2014 Winter

Masthead &
Table of Contents
District 7 Bridge
Dave Fuller
DCAPT-N
Robert Weskerna
DCOS
Commodore
John Tyson
Braxton Ezell
DCAPT-W
Gary Barth
DCAPT-E
District 7 in Action
You and the Auxiliary
Feature Articles
Distric PA-PB
Awards Contest
Gasparilla Pirate
Invasion of Tampa
Endangered Species
Special Protection
Vice Admiral
Zukunft Nominated
Special Next Issue:
Celebrating 75 Years
Simulated Fuel Spill
Pollution Exercise
Smart Captain,
Happy Ending
Gold Side
US Power Squadrons
Celebrates Centennial
Coastie Draws
Kids At Show
US Power Squadrons
Dealer Visitations
A New Twist On
Safety Checks
Which Uniform
Is Correct?
AUXOP Volunteerism And
The Auxiliary
District Leadership
Workshop
Fall Issue:
Boot Camp Video
Photos

2
BREEZE, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, District 7
Winter 2013-2014

Breeze is the official
publication of the
United States Coast
Guard Auxiliary
7th District
UNITED STATES COAST GUARD
District Commander
Rear Admiral John H. Korn, USCG
Director of Auxiliary District 7
Commander Kathryn C. Dunbar, USCG
Operations Training Officer
Chief Warrant Officer Christopher W. Acklin,
USCG
U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY
District Commodore
Commodore John D. Tyson
District Chief of Staff
Robert Weskerna
Immediate Past District Commodore
Commodore Walter R. Jaskiewicz
District Captain North
David M. Fuller
District Captain West
Braxton R. Ezell
District Captain East
Gary P. Barth
BREEZE is the official publication 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 pho-
tographs submitted must be consistent with the
policies of the Coast Guard and the Auxiliary and
may not be returned. Electronic submissions are
encouraged.
Personal information of members is protected by
the Privacy Act of 1974. The use of these rosters,
addresses and telephone numbers on any comput-
er or online service including the Internet is pro-
hibited by the Act.
Send comments and submissions to Editor (DSO-
Publications) to: D7Breeze@yahoo.com.
Breeze articles and photos may be reprinted with
credit to Breeze and the author.
Update your info/address at: auxofficer.cgaux.org.

Volume LIX Winter 2013-2014 Issue
www.uscga-district-7.org
Auxiliary Sector Coordinators
ASC Sector Charleston
Reginald B. Hollar
ASC Sector Jacksonville
David C. Cawton
ASC Sector Key West
Russell D. Jackson
ASC Sector Miami
William W. Tejeiro
ASC Sector St. Petersburg
Donald C. Hoge
ASC Sector San Juan
Mariano Velasquez
Division Commanders 2014
Division 1.........................Ramsey M. Rodriguez-Diaz
Division 2...........................................Nan Ellen Fuller
Division 3..............................................Daniel A. Hess
Division 4.........................................Donald S. Proscia
Division 5....................................Gregory Allan Barth
Division 6.......................................William V. Tejeiro
Division 7..........................................Lawrence A. Neu
Division 8.........................................Randall A. Moritz
Division 9.........................................David M. Shuster
Division 10......................................Charles T. Phillips
Division 11...........................................Karen L. Miller
Division 12........................................Allen L. Crothers
Division 13...........................................Elsie S. Metcalf
Division 14.....................................William R. Sekeres
Division 15.........................................Paul P. Pelletier
Division 16...........................Malcolm H. Sprague, Sr.
Division 17..............................................Jack G. Miller
District 7 Directorate Chiefs 2014
Logistics
James E. Dennen, DDC-L
Prevention
Judith Hudson, DDC-P
Response
Craig Elliot, DDC-R
District Staff Officers
Prevention Directorate
Lyle E. Letteer.................................................DSO-MS
Frank R. Lann..................................................DSO-MT
David C. Cawton...............................................DSO-NS
Ronald D. Foreman.........................................DSO-PV
Gretchen V. Bacon...........................................DSO-PE
William S. Griswold..........................................DSO-SL
Chuck Kelemen................................................DSO-VE
Response Directorate
Kenneth T. Plesser..........................................DSO-AV
Donald L. Wellons...........................................DSO-CM
Dudley W. Davis...............................................DSO-OP
Jerald D. Henderson.......................................Chief QE
Logistics Directorate
David A. Hastings.............................................DSO-CS
Carl Lucas........................................................DSO-DM
James Andrew Poole.......................................DSO-DV
Angela Pomaro................................................DSO-HR
Susan Z. Hastings..............................................DSO-IS
John Kenneth Hadley.....................................DSO-MA
Constance O. Irvin...........................................DSO-PA
Stephen A. Ellerin............................................DSO-PB
Diane Riggan......................................................NSBW
Alejandro de Quesada....................District Historian
David A. Hastings .....................................Webmaster
Richard Risk...........................................Senior Editor
Other
Lillian G. GaNun...............................................DSO-SR
Douglas L. Armstrong.........................................DFSO
Andrew W. Anderson......................................DSO-LP
James W. Mayer...............................................DSO-FN
Richard J. Leys...................................................PPDCA
COMO Walter Jaskiewicz .District Material Center
District Administrative Assistant & Aide
Teresa A. Barth....................................................D-AA
Richard F. Laughlin.............................................D-AD
Carolyn R. Hooley................................................D-AD

