Volume LIV Number 1 Spring 2007

United States Coast Guard Auxiliary

7th District
http://www.cgaux7.org/
Homeland Security
U.S. Coast Guard
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
DSO-PB D7
7399 Bellingham Point
Boynton Beach, FL 33437
OFFICIAL BUSINESS
PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE $300
PRSRT STD
POSTAGE AND FEES PAID
U.S. COAST GUARD
PERMIT NO. G-157
Tampa Bays Gasparilla Madness: Story on page 26

Is the official publication of the
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary
7th District
http://www.cgaux7.org/
UNITED STATES COAST GUARD

District Commander..RADM David W. Kunkel
Acting Director of Auxiliary....CWO2 Steven Hanson

U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY




Division Captains 2007
Division 1.....Nestor Tacaronte
Division 2.....Cecil Christopher
Division 3.... Gwendolyn S. Leys
Division 4.... Barbara Carolus
Division 5....Janee Henderson
Division 6.... Joel Aberbach
Division 7......Conrad Palermo
Division 8......Raymond L. Paysour
Division 9......George Withrow
Division 10....Richard Luettich
Division 11....Karen Miller
Division 12.....Reginald B. Hollar
Division 13..........Eloy Gonzalez
Division 14...Robert Funk
Division 15.....William Malone
Division 16......Jayne Davis
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 Aux-
iliary and may not be returned.
Personal information of members is protected by the Privacy Act of 1974. The use of these rosters, addresses and telephone numbers on any com-
puter or online service including the Internet is prohibited by the Act.
Comments are encouraged and may be sent to the above named Publication Officer. 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 change of addresses to the BREEZE. You can obtain a change of member information report (7028) from your Materials Officer and
submit it through channels.
District Commodore
COMO Allen Brown

Email: abrown5217@aol.com
Rear Commodore East (RCO-E)
Richard J. Leys

Email: rjleys@earthlink.net
Rear Commodore North (RCO-N)
Ronald Goldenberg

Email: rgoldehhi@roadrunner.com
Rear Commodore West (RCO-W)
Walter Jaskiewicz

Email: captwrj@aol.com
Editor & Publications Officer
Kenneth Sommers

Email: cgaux7-51@earthlink.net


The D7 PB Team (ADSO-PB Staff Officers):
Dorothy Joan Riley, 070-07-09; Graphic Design & Layout
Brian Lichtenstein 070-03-08; Photography:
T. J. Kerbs, 070-05-02; Pre-Press & Printing
Gary Barth, 070-05-08; Writing and Text Review
Logistics
James E. Dennen, Department Chief

Email: dennen@bellsouth.net
Prevention
Philip Merrill, Department Chief

Email: seahorse03@comcast.net



District Staff Officers
Prevention Department
COMO George Jeandheur .......DSO-MS
Lawrence BermanDSO-MT
Cathie Welty DSO-PV
Ruth Ann WhiteDSO-PE
William S. Griswold..DSO-SL
Hebert C. Hanson....DSO-VE
Response Department
Geraldine Way ...DSO-AN
Charles "Mike" Renuart.....DSO-AV
Eric M. Glasscott ..DSO-CM
George Kacmarik....DSO-OP
Joseph Lori .ADSO-OP/PWC
Logistics Department
Diane H. Berman ......DSO-CS
Susan Z. Hastings ......DSO-IS
Rhonda Hebert ......DSO-PS
Robert Westcott ....DSO-PA
Kenneth Sommers ..DSO-PB


William F. Everill ..DSO-LP
Anne B. Ehmann ..DSO-MA
William Malone ..DSO-FN
COMO Guy Markley ...AUXCRC
Lawrence Berman ....PPDCPA
Karen L. Miller ...Grants
Doreen M. Kordek .....Historian
Paul Mayer .....Webmaster

District Administrative Assistant & Aid
John D. Tyson .....D-AA
Carolyn R. Thomas .D-AD
COMO Guy Markley ..D-LL



Past District 7 Commodores
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
Back Cover Photo:

Biscayne Bay, Florida. Auxiliary Vessel Rubye
G participates in helicopter operation with Air
Station Miami. Cal Gordon, Division 6 SO-MT
and Bill Morcom Flotilla 6-7 stands guard as
Coast Guard Helo 6550 conducts rescue swim-
mer training. Photo by Ken Sommers DSO-PB
District Vice Commodore
Donald L. Frasch

Email: dlfrasch@aol.com
Area Commander Atlantic - East
Peter E. Fernandez

Email: pooldisc@bellsouth.net
Response
Casey Jankowski, Department Chief

Email: cjankowski@tampabay.rr.com








Page 2


From the Bridge
Greetings to all members of the great Seventh District.

As we have embarked into 2007, it has become appar-
ent that we have encountered shoals of change and
challenge. It has been said that without change, an or-
ganization becomes stagnant and regressive. We need
to take this to heart in our units. In my visits around the
district much is happening many new and innovative
projects are being undertaken. Old concepts are being
approached in new ways; closer cooperation between
active duty and Auxiliary is taking place as we jointly
strive to better serve our nation and its boating public. It
is an exciting time in which we have chosen to be partici-
pants in the worlds foremost volunteer organization.

We have initiated new concepts in our district training conference; we have seen the full par-
ticipation of AUXLOs from every Sector and Air Station; we have appointed Auxiliary Sector
Coordinators to work more closely with the Sector Commanders an excellent national re-
quirement; we have seen closer coordination and integration happening in many areas. But
we still have a way to go. This is the opportunity of change.

Change will continue. There will be future organizational change. We will be welcoming on
board a new Director of Auxiliary. New members will be incorporated and some long time
members will retire. Opportunities are being developed to create Auxiliary leaders through-
out the district; every appointed position should have someone who can step up to the plate.
Flotillas and divisions are encouraged to take the opportunity and challenges that change
presents. Take a hard look at how we might better serve the Coast Guard and better utilize
the talents of our members.

Before us lies more than half of 2007. Leadership itself is more than putting on a new set of
shoulder boards; elected or appointed position entails responsibilities. Planning, supervi-
sion, people development, mission execution and reporting are all vital parts of the job.
Time and dedication are essential elements for any position within the Auxiliary.

The Auxiliary within the district is doing a commendable job. Give yourselves a pat on the
back then step out smartly into the future. Bravo Zulu for all you have done and may the
days ahead find all of us truly Semper Paratus.



Allen Brown
District Commodore


Commodore Allen Brown
Welcome to the new and revised BREEZE. Our goal is to
provide relevant, quality information in a contemporary for-
mat. We will be using more photographs, especially color
images, to create an esthetically pleasing publication. Em-
phasis will be placed on Auxiliary activities and objectives
rather than traditional reports. In these pages you will find
numerous articles about Auxiliarists engaged in our primary
mission: to support the U.S. Coast Guard.

I would like to thank Coleman Shirley, past editor of the
BREEZE for showing me the ropes and getting me up to
speed. I also appreciate the support of the EXCOM. A
special thank you to my mentor, Jim Dennen D-CL. As you
know, a project like this needs many minds and hands
united in a common goal. For this reason I must also ex-
press my appreciation to the new ADSOs-PB for all of their
efforts, and to all who contributed to this, our first new and
revised BREEZE.

The ultimate success of this publication however, rests with
how successful we are at creating interest and excitement
with our readership- you, the members of District Seven. I
welcome your articles and photographs, and your ideas on
how we can make this the best publication in the Auxiliary!

Sincerely,

Ken Sommers
DSO-PB D7

Publications Assistant Staff Officers (ADSO-PB):
Dottie Riley, 070-07-09, Graphic Design and Layout
Brian Lichtenstein, 070-03-08, Photography
T.J. Kerbs, 070-05-02, Pre-press and Printing
Gary Barth, 070-05-08, Writing and Text Review
Bridge A Word From the Editor:
District Commander D7..............................................12
District Commodore ........................................................2
Vice Commodore ............................................................3
Rear Commodore North .................................................4
Rear Commodore West ..................................................5
Rear Commodore East ...................................................6
Immediate Past Commodore ..........7


Departments

Logistics, D-CL ......8
Prevention, D-CP ........10
Response, D-CR ..11


Articles

New York to Paris Great Race of 1908 .....14
Rescue Swimmer Program ....16
Hillsborough Inlet Lighthouse Centennial ....18
Miami International Boat Show ..20
Admiral Flies .23
C-School Prepares PA Officers .24
Tampa Bays Gasparilla Marine Parade ..26
Florida International Air Show .......28
Marine Domain Awareness ....32
Fuel Dock Identification Program ..34
Charles Greanoff Inspirational Leadership
Award .36

Spring, 2007


Page 3
One of the challenges we have given the District Staff
is to look for things that work well either inside or out-
side of our district, and replicate them for everyone to
use. We have our first success!!

Our DSO-IS, Sue Hastings, found a reporting program
for AUXINFO that was developed by District-13 that
makes getting IS information surprisingly easy. With the
approval and support of the folks in District-13, Sue and
her husband Dave, spent long hours reworking all the
links required for this application to work for everyone
in D-7. It is now up and running on our Web Site!

To use it, go to the District-7 Web Site at http://
cgaux7.org. On the left side of the page, click on
Member Information Pages. At the bottom left, click
on AUXINFO Reports and you are there. Just about every kind of report and information
you might need is there and very easy to get to. For most members, you will probably never
have to access AUXDATA again. The information in this new reporting process is updated
from AUXDATA at least every Sunday night.

Give it a try and see how easy it is to use. Once you have done that, and the next time you
see Sue or Dave Hastings, tell them thanks for replicating this application for all of us to
use.

Regards,
Don Frasch
VCO-7
Donald L. Frasch, Vice Commodore
Page 4


Rear Commodore North
Admiral Kunkel and his wife Suzanne in Savannahs
183 Street Patricks Day parade. On this day every-
one is a little Irish, even if the Celtic influence is no
more than a few strings of shamrocks or Irish roses
adorning ones neck.
The first quarter of 2007 has been a busy one for
all of the divisions in TEAM NORTH. With four of
the five divisions comprising the NORTH electing
new captains and vice captains, we have learned
much and quickly. Since the North encompasses
north Florida, all of Georgia and South Carolina,
our divisions ably provide assistance to two Sec-
tors, Jacksonville and Charleston, and seven
Coast Guard stations.
Interesting news in the North include Division 12,
Charleston and Georgetown, South Carolina, that
has formed a detachment of cadets at The Citadel,
who will become members of the Auxiliary. These young men and women ex-
pressed an interest in becoming officers in the Coast Guard after graduation. Divi-
sion 4 consisting of: Palm Bay, Daytona, and Orlando, Florida assisted the Coast
Guard in establishing a security perimeter during the last shuttle launch at the
Cape. Division 10, Coastal Georgia and South Carolina continue to provide assis-
tance to MSU Savannah and Coast Guard Air Station Savannah for training, secu-
rity, and watch standing. Flotilla 10-2, Savannah, provided Admiral and Mrs.
Kunkel a driver for his visit to Savannahs 183

Street. Patricks Day parade in the
photo below. The driver was Mike Campbell, IPFC, 10-2.
Ronald Goldenberg, Rear Commodore


Page 5
Rear Commodore West

Walter Jaskiewicz, Rear Commodore
I have chosen to write about Joining the Auxiliary.
Perhaps my words will reflect the importance of my
membership. The pride I feel in belonging has es-
tablished my membership as an ongoing privilege.

