanship course on Feb. 12, 2011, taught on the island, the largest wildlife sanctuary in the Caribbean. Below: One view of Vieques, the island paradise.
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Air Operations Aboard The Medium Endurance Cutter Mohawk. Article and photos by Ken Bagge KEY WEST, Fla.—It is a moonless night in the Florida Straits about 30 miles off Key West. The seas are moderate. The winds are 20 mph from the northeast as the Coast Guard HH60 Jayhawk helicopter, running without lights, approaches the darkened Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk. First, one sees a hovering spot darker than the night sky. Then one hears the roar of the Jayhawk's twin gas turbine engines as it moves closer to the cutter's dark flight deck. Soon, the 270-foot Mohawk rocks from the copter's down wash. Then one feels it--the ship shuddering from the 21,000pound Jayhawk's pinpoint landing within the small painted circle on the flight deck. Another successful Coast Guard night vision landing. Thirty seconds later the Jayhawk lifts off to do it all over again. This goes on until midnight. These are dangerous evolutions. A single misstep could end with tragic consequences. This Jayhawk's landing was just one of the more than 400 landings conducted over three days on the Mohawk. Coast Guard pilots and their aircrews from Air Stations around the country are in the Florida Keys for training and to maintain their flight qualifications. Aircraft flew in from Air Stations Detroit, Traverse City, New Orleans, Houston, Cape Cod, Miami, Mobile and others. Auxiliarist Ken Bagge was privileged to go to sea with the crew of the Mohawk and to experience firsthand the extensive training and teamwork that goes into the successful completion of the varied missions of a Coast Guard cutter. Bagge spent time on the bridge, in the combat operations center, in the engine room, and as a member of one of the Mohawk's two flight deck fire teams. The highlight of his week aboard the ship was three days of intense day and night cutter/helo training. Decked out in fire resistant clothing, goggles, helmet, gloves and ear protection, the two fire teams aboard the Mohawk are trained to react to a fire on the flight deck. When this happens, each threemember fire team moves in to fight the fire as the signal officers in yellow, and the aircraft tie-down crews in blue, jump overboard into the sea. Yes, that is what they are trained to do: jump overboard if there is a fire on the flight deck! It makes one wonder if the rest of the fire team volunteered for this duty just as Bagge had. Most have seen pictures of military aircraft refueling in flight. Did you know the Coast Guard trains its helo pilots to refuel while flying alongside an underway cutter? It is called “HIFR”, Helicopter In-Flight Refueling. It is necessary to train for this type of refueling in case the cutter's flight deck is unusable due to high seas or an accident. It is an experience to behold
A Jayhawk refuels in flight while the USCGC Mohawk is underway.
and it takes teamwork, training—and lots of both. The Mohawk's Commanding Officer, CDR Robert Hendrickson, is a twenty-nine year veteran of the Coast Guard who worked his way up through the ranks. He has seen it all and understands the importance of training. His crew of 86 enlisted and 14 officers train every day. It is ongoing because if there is a shipboard emergency, the crew of the Mohawk must be ready. Semper Paratus Ω Note: Ken Bagge is Immediate Past Flotilla Commander of Flotilla 13-1 Key West, Florida. His daughter, Brooke Millard, is Commanding Officer of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Grand Isle.
Photo mid page: Ken Bagge wears the protective gear required on the flight deck of a cutter as a Jayhawk lands behind him.