3
Winter 2013-2014 BREEZE, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, District 7
FROM THE BRIDGE
4 Prioritize
District Commodore John Tyson
6 Push or Pull You Choose
Bob Weskerna, Chief of Staff
7 Does the Minimum Qualify?
David M. Fuller, District CaptainNorth
9 Why Write Reports?
Braxton R. Ezell, District CaptainWest
11 Developing Leaders Who Lead
Gary P. Barth, District CaptainEast
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
13 District PA-PB Awards Contest
Stephen Ellerin, District Staff OfficerPublications
DISTRICT 7 IN ACTION
14 Annual Gasparilla Pirate Invasion of Tampa
Continues a Tradition Dating Back to 1904
Dick Risk, Senior Editor, Breeze, ADSOPublications
17 Endangered Marine Species Get Special
Protection During Gasparilla Boat Parade
Dick Risk, Senior Editor, Breeze, ADSOPublications
YOU AND THE AUXILIARY
20 Which Uniform is Correct?
Constance O. Irvin, District Staff OfficerPublic Affairs

20 Volunteerism and the Auxiliary
Dr. Bill Wendel, Flotilla 23 (Northeast Georgia)
23 District Leadership Workshop Focuses on
Problem Solving
Nan Ellen Fuller, Commander, Division 2
25 AUXOP: The Operational Auxiliarist Experience
Kerry Eakins, Assistant District Staff OfficerPublications
FEATURE ARTICLES
27 U.S. Power Squadrons Celebrates Centennial
Bill Griswold, District Staff OfficerState Liaison
28 U.S. Power Squadrons Doing Safety Checks
Dave Fuller, District CaptainNorth
30 A New Twist on Safety Checks
Bill Griswold, President, United Safe Boating Institute
31 Coastie Fascinates Kids at Myrtle Beach
Boat Show
Jack Margolis, Assistant District Staff OfficerPublications
WORKING WITH THE GOLD SIDE
32 Vice Admiral Paul F. Zukunft Nominated As 25th
U.S. Coast Guard Commandant
33 Auxiliarists from Division 9 Take Part in
Simulated Fuel Spill Pollution Exercise
Mitch Schlitt, Flotilla 98 (Charotte Harbor, Fla.), Breeze
Contributing Writer
35 Smart Captain, Happy Ending
Joe Newman, Vice Commander, Flotilla 12-1 (The Inland Sea
Lake Marion, S.C.)

4
Winter 2013-2014
Shipmates,
As a member of one of our nations premier volunteer organizations, I
am continually impressed by the extraordinary dedication and selfless-
ness of our members. Almost every day, someone tells me about one of
our members who has done something special, like rescuing someone
from drowning, teaching a large gathering of youth about the marine
environment and water safety, spending weeks aboard a Coast Guard
Cutter as the galley cook, recruiting an impressive number of new
members, and more. We are truly fortunate to have so many members
who inspire us by their actions and tireless dedication. They are our
heroes. They seldom seek personal recognition, yet their proficiency
and performance often leads to recognition by their peers and the Coast
Guard.
One such member is Joel Aberbach from flotilla 67. Joel has worked
diligently throughout his more than 40 years of Auxiliary service to
protect the marine environment. For that service he was recently select-
ed as one of five finalists for the prestigious YachtWorld Heroes award.
The award is given annually to an individual and their organization for
leveraging their love and respect for boating in the oceans, rivers, lakes
and streams into a higher calling.

Joels selection as a finalist for the YachtWorld Heroes award also rec-
ognizes his dedication to the Sea Partners and Waterway Watch pro-
grams, and his relentless promotion of marine environmental protec-
tion. Although Joel was not the ultimate winner, he was recognized for
his exceptional work by RADM John Korn, Seventh Coast Guard Dis-
trict Commander, at the Miami Boat Show Press Breakfast on February
13. Joels outstanding dedication to protecting the marine environment
is living proof that one dedicated Auxiliarist can inspire his or her ship-
mates to make a real difference in this world. Congratulations Joel!
We are proud of your recognition and devotion to duty. You are one of
our heroes.
Many of you who are reading this column participated in one of the
Districts recent leadership practices workshops. Hopefully each of you
came away from your workshop feeling energized and ready to apply
new leadership practices. Among those practices reviewed were effec-
tive techniques for collaboratively setting flotilla and division priorities.
If you are like me, you have lots of things you hope to accomplish this
year. But just getting things done is not what is important. More im-
(Contnued on page 5)
PRIORITIZE