Pride of membership is the element that is essen-
tial for a strong foundation of any organization. It is
the right type of pride that is important. In the Auxil-
iary, it is the pride that reminds us of the impor-
tance of what we do. In our diligence and loyalty to
our oath of membership, we are reminded that we
must always try to do our best and room for im-
provement is always there.

Pride matters and will always matter. It is something each person needs individually
and collectively. Pride is developed when you understand that your membership
provides essential services to your country that are demanding, unyielding and un-
compromising. Pride has two sides. On one side if you do not have enough your
goals will be unreachable; on the other side if you have too much your world will
become a very lonely place indeed.

The Auxiliary offers you the opportunity to find great meaning. It enables the Auxil-
iarist to have pride in what he provides to his country. The Auxiliarys role in sup-
porting the goals and objectives of the United States Coast Guard is truly some-
thing of which we can all be proud. Yes, I am proud to be an Auxiliarist!



Page 6


Our first quarter 2007 has been teeming with activities
across the east and island areas.

The Auxiliary leadership took back a wealth of information
from D-train and N-Train to a group of enthusiastic flotilla
members. A wave of events and projects commenced in
which the Coast Guard Auxiliary was showcased, includ-
ing the annual Barefoot Mailman trek with the Boy Scouts
in Ft. Lauderdale, the Hillsboro Inlet Lighthouse Centen-
nial, and Beach Cleanup Day. The Stuart Boat Show
Division 5; Miami International Boat Show - Division 6;
Puerto Rico International Boat Show, Division 1; and a
street fair called Jump-Up in Division 16, offered great
avenues for recruitment and providing safe boating infor-
mation to the public.

Division 3, 5 and 13 had the privilege to participate in the Unified Support Full Scale Mass
Migration Exercise and each of these divisions has coordinated a rapid response team to
support their respective Coast Guard Stations.

Division 13 members have been working with Sector Key West in the development of a ves-
sel exam program for Ocean Research Vessels (ORVs) operating under Coast Guard let-
ters of approval. The Auxiliarys role in support of the Marine Safety Mission in the Upper
Keys is being expanded to include a MS survey of potential spill areas. Members are being
trained for Hawkeye to support Sector Key West.

Congratulations to members in Division 1 who saw three members awarded the prestigious
Trident Device by the Commanding Officer of Sector San Juan.

Members of Division 16 attended the Commercial Fishing Vessel Training provided by the
Coast Guard Office in St. Croix. Each year in February there is a St. Croix International
Sailing Regatta attracting boats and sailors from nearby islands. Air Station Borinquen held
the annual Aviation Workshop in St. Croix this year.

Plans are in the works for the Ft. Lauderdale McDonalds Air and Sea Show, numerous Sea
Partner and National Safe Boating events and emergency preparedness drills. Yes, hurri-
cane season is right around the corner.

So look for Team East to double the pace for the second quarter. The Sun rises in the
East and our Auxiliarists are ready to meet the challenges and opportunities provided to
us in support of Team Coast Guard.



Rear Commodore East
Richard J Leys, Rear Commodore
The Sun rises in
the East and
our Auxiliarists are
ready to meet the
challenges and
opportunities
provided to us in
support of Team
Coast Guard.


Page 7
It is an honor to have been elected to the office of National
Commodore Atlantic East ARCO A (E) and I am truly looking
forward to working with the National Executive Committee
(NEXCOM) for 2007-08. My philosophy has always been to do
what I can in the best interest of the membership in the Coast
Guard Auxiliary and will continue this philosophy in my new
office for the next two coming years.

With the completion of the required Coast Guard Personnel
Security Investigation this past year, we should focus on reten-
tion and recruiting. For whatever reason retention has always
been a problem in our district and to retain members we need
to establish a good mentoring and training program within the
flotillas. In addition to the mentoring program, we need to moti-
vate members to get involved on the leadership side and to
become the future leaders of our organization.

There are always problems to solve and one problem your National Executive Committee is
aware of and working on is AUXDATA. The solutions are not simple and it will take time and
money to find ways to improve the system. All we know is that it will take some time to find
solutions to the problems one at a time, and it may take years.

Do not forget our cornerstone missions of public education, operations, vessel safety
checks, and fellowship. Today, our four cornerstones are defined as Members Services,
Recreational Boating Safety, Operations and Marine Safety, and Fellowship. The first and
primary mission of the Auxiliary is to attract, recruit, develop, train and retain members for
assignment to duty to accomplish specific missions and to support the Coast Guard.

Be safe, have fun.

Peter E. Fernandez, ARCO A (E)
Immediate Past District Commodore
Commodore Peter Fernandez
Today, our four
cornerstones
are defined as
Members
Services,
Recreational
Boating Safety,
Operations and
Marine Safety,
and Fellowship.
Page 8


Logistics Department
Logistics:

Communication
Services

Information
Services

Public Affairs

Publications

Personnel Services


LEGACY

By James E. Dennen D-CL
AUX-C Sector Key West

With Active Duty Coast Guard realigning its personnel and
programs into the Sector Program and the Auxiliary be-
coming more and more a Team Coast Guard force multi-
plier, changes are in the wind for the Auxiliary.

The Sector Program in the Coast Guard places all respon-
sibility and control of all assets in a given area under one
person, the Sector Commander. In each Sector in the
Seventh District, the Sector Commander is a Coast Guard
Captain. Each has a Deputy Sector Commander, usually a Coast Guard Commander. Un-
der him or her, there are three Departments: Prevention, Response and Logistics.

In order to align ourselves more effectively with the Coast Guard in District Seven, the Auxil-
iary now also has the same three Departments, used in a tiered management approach
under Donald Frasch, Vice Commodore.

The Prevention section, under Philip Merrill, Department Chief (D-CP), a Past Rear Commo-
dore, has the following District Staff Officers under him: DSO-MS, DSO-MT, DSO-SL, DSO-
PE, DSO-PV, and DSO-VE.

The Response section, under Casey Jankowski, Department Chief (D-CR), an Immediate
Past Rear Commodore, has the following District Staff Officers under him: DSO-AN, DSO-
OP/QE, DSO-AV, and DSO-CM.

Finally, Logistics is under James Dennen, Department Chief (D-CL), also a Past Rear Com-
modore. The Logistics Department has the following District Staff Officers: DSO-CS, DSO-
IS, DSO-PA, DSO-PB, DSO-PS.

In addition, each Sector has one person who serves as the principal agent and representa-
tive of the Auxiliary District Commodore, COMO Allen Brown. He is responsible for the coor-
dination and performance of all Auxiliary units and members servicing in support of and aug-
mentation to Sector Units and staff in the accomplishment of their mission objectives within
the Sector AOR. That person provides a direct conduit to each Coast Guard Sector Com-
mander, to ensure rapid transfer of information and intelligence within their operational
guidelines. They are: Ronald Goldenberg, RCO-N for Sectors Jacksonville and Charleston,
Richard Leys, RCO-N for Sector Miami, Walter Jaskiewicz, RCO-W for Sector Saint Peters-
burg, James Dennen PRCO-E for Sector Key West and Diana Figueroa IPDCP-1 for Sector
San Juan. These people are called the Auxiliary Sector Coordinators (AUX-C).

Our prior organizational structure is referred to by the Coast Guard as the Legacy setup. In
Page 8


Page 9
the following story you will see a totally different type of legacy; the Ocean Research Vessel LEGACY
based in Key Largo Florida.

When Jim Fletcher, VCP-13, Dewey Jackson FC 13-8 and Mike Wallace SO-CM began their trip to Coast
Guard Station Islamorada for scheduled two boat training with Station personnel, they had no idea that a
near tragedy that day would result in a program that would provide a productive partnership between the
Coast Guard and the Auxiliary.

It was a typical winter day in the Florida Keys, bright blue skies, wind out of east at 15 knots and moderate
seas. Operational Facility JAVA, a 26 foot Parker, was on its way down the Intercoastal Waterway in the
lee side of the Upper Keys, taking advantage of the protection from the easterly wind as they headed
southwest toward Station Islamorada. Jim Fletcher as Coxswain had asked Dewey Jackson to provide
portside watch. As Java approached Tavernier Creek, Dewey spotted a large plume of black smoke com-
ing from somewhere over on the ocean side of the Creek. Looks like a boat fire, commented Dewey. It
will burn to the waterline, Jim responded. I hope that it doesnt blow the crew training out he added.

As it turned out, it did. When they arrived at the Station, the Coasties were launching a second boat to the
site of the emergency. LEGACY, a 42 foot Ocean Research Vessel loaded with more than 20 dive tanks
and 400 gallons of diesel fuel, had caught fire in the waters off John Pennecamp Underwater Park, a mile
from the seaward entrance to Tavernier Creek. Fortunately, the crew had abandoned ship and been
picked up by a good Samaritan before the 20 dive tanks started exploding like an early New Years Eve
fireworks display.

Jim, Dewey and Mike were tasked with transporting CWO Jeff Mannion and MST1 Ben Mercado, the resi-
dent Marine Safety Specialists, to the scene to investigate the environmental impact of the accident. Dur-
ing their assessment, the five men discussed areas in which the Auxiliary could assist the Coast Guard
Prevention Department to enhance their missions. By the end of the day, they had developed plans to ex-
plore several areas of cooperation, subject to the approvals of both chains of command.

In my newly appointed position as Sector Coordinator for Sector Key West (AUX-C), I contacted Sector
and arranged a meeting with CAPT Scott Buschman, Sector Commander and LT Dan Silvestro, the head
of the Prevention Department at Sector Key West, where we discussed the event. Apparently several
boats in the Ocean Research Vessel (ORV) category were operating in the waters of Sector Key West
under Coast Guard Letters of Designation from the Officer in Charge/Marine Inspections (OCMI). Prior to
the loss of the ORV LEGACY, no inspection had been required. Mr. Mannion, in a follow up call, contacted
Jim Fletcher and asked him for Auxiliary assistance in providing Vessel Safety Checks to all such craft of
less than 300 tons.

Jim worked on a protocol for the execution of this program. As of early March, the process has been ap-
proved by the Auxiliary and Sector Key West. Auxiliary Vessel Examiners have already completed inspec-
tions of eight ORVs operated by Marine Resources, Inc., and the Prevention Department has sent letters
to all holders of ORV Letters of Designation outlining the requirements on this program.