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United States Coast Guard Auxiliary District 7
Auxiliarists Come to the Aid of Five Boaters By Tom Loughlin, DSO-PA 7
Two different life saving incidents test the Auxiliarists’ mettle. DUNEDIN, Fla.—Saturday, January 22, 2011, brought high winds and dropping temperatures to the Tampa Bay area. Since a small craft advisory was issued for boaters, the crew of Resolute II, a patrol boat from the Dunedin United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, knew that this was when boaters were most in danger. Resolute II left the Dunedin Marina late morning and headed for Caladesi Island to see if anyone there needed assistance. Gary Gray, the owner of Resolute II, is not only an Auxiliarist but also a licensed USCG captain. His crew was a mix of two flotillas: Tom Loughlin, John Tassinaro, Howard Lewis from Flotilla 11-10 Dunedin and Jonathan Nicholls from Flotilla 11-6 New Port Richey. Almost immediately, the crew spotted a small twin-hull sailboat beached on a spoil island. Gray maneuvered his 31foot Camaro trawler near the island to check on the two men. They responded that there were no problems, and Gray proceeded on to Caladesi Island. The crew was docked at Caladesi Island no more than 10 minutes when they received a call from Coast Guard Station Sand Key reporting three persons in kayaks who appeared to be in distress just south of the Dunedin Causeway. Gray notified his crew and they got underway. Within ten minutes, they spotted the kayakers who had apparently launched from the causeway beach, a popular spot with canoeists, kayakers and jet skiers. The two to three-foot seas formed menacing white caps and the rapidly dropping temperatures with winds from the north gusting to 25 mph, were obviously taking a heavy toll on them. Gray maneuvered his boat in front of the kayakers to act as a windbreak while a crewmember updated Station Sand Key. One kayaker said she was all right and started paddling toward the beach with Resolute II’s crew keeping a close watch on her progress. A man in the one of the remaining kayaks was
DUNEDIN, Fla.– The crew of Resolute II help right a sailboat after towing the capsized vessel 1 1/2 miles to the dock in rough water on January 22, 2011. They are Auxiliary members Gary Gray, coxswain, Tom Loughlin, John Tassinaro and Howard Lewis from Flotilla 11-10 Dunedin, and Jonathan Nicholls from Flotilla 11-6 New Port Richey. Also assisting is Walter Murray, also a member of Flotilla 11-10 Dunedin. The bent tops of the palm trees in the background evidence why a small craft advisory was in effect on this day. Photo bottom of page 31: Two kayakers struggle against high winds and choppy seas. Photos by Jon Nicholls
attempting to help the woman in the third kayak, which resulted in them both being blown farther from shore, becoming more exhausted and apparently hypothermic. Displaying masterful seamanship skills in adverse weather conditions, Gray maneuvered Resolute II close to the kayakers. They helped the woman aboard, led her into the enclosed cabin, and offered her a blanket. She seemed exhausted and on the verge of hypothermia but warmed up quickly. The crew tied her kayak to the boat and brought the man aboard. They took him to the cabin and offered him a warm blanket as well. After tying the second kayak to the boat, Gray brought Resolute II closer to the island. Once the kayakers were rested and no longer in danger, the crew helped them board their kayaks for the short trip to shore.
There, people were waiting to help. Resolute II, however, was not done this day. As the crew assisted the kayakers off the boat, Station Sand Key called with yet another emergency. As soon as the kayakers cleared, Gray hurried south to respond to a report of an overturned sailboat. It turned out to be the two men they had seen earlier. Their control tiller had broken and turned their sailboat against the wind. As a result, the two men were thrown into the cold water and the sailboat capsized. After ensuring that the boaters were uninjured, the crew noticed one of the sailors had lost his life jacket. While the crew passed one over to him, Gray called Station Sand Key with a report on the situation with the sailboat. Due to the seas and the winds, the sailors were unable to right the boat. Gray determined the safest move would be to
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tow the overturned sailboat to the nearest marina. With exceptional skill, not only did Gray bring the sailboat to the Dunedin Marina, a distance of nearly 1 ½ miles in adverse seas, he also made two difficult 90 degree turns in a restricted area in order to bring the capsized sailboat up to the launch ramp. The crew, utilizing their Auxiliary training in teamwork and communication, were more than able to assist Gray in these difficult maneuvers.
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Coast Guard Station Yankeetown On Santa’s Sleigh Route By Morris Harvey, FSO-PA 15-1 Crystal River, Fla.