5

portant is completing the things we believe are important. For me, that
is staying focused on the Districts three primary goals: a two percent
annual increase in recreational boating safety missions, a two percent
net increase in membership, and the use of the best leadership practic-
es at all of our units.
Achieving such demanding goals may sound like a tall order. Yet the
key lies in setting priorities, focusing on the things that are most im-
portant. That should not be complicated or difficultwe set priorities
to reach our goals.
During the 2014 leadership practices workshops, we asked more than
250 leaders to work collaboratively, in teams, to choose the six most
important priorities of a new flotilla commander. Some teams brain-
stormed until they found many more than six priorities; most chose
just six. Interestingly, most of the teams chose many of the same pri-
orities, and those that focused on only six priorities kept the process
simple. Those who kept it simple were the ones most successful in
stating their intended outcomes.
The real value of the exercise, however, was not in selecting a list of
priorities, but rather learning a collaborative process by which teams
may make choices. In recognizing the effectiveness of that process,
workshop participants gained a valuable tool to help them throughout
their Auxiliary service.
If you and your unit or staff function have not yet set your priorities
for the year there is still time. Simply choose the two or three things
you feel are most important to you and to your unit, and then live those
priorities. In my view, living your priorities is more important than
simply writing them down (although writing them down provides both
a commitment and a constant reminder of what you hope to achieve).
Then, follow-up every three months with a progress review. By the
end of the year, you and your unit may have done less in some activi-
ties, but you will have accomplished more in the matters that are most
important.
If we stay focused on our priorities, remain true to the core values of
our service, and recognize our shipmates for their dedication and hard
work, we will achieve our priorities and enhance the boating publics
recognition of the Auxiliary as the nations premier volunteer organi-
zation. Semper Paratus,
John Tyson, Commodore, District 7

(Contnued from page 4)
On January 9, the crew of The Sentnel and Coast Guardsmen AET Josh Johnson and
AET Tom Stapleton donned Mustang suits to capture this image for Tom Laughlin,
Division 11 SO-PA, aboard No Mercy. The team braved low cloud cover, almost con-
stant light drizzle, and water temperature of 54 degrees. Getng it right took the
several phone calls from the Duty Ofcer and the pilot of A/C 1706.
Coastes Johnson and Stapleton performed their dutes in an exemplary manner,
despite broken lines and quartering waves. The A/C 1706 crew responded with pro-
fessional courtesy in all communicatons and made the job of the two Auxiliary boats
infnitely easier. A/C 1706 responded to all request for message drops and even
came around for a requested third drop. Auxiliary photo and text by Tom Laughlin.

6
Winter 2013-2014
PUSH OR PULL YOU CHOOSE
Im sure many of you may have heard some version of Dwight D.
Eisenhowers aphorism about pushing or pulling on the string. It
goes something like this: Pull on the string, and it will follow
wherever you wish. Push it, and it will go nowhere at all. For
me, I recall COMO Jay Dahlgren drilling a version of this into my
head many years ago. The thing is, are we all in for pulling on
the string, or is pushing your personal philosophy? Lets exam-
ine this further.
Well begin by deciding if you subscribe to pushing or pulling. In
his book Right from the Start, author Dan Ciampa offers the fol-
lowing: Push tools align effort through authority, fear, and re-
ward. Pull tools align effort through inspiration. I think what he
is saying is that effective leaders use influence and some creativ-
ity to inspire commitment, to pull others toward their goals or
vision. Ive observed a number of effective leaders at the flotilla
level simply adopt this strategy: Start moving, have some fun,
and watch the members follow. Of course, you could try standing
in front of your group and browbeat the members (pushing the
string) into following you. It may work at first, but you very like-
ly will end up frustrated and short a few members at the end of
your term.
I believe that every one of you has the innate ability to lead
when leadership is thrust upon you. How you choose to lead will
leave its mark on the morale, performance and productivity of
your group. Understand and appreciate how pulling on the
string can assist you in gathering the support of your group and
pulling them toward accomplishing some goal to which you find
yourself tied. That group could be the Vessel Examiners in your
flotilla, the entire flotilla, a division, or even the district. Just re-
member a few basic rules:
1. Pulling without a direction = no progress.
2. You must MOVE before anyone can follow you.
3. Dont get too far ahead of your group. Be patient. Theyll
come along.
4. A clear vision will pull your team forward. [My favorite]
Let me close with a quote by Lao-Tzu, 604-521 BC. This may not
be a perfect fit, but I like the message:
A leader is best when people barely know he exists, not so good when
people obey and acclaim him, worse when they despise him. But a good
leader who talks little when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will
say: We did it ourselves.

7

DOES THE MINIMUM QUALIFY?

How often must you practice something to become proficient? Do
the words competent, proficient and expert describe a progression
toward mastery of a subject? I think most of us have heard the say-
ings practice makes perfect and if you dont use it, you lose it. It
is true that if you dont use a skill or practice something regularly,
you tend to be less proficient, less comfortable and less competent.
For this very reason, the Coast Guard and the Auxiliary have estab-
lished minimum standards for training and annual currency mainte-
nance in our programs. After initial training, members must regu-
larly practice what they learned to maintain their qualifications.
While we have many members who perform more than the mini-
mum standard for currency maintenance, far too many members
just get by with the minimum. Does the minimum activity to retain
the qualification qualify you to be competent? Yes, it probably does.
Does the minimum make you proficient or expert and a master of
the subject? I would argue it does not. The minimum is just what it
says the minimum.
I believe that one reason many of us joined the Auxiliary is because
we wanted to be part of an organization of excellence. I know there
are many individual reasons why each of us joined, and I explored
this topic in my last article of 2013 in the Breeze. The Coast Guard
and the Auxiliary have a long and distinguished reputation of excel-
lence for the missions we perform. While not a military organiza-
tion, the Auxiliary is built on a military tradition of excellence.
As I look over the final statistics of 2013 activity and missions that
our members performed, I am in awe at the sheer amount of volun-
teer effort we give back to our local communities, our states and the
nation. Some members do more than other members, and some flo-
tillas are more active than others. Many flotillas have shown in-
creases in activity and missions in 2013 over 2012. However, there
are some flotillas in which their activities and missions have been
fewer. By the time you read this article, the dashboards should be
available to look at your individual flotilla results for the fourth
quarter and end of the year 2013.
How many of us make New Years resolutions and then follow
through and truly change our behavior to allow us to meet these
resolutions? Speaking from personal experience (I lost 273 pounds
in 18 months and have kept it off), it takes a change of attitude and a
willingness to change behavior to reach our goals. If we keep doing
what we have been doing in the past, we will obtain the same re-
sults. If we want to change the future, we must be willing to commit
to changes in behavior.