"It is an ill wind that blows no good", quotes Jim Fletcher. What began as a washed out patrol has devel-
oped into a productive partnership between the Auxiliary and its main client - the United States Coast
Guard.
Page 10


National Safe Boating Week

By Philip Merrill
D-CP D7

National Safe Boating Week (NSBW) will be the last week
in May with further emphasis through 30 June in most D7
communities. Every members participation in this, the
most important Auxiliary event of 2007 is encouraged.

The Coast Guard Auxiliarys Safe Boating education pro-
gram, visitation, vessel examination, and publicity pro-
grams are the core of Recreational Boating Safety (RBS),
and are well done by D7 members. During National Safe Boating Week, Coast Guard Auxil-
iary safe boating displays, presentations, events at marinas and marine stores, Memorial
Day celebrations and other events reflect RBS at its best.

National Safe Boating Week is for everyone, especially children in their formative years
where the saving of lives through RBS programs begin. So find a youngster, have him try on
a life jacket, give him a high five and a life jacket whistle. Ask him to tell the others in his
school that he was caught by the Coast Guard Auxiliary wearing his life jacket. It will make
his day and your day too.

Public Affairs, Public Visitation, Public Education and Vessel Examination Auxiliarists pro-
moting boating and water safety assisted by an every member effort during National Safe
Boating Week is the greatest opportunity to help the Coast Guard in their National Mission
of saving lives and property.

My two favorite quotes for National Safe Boating Week:
Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. Helen Keller
Be ashamed to die until you have done something for humanity. Douglas MacArthur

Challenge: Cover the water front with RBS to the boating public during National Safe Boat-
ing Week. I plan to be there in a neat uniform. What are your plans?
Lets go save a life!



Prevention Department

Prevention:

Marine Safety

Member Training

Public Education

Program Visitor

State Liaison

Vessel Examinations

Be ashamed to die until
you have done some-
thing for humanity.
Douglas MacArthur


Page 11
Freedom

By
Casey Jankowski, D-CR D7

It was November 15, 1958. The SS United States was
slowly making Her way into New York Harbor. In the far
distance was the Statue of Liberty. My dream was becom-
ing a reality: In a short time, I stood for the first time on
American soil.
I was born in Poland and lived there until I was 18 years
of age. While serving in the Polish Merchant Marine, I
defected in West Germany. After 14 months in Germany I
was approved to go to United States as a permanent resi-
dent.
I have found many things, but most of all, I have found FREEDOM, the most prized and
coveted of all Gods blessings. It is as precious as the blessing of life itself.
How does it feel to be a free man? There are perhaps a million answers to this question,
and each would be proper although insufficient. There is no literary composition that is able
to explain what freedom really is, and how much it means to be free.
As we struggle from one day to another, we practice our freedom in many ways without be-
ing aware of it. When we buy a new car or home or open a new business, we are practicing
freedom. When we go to school and pursue an education in a desired field, we are practic-
ing freedom. But these are only materials and values necessary to survival in our everyday
lives.
As I write this article, I am using my freedom to express my ideas, my thoughts, and my
experiences. The real definition of freedom lies deep in our hearts, passed on from genera-
tion to generation. It is a spiritual foundation on which this country has grown.
In order to fully understand the meaning of freedom, we have to study and compare the
freedoms of other nations. We have to understand and appreciate the freedom we have as
Americans. This is the greatest country in the world.


I am proud to be
an American.


Casey Jankowski, D-CR
Response Department
Response:

Aids to Navigation

Operations/
Qualifying Examiners

Aviation

Communications
Page 12


The Directors Farewell Address.
As most of you know, this will be my last District Confer-
ence as the Director. Im retiring and expect my last day
in the office to be March 9. I know youre wondering who
my replacement is, but unfortunately thats still unknown.
Its hard for me to believe that its been nearly five years
since I took over this position, and quite frankly, it hasnt
been anything that I expected. Its been so much more
and so much better. I asked for the position because I
wanted to go back to Miami, but prior to assuming this job
I knew nothing about the Auxiliary. I quickly learned that
you have your own vocabulary, you have your own set of
laws, policies and rules and you numbered somewhere in
the neighborhood of one million people. I knew that num-
ber had to be correct, because I received more emails in
a day than the rest of my career put together. After being
there a couple of weeks, the OTO informed me that the
Auxiliary was far too soft and had it way too easy and by
God we have to do something about it..So we put our
heads together..and you may recognize some of the
following:

First, I told the Staff that Id accept nothing less than a
10% error rate and heres how were going to get there:
I told them to throw every tenth piece of mail away and
blame someone else; send every tenth piece of mail to
the wrong address, make an error on every tenth ID card,
certificate and letter; hold every tenth enrollment for at
least a month and if anyone called on any of these is-
sues, tell them we never received it. I wanted our mantra
to be deny all and make counteraccusations.

Next I went after National Policy; I had the programmers
create a database program that was difficult and as cum-
bersome to navigate as possible; hey I have another
idea, lets do background checks, lets make the Aux pur-
chase a new uniform, we need to change the Auxiliary
forms at least every other year, make at least five major
policy changes a month, whatever you, do dont let
AUXDATA and POMS work together.

I am of course kidding, you know that dont you? I did
hear your frustrations and tried to fix and mitigate any
and all problems and issues. Over the last five years I
have been privileged to meet some of Americas greatest
volunteers. When I first took over this assignment, I
spent a long time trying
to figure out the crazi-
ness of why someone
would pay money year
after year for the oppor-
tunity to work for free,
be driven absolutely
crazy by constantly
changing policies and
programs, to pay more
money year after year,
and then volunteer to
lead volunteers, and be
driven even crazier by
running for elected of-
fices and working even
longer hours trying to
fix everyone elses prob-
lems, then you pay
more money for new
insignia, to volunteer your boat, plane or radio and be
given some reimbursement that we know is not as much
as any of us would like, and finally, as you continue up
the food chain or craziness, one person self actualizes
and becomes certifiable; I think you call him the Commo-
dore.

But, the greatest commonality Ive found in each and eve-
ryone of you is that youre all American Patriots. Your
selflessness, hard work and dedication can never be over
stated and must be constantly applauded and rewarded.
Ive heard it so many times over the years from the active
duty and Auxiliary that the Coast Guard couldnt do it
without you. Its been said so many times that sometimes
the significance wears off. Make no mistake, the state-
ment is profound and carries great respect and admiration
within the active duty Coast Guard. We, myself as much
as anyone, know just how significant you are to the Coast
Guard, America and humanity. Everyone within the Auxil-
iary contributes at least some small amount toward the
Coast Guard and each of you saves lives!
I have deep admiration and respect for you; you have
driven me to give my very best. I owed you no less. Of
course, some of you drove me harder than others, you
know who you are, so let me thank you for driving me to
Commander Kevin Crawley,
DIRAUX


Page 13
do the best I could. The Auxiliary is Americas premier
volunteer organization because of the collective efforts of
everyone in this district. It will continue to get better as
long as you continue to care about it... and I know you
will.
I said before that this assignment was so much more
than I expected, well the greatest thing Ive gotten from
you is friendship. There are so many of you that have
impacted me personally and in very positive ways. I tried
to sit down and list all of you, but quickly realized that it
would be impossible and I could very easily leave some-
ones name off the list. So let me do it this way; I want to
thank everyone who has worked for me directly: my Staff
in the office, executive assistants, and everyone at DIR-
AUX-West. You have made significant contributions and
provided exceptional customer service to the Auxiliary
across the entire Coast Guard. We all worked for the
Auxiliarythat was our job. Thank you sincerely for do-
ing it so well and I appreciated everything youve done.
To the Auxiliary: Ive had the opportunity to work for four
Commodores, Mary Larsen, Jay Dahlgren, Peter Fernan-
dez and Allen Brown, and it has been an honor. Ive
worked with four different EXCOMs, countless Division
Captains, Flotilla Commanders, District, Division and Flo-
tilla Staff Officers and general membership. I thank all of
you for your advice, assistance and most of all, for al-
ways pointing out my mistakes.Im chuckling at that
because I really did appreciate when you let me know
something was broken. I meant it when I said we cant fix
it unless we know what is wrong. I always said I was a
dart board, so on March 9, Steve Hanson is the new dart
board. Since its no longer me, I dont mind if you throw
the darts at his back. Youll have to ask him what he pre-
fers.

I have very mixed feelings about retiringIm excited
to enter a new chapter in my life, but also very, very re-
luctant to leave a job that I consider far from finished.
There are so many things within the Auxiliary that must
be improved upon. I have little doubt that under your
leadership you will continue to improve this premier or-
ganization. Bob Flynn used to close his remarks with the
statement that you should all have fun, be safe and be
good to each other. I believe that these three items are
critical for the Auxiliary to succeed, but I want to focus
momentarily on the one section, be good to each other.
We come from diverse backgrounds and have varying
levels of talents and skills as well as a broad spectrum of
personal experiences. I know that not everyone will like
everyone else; that is a given. But we must always act
professionally and put our personal feelings towards oth-
ers aside. We must always remember that we are here
because of a common purpose; provide the best support
possible to the Coast Guard in the accomplishment of its
missions. Please be good to each other because when
we fail to do that, we create a cancer within the organiza-
tion that has a far reaching and long lasting impact.

In closing, I want to thank all of you for the tremendously
positive impact youve had on my life. I love the Coast
Guard and its Auxiliary Branch. I am a better person for
having known you great American Patriots. Semper
Paratus and Bravo Zulu.

Commander Kevin Crawley,
Director of Auxiliary, 7th Coast Guard District













From all of the members of:

Page 14

Mission accomplishment, perseverance, courage, endurance, sense of
duty: all concepts the Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary employ on
a daily basis. These guiding principles are nothing new, and as matter of
fact, are deeply rooted in those that have gone before
us. One example, which encompassed all of these traits was an event
obscured by the 100 intervening years. It was the 1908 New York to Paris
Automobile Race, won by the American Team put to an epic test for 169
straight days. The story which follows is a true one, and a prime example
of what can be accomplished in the face of seemingly insurmountable ob-
stacles

At a time when the automobile was considered, after a woman, the most
fragile and capricious thing on earth*, the thought of racing these new-
fangled horseless carriages around the world was quite simply, absurd. In
spite of seemingly insurmountable obstacles and much skepticism, four
International Teams lined up in Times Square the morning of February 12,
1908 at 11:15 AM with a crowd of 250,000 spectators, for what was to become the Great
Auto Race of 1908. Next stop Paris, even though there were no roads, no gas stations, no
repair shops, and many times, no sleep or food!

The competitors represented
the world superpowers of the
day: Germany, Italy, France
and the United States. There
was much at stake, and the
eyes of the world focused
daily on the Racers with front
page news in the New York
Times and Le Matin, co-
sponsors of the race. The
Race would become an epic
test of machines, as well as
human endurance and ingenuity in a world that for most, had
never seen an automobile, much less an American.