They brought the sailboat up to the boat ramp and then righted it with the assistance of marina personnel and a fellow Auxiliary member, Walter Murray. Murray went even further to help by volunteering to take the two very cold and wet sailors back to retrieve their truck and trailer on Dunedin Causeway. He said that they kept expressing their thanks during the drive. The crew of Resolute II was cold and wind-burned, but ever so happy that they went out this day. They were able to give aid to four boaters whose lives were in jeopardy. That is what the US Coast Guard and the US Coast Guard Auxiliary is all about. Ω
Santa visits USCG Station Yankeetown. Guard members unable to go home for the holidays receive a visit and stockings from ‘Santa’, members of Flotilla 15-1 Crystal River. Top row from left are Don and Linda Jones, members of the Crystal River Flotilla, MK3 Mezger, FS2 Woitt, BM2 Standridge, BM3 Hart. Front row from left are MK2 Howell, SNBM Javier, ME2 Feeser, FN Bryant, MK2 Minadeo, BM2 Morelli
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, and last Christmas (December 2010), he visited Coast Guard Station Yankeetown, Florida. Santa Claus came in the form of Flotilla 15-1 Crystal River members Linda Jones, Flotilla Vice Commander and Don Jones, Flotilla Staff Officer-Vessel Examinations, who delivered Christmas stockings to 35 young men and women at the station. The stockings
were stuffed with a variety of items including home baked cookies. Since many of these Coast Guard members are a long way from their families, the flotilla wanted to make them feel a little more at home. Station Yankeetown and Auxiliary members of Flotilla 15-1 work to promote boating safety. Together, we are “Team Coast Guard”. Ω
More Guardians assigned to USCG Station Yankeetown pose with the stockings delivered by the ‘Santas’ from Flotilla 15-1. Top row from left are FN Hawkins, BMC Hinote, MK3 Wells, ME3 Woods. Front row from left are BM3 Wurges, BMC Pullen, FN Garland, SK2 Dishman, May Day, SN Ray, FS2 Shepard
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United States Coast Guard Auxiliary District 7
The Four Chaplains By Brian Lichtenstein
FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla.—Every year, the Coast Guard, the Coast Guard Auxiliary, and veteran service agencies in the Ft. Lauderdale area unite to honor “The Four Chaplains.” The “Immortal Four,” as they are sometimes called, were four United States Army chaplains who gave up their lives to save others when a torpedo sank the United States Army Transport Dorchester on February 3, 1943. They helped soldiers board lifeboats and gave up their own life jackets when the supply ran out. The chaplains joined arms, said prayers, and sang hymns as they went down with the ship. The Coast Guard Cutters Escambia and Mohawk arrived in time to save about 200 persons from the icy waters of the North Atlantic, but over 600 soldiers and sailors were lost. While February 3 is set aside as the official day to commemorate the Four Chaplains, this year the ceremony in their honor was held January 30, 2011 at Port Everglades. Members of several Veterans of Foreign War Posts (VFW), Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary Division 3, Naval Sea Cadets Corps, and pipe and drum corps from several police and fire departments along with a VFW band told the story of that long ago day. Four Sea Cadets accepted lifejackets from members of the service agencies representing the Four Chaplains as part of the ceremony. At the conclusion,
wreaths were tossed into the water at Port Everglades, a time honored tradition commemorating those lost at sea. Ω
Above: Members of veteran service agencies, Naval Sea Cadets Corps, the Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary gather at Port Everglades on Jan. 30, 2011, to honor the Four Chaplains. Mid page: The Naval Sea Cadets arrive bearing the national and Coast Guard ensigns. Right: LT Megan Naughton, Executive Officer, Station Ft. Lauderdale, USCG, and James Glowczynski from Flotilla 34 watch the Four Chaplains ceremony. Photos by Brian Lichtenstein
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New AUXOP Recipients Revitalize Auxiliary in St. Croix By Duane R. Minton and Paul D. Lordi ST. CROIX, U.S. Virgin Islands— Flotilla 16-1 St. Croix celebrated the successful completion of all requirements for Operational Auxiliarist Status (AUXOP) for five members with COMO Walter Jaskiewicz, District Commodore 7 presenting the coveted devices. The recipients were Arthur P. Wollenweber, Lee E. Elvins, John B. Harrison, Paul D. Lordi and Kelli A. Barton. Kelli Barton and her husband, Arthur Wollenweber, moved to St. Croix from Colorado in 2007. In January 2008, they joined the Auxiliary to increase their boating knowledge in order to operate their fifty-foot sailboat. They quickly, however, became enthused with all the available training courses and completed them in a little over a year. Kelli is believed to be the first woman to earn this distinction in Division 16. She is a local real estate agent and her motto is, “Selling Dreams, One Door at a Time.”