8
Winter 2013-2014

I would like to challenge members to change their mindset and the
culture in their flotilla to move away from the minimum. If you
agree with my theory that practice makes perfect and that if you
dont use it, you lose it, then do more than just the minimums.
Teach more boating safety classes; teach more member training ses-
sions; and conduct more vessel examinations and program visits.
Take a new look at recruiting new members and how to bring in new
members while retaining our existing members. Go on more patrols;
conduct more watch-standing; and work closer with your stations
and sectors to find out what they need. You might be surprised at
where you can fit in. The opportunities are almost endless.
I believe the majority of our members have excellence in their lives
now or want to have excellence in their lives in the future. Fortu-
nately, you are a member of an organization where you have the
ability to excel and truly make a difference. You have the power to
choose how to excel, where to excel, and our organization gives you
the tools to do it. All you need to do is to make the commitment and
then follow through. I hope you make the choices that will bring you
fulfilment, happiness, and purpose to your life. Do more than just
the minimum in everything you do, and you will have more fulfil-
ment in your spiritual life, your personal life, your business life, and
your Auxiliary life.
Semper Paratus!

TOBACCO USE PROHIBITED ON PATROLS
In accordance with the new Coast Guard Health and Wellness Manu-
al, COMDTINST M6200.1B, the use of tobacco/nicotine is prohibited
on small boats. The risk of environmental tobacco smoke and haz-
ardous material interactions is higher in these environments and
every precaution should be taken to eliminate these risks.
For purposes of this policy, the terms Tobacco Use and Tobacco
Products mean tobacco and nicotine products, including electronic
or e-cigarettes, smoking (e.g., cigarette, cigar, pipe), smokeless to-
bacco products (e.g., spit, lug, leaf, snuff, dip, etc.) and all other nic-
otine delivery systems and products as defined by the commandant
(CG-1111) and or the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Preven-
tion. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products containing nico-
tine and approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration are
not considered Tobacco Products.
How does this affect Auxiliary vessels while on patrol? When an
Auxiliary vessel is underway on Coast Guard patrol orders issued
thru the AOM system, they are considered a Coast Guard boat and
therefore shall comply with Coast Guard regulations. Besides being
a health risk for yourself and other members of the crew, it does not
portray a professional image. Please, next time you see a fellow
crewmember light up while on patrol, kindly ask him/her to refrain
and let them know about the new Coast Guard policy.
Source: CWO C.W. Acklin, D7 Miami, (305) 415-7053

MUTUAL ASSISTANCE CAMPAIGN BEGINS
The 2014 Coast Guard Mutual Assistance Campaign (CGMA) has
rolled out. Letters to Auxiliarists seeking contributions were mailed
on March 1. Auxiliarists are a major part of the Coast Guard family
and the CGMA programs loans and grants have aided Auxiliarists in
need over the years. Your support will go a long way in the success
of this years campaign. Further information about CGMA can be
found at www.cgmahq.org.
Source: Mel Borofsky, D7 CGMA Representative, melborofsky@comcast.net

9

WHY WRITE REPORTS?
Do you ever feel annoyed or discouraged because you must write a
report for your counterpart in the chain of leadership? Do you feel
that writing a report is just a boring and tedious duty that you have
to do because of some bureaucratic regulation? As we all know, re-
ports are required from just about everyone at every level who holds
any office in the Auxiliary.
Wouldnt you rather be doing the real work of the Auxiliary in
your unit or department, such as working with and influencing
members to achieve common goals of the unit or department, or
guiding your unit or department through the changes we are experi-
encing in the Auxiliary, or training members and watching them
learn new skills, or participating in operations?
Well, here is some good news. Report writing is not something sepa-
rate from the real work of the Auxiliary. It is a necessary and inte-
gral part of the work, and it is just as real as performing any of our
various missions. Writing reports can be challenging, but it is also
interesting and even fun.
Report writing is a useful and valuable tool (especially when it is
done right). It is an essential element of the duties we assumed as
elected or appointed leaders.
Good leaders are good communicators. They communicate their ide-
as, their values, their goals and their vision. Report writing is all
about communicating those ideas, values, goals and vision. If you
have any questions or concerns, these too can be passed in these re-
ports and your questions and concerns can be addressed up the
chain of leadership and management (COLM).
The flotilla is the basic working unit of the Auxiliary, the deck
plate. This is where the policies and programs established by the
Commandant of the Coast Guard, the National Commodore (NACO)
of the Auxiliary and the National Executive Committee (NEXCOM)
are carried out. The commandant and our national leaders all need
to know what is happening at the deck plates. They get this infor-
mation from reports passed up the chain of leadership from the flo-
tillas, divisions and districts.
These reports communicate what is going on in the various flotillas,
divisions and districts, and how the Auxiliarys policies, programs,
and strategic plans are being carried out. More importantly, they
give credence to all the numbers posted in AUXDATA and AUXINFO.
The bottom line is that information from our reports goes all the
way up to NACO and Coast Guard headquarters via the chain of lead-
ership. Armed with this information the commandant prepares a
report to Congress that shows them what the Coast Guard does, how
the Auxiliary assists the Coast Guard, and why the Coast Guard and
the Coast Guard Auxiliary should be funded. Information from your