The Racers faced innumerable obstacles, including towering
snow drifts at a time when snow plows did not yet exist, mud
so deep that horses would drown in it, threats from bandits in
the lawless regions of Siberia, communications which some-
times depended on carrier pigeons, as well as disease in vast
regions where there were no doctors, and only home reme-
dies were available. With no fuel, no parts, and no money,
each team had to dig deep if they ever hoped to make it. Of-
ten, it would have been much easier to simply give up, but
Times Square Start: With a crowd of 250,000, the
New York to Paris Racers line up in Times Square for
the start of this epic event.
Nebraska Mud: Sometimes worse than the snowdrifts encountered in
New York and Ohio, The Nebraska mud was referred to as Gumbo. The
accumulation would add hundreds of pounds to the already loaded
Thomas.
Siberia 60 miles in four days: The thawed permafrost of Siberia
proved worse than Nebraska with endless quagmire. At one stretch,
the Thomas only made 60 miles after four grueling days in the
Siberian mud.
* London Daily Mail, 1908
New York to Paris Great Race of 1908
By: Jeff Mahl, 09-10


Page 15
pure adrenaline and raw determination propelled the
Racers. No one would have guessed that there would
actually be a winner, but the Americans, with George
Schuster Sr. as driver and Team Captain, accomplished
the seemingly impossible. It took 169 days, and after
covering 22,000 miles, the American built Thomas Flyer
rolled into Paris to win. In the 100 years since, the re-
cord still stands unbroken and the feat has never again
been attempted.

To celebrate the Centennial of the 1908 New York to
Paris Auto Race, a two hour TV documentary The
Greatest Auto Race on
Earth is now in production.
Plans are also underway to
retrace the original compe-
tition with a new Great
Race from New York to
Paris in 2008.
















Story submitted by Jeff Mahl, a member of Division 9, Flotilla 10 in
James City, Florida. Jeff is an active member of District 7 and has
served as the Information Technology Department Chief.
The great-grandson of George Schuster, Jeff is pictured to the left of
George holding the 45 star flag flown on the Flyer during the race.

George Schuster, 1964: Driver and Team
Captain George Schuster shown at the
wheel of the restored Thomas Flyer. At
the age of 91, he still had his drivers li-
cense, and once again drove the Thomas
over some of the same Nevada roads he
took 56 years earlier.
Thomas After the Win: Back in Buffalo, NY where the Flyer was
built, George Schuster sits at the wheel of the Thomas Flyer. Also
shown is George Miller, who served as mechanic after joining the
Race in Buffalo.
Left: Arri val in Valdez, Arkansas pier, March 29,1908. The Flyer was the first auto-
mobile ever seen, so the whole town turned out with the local band and a parade. The
snow, however, was so deep that the Thomas never left the pier.
Page 16

an AST, candidate swimmers begin with four months
schooling in the Coast Guards Airmen Program. Here
they are exposed to Air Station routines, introduced to the
lifestyle of qualified Rescue Swimmers, and receive addi-
tional physical training in order to meet minimum fitness
criterion.
Upon completion of the Airmen credential, and with a rec-
ommendation from the Air Station Commanding Officer
in-hand, candidates proceed to A-School, the Aviation
Technical Training Center (ATTC), Elizabeth City, North
Carolina. This difficult course is again four months, and is
followed by a shorter three week qualification at the
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) School in Peta-
luma, California.
Upon graduation, potential swimmers enter Apprentice
Performance Qualifications. Successful completion of per-
formance qualifications results in a Journeyman Helicop-
ter Rescue Swimmer. At this point in the making of a Res-
cue Swimmer, the ASTs knowledge and experience level
would encompass a proficiency with eleven close-up sur-
vivor contact methods, eight water deployment proce-
dures, seven cross agency equipment release tech-
niques, and various detailed detangle procedures. Of
course, the Program simultaneously increases condition-
ing so that a swimmers physical strength, endurance, and
mental acuity allow functioning in extremely heavy seas
for up to 30 minutes.
Rescue swimmers do not sit around all day waiting for a
Mayday. They are members of the US Coast Guard with
complimentary duties in addition to distress response.
ASTs provide Air Crew survival training; handle, service,
and inspect aircraft; service support systems (floatation,
oxygen, parachute, cargo aerial delivery, etc.); and main-
tain a comprehensive aircraft familiarity.
Cross training to the air crew is essential. Search and
Rescue is a team concept. It is not only training to be res-
cuers of persons in distress that is important. Pilot and
crew safety is also a paramount concern. You may recall
just a few years ago during a coastal water rescue that a
helicopter was downed by a rogue wave. The Air Crew
executed a successful escape from an upside down, sub-
merged aircraft, in a night time environment. The crew
credited emergency egress training for the saving of their
own lives.
The earlier years of SAR missions focused on open
ocean rescues. Later, it became evident that there was a
gap in rescue capability. The Program lacked recovery
techniques for persons in distress that were also incapaci-
tated, and therefore incapable of self assistance. An ex-
Most of us have seen Kevin Costners movie The Guard-
ian and are now duly impressed by the role that Rescue
Swimmers play in Coast Guard missions. There are ap-
proximately 300 Rescue Swimmers in the US Coast
Guard. Striker Coasties, that is, wanna be rescue swim-
mers, subject themselves to intensive specialized training
for the mere chance of earning a place among the best.
The course is so challenging that it brings courageous
men and women to the very edge of their physical and
mental endurance. The extreme qualification regimen
has a drop out rate exceeding 50 percent.
An Aviation Survival Technician (AST) is operationally
classified as a Helicopter Rescue Swimmer. To become
The Rescue Swimmer Program
By Bill Danielson, SO-PB Division 3
A Coast Guard HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station
Clearwater hoists rescue swimmer Petty Officer 3rd Class Tom
Conklin, from the Florida Coast. The air crew was conducting
training in Florida waters. USCG Photo by AST3 Rob Morgan.


Page 17
ample would be a person in the water suffering from hy-
pothermia.
In the eighties, M/V Marine Electric lost 31 seamen to the
frigid winter waters, despite heroic efforts by rescuers
fighting 40 foot seas and bitter 60 knot winds. This disas-
ter caused a revisit of Rescue Swimmer Program con-
tent.
Congress intervened, and in 1984, the Coast Guard re-
ceived funding to establish a Rescue Swimmer Program
that incorporated the capability to aid incapacitated per-
sons. Additionally, the Coast Guard redefined the primary
objective of rescue missions to be only those in a mari-
time region in a peaceful environment. This eliminated
rescues involving parachutes, combat SAR, tree extrac-
tions, and cliff scenarios, and the required training to
carry them out. In another change, the Coast Guard,
placing a premium on helicopter payload and space limi-
tations, removed the Hospital Corpsman as a crew mem-
ber. This vacancy was thereafter filled by the Rescue
Swimmer who would now receive basic Emergency Medi-
cal Technician training as part of their qualification pack-
age.
Realignment of the mission to maritime regions also fixed
the method for swimmer deployment. Rescue swimmers
would either free fall from the helicopter or use the hoist
cable. Once in the water, the Ops procedure requires
swimming to assist the survivor. Due to the reduction in
types of rescue scenarios resulting from mission redefini-
tion, swimmer equipment was also reduced to consist of
wet suit, mask, fins, and snorkel. These changes which
so impacted tactics and capabilities proved very effective
during SAR call outs.
Later, Operations Commanders, ever watchful over their
charges, noticed the Coast Guard was responding to
calls for assistance along coastlines and inland waters,
even though the programs primary intent was open
ocean rescue. Changes to increase effectiveness were
desirable, so in 1992, the Coast Guard designed and per-
fected a procedure permitting the Rescue Swimmer to
remain attached to the hoist cable. This was soon
adopted generally, and allowed SAR capability to be ex-
tended to cliff, surf, and wave swept rock rescues and
represented a major role expansion. Then, in 1993, after
the Perfect Storm created 80 knot winds and 60 foot
seas, the extraordinary lessons learned in huge rough
sea operations were added to procedures to complete a
well rounded Rescue Swimmer Program. All these pro-
gram adjustments enhanced Coast Guard preparedness
and capability.
The nationally acclaimed Rescue Swimmer Program re-
sponds with assistance to anyone in distress, at any loca-
tion where the Coast Guard has a presence. They have
earned our deep gratitude and respect. We can only
stand in awe when confronted with their record of
achievement.

Further reading: US Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Pro-
gram by LCDR R.M. Wright, USCG (Ret.)

Below: After a brief dip in the Atlantic, Coast Guard Chief Petty
Officer Harold Hoffmaster is hoisted back into an HH-60 Jay-
hawk helicopter during a rescue swimming training exercise in
Woods Hole, Mass.
Photo by PA2 Luke Pinneo
Page 18

The kerosene vapor lamp at Hillsboro Inlet Tower was offi-
cially lit as an Aid to Navigation on March 7, 1907. On
Wednesday evening, March 7, 2007, the Hillsboro Lighthouse
Preservation Society, in conjunction with the U.S. Coast
Guard 7
th
District, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Division 3, Bro-
ward County and local municipalities celebrated the centen-
nial anniversary of Big Diamond. Under the direction of
Coast Guard Commander Jim Pruett, District 7, the birthday
party of the century was a huge success.
Area storytellers entertained the early arrivals. The Coast
Guard Integrated Support Command Miami provided a color
guard. Bagpipers Steve and Betty Rogers accompanied the
color guard and entertained during the fireworks display fol-
lowing the ceremony. Chaplain Bernard Pecaro offered the
invocation. Speaking at the ceremony were Capt. Christine
Balboni, representing RADM Kunkel; Commodore Allen
Brown, representing Coast Guard Auxiliary District 7 and
Gwen Leys, Division Captain, Auxiliary Division Three. Pro-
viding a backdrop to the ceremony was Auxiliary Operational
Facility CHARIOT, on duty in Hillsboro Cove. A memorial to
the lighthouse keepers designed and constructed by Art Mak-
enian, Flotilla 36, was dedicated to the Hillsboro Inlet Park.
This was followed by fireworks and the Lighthouse lamp light-
ing at dusk.
The Coast Guard Auxiliary has a proud tradition with the Hills-
boro Inlet Lighthouse. When the call went out in 1992 for vol-
unteers to help with the restoration and repair of the Hillsboro
Lights original Fresnel lens and its reactivation in the light-
house beacon, our Auxiliarists were quick to come on board
to assist the Coast Guard and members of the Hillsboro Light-
house Preservation Society (HLPS) with this project.
Hillsborough Inlet Lighthouse Turns 100 Years
By: Gwen Leys, DCP-3



Above: Coast Guard Auxiliary vessel Chariot on
patrol for the Hillsborough Lighthouse Centennial.
On board the Chariot is Coxswain Burnie Ra-
dosh, Flotilla 37, Crew: John Becker, Flotilla 37,
and Ed Colina, Flotilla 36.

Right: From left to right , Richard Leys, RCO-E,
Gwen Leys, DCP 3, and COMO Allen Brown,
pose beside a poster of the U. S. Postal Service
stamp commemorating the Hillsborough Light-
house Centennial celebration.