Operational Auxiliarist Status (AUXOP) recipients pose for a photo with COMO Jaskiewicz. From left, they are William Dunne, Division 16 Commander, Lee Elvins, Division Vice Commander 16, John Harrison, Flotilla Vice Commander 16-1, COMO Walter Jaskiewicz, District Commodore 7, Art Wollenweber, Immediate Past Flotilla Commander 16-1, Kelli Barton, and Paul Lordi, Flotilla Commander 16-1. Photo provided by Duane Minton
Barton is very proud to have achieved this milestone. “I think it’s a great honor to be the first woman in our division to have earned this award, and I hope to honor all the hard working and contributing women members who set an example for me to follow.” In the last several years, member training has become an important part of this flotilla. Most of the AUXOP recipients are relatively new members, and the ongoing training has developed their enthusiasm for all missions of the Auxiliary, and several have assumed important flotilla leadership positions including Art Wollenweber (now outgoing Flotilla Commander), Paul Lordi (newly elected Flotilla Commander), and John Harrison (newly elected Flotilla Vice Commander). This change in leadership has brought new energy and passion to the group, and re-energized older members.Ω
Jan. 23, 2011 Station Fort Lauderdale
A sick or injured turtle was spotted near the bow of Coast Guard Cutter Gannet. The animal was covered with barnacles and worms but had no apparent injuries. MK3 Clark Rambin (in red dry suit) of the cutter Gannet and members of Station Fort Lauderdale along with the crew of the Auxiliary vessel Heartbeat carefully removed the turtle from the water and waited for a team of turtle rescuers to arrive from a nearby rescue center. Auxiliary members who assisted in the rescue included Ben Patterson from McLean, Va., Bill Hanlon, Brian Lichtenstein and Joe Aleba, all from Flotilla 38 Plantation. Photo by Brian Lichtenstein
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United States Coast Guard Auxiliary District 7
Houses of Refuge: Past and Present By Otto Spielbichler, Flotilla 54 Delray Beach, Fla.
T
here was a time when a person could walk for days on the beaches of South Florida without meeting anyone else. During the 1700 and 1800’s, Florida’s coastal areas were populated by tribes of Native Americans and a few pioneer fishermen and farmers. It was a way of life that many chose, but it was a problem for shipwrecked mariners whose sailing ships were blown off course during a tropical storm or hurricane. Survivors often found themselves looking for help that sometimes arrived too late. The United States government recognized the problem. They dealt with it by funding the building of a few sheds along the coast of Florida and stocking them with food and supplies. A few years later,
volunteer crews, equipped with life saving equipment, used the sheds and equipment to rescue shipwrecked sailors. As the nation grew, ships and lives were lost in increasing numbers. Insurance companies, ship owners and concerned citizens pressured the government to do more to House of Refuge Gilbert’s Bar circa 1914. From the collection rescue mariners and of the Historical Society of Martin County, Stuart, Florida to make sailing safer. Navigational equipment was improved, charts became built along the coast. These changes remore accurate, and lighthouses were sulted in the loss of fewer ships and more
House of Refuge #2– Gilbert’s Bar as it appears today. Photo by Otto Spielbichler
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President Grover Cleveland visits with Hurbert and Susan Bessley, former keepers of House of Refuge #2 Gilbert’s Bar. From the collection of the Historical Society of Martin County, Stuart, Florida
lives of stranded sailors saved. Not everyone, however, was pleased with the changes. Some residents of coastal areas were accustomed to supplementing their livelihoods by salvaging the cargos of wrecked ships. Henry M. Field visited Jupiter in the 1880s. He met a group of residents known as “Wreckers.” Field described them as, “a rough set of men…(who) set decoy lights to mislead seaman in dark nights and draw them to their destruction (and then)… pounced on the helpless crew as vultures sweep down on a camel that has fallen on the desert ….” Field added, “Old wreckers look very sullenly at this (improvements in safety and navigation) interference of Government with their legitimate business.” (Henry M. Field, Bright Skies and Dark Shadows, Scribner’s and Sons, 1890, pps. 74-75) Shipwrecked mariners once again benefited when the Federal Government’s Treasury Department formed The United States Life Saving Service and appointed Sumner I. Kimball, director. Kimball authorized and funded the construction of Houses of Rescue. Ten Houses were built at intervals along Florida’s coast and others were eventually built along the entire East Coast of the United