10
Winter 2013-2014
reports enables the commandant to confidently state, A key to
our success is the vitally important integration of our Reserve
force and the support provided by the nations premier voluntary
organization, the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Over 28,000 volunteer
Auxiliary members donate thousands of hours supporting a wide
array of Coast Guard missions. U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement,
February 2008.
This is why writing reports is an essential element of the duties we
assumed as elected or appointed Auxiliary leaders. We should all
make a concerted effort to prepare our reports and send them to
our division and district officers in a timely manner. Information
must flow freely up the chain of leadership and back down to the
membership. A break in this chain results in uninformed and un-
happy members at all levels of the Auxiliary.
Semper Paratus!
All Vessel Examiners Require Refresher
All Auxiliary vessel safety examiners (VEs) will be required to
take a refresher during 2014. The 2014 Vessel Examiner Work-
shop is a "required" workshop, available online or in a class-
room.
Failure to complete the workshop by June 30 will result in the VE
going in REWK (required workshop not met) status. VEs are not
authorized to conduct VSCs (vessel safety checks) while in
REWK status.
If a member falls into REWK status then, after the workshop is
completed, the flotilla commander will submit a Recertification
Request through the D7 Help Desk to DIRAUX, asking to return
the VE to "current" status.
Failure to complete workshop by Dec. 31 will result in the VE go-
ing into REYR (annual requirement not met) status. Anyone in
REYR status must complete the required workshop and com-
plete two supervised VSCs. The flotilla commander must then
submit a Recertification Request, as above, to DIRAUX.
The required VE workshop can be completed at the following
site (click to go there). http://wow.uscgaux.info/content.php?
unit=V-DEPT&category=WORKSHOPS
A video overview on how to access AUXLMS is available here;
for printable directions click here.
Source: V Directorate website

Register Your Beacon To Be Located
Advise boaters who own an emergency position indicating radio
beacon (EPIRB) to register their beacon with the proper national
authority. This links a boater and their beacon together. If it isn't
registered, a USCG or Auxiliary search and rescue operation can-
not identify your signal. This is also true for personal location
beacons (PLBs) and emergency locator transmitters (ELTs).
EPIRBs are generally installed on boats, and can either be operat-
ed automatically after an incident or manually. EPIRBs alert
search and rescue services in the event of emergency by trans-
mitting a coded message on the 406 MHz distress frequency via
satellite and earth stations to the nearest rescue coordination
center. Some EPIRBs also have built-in global positioning system
(GPS), which enables the rescue service (Coast Guard in the U.S.)
to locate you within approximately 50 meters.
You can find your National Authority here.
This reference does not constitute an endorsement of the manufactur-
er's products by either the USCG or USCG Auxiliary.

11

DEVELOPING LEADERS WHO LEAD
We have just completed most of the change of watch programs
for our various flotillas and divisions. Though some members re-
ceived awards, I was surprised and dismayed at the limited num-
ber who were actually recommended. As a division commander, I
have had many flotilla commanders and division commanders
tell me that no one in their flotilla or division was worthy of an
award. This is hard for me to believe, as there are many member
activities and responsibilities that warrant an award.
Why do we give rewards? Is it just to appease the upper levels of
command? Of course not. The answer should be: We give the
awards to recognize the work and accomplishments of our mem-
bers. Frequently, a member has been working at a particular of-
fice or task for many years. Though they do a great job, they may
never have been formally recognized for their efforts. According
to the Auxiliary Manual, Chapter 11: The recognition of an Aux-
iliarists service, through the presentation of timely and appro-
priate awards, is essential to the success of the Auxiliary pro-
gram. Recognition of Auxiliarists by Coast Guard unit COs
[commanding officers], XOs [executive officers] and all other
Coast Guard leaders is very important. In many respects, the
recognition they receive through these awards can be considered
to be their nominal payment. The service and actions of the Aux-
iliarists should receive the appropriate recognition and awards to
the maximum extent possible.
Another question is, Who can write an award request? Any
member can request the award for any other member whom they
feel is deserving of an award. They cannot propose an award for
themselves. Help for writing the award can be found on the Dis-
trict 7 webpage, http://www.uscga-district-7.org/.
At the bottom of that page is a link, in yellow, that says AWARDS.
If you click this link, it will take you to a page specifically ad-
dressing awards. There are definitions of the various awards,
templates to assist you in writing the award, information on
How to Write Awards and other informal ways to recognize
members for doing a good job. Awards can be written any time of
the year, not just at the end of the year.
When writing an award in District 7, all requests must composed
be in Word document format and accompanied by Form 1650.
This form contains information about both the person for whom
the award is being submitted and the member submitting the