Photos by Brian Lichtenstein
ADSO-PB D7
Page 18


Page 19 Page 19
Once the restoration was completed
and the lighthouse and its grounds
were open for tours, the Coast Guard
Auxiliary took on the role as tour
guides to help educate the public to
the unique and colorful history of the
lighthouse. At the turn of the 20
th
cen-
tury, the Hillsboro Inlet Lighthouse, the
last onshore lighthouse built in Florida,
provided a crucial beacon for ships
sailing toward the southeast corner of
Florida. Lighthouses may be a relic of
the past, but they still play a role today
in safe navigation, says Mr. Hib Cas-
selberry, retired president and centen-
nial chair of the HLPS.




The Coast Guard Auxiliarys asso-
ciation with the lighthouse will con-
tinue to be a natural fit Team
Coast Guard The Guardians of the
Sea and the Hillsboro Lighthouse
guarding those coming in from the
sea.
Art Makenian, Flotilla 36, unveils the new commemorative monument
to the Hillsborough lighthouse keepers.
With the Hillsborough lighthouse forming a fitting backdrop, COMO
Allen Brown delivers a congratulatory speech at the Hillsborough
Lighthouse Centennial celebration.
Page 20



booth was located at the exit of the Miami Beach
Convention Center, and was visible to everybody
going to the outside exhibits and shuttle
buses. Youre in Command was the primary fo-
cus emphasizing the need to wear a proper fitting
Personal Flotation Device (PFD) or more simply, a
life jacket. The Auxiliarists at this booth were busy
during the entire show answering questions, assist-
ing visitors, and emphasizing the importance of at-
tending a Boating Safety Class and wearing a life
jacket while on the water. Chief Bruce Wright,
Safety Specialist, United States Coast Guard Office
of Recreational Boating and Ernie Sario, Flotilla
Commander, 63, manned the booth.
The primary Auxiliary booth was on the upper level
of the Convention Center. Auxiliarists here wore
different types of life jackets loaned to the Auxiliary
by West Marine. They also provided information
about pollution, the environment, and the safe boat-
ing program in both English and Spanish. Auxil-
iarists at this booth discussed Americas Waterway
Watch Program with the public. Many of the visi-
tors asked questions about vessel exams and pol-
lution issues.
Members from eight flotillas, representing two
divisions of District Seven brought the Auxil-
iary message of boating safely to the over
140,000 attendees at the five-day annual Mi-
ami International Boat Show.
The Boat Show, held February 15 through19,
is one of the largest boat shows and marks
the start of another year of boating in South
Florida. Three venues in Miami and Miami
Beach were utilized to conduct this years
show. Those in attendance came from as far
away as Denver, New England and St. Louis.
Four separate Auxiliary and Coast Guard
Public affairs booths were set up at this
years show. Each booth focused on a differ-
ent aspect of the Coast Guard and Coast
Guard Auxiliary missions. There were nu-
merous requests about Boating Safety Pro-
grams and Vessel Safety Exams, and over 20
people expressed interest in becoming mem-
bers of the United States Coast Guard Auxil-
iary.
One booth focused on Boating Safety. The
Auxiliary Shines at Miami International Boat Show
By Brian Lichtenstein, ADSO-PB and Gary Barth, ADSO-PB
Joel Aberbach, DCP 6 talks to a visitor at the Miami Boat Show. Behind him,
Victor Garcia, FSO-PB, Flotilla 06-09, is also seen. The hundreds of visitors
kept volunteers busy discussing boating safety topics and encouraging boaters
to attend Boating Safety and Seamanship Programs.


Cal Gordon, Division 6 Operations Officer and Richard High, Flo-
tilla 67 Public Affairs Officer, manning booth in the Miami Conven-
tion Center.


Page 21
Sea Partners and Officer Snook were the focus of a third
booth, where the theme was the environment and pollu-
tion. This was geared for the younger boaters. Parents
and children received information about such topics as
what can and cannot be thrown overboard. The coloring
books and stickers were a big hit with the children.
Another venue was in the water at the Bayside Marina.
This was the location of Strictly Sail, the fourth Auxiliary
Booth. This was a unique Public Affairs Booth consisting
of the Auxiliary Facility, Nerissa, a 41-foot sailing catama-
ran owned by Coxswain Burnie Radosh of Flotilla
37. Free dock space was provided to the Auxiliary
through the collaborative efforts of Charles Chiodi, Editor
and Publisher of Multihulls magazine, and Kevin Murphy
of Sail America, sponsors of the Strictly Sail portion of
the show. These gentlemen were responsible for this out-
standing opportunity to showcase the USCG Auxiliary.
They were familiar with the Auxiliary and S/V Nerissa
from articles Burnie had written for the Multihulls maga-
zine in the past. Auxiliary vessel Nerissa sailed under
Coast Guard orders to Bayside Marina on Feb. 14. It was
an instant attraction for the opening of the boat show.
Flying the Coast Guard Auxiliary facility flag and patrol
boards, Nerissa attracted the attention of everyone from
children to experienced world-class sailors. People no-
ticed the innovations and custom modifications aboard
the vessel. Many asked to take a closer look and were
S/V Nerissa proudly displayed her sign boards and flag during the Miami Boat Show. The dock side display provided
materials to satisfy the demands of the large crowds in attendance. The Nerissa proved to be a great venue for dis-
cussing boating safety and publicizing the Auxiliary mission. Photos by Brian Lichtenstein, ADSO-PB D7
Page 22


happy for a chance to see a working sailboat.
Auxiliarists attending the show expressed their surprise
and delight at seeing a facility on display, and a sailboat
at that! Auxiliarists attended from all over Florida, and
from as far away as New England. Coast Guard person-
nel from Station Miami Beach also stopped to visit.
On the dock was a display with various materials includ-
ing Waterway Watch, pollution information, safety equip-
ment, Federal Regulations and sample float plans. These
displays had to be refilled 2-3 times a day. The large
number of children who came aboard enjoyed the Officer
Snook coloring books.
On board, Burnie and Brian Lichtenstein, Vice Flotilla
Commander, Flotilla 38 offered tours and answered ques-
tions. Those that could not be answered on the spot, such
as local ordinances about anchoring a vessel long term in
certain areas, were referred to the appropriate source.
Topics discussed included boating safety programs, ves-
sel safety checks, Waterway Watch, and float plans. The
floating booth was very successful. At least 23 of the pro-
spective member were visitors aboard Nerissa including a
recently retired Merchant Marine captain and former mili-
tary and Coast Guard personnel.
The Nerissa operated her marine ra-
dios during the entire show. Monitoring
the radio proved to be useful. Within
one hour on Sunday, four separate
Digital Select Calling distress alerts
were received. All had an ID numbers,
but none had a GPS position. The ID
numbers were passed on to Sector Mi-
ami. As a result, Sector Miami was able
to determine names of these vessels
and hail three of them within minutes.
These alerts made good talking points
about need to properly register and
program the ID number into the radio,
and to connect it to the GPS.
Being able to have an Auxiliary facility
as a floating Public Affairs Booth was a
tremendous success. This should be
considered on a regular basis. A high
visibility attraction such as this enables
the public to see and hear what the
members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary
really do.
A special thank you to Bernie Radosh for his tireless effort
to make this a success. This included his living aboard
Nerissa for five days during the Boat Show and being a
wonderful host to the hundreds of visitors who came
aboard. Bravo Zulu.
Thanks also to Multihulls magazine, Sail America and
Horizon Cruises for all of the help they provided.
Photos by Brian Lichtenstein
ADSO-PB D7
Miami Boat Show (continued)
S/V Nerissa with owner/ coxswain Burnie Radosh at the helm departs Bayside Marina
for home. Nerissa spent five days moored at the marina, a very successful Public
Affairs Booth during the Miami International Boat Show.

Youre in Command.
Wear Your Life Jacket


Page 23
jet, it was a time to swap flying stories with the Auxiliary
aviators and gain first-hand perspective on the capabili-
ties of the Auxiliary air wing.
By late afternoon, after a brief stop in Palm Beach to add
fuel and allow a small storm front to pass by, it was time
for a routine landing at Air Station Miami in Opa Locka,
and for Admiral Kunkel to meet with the visiting Nicara-
guan dignitaries.
AUXAIR participates in many Coast Guard missions in-
cluding Search and Rescue, Ports, Waterways and
Coastal Security, Marine Safety, Pollution Response, Aids
to Navigation and Ice Reconnaissance. It also conducts
Logistic Transport Missions. AUXAIR is an integral part of
the Coast Guard search and rescue team and its home-
land security forces.
AUXAIR aviators have varied aviation backgrounds and
many have prior military experience. AUXAIR aviators
volunteer their aircraft for use as facilities, just as surface
operators volunteer their boats.
All Auxiliary aircraft meet strict U.S. Coast Guard and
Federal Aviation Administration requirements. These air-
craft are inspected annually per the Commandants in-
struction.
When Rear Admiral David Kunkel, Command-
ing Officer of Coast Guard District Seven
needed to be at an awards ceremony in Savan-
nah at noon and entertaining Nicaraguan digni-
taries in Miami that same evening; he turned to
a valuable Coast Guard Force Multiplier Aux-
iliary Air.
Kunkel, an aviator himself, could find no com-
mercial air transportation that would allow him
to meet his meeting obligations.
Air Station Savannah had a solution to the
scheduling problem, and on February 26, the
day before the Admirals scheduled meetings,
they contacted Auxiliary Pilot Roy Savoca,
owner of a twin-engine Cessna 421 air facility,
Auxiliary Aircraft Commander Joe Friend, Aux-
iliary Air Coordinator for Coast Guard Air Sta-
tion Savannah, and Auxiliary Aircraft Com-
mander Mike Renuart, District Seven Staff Offi-
cer Aviation. The three Auxiliary aviators
were more than happy to transport their Divi-
sion Commanding Officer.
Auxiliarists Savoca, Friend and Renuart are all
residents of the Spruce Creek Fly-In Commu-
nity, a Florida residential enclave near Daytona
Beach that features its own 4,000 foot lighted runway, 14
miles of paved taxiways, and is home to several hundred
aviators who like having their planes close to (or even
hangared at) their homes. NASCAR driver Mark Martin is
a neighbor of the trio of Auxiliarists in a community that
also used to be home for aviation enthusiast actor John
Travolta.
Savocas Cessna is an ideal aircraft for such missions.
Configured to seat either six or eight passengers, the 421
is both fast and comfortable. The Cessna 421 Golden
Eagle is regarded by many in aviation to be the finest pis-
ton-powered cabin class business aircraft in general avia-
tion. It is roomy inside, is quieter than many jets and tur-
boprops, and has many cabin amenities in its pressurized
cabin. It is an aircraft fit for an Admiral.
After prepping the Cessna the morning of the mission, the
three Auxiliarists aviators flew literally from their back-
yards in Spruce Creek to Air Station Savannah, a flight of
about an hour and a quarters duration. By 12:20, Admi-
ral Kunkel and his aide, Lieutenant Theresa Sandoval,
were ready for their flight back to Miami.
For Lieutenant Sandoval, this was her first flight in a small
aircraft. For Admiral Kunkel, a veteran pilot of the HH-3F,
HH-60J, and HH-65A helicopters and the HU-25 Falcon
Admiral Flies Auxiliary Air To Meet Busy Schedule
By Rob Westcott, DVC-AN, DSO-PA D7
Joe Friend, Auxiliary Air Coordinator for Coast Guard Air Station Savannah,
Rear Admiral David Kunkel, Commanding Officer of Coast Guard District
Seven; Mike Renuart, District Staff Officer-Aviation; and Roy Savoca, Auxiliary
Pilot, with his twin-engine Cessna 421, Golden Eagle, in background.
Page 24