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Wendy Moore, a friend of the author, and the current Keeper, Jim McCormick, in the gift shop located in House of Refuge #2 Gilbert’s Bar. Photo by Otto Spielbichler
States. Years later, the houses were turned over to The Life Saving Service. Volunteer crews occupied them. The crews practiced weekly with life saving equipment “till they were proficient and professional in their rescue operations.” (LifeSavingService.org) In 1915, the volunteers of the Life Saving Service were replaced by an organization of full time rescue personnel: the United States Coast Guard. With the advent of steam-powered vessels in the 1900’s, the number of shipwrecks was drastically reduced. The careers of Wreckers came to an end. Houses of Refuge fell into a state of disrepair. Of the ten houses built along Florida’s East Coast between 1876 and 1885, Gilbert’s Bar, located in Stuart Florida, is the only house left in existence. (Thurlow and Thurlow, Gilbert’s Bar House of Refuge, Southwestern Printing Company, Stuart, Fla.) It was constructed in 1876 and was designated, House of Refuge No. 2. Today, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is maintained by Martin County. The restored house, the county’s oldest building, is now a museum. The main floor contains a bedroom,
living room, office, dining area and kitchen. The top floor, not open to visitors, is a bunkroom once used for stranded mariners. The lower floor contains equipment used in rescues. In addition, there are records and photographs of its use by the Navy during WWII as a lookout station for submarines, and finally, as a Coast Guard Station. When the war ended, the station became surplus government property. On June 11, 1952, Martin County Commissioners bought the property and restored the House. Gilbert’s Bar is a present day reminder of the Coast Guard’s heritage and that of another volunteer organization that practices with life saving equipment and demonstrates proficiency and professionalism in its operations: the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Gilbert’s Bar is located at 301 SE MacArthur Blvd., Hutchinson Island, Stuart, Florida. Jim McCormick is the present day Keeper. He and a staff of docents conduct tours of the site daily. Call 772 225 1875 for exact times. Enjoy the pictures. Better yet, visit the site and experience part of your heritage. Ω
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United States Coast Guard Auxiliary District 7
Team Coast Guard Rescues Stranded Boater By Geralyn Ryan, FSO-PA Flotilla 15-8 Hernando Beach
er draft boat was needed, the USCG called upon members of the USCGAUX at Hernando Beach. Paul Pelletier, a member of Flotilla 15-8 Hernando Beach, Fla., was looking forward to an evening with his family when he received the call. After agreeing to join the rescue mission, he spoke to flotilla member Craig Elliot, who had just been notified by USCG Station Yankeetown. Elliot and his wife had been out Christmas shopping, but returned home immediately so that he could begin preparing his vessel, the Sea Mouse, for the mission. Elliot and Pelletier were joined by flotilla member Thomas P. Cannariato, who acted as crew and navigator. Another flotilla member, Raymond O'Connell was about to leave for a Christmas party when he learned of the emergency. Forgoing the holiday celebration, O’Connell drove to the Auxiliary’s training facility in Hernando Beach. He spent the evening as the radio watchstander facilitating communication between the Sea Mouse, the Motor Lifeboat and the Coast Guard Stations at Sand Key and Yankeetown. At 7:35 p.m., the Sea Mouse left the dock for the night mission. Elliot said that the full moon and calm seas made it a beautiful evening on the water, despite the 50-degree temperature. Pelletier reported that once the Sea Mouse was out on the Gulf of Mexico her crew had no trouble locating the well-lit Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat. “It was visible from miles away.”
HERNANDO BEACH, Fla.– Auxiliarists Paul Pelletier, Craig Elliot and Thomas P. Cannariato prepare to leave dock. The three assisted USCG Station Yankeetown on Dec. 21, 2010, in towing a disabled vessel to shore in water that was too shallow for the 47-foot Motor Life Boat that responded to a call for assistance from a disabled vessel. The photograph of the three Auxiliarists was taken in January 2011 by Geralyn Ryan, Flotilla Staff Officer-Public Affairs of the Hernando Beach flotilla.