12
Winter 2013-2014

award. It also has recommendations going up the chain of leader-
ship and management (COLM).
Sign the 1650, in the Word document by typing /s/ and then
type your name. This is considered an electronic signature. DO
NOT print a hard copy and sign that. Sign the document electroni-
cally, as explained above, and then forward the award letter and
Form 1650 electronically to the next person in your chain of lead-
ership for their comments.
Who should not get an award? The Auxiliary Manual, Chapter 11
suggests:
PhilosophyOnly the truly deserving should receive
recognition. To do otherwise dilutes the significance of
the award for the deserving recipient and minimizes the
value of these awards to the entire organization. Good
performance and service should always be recognized,
but the presentation of formal awards should be re-
served for Auxiliarists who have truly distinguished
themselves in their Auxiliary service.
In closing, if you want to write an award and are having difficulty,
contact persons in your COLM who are familiar with writing
awards. Most will gladly help you in making certain that deserving
members are properly recognized for the service they have given.
Semper Paratus!
The National Safe Boating Council has stepped up to the plate
and now has paddlecraft "If Found Contact stickers availa-
ble from their Safe Boating Campaign resource page:
http://www.boatingorders.com/freeproducts.html

These weatherproof stickers for canoes, kayaks or rowboats,
bearing the Auxiliary logo, provide room for the vessel owner's
name and two phone numbers, to tell emergency responders
whom to call when paddlecraft are found adrift without an op-
erator.
To order, scroll down to the Paddle Craft If Found sticker and
order. Limit one pack of 100 stickers per request. While at that
web site, you might want to check out and request some of
their other resources.
Source: Don Goff, BC-BLC, dgoff@cstarsystems.com
How to Dock in Four Simple Steps
Docking makes boaters nervous. Throw a little wind and cur-
rent in the mix, and you can find yourself overwhelmed with
things to worry about. Your technique shouldn't be one of your
worries. Coming alongside a dock or bulkhead can be accom-
plished in just four steps. The procedure in this video from
Auxiliary partner BoatU.S. is for outboard or stern-drive pow-
ered boats.
http://www.boatus.com/magazine/2013/december/steps-for-
coming-alongside-a-dock.asp
Free If Found Stickers for Paddlecraft

13
PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTEST 2014
District 7 is pleased to announce our annual Public Affairs Con-
test for 2014. We will offer four different awardsfor publica-
tion, public affairs, photography and video. The District awards a
First and Second Place in each category, at both the flotilla and
division levels.
The District's requirements for each award will be the same as
those for the National Public Affairs Awards. That should make it
easier for our winners to score well at the National level.
District Staff will submit our winners for the Best in Division and
Best in Flotilla in each category to the National Public Affairs Di-
rectorate as the District 7 candidates for Best in the Auxiliary.
(Note that National only accepts entries that have won at the Dis-
trict level and are forwarded to them by the appropriate District
Service Officer. The District can submit only the first place entry
at each level for each category.)
Flotillas and Divisions that wish to submit in any category should
visit the Public Affairs Directorate site for full details (click here
to do so). Any material submitted for a previous year's award is
not eligible for this year's program. All submissions must come
from active units. Newsletters must have been published and
programs or events conducted between May 1 and May 30,
2014. National Award recipients will be announced at the Nation-
al Conference 2014 in Orlando, Fla.
To enter in any category, email your submission to the appropri-
ate District 7 Staff Officer (listed below). Here is a summary of
the criteria for each category.)
Publication Award
Our newsletters are how we communicate with our members.
Your submission must be in PDF format, and must include (a) the
web address where it is posted and (b) three separate issues of
the publication. All issues must have been published within the
dates given above.
The District PB Team will judge submissions by standards in the
current USCG Auxiliary Publications Manual. Entries that don't fol-
low these guidelines can't be considered.
When submitting a publication, please identify the name of the
editor and your District, Division, and Flotilla number.

14
Winter 2013-2014
If your files are large, it wont be practical to email your newslet-
ter to us. In that case, please use your DropBox account (or cre-
ate one at https://www.dropbox.com/).
Then please email a DropBox link to D7Breeze@yahoo.com

Public Affairs
Public Affairs officers present the Auxiliary message to the pub-
lic. Your event should tell the Auxiliary story, promote safe
boating classes, or support our active duty partners. Please sub-
mit an email description, with photos, dates, and results of your
projects or activities. Your public affairs programs must have
occurred during the dates described above.
Connie Irvin, DSO-PA, will judge submissions by the standards in
the current USCG Auxiliary Publications Manual. The PA Team will
evaluate submissions on four criteria:
1. Use of imagination and creativity.
2. Positive promotion of Auxiliary programs and its public
image.
3. Attracting the attention of the media and the boating
public.
4. Clarity of writing and ease of replication.
Email submissions to Constance O. Irvin, DSO-PA, at
cirv@earthlink.net If you have large photos flies, use your Drop-
Box account (or create one, as above) and email the link.