On a cold three-day weekend
in February, fourteen stu-
dents from across the United
States, including eight from
District Seven, gathered at
Sector Jacksonville for an
intense three days of Public
Affairs training. The eight
from District Seven joined
about three dozen other Dis-
trict Seven Public Affairs and
Publications Staff Officers in
the elite fraternity of AUX-12
C-School graduates.
Since funded billets only al-
low for about fifty-one stu-
dents nationwide to attend
AUX-12 per year, that means
that unless a District funds
what we call a Road Show
Aux-12 (same school, but
District funding), few of the
over 2400 Auxiliary PA and
PB officers nationwide can
ever attend. Last year, Dis-
trict Seven leadership saw the
need for more students to at-
tend and funded a road-show AUX-12.
This year, there are still openings for the schools in Alameda, California in June and Ports-
mouth, Virginia in July.
AUX-12, like all the C-Schools, is an intense residential training experience. For three days,
from the crack of dawn, often (including times of fellowship, discussion and homework) well
into the evening, students immerse themselves in Auxiliary Public Affairs, led by three sen-
ior National Public Affairs Staff Officers and special guest speakers. For Jacksonville, the
instructors included Robert Nelson, National Deputy Chief of Public Affairs, Tom Nunes,
National Branch Chief for Auxiliary Public Affairs Training, and yours truly, who is Auxiliary
Internal Communications Chief (the Division of AUXPA that Public Affairs Training falls un-
der).
Before coming to AUX-12, students must complete the online Introduction to Auxiliary Public
Affairs course, and are encouraged to send in articles and photos they have produced.
To be accepted for the course, they must commit to at least 50 hours per year service in
Auxiliary Public Affairs for three years. To receive full certification for the course, they must
submit articles within 60 days after the course is completed for review by the Instructors.
C-School Prepares Public Affairs Officers
By Rob Westcott, DVC-AN, DSO-PA D7
By attending C
school I feel that Ive
saved myself at
least a year of head-
aches. I dont think I
would have been
able to complete my
job as a flotilla public
affairs officer in a
more professional
manner (without
this training).

Student Comment
Pictured are Aux-12 students in a breakout group. Students were given news scenar-
ios and had to write a press release and a story. From left to right: Roberta Skaggs,
Flotilla 66, Roy M. Antigua, Flotilla 69, Matthew Cooper, Flotilla 26 and Bronaugh J.
Bridges, Flotilla 26.


Page 25
While this all sounds like a lot of work, students will tell you the course is fun, and the fellow-
ship incredible.
Students are exposed to the whole gamut of Public Affairs functions, and shown how to
make each area work to the building up of the Auxiliary. From exhibits to ethics to television
interviews, the responsibilities
of the Public Affairs are cov-
ered.
Good instruction involves prac-
tical learning experiences. For
AUX-12, after being taught
solid journalism basics, stu-
dents are broken into small
groups and given scenarios
from which to develop Press
Releases and Articles, and
then share with the class their
products. For television inter-
viewing experience, they are
given scenarios, and then with
cameras rolling are inter-
viewed by Instructors posing
as television news reporters.
If you ever thought running a
good search pattern with a QE
watching was nerve-wracking,
try facing the camera as Dan
Rather or Geraldo Rivera
gives you the third degree and
tries to trip you up while other students watch. Believe it or not, while stressful for the mo-
ment, its a fun experience and the tapes are destroyed after the class! And we all learn
from our mistakes.
One student writes of the experience, When I saw myself on camera, and how mean I
looked, I realized I need to soften up or I wont be relatable. Another writes, I gained more
confidence and feel I could provide an informative and constructive interview.
As in every Auxiliary discipline, learning is progressive and an ongoing lifetime activity when
it comes to Public Affairs. Thats why the National Public Affairs Staff has developed a rib-
bon and certification program for Public Affairs, and the Instructors remain available for con-
sultation and mentoring long after the course is finished.
Tom Nunes, BC-ANT interviews Auxiliarist Roy Antigua in simulated television inter-
view. Cameraman is Robert Nelson D-Ad. Photos by Robert Westcott, DSO-PB D7
Having highly qualified and passionate speakers for instructors for the C-School
can only be a win-win situation. Students are armed with information that they understand better and they leave
with the know-how and where to use the PA tools they are given. Also important is establishing contacts for
questions or critiques to help do our jobs better.

Student Comment
Page 26


Imagine over 4,000 boats on the water in and around
one narrow bay, on a single day. Imagine that many of
these vessels are filled to maximum capacity, and some
are overloaded. Imagine that hundreds of these ves-
sels are maneuvering at close proximity to one another
down two very narrow channels in order to converge at
a single point. Throw into this mixture celebratory alco-
hol, the bawdy overtones of pirates laying siege to a
city, and nearly 400,000 landlubbers cheering them on,
and you likely have imagined the Gasparilla invasion of
Tampa Bay.
The annual festival is named after the pirate Jose
Gasparilla Gaspar, who allegedly terrorized the west
coast of Florida during the late 18
th
and early 19
th
cen-
turies. Every year, the 165 foot pirate ship and its crew
lay siege to the city of Tampa. In past years, vessels
from the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard assisted
in defending the city, all to no avail. Ever victorious,
the pirates are handed the key to the city by Tampas
mayor, followed by the annual victory parade from the
bay to the historic district of Ybor.
Ye Mystic Krewe of the Gasparilla sponsors the Annual
Gasparilla Marine Parade of
Pirates on the last weekend
of January. The resources
required to stage this event
are enormous and draw law
enforcement vessels from all
over the state. Coast Guard
Auxiliary Division Seven,
from St. Petersburg, Fla.,
and Division Eight from Cor-
tez, Fla., contributed a fleet
of 21 vessels, several per-
sonal watercrafts (PWC), a
fixed radio facility, and over
60 Auxiliarists, including
members of Division Eleven
from Clearwater Fla., who
served as crew.
Auxiliary vessels perform
two critical functions. Many
are stationed near security
zones to warn unwitting
boaters out of these sensi-
tive areas. The Port of
Tampa is one of the busiest
in the nation and many of the
ports are designated security
zones. Auxil-
iarists educate
boaters about
these areas
and hand out
maps of the
d e s i g n a t e d
zones as well
as other boat-
ing safety bro-
chures.
The second
critical function
i s manatee
watch. The
manatee watch
covers the en-
ti re parade
route and sur-
rounding chan-
nels of Hillsbor-
ough Bay, the
mouths of the
Gasparilla: A Challenge to Boating Safety
By Dorothy Joan Riley, SO-PB, Division 7, ADSO-PB, Paulette Parent, SO-PB, Division 8, D7
The 165 foot Jose Gasparilla pirate ship makes it way towards the Tampa Convention
Center amidst the roar and the smoke of cannons as it lays siege to the city. The surrounding
vessels also play parts. They are defenders of the city or marauding pirates assisting in the as-
sault.
Clifford Martin, SO-OP stops at the Preven-
tion Department, Group St. Pete, where he
gets an update from PWC operator Patrick
Costello, VFC, Flotilla 75.
Page 26


Page 27
Hillsborough and Alafia Rivers, and the Ybor turning ba-
sin.
An endangered species, manatees prefer the warmer
inland waters during the winter months. If they are ob-
served within 1000 feet of the perimeter of the parade
route, the parade should be halted or redirected away
from the animal. Given that both channels of the parade
route leading into the Ybor turning basin are less than
200 feet wide in places, their watchful eyes are crucial.
Auxiliarists assigned to manatee watch carry aboard vol-
unteers from the Tampa Bay Manatee Watch, a local ex-
tension of the Environmental Protection Agency. They
are assisted by helicopters from Clearwater Air Station
and local news crews, who radio manatee sightings to the
Auxiliary vessels.
All along the parade route, vessels toss strings of beads,
or pirate booty to the spectators. Jan Trem from Flotilla
84 was on her PWC in front of the Prevention Depart-
ment, Sector St. Pete. She caught strings of beads and
picked the floating strands out of the water, tossing them
up to the children of Coast Guard members who were
watching the parade from this station. Jan said, There
have to be a ton of beads on the bottom! No doubt years
of bead tossing lends a sparkle to the deep silt in the bay.
All of the Auxiliary vessels were provided a radio guard by
Tampa Radio One, the fixed land facility located at Flotilla
79 in Tampa Bay. One vessel, The Jobe, captained by
Robert Stribling from this same flotilla, was appointed
Auxiliary Patrol Communications Command. Robert also
assisted Clifford Martin, SO-OP, in organizing the Auxil-
iarys participation in this event. Planning begins many
months beforehand with meetings scheduled by Ye Mys-
tic Krewe of the Gasparilla in Ybor, and Coast Guard Sec-
tor St. Pete.
The focus is ever a safe boating experience. Said Cliff
Martin: At one point there were so many boats in down-
town Tampa you could nearly walk from one boat to an-
other across the bay. Marine units from the Tampa Po-
lice Department, the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office
and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
worked with the Coast Guard to ensure the safety of all
boaters. They conducted random safety checks to en-
sure that boaters had the proper equipment aboard and
were not overloaded.
Patrick Wheeler from Flotilla 86 was one of the PWC op-
erators assisting the manatee watchers. Patrick reports
that he learned a few new hand signals for getting boat-
ers to slow down in the No-Wake areas, and had the op-
portunity to provide some Safe Boating Education. The
annual Gasparilla Marine Parade is in fact, one of the
Auxiliarys best opportunities to educate boaters both
about the Auxiliary and boating safety.
One more year, the event concluded with no more than a
few incidents. Next years parade is already in the plan-
ning, but Cliff Martin has a few months before he has an-
other round of meetings to attend.