Hernando Beach, Fla.: One Tampa area family is very grateful to Team Coast Guard after the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary (USCGAUX) responded to a distress call from a boater who was stranded approximately 20 miles off the coast of Hernando Beach, Fla. On the morning of December 21, 2010, prior to setting off from Bayport, Fla. for a day of fishing, the boater filed a float plan with his wife, telling her he would be back by 5 p.m. It was a sunny day on the Gulf of Mexico, clear skies, low wind and the fish were biting. As he was about to head for home, a bracket on the boat's starter motor fell off, disabling the motor and leaving him stranded. Using his VFH radio, the boater requested assistance from the Coast Guard. In response, USCG Sector St. Petersburg directed Station Sand Key to dispatch a 47-foot Motor Lifeboat. The Motor Lifeboat began to tow the disabled vessel but could not bring it all the way to shore due to its 4.6-foot draft and the shallowness of the coastal waters. Recognizing that a shallow-
By 8:20 p.m., the Sea Mouse rendezvoused with the Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat. They transferred the tow to the Sea Mouse, which continued to tow the 18.5-foot vessel and its owner to shore. The shallow water and numerous crab traps made for a treacherous two and a half hour night journey back to Hernando Beach. Both vessels arrived safely at the Hernando Beach boat ramp at approximately 11:30 p.m. O'Connell had contacted the boater's wife and she was on hand to welcome him home. The boater’s wife was happy to see her husband. Earlier in the evening, when he had not returned as scheduled, she tried to call his cell phone but was unable to reach him. As nighttime approached, she became concerned and went to Bayport to look for him. When she arrived, she saw his car and boat trailer, but there was no sign of the missing boater. Her husband, an experienced mariner, was now several hours late and fear-
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ing for his safety, she contacted the Sheriff’s Department. She was greatly relieved when O’Connell called to tell her that her husband had been rescued by Team Coast Guard and was on his way home. The boater was unharmed and in good spirits. He “grew up on the water,” had taken the Coast Guard Auxiliary’s “About Boating Safely” class and was well prepared. He had filed a float plan. His boat was equipped with a VHF radio, a waterproof emergency kit, four hand-held flares, a flare gun, air horn, whistle and a distress flag. He had attached the orange and black distress flag to the boat's radio antenna. He stated that six boats passed before the Coast Guard arrived. As the other boats sailed by, he tried to alert them by firing his flares, sounding his air horn and using hand signals. In spite of all his attempts to attract attention, no one stopped to help him. In fact, some people on board a boat that passed close by waved back to him, not realizing he was in distress and needed assistance. The boater did everything right, but it was still a long night on the water. Fortunately, this story has a happy conclusion. Working together, active duty personnel at Sector St. Petersburg, Stations Sand Key and Yankeetown and members of the Hernando Beach Auxiliary successfully completed the Search and Rescue mission of December 21, 2010. Team Coast Guard and a prepared, educated boater helped make it a happy holiday season for everyone.Ω
Flotilla 15-8 member, Raymond O'Connell, was about to leave for a Christmas party when he learned of the emergency on the evening of Dec. 21, 2010. Forgoing the holiday celebration, O’Connell drove to the Auxiliary’s training facility in Hernando Beach. He spent the evening as the radio watchstander facilitating communication between the Sea Mouse, the Motor Lifeboat and the Coast Guard Stations at Sand Key and Yankeetown. Photo by Geralyn Ryan
Craig Elliot, newly elected Division 15 Commander and Paul Pelletier, Vice Commander Division 15 were invited to Station Yankeetown on Nov. 9, 2010, for the visit of USCG Master Chief Michael P. Leavitt. Leavitt presented both with his personal USCG challenge coin and expressed his appreciation for all of the work done by the Auxiliary. Photo by Executive Petty Officer Lucas Pullen, USCG, Station Yankeetown
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United States Coast Guard Auxiliary District 7
When newspapers were assembled manually, text and photos ‘cut’ to make the material fit the available page space often ended up on the floor of the layout or ‘cutting’ room. While newspapers and other publications are no longer assembled manually, space restrictions still apply. On these pages appear some of the photographs ‘recovered’ from the Breeze cutting room floor.