Photo Award
Challenge us with photographs that capture Auxiliary members
and assets in action in the program categories specified below.
Each Flotilla and Division may submit up to two photographs for
each category. Each submission must carry the correct USCG
VIRN, the name of the photographer, the category in which you
are submitting it, and a suitable caption. Photographs must have
been taken within the identified date range.
Submit it in JPEG/JPG format of least 5 megapixels, and follow the
standards of the Auxiliary Public Affairs Policy Guide and the Coast
Guard Policy on Photography. If a photo shows identifiable minors,
include a signed model release (available from the PA website).
The only digital enhancements allowed are red eye removal, light-
ing enhancements, and cropping. Submit in color or black and
white. All Auxiliarists must appear in proper uniform and follow-
ing proper procedures.
Eligible categories are
1. Public Affairs 5. Operations
2. Fellowship 6. Public Education
3. Marine Safety 7. Vessel Safety Check
4. Member Services 8. Team Coast Guard

Because photograph files in high resolution tend to be large, it
wont be practical to email submissions to us. Please use your
DropBox account (or create one at https://www.dropbox.com/)
Then please email a DropBox link to D7Breeze@yahoo.com
Video
As with Photography, capture images of Auxiliary members and
assets in action and edit them into a compelling video segment.
Video must contain a video slate, as specified in the Coast Guard PA
Stylebook. It must be no longer than 5 minutes, with a maximum of
10 shots of about 30 seconds each.
Because video files tend to be large, it wont be practical to email
submissions to us. Please post them to https://vimeo.com/
Then email a link to your submissions to Carl Lucas, DSO-DM at
carllucas@hotmail.com
Your entries must reach us by April 20. We look forward to seeing
them. For additional information in all categories, please click
here and get the full story from the PA website.

15

Above: The pirate ship Jos Gasparilla
heads for Tampa. Courtesy photo by
Tom Ash on WFLA-TVs Eagle 8.
Lef: A coxswain takes notes on his copy
of the Incident Acton Plan.
Below lef: Manatee Watch liaison Mary
James listens to a crew briefng by Clif
Martn, Division 7 operatons, in his 14th
year coordinatng Auxiliary support of
Gasparilla.
Below right: LTJG Shawn Antonelli, lef,
represents Sector St. Petersburg as Aux-
iliary liaison. Auxiliary photos by Dick
Risk, Senior Editor, Breeze.
ANNUAL GASPARILLA PIRATE INVASION OF TAMPA
CONTINUES A TRADITION DATING BACK TO 1904
By Dick Risk, Senior Editor, Breeze
TAMPA BAY, Fla. Annually since 1904, with only 10 exceptions,
Tampa Bay has been invaded by pirates. For more than 50 of
those years, the U.S. Coast Guard and Auxiliary have assisted in
keeping the thousands of boaters who came to watch safe. This
year was no different, as the pirate ship Jos Gasparilla sailed
into the Port of Tampa on a cold Saturday, Jan. 25, escorted by
the Tampa Fire Rescue fireboat Patriot, with its water cannons
fully energized, and trailed by an armada of some 16 vessels for
the 2014 Gasparilla Pirate Invasion.
Gasparilla is said to be the largest boat parade in the nation. It
has seen as many as 3,000 boats participating in the Mosquito
Fleet, and, nearly every year, draws 300,000 spectators. One
year, the parade drew an estimated one million.
The Coast Guards primary mission, along with its partner agen-
cies, including the Auxiliary, provided safety and security for the
Gasparilla parade, which was attended by thousands of recrea-
tional boaters. While Auxiliary units are prohibited from con-
ducting law enforcement actions, the 18 Auxiliary facilities pa-
trolling the waters along the parade route and at the entrance to
the security zones played a major role in educating mariners
about the No Wake zone and the existence of areas restricted
to boaters.
The Auxiliary also supported the Manatee Watch program
required under the marine event permit issued by the Coast
Guard to the event sponsor, Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla. Any
movement of manatees, an endangered species, into the parade
route could have caused a diversion or even a delay of the pa-
rade.