At the conclusion of the Gasparilla Marine Parade, Auxiliary ves-
sels wait at the Davis Island boat ramp for their turn to trailer their
vessels. Aboard the Semper Fi are Flotilla 79 members David
Rusinko, Coxswain, Frank Ansel, Crew, and Stefan Stein,
Trainee. Other crew members included Steve Rea from Flotilla
11-10, and Jonathan D. Laroung, from Flotilla 84. The PWC
Union Jack with Patrick Wheeler from Flotilla 86 in Venice, glides
between the vessels. In the foreground, Joseph Zappala, FSO-
OP from 014-07-03 in Mamaroneck, N.Y., stands aboard the
Southern Cross from Flotilla 79; Brian Dobson, Coxswain.
Cover Photo for the BREEZE: Several Auxiliary vessels con-
verge in front of the Group St. Pete Prevention Department in
Tampa before the parade gets underway. From left to right are:
Red Rose, Flotilla 85 in Palmetto, Fred Kermode, Coxswain,
Dee Kermode, Brian Howard and Nancy Howard, Crew;
First Light, Flotilla 86 in Venice, Walter Jennings Coxswain,
Harry Bruno, Ruthanne Bruno, and Charles Dulaney, Crew.
The PWCs are Patrick Wheeler aboard the Union Jack, Flotilla
86 in Venice, and Jen Trem, Flotilla 84 in Sarasota aboard the
Mosquito.
Photographs by Dottie Riley, ADSO-PB D7

Page 28


Florida International Air Show
By Daniel Eaton, SO-PA, Division 9, D7
Flotillas 9-8 and 92 fly into a spring recruitment drive at
the Florida International Air Show. Theres nothing like
the zoom and awe of an Air Show, with demonstrations
by the Navys Blue Angels to the thundering Air Force A-
10 Wart Hog to keep crowds returning for more.
Watching, learning, eating, experiencing, more eating:
there is something for everyone, young and young at
heart. The FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL AIRSHOW is a
Southwest Florida Charity Event which is held every year
at the Charlotte County Airport in Port Charlotte Florida.
The Coast Guard had an outstanding presence. The
27th Annual Show featured CG Auxiliary Flotilla 98,
Charlotte Harbors Communications Van, Flotilla 92 of
North Port, a HH-60J Jayhawk Helicopter from Air Sta-
tion Clearwater, and an Auxiliary Air Facility from Tampa.
John Ehman, Flotilla Commander of Flotilla 98 in Port
Charlotte, stated, The Air show is a great event and
an opportunity to meet people and teach them about
the Auxiliary. Learning is an integral part of any air
show. With booths from every arm of the military,
together with community resources, it was indeed a
chance to learn about aviation entertainment, aviation
history, neighborhood charity organizations, unique

Above: Liz Frey, the Public
Affairs Officer for Flotilla 92 en-
courages an attendee to take a
safe boating class.


Right: USCG Assets displayed
at the Florida International Boat
Show include an AuxAir Piper
from Tampa, a HH-60J Helicop-
ter from Air Station Clearwater,
and a Communication Van from
Fl 98 in Charlotte Harbor.


Left: (From left to right) Dick Carl, Duane Ising, Kate Taylor,
Urbane Le Clere Jr., Dave Bradford and Dave Taylor, mem-
bers of Flotilla 98 in Charlotte Harbor, pose beside the flotilla's
communication van.


Page 29
planes, vessel safety checks and public education
programs that the Flotillas have to offer. According
to Liz Frey, the FSO-PA for 92 in North Port, Flor-
ida, We love to meet people and spread the word
of the Auxiliary missions. The air show is a terrific
venue to help promote boating safety and to at-
tract new members. This year has been especially
beneficial as we had great support from Air Sta-
tion Clearwater and AuxAir. These additional as-
sets provided greater interest which resulted in
increased traffic to our information booth. It was
exciting to see that level of participation from all
aspect of Team Coast Guard.

In the static area of the show, the Coast Guard
exhibited some of their assets used in search and
rescue operations, harbor safety patrols and emer-
gency response. From left to right, a Piper Chero-
kee 4 passenger Auxiliary Air Facility, HH-60J Jay-
hawk Helicopter, and the On-Scene Mobile Com-
munications Facility from Flotilla 98 in Port Char-
lotte. The combined teams from Flotillas 98 and 92
really put it together.

Teaching comes naturally
to many Auxiliarists. The
information booth showed
a professional image
staffed by knowledgeable
people who were eager to
help Air Show attendees.
Here Kate Taylor (98) pro-
motes the benefits of tak-
ing a safe boating class.
Encounters and encour-
agement like this help the
prevention side by reduc-
ing the possibility that
these people will become
a search and rescue case
after taking the program.
Boat shows, trade shows,
and even air shows are
methods to keep members
(Continued on page 30)
Above: Kate Taylor, Vice Flotilla Commander 98 explains how to become
a member of the Auxiliary to an attendee.


Below: Pilots Don Albanese, Flotilla 15-04 of Homosassa Springs, Flor-
ida, and Robert Bonanno, Flotilla 79 of Tampa, enjoyed speaking to spec-
tators about the Auxiliary Air Facility, Piper Cherokee 180.
Page 30


involved in their flotilla and help spread the
message of safe boating. Other dialogs
included vessel safety checks and how to
become a member of the Auxiliary.

Show attendees had an opportunity to see
first hand the work horse of the Coast
Guard search and rescue operations, the
medium range HH-60J Jayhawk helicopter
manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft Division
of United Technologies. Capable of
speeds up to 180 Knots with a range of 700
miles and 7 hour endurance, many atten-
dees had to stop, look and learn.

Florida International Air Show (continued)
Top: The crowds lined up to get a
glance of the HH-60J, Jayhawk Helicop-
ter from Air Station Clearwater and to
learn more from the crew.

Right: The crowd grows throughout the
day to enjoy the 27th Annual Florida
International Air Show Extravaganza
Friday, Saturday and Sunday, March 23-
25 held at the Charlotte County Airport.

Bottom Right: A future Coast Guard Air
Pilot. His expression says it all: Is this
cool, or what?
Photos by Daniel Eaton,
SO-PA, Division 9, D7
The Air show is a great event
and an opportunity to meet
people and teach them about
the Auxiliary. Learning is an
integral part of any air show.

-John Ehman, FC FL 98


Page 31
September 27 thru 30, 2007
Fort Lauderdale Grande Hotel & Yacht Club



We are looking forward to a GREAT Conference and Fun Night Please plan on joining us for all 3
days of the Conference at the Fort Lauderdale Grande Hotel & Yacht Club. If not, you will be missing
a GREAT TIME.

FUN NIGHT Saturday 29, 2007

Experience
The South Seas at Mai-Kai Restaurant
Escape to one of the most unique dining and entertainment places in all of South Florida.
Since 1956, it has captivated people with its warmth and magical aura. The Mai-Kai authenti-
cally recreates a Polynesian Village, complete with TIKI torches, a thatch roof, and a wooden
plank bridge entrance.

Be Entertained
An exciting Islanders Revue will be by native Polynesian dancers in colorful costumes. The
beautiful maidens and agile warriors recreate, through dance, details of many facets of life in
the Islands. The wedding dance will seduce you, and the Samoan Fire and Knife dance will
leave you speechless. The Revue is a favorite of all ages.






Di stri ct Seven Fal l Conference
Di stri ct Seven Fal l Conference

Page 32

This is a basic overview of a world-wide vessel identification system. It provides an out-
standing example of how the use of present day technology can greatly reduce collisions
and loss of life at sea, obtain information about a ships cargo, and be used as a traffic man-
agement tool. Last December I was fortunate to spend some time on a ships bridge of a
ship just off the entrance to the River Amazon and enquired about a large vessel barely visi-
ble directly ahead and that we were overtaking. The First Officer clicked on the distant
ships radar target, and a mass of information was immediately displayed. What I was wit-
nessing was the Automatic Identification System (AIS) in operation.

AIS are a mandatory requirement for all vessels that fall under the Safety of Life at
Sea (SOLAS) regulations. SOLAS is the most important of all international treaties govern-
ing the safety of ships underway, and its introduction dates back to the sinking of the
Titanic. SOLAS regulations mandate that all ships of 300 gross tons and upwards on in-
ternational voyages, and all passenger ships irrespective of size, must be fitted with AIS. In
addition, in 2003, the US Coast Guard published final rules that required a number of do-
mestic vessel categories to have AIS installed and operating when in US Vessel Traffic Ser-
vice (VTS) areas.

The system works by using VHF marine band channels linked electronically to various ship
systems. This enables important information such as the vessels type, name and call sign,
destination, latitude and longitude, course and speed over ground, and MMSI number, to be
continually broadcast and updated every 2 to 10 seconds. This information can then be re-
ceived and displayed on radar, electronic chart, or computer by any other equipped vessel
within range, or by a shore station. One of the clever tricks of the system is that it has a
self-organizing logic that allows AIS units to avoid interfering with each other. As with all
VHF radio systems the range depends on the height of the antenna, but it is reasonable to
expect coverage of 20 nautical miles.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary is involved! I understand that Auxiliary aircraft have been used
by the Coast Guard to test airborne applications of AIS. This is part of the development of
AIS to be installed in Search and Rescue aircraft, and clearly represents a huge potential
benefit in showing a picture of resources in a search area. Another interesting item is that
an Auxiliarist in District 5SR has on occasion passed AIS computer screen shots by e-mail
to the Watchstander at his local Coast Guard station and provided valuable assistance.


Marine Domain Awareness The Automatic Identification
System, By Eric Glasscott, DSO-CM, D7


Page 33


April first marked the start of the annual campaign for the Coast Guard Mutual Assistance
Fund. As has been the case before, the month of April is designated for the promotion.
However, please bear in mind that this is only the start of the campaign. We urge elected
officers and members to keep the Mutual Fund in mind all year long.

In 2006, over thirty-six thousand dollars was raised for CGMA nationwide. Thanks to the
generosity of members of the Seventh District, we led the nation in donations, -- and we can
do it again.

As you know, your donations benefit not only the active Coast Guard and their families, but
the Reserve and Auxiliary as well. Many of us know people who have been helped by the
CGMA Fund.

Last year we were fortunate in that there were no disasters with the magnitude of the dev-
astation seen in 2005, and for that all of us are extremely grateful. However, we need to
look to the future and ensure that funds are available in case they are needed.

Only you can do that, -- you can make it happen.



COAST GUARD MUTUAL ASSISTANCE FUND:
CAMPAIGN 2007, By Mary Larsen, CGMA Fund Chair
Page 34


The ecosystem in the Florida Keys is one of the most fragile and biologically diverse
in the entire nation. The Keys National Marine Sanctuary alone comprises over
2,800 square miles of water. The waters surrounding the Keys provide a year round
paradise for boaters. Finding fuel for these vessels how-
ever is not quite as simple as it sounds. A few Keys Auxil-
iarists have found a way to make to make this process
safer and easier through an exciting new program.

Division 13 in District 7 covers the area we call the
Fabulous Florida Keys and encompasses Monroe
County. This is an area of great biodiversity. We have
nesting islands for exotic birds, manatees, dolphins, all
kinds of fishing, diving and water sports. We have sea
grass beds in shallow water that are the nurseries for the
ocean and adjoining waters. We have rocks and coral
heads that are in very shallow water five miles into the ocean.