MARIETTA, Ga.—USCG Pipe Band Atlanta Detachment salutes the flag at the USCG Auxiliary Division 2 Change of Watch on Jan. 29, 2011 at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta. Pipers shown are Pipe Major M.L. Loudermilk and pipers Mike Grest, John Quinn, B.J. Ferguson, Jack Pierce and Bob Miller. All pipers shown are members of Division 2. Also from left to right are Loren Emery II, Vice Commander 2 and David Fuller, Division Commander 2. Photo provided by David Fuller
CHARLESTON, S.C.—U.S. Coast Guard personnel and Reservists from USCG Station Charleston, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, and Auxiliary Citadel Detachment members assemble for joint operational safety patrols on December 4, 2010, for the annual Charleston Harbor Holiday Parade of Boats. Photo by Barbara Burchfield, SO-PA 2
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Top left: FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla.- The Auxiliary vessel Soft Shell Too assists in transporting 350-400 Boy Scouts across Port Everglades on Feb. 5, 2011, in the annual reenactment of the Barefoot Mailman. Early mailmen crossed the marsh were Port Everglades is presently located either by small boat or by taking off their boots and wading across the marshes. Photo by Brian Lichtenstein Top right: MIAMI BEACH, Fla.-Penny Bailey, Division Chief – Media Relations and Bill Swank, Branch Chief – News Bureau East, review instructional materials before presenting to students at the Public Affairs CSchool in Miami Feb. 10-13, 2011. Photo by Audri Amoro, SO-PA 6 Mid right: MIAMI BEACH, Fla. - Miami Flotilla 6-11 members (left to right) James Simpson, Fabio Tomasello, Audri Amoro, and Matthew Paulini listen to a pre-underway briefing at USCG Station Miami Beach prior to getting underway aboard the new Response Boat-Medium. Photo by Christopher Todd, Deputy Director, Public Affairs Bottom Right: TAMPA BAY, Fla. - U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary National Commodore (NACO) Jim Vass (r) with Amos Johnson, Division 7 Commander, look at dry-docking facilities during a harbor patrol on October 31, 2010 in Tampa Bay. COMO Vass was visiting Tampa Bay for the 2011 Coast Guard Innovation Expo and while there, took the time to visit the Port of Tampa's features. U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary photo by Mike Moore
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District Staff Officers
Past District 7 Commodores
Prevention Department Bruce Lindsey………………….…...DDC-P John Sprague-Williams ……..........DSO-MS Reginald B. Hollar ….……………DSO-MT William B. Riley ..…………..………DSO-PV John L. Van Osdol……………..…DSO-PE William S. Griswold……..…………DSO-SL Chuck Kelemen ……......……….…DSO-VE
Auxiliary Sector Coordinators Ronald Goldenberg ASC Sector Charleston Donald C. Hoge ASC Sector St. Petersburg
Response Department Richard Leys…………………...…...DDC-R Michelle Orman…………..……...…DSO-NS Cecil Christopher..…………..……..DSO-AV Joe Colee, Jr……..…..…...………DSO-CM Janee Henderson………………….DSO-OP Jerry Henderson.…….……QE Coordinator
Logistics Department James Dennen………………..……..DDC-L Nestor Tacoronte…...……...……...DSO-CS Susan Z. Hastings……...……...…...DSO-IS Thomas A. Loughlin ……………..DSO-PA Dorothy J. Riley…. ……………..….DSO-PB Angela Pomaro .…..…...…….….…DSO-HR Terry Barth ……………...…………DSO-MA Nestor Tacoronte ……….…….. Webmaster
Lillian G. GaNun …….…………….DSO-SR Doug Hansen. ……...….…..…DFSP/DSSO Andrew Anderson…………….…….DSO-LP Antoinette Borman………….….……....D-LL James Mayer ....………….………DSO-FN Gwendolyn S. Leys…….………….PPDCPA Karen L. Miller…...……………………Grants Peter Fernandez…….....Plan Coordinator Thomas Brickey …District Materials Center
District Administrative Assistant & Aides Carolyn R. Hooley ……...…................D-AD Ronald Goldenberg...…………..……..D-AA Elaine J. Cornell ……………………...D-AA Gwendolyn S. Leys...………...…...Advocate
Jessie Stevens ASC Sector Jacksonville R. Dewey Jackson ASC Sector Key West Osvaldo M. Catinchi ASC Sector San Juan William V. Tejeiro ASC Sector Miami
http://d7materials.org/index.php The center is now open Monday-Thursday 1000-1600 You can reach the center by phone during these hours at: (727) 535-2593
“Guard Your Own” Give generously to the Coast Guard Mutual Assistance Program. http://www.cgmahq.org/index.htm
District 7 Virtual Library The District 7 Virtual Library is an effort to archive and make available the vast amount of historical documents and photographs that exist in the USCG Auxiliary and the US Coast Guard within our district.
U. S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY District 7 Fall Conference September 22-25, 2011 Crowne Plaza Jacksonville Riverfront 1201 Riverplace Boulevard Jacksonville, Florida 904.398.8800
To see what is already available or to find out how to contribute your division or flotilla newsletters and other historical documents, visit the library at:
http://d7virtuallibrary.org/index.html
For room reservations call direct, ask for in house reservation $82.00 per diem room rate
2009-10……………….Donald L. Frasch 2007-08……………….…….Allen Brown 2005-06……………….Peter Fernandez 2003-04 ………..…………Jay Dahlgren 2001-02…….…...………....Mary Larsen 1999-00……...…...…...….Helmut Hertle 1997-98…………..……...E.W. Edgerton 1995-96……....….George E. Jeandheur 1993-94…….............Joseph E. Norman 1991-92………….......…Walter W. Bock 1989-90…………….Guy R. Markley, Jr. 1987-88………………...Rene E. Dubois 1985-86…………...Robert B. Waggoner 1983-84………….….…John C. King, Jr. 1981-82…………...William J. Callerame 1979-80………………...Bolling Douglas 1977-78……………………..James Titus 1975-76………….……….Newton Baker 1973-74………Lawrence G. Danneman 1971-72…………….Dr. Elbert C. Prince 1969-70……………George B.M. Loden 1967-68……………...Ernest A. Baldine 1965-66……………...…….Roland Birnn 1963-64……..……..Miguel A. Colorado 1961-62……………....E. E. Vanderveer 1959-60…………….....Richard L. Smith 1957-58………………….Herbert L. Lutz 1956…………..…...A. Harlow Merryday 1954-55…….…….......Stanley W. Hand 1952-53……….…….......N.J.M. McLean 1951-52………........Fred T. Youngs, Jr. 1950………….........Guersey Curran, Jr. 1948-49………...…..Charley E. Sanford 1946-47……....………..W. N. Mansfield 1939-45...no DCOs yet, DCPs governed
Division Commanders 2011 Division 1……………… Nestor J. Tacaronte Division 2….…….......…....... David M. Fuller Division 3….……...…..…... Samuel E. Duda Division 4……........William J. Sorrentino, Sr. Division 5……….….....…….... Gary P. Barth Division 6……...……….…. Judith L. Hudson Division 7…....……...….... Amos N. Johnson Division 8…….....………..... Braxton R. Ezell Division 9………..………….... Louis H. Conti Division 10…………........ Warren M. Wilson Division 11……..…………...Jimmy R. Ryder Division 12………………….Vito W. Giardina Division 13……………... Jeffery A. Bronsing Division 14…….……...……Henry T. Hayden Division 15……………………….. Craig Elliot Division 16………...…... James “CC” Kreglo Division 17……...……..……George S. Peek
MIAMI BEACH, Fla.—Ed Duda, Division Commander 3, Dan Hess, Vice Commander Division 3 and Pat Feighery, District Captain East at the annual Guardians Gala October 22, 2010. Photo by Brian Lichtenstein
KEY WEST, Fla.— Members of Coast Guard Station Marathon and Auxiliary Division 13 celebrate the new outdoor barbeque completely renovated by division members for the station. The celebration was held on November 12, 2011. Photo by Jan Kittsmiller
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Don Hoge, Auxiliary Sector Coordinator Sector St. Petersburg with US Coast Guard Commandant, Admiral Robert Papp on Feb. 10, 2011. US Coast Guard Photograph
Homeland Security U.S. Coast Guard U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary DSO-PB D7 1630 Wakefield Drive Brandon, FL 33511-2325 OFFICIAL BUSINESS PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE $300
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