We have over 30,000 registered boats and on holiday weekends, we may double
that number in the county. To support this amount of water activity requires boat
ramps, anchorages, marinas, boat storage and fuel docks. With this level of activity
and use, accidents happen. Not just boating accidents, but fueling accidents. Yes,
we have had people put the fuel nozzle into the rod holders, but, more likely are
moderate spills at a fuel dock or a boat sinking in a marina.

Dewey Jackson,
Fl ot i l l a Com-
mander for 13-8,
and Jim Fletcher,
Division Vice Cap-
tain for Division 13
and Flotilla Staff
Officer for 13-8,
met with Marine
Safety Specialist,
First Class (MST1)
Ben Mercado from
the Prevention
team who is sta-
tioned on active
duty at Coast
Guard Station Isla-
Fuel Dock Identification Program
By Dewey Jackson, Flotilla Commander 13-5
MST1 Ben Mercado and Dewey Jackson, Flotilla Commander 13-08
visit and document fuel docks at Holiday Isle.


Page 35
morada. Ben explained his concern that there was not an adequate
database for fuel docks, anchorages and marinas. He was searching
for a way to reduce the time to respond to a spill and ensure that
proper equipment and personnel arrive on scene in the least amount of
time possible. If someone calls from a marina and says there is a fuel
spill at their marina, there is a good chance no one will know where that
marina is or how to get to it. Ben was looking for a way to correct this.

Jim suggested we look at Google Earth and Dewey came up with a
prototype for locating the fuel docks. MST1 Mercado reviewed the pro-
totype and liked the concept. Now it would be a matter of documenting
the actual fuel docks.

The Prevention Team has access to some information about the fuel
docks, but lacks the local knowledge or water access to document all
the docks. Flotilla 13-8 provided the initial boats, coxswains and crew
for the Coast Guard Prevention personnel to access these docks by
water. A schedule for surveying was established. Their plan was to
use coxswains and crews who were familiar with the particular area.

Once the team visited a site, MST1 Mercado would then enter the infor-
mation into Google Earth . In Google Earth , one can input the lati-
tude and longitude. Google Earth will drill down and give an accurate picture of
the location. From there, the properties screen is opened and the information about
the site entered. The information entered can be accessed by any member of the
Prevention team with the same software. He or she can access the location; get
the number of tanks, contact information, address, etc.

In addition, the aerial view gives streets, cross streets, other landmarks. The view
also lets the dispatcher
decide the types of
equipment needed to
contain the spill. It is
easy to tell the size of
opening into the har-
bors or if the site is in a
channel with a current.
This will help reduce
planning and response
time to help contain any
spills or leakages from
these sites.





Page 36

Gregory Gamache,
Vice Captain of Divi-
sion 11 and a resi-
dent of Clearwater,
Florida, was the
proud recipient of an
honorable mention for
the COMO Charles S.
Greanoff Inspiration
Leadership Award.
Greg was the Com-
mander of Flotilla 11-
1, Clearwater, Florida,
last year.

The Charles S. Greanoff Inspirational Leadership
Award recognizes the most exemplary performance
by a Flotilla Commander during the previous calen-
dar year. Only those Flotilla Commanders who dem-
onstrated sustained, exceptional standards of profi-
ciency and conduct, and whose appearance and
bearing were consistently impeccable, were consid-
ered for nomination. This award parallels the other
Coast Guard Inspirational Leadership Awards for
Coast Guard officers, chief petty officers (E-7) and
civilians.

Gamache earned his runner up position ahead of
more than 1,000 Flotilla Commanders in the United
States Coast Guard Auxiliary. There were a vigor-
ous series of criteria that he had to demonstrate.
Some of them were:

Regularly demonstrate unwavering leadership
prowess, including the ability to gain genuine com-
mitment from all levels of the organization.
Exemplify the Coast Guard core values of
"Honor, Respect, and Devotion to Duty."
Demonstrate sincere interest and concern for
others and their success in the Coast Guard Auxil-
iary.
Display a keen sense of ethical conduct and ex-
hibit a high degree of personal integrity.
Earn the high esteem and admiration of others.
Foster the spirit and intent of diversity.
Motivate others to excel in mission perform-
ance and be a positive role model and mentor.
Project professional uniform appearance and
bearing.

Gamache far exceeded the performance require-
ments of the Greanoff Leadership Award by leading
the Clearwater Flotilla through the difficult process of
Personnel Security Investigations, while still recruit-
ing new members and retaining seasoned members.
He initiated unique Operational Excellence Program
for Division 11 whereby Operational Excellence
qualified members relieve the active duty crew at
Station Sand Key over periodic weekends to com-
plete all SAR cases and routine patrols. He cap-
tained District 7 ISAR Team at International Compe-
tition at Portsmouth, VA. Gamache also initiated a
division-wide night exercise that used nine Auxiliary
facilities that practiced night Search and Rescue
work, towing and watching of USCG flare demon-
strations. He initiated a monthly Flotilla Com-
manders lunch that lets them resolve problems,
bounce ideas off of each other and generally build
camaraderie. In addition, he designed and oversaw
all of the seamanship skills contests used at the an-
nual Auxiliary/Station picnic in June 2006

Greg Gamache is a proud member of Division 11 of
the USCG Auxiliary, the volunteer arm of Team
Coast Guard. Division 11 stretches from Clearwater
in the south to Hudson in the north. Over two hun-
dred fifty members strong, Division 11 provides con-
tinuing support for the Coast Guard. In 2006, Divi-
sion 11 contributed over 48,000 hours in activities
encompassing marine and air safety patrols, boating
safety classes, free boat checks and radio watch
standing.


Local US Coast Guard Auxiliarist one of two Honorable Mentions for
COMO Charles S. Greanoff Inspiration Leadership Award
By Karen L. Miller, Captain, Division 11
Gregory Gamache

Is the official publication of the
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary
7th District
http://www.cgaux7.org/
UNITED STATES COAST GUARD

District Commander..RADM David W. Kunkel
Acting Director of Auxiliary....CWO2 Steven Hanson

U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY




Division Captains 2007
Division 1.....Nestor Tacaronte
Division 2.....Cecil Christopher
Division 3.... Gwendolyn S. Leys
Division 4.... Barbara Carolus
Division 5....Janee Henderson
Division 6.... Joel Aberbach
Division 7......Conrad Palermo
Division 8......Raymond L. Paysour
Division 9......George Withrow
Division 10....Richard Luettich
Division 11....Karen Miller
Division 12.....Reginald B. Hollar
Division 13..........Eloy Gonzalez
Division 14...Robert Funk
Division 15.....William Malone
Division 16......Jayne Davis
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 Aux-
iliary and may not be returned.
Personal information of members is protected by the Privacy Act of 1974. The use of these rosters, addresses and telephone numbers on any com-
puter or online service including the Internet is prohibited by the Act.
Comments are encouraged and may be sent to the above named Publication Officer. 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 change of addresses to the BREEZE. You can obtain a change of member information report (7028) from your Materials Officer and
submit it through channels.
District Commodore
COMO Allen Brown
Home: 239-549-6007
Cell: 239-246-1830
Fax: 239-549-6280
Email: abrown5217@aol.com
Rear Commodore East (RCO-E)
Richard J. Leys
Home: 954-942-8108
Cell: 954-647-5512
Fax: 954-942-8188
Email: rjleys@earthlink.net
Rear Commodore North (RCO-N)
Ronald Goldenberg
Home: 843-342-5782
Cell: 843-338-0588
Fax: 321-383-2130
Email: rgoldehhi@roadrunner.com
Rear Commodore West (RCO-W)
Walter Jaskiewicz
Home: 239-389-0723
Cell: 239-821-8183
Fax: 239-389-9325
Email: captwrj@aol.com
Editor & Publications Officer
Kenneth Sommers
Home: 561-737-6994
Cell: 516-698-6943
Email: cgaux7-51@earthlink.net


The D7 PB Team (ADSO-PB Staff Officers):
Dorothy Joan Riley, 070-07-09; Graphic Design & Layout
Brian Lichtenstein 070-03-08; Photography:
T. J. Kerbs, 070-05-02; Pre-Press & Printing
Gary Barth, 070-05-08; Writing and Text Review
Logistics
James E. Dennen, Department Chief
Home: 305-664-2242
Cell: 305-393-4757
Email: dennen@bellsouth.net
Prevention
Philip Merrill, Department Chief
Home: 941-575-4380
Cell: 941-380-4383
Email: seahorse03@comcast.net



District Staff Officers
Prevention Department
COMO George Jeandheur .......DSO-MS
Lawrence BermanDSO-MT
Cathie Welty DSO-PV
Ruth Ann WhiteDSO-PE
William S. Griswold..DSO-SL
Hebert C. Hanson....DSO-VE
Response Department
Geraldine Way ...DSO-AN
Charles "Mike" Renuart.....DSO-AV
Eric M. Glasscott ..DSO-CM
George Kacmarik....DSO-OP
Joseph Lori .ADSO-OP/PWC
Logistics Department
Diane H. Berman ......DSO-CS
Susan Z. Hastings ......DSO-IS
Rhonda Hebert ......DSO-PS
Robert Westcott ....DSO-PA
Kenneth Sommers ..DSO-PB


William F. Everill ..DSO-LP
Anne B. Ehmann ..DSO-MA
William Malone ..DSO-FN
COMO Guy Markley ...AUXCRC
Lawrence Berman ....PPDCPA
Karen L. Miller ...Grants
Doreen M. Kordek .....Historian
Paul Mayer .....Webmaster

District Administrative Assistant & Aid
John D. Tyson .....D-AA
Carolyn R. Thomas .D-AD
COMO Guy Markley ..D-LL



Past District 7 Commodores
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
Back Cover Photo:

Biscayne Bay, Florida. Auxiliary Vessel Rubye
G participates in helicopter operation with Air
Station Miami. Cal Gordon, Division 6 SO-MT
and Bill Morcom Flotilla 6-7 stands guard as
Coast Guard Helo 6550 conducts rescue swim-
mer training. Photo by Ken Sommers DSO-PB
District Vice Commodore
Donald L. Frasch
Home: 727-862-6718
Cell: 727-862-6718
Email: dlfrasch@aol.com
Area Commander Atlantic - East
Peter E. Fernandez
Home: 305-255-4999
Cell: 305-772-8537
Fax: 305-252-6853
Email: pooldisc@bellsouth.net
Response
Casey Jankowski, Department Chief
Home: 941-729-2267
Cell: 941-504-1692
Fax: 941-729-2267
Email: cjankowski@tampabay.rr.com
Volume LIV Number 1 Spring 2007

United States Coast Guard Auxiliary
7th District
http://www.cgaux7.org/
Homeland Security
U.S. Coast Guard
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
DSO-PB D7
7399 Bellingham Point
Boynton Beach, FL 33437
OFFICIAL BUSINESS
PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE $300
PRSRT STD
POSTAGE AND FEES PAID
U.S. COAST GUARD
PERMIT NO. G-157
Tampa Bays Gasparilla Madness: Story on page 26