16
Winter 2013-2014

The 18 participating Auxiliary vessels and their support systems
were operated by coxswains, boat crew, trainees and radio watch
standers from Divisions 7, 8 and 11. They assembled on Thursday,
Jan. 23, at Flotilla 79 (Tampa) to review the Incident Action Plan.
Linda Churchill, division staff officer for Operations, coordinated the
Auxiliary component, ably assisted by her predecessor, Cliff Martin.
Tim Teahan, Flotilla 79, managed Auxiliary communications aboard
the Patriot, the primary link to the Coast Guard and other agencies.,
while David Rockwell, division staff officer for Communications,
headed the radio guard from Flotilla 79s Tampa Radio One station
at the Salty Sol boat ramp, assisted by watch standers Len Chiacchia,
Flotilla 74 (Brandon, Fla.), Judith Clapp, Flotilla 75 (Ruskin, Fla.), and
Jim Nelson, Flotilla 72 (St. Petersburg). They were on the air from
6:30 a.m. until 6 p.m., rotating one radio operator and one logger
each hour. The third person did plotting and tracking, when needed,
and handled landline traffic. They provided radio guard for Auxilia-
ry vessels en route to Tampa Bay from points all around; conducted
roll calls every half hour, taking status reports while the recreation-
al boaters populated the bay; and monitored the Auxiliary vessels as
they traveled home after the parade.
USCG CAPT. Gregory D. Case, Commander of Sector St. Petersburg,
was the incident commander. Other Coast Guard participants includ-
ed the USCGC Hawk, Station St. Petersburg, Station Cortez, Station
Sand Key and Aids to Navigation. CMDR Gino S. Sciortino was patrol
commander.
LTJG Shawn Antonelli, Sector St. Petersburg liaison to the Auxiliary,
expressed his gratitude: "The continued support from Sector St. Pe-
tersburg's Coast Guard Auxiliary, once again, provided increased
safety and security throughout the Port of Tampa during the annual
Gasparilla invasion. Without their help, the success of the parade
would be much more difficult. A very special thank you to all of
those who helped, both on the water and behind the scenes!"
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hillsborough County Sheriffs Of-
fice, Tampa Police Department, and Manatee County Sheriffs Office
also participated in the event. The Ash Group, a local engineering
firm, coordinated the Manatee Watch for its client, Ye Mystic Krewe,
in coordination with the Hillsborough County Environmental Pro-
(L to R) Pirate parade heading toward Tampa. Courtesy photo by Tom Ash, aerial
observer aboard WFLA-TVs Eagle 8 helicopter. Auxiliary vessel Allure patrolling pa-
rade route, crewed by Dave Langdon, coxswain, Jack Lee and Loren Reuter, owner,
all of Flotlla 72 (St. Petersburg). Auxiliary photo by Dick Risk, Senior Editor, Breeze.
Auxiliary vessels prepare to leave Salty Sol boat ramp by Flotlla 79 (Tampa).

Keith Westbrook at the helm of Bayou Bengal, with Patricia Stone and Guy Man-
digo, owner, all of Flotlla 75 (Ruskin, Fla.) Mandigo and Stone cauton boaters to
observe the No Wake zone established by the Coast Guard for Gasparilla. Auxil-
iary photos by Valerie Fernandes, Flotlla 78 (Pass-a-Grille, Fla.).

17

tection Commission, which provided the aerial spotter, Tom Ash.
He rode in WFLA-TVs helicopter, Eagle 8, piloted by Judd Chapin.
Festival Based on Legend of Pirate Jos Gaspar
Legendary Pirate Jos Gaspar, the last of the Buccaneers, called
himself Gasparilla. A well-educated, Spanish aristocrat, he
served as a lieutenant in the Royal Spanish Navy for five years un-
til, in 1783, he seized command of a Spanish sloop-of-war and set
sail with fellow mutineers for the Florida Straits. He boasted in his
diary the seizure and burning of 36 ships in his first 12 years as a
pirate, forcing captured crew to join his ranks or walk the plank.
In December of 1821, Gaspar decided to retire as a pirate. He had
convinced his crew to divide their ill-gotten gains and disband, but
then mistook a U.S. Navy warship for a merchant vessel that was
too tempting to resist for one last pillaging. At the end of a bloody
battle, as legend has it and as reported on Ye Mystic Krewes web-
site, Gasparilla seized a heavy chain, wrapped it around his waist
and neck and leaped into the water, brandishing his sword in a fi-
nal gesture of defiance, as he sank into the sea.
In 1904, Tampas social and civic leaders planned a city-wide cele-
bration with the legend of Gasparilla as their theme. A group of 40,
calling themselves Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, masked and
costumed as pirates, secretly organized and planned a mock inva-
sion by horseback, capturing the city during the festival. The
surprise attack was so popular with the citizens of Tampa that the
organizers were persuaded to make their group permanent and
the invasion an annual event. Today, Ye Mystic Krewes member-
ship numbers more than 700 of Tampas most prominent citizens.
In 1954, Ye Mystic Krewe commissioned a fully rigged pirate ship,
the Jos Gasparilla, a replica of a West Indian ship used the in the
18
th
century, according to their website. It is constructed of steel,
165 feet in length, with a 35-foot beam and three 100-foot masts.
When not invading the city, the Jos Gasparilla is docked usually at
the Tarpon Weigh Station on Bayshore Boulevard in Tampa, where
the public can view it.
Right: Len Chiacchia, Flotlla
74 (Ruskin, Fla.), logs while
David Rockwell, Division 7
staf ofcer for communica-
tons, conducts roll call over
Tampa Radio One.
Below: Tampa Fire Rescue
freboat Patriot leads the
parade, with water canons
fully energized, trailed by an
armada of 16 vessels, and
fanked by the Mosquito
Fleet. Auxiliary photos by
Dick Risk, ADSO-PB.

18
Winter 2013-2014

By Dick Risk, Senior Editor, Breeze
TAMPA BAY, Fla. The Gasparilla invasion is an annual marine pa-
rade that has been sponsored by Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla
since 1904. Its sponsors claim Gasparilla is the largest boat parade
in the nation, often drawing as many as 3,000 boats and 300,000
spectators, or more. While safety and security for the Gasparilla
parade is the primary mission of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
and participating law enforcement agencies, the Auxiliary was as-
signed the additional role of assisting in the protection of mana-
tees, who are at increased risk during an event that might draw
thousands of power boats into their habitat.
The yearly event takes place in Hillsborough Bay, beginning at the
Ballast Point pier by Tampa Yacht Club and ending at the Tampa
Convention Center. Manatees feed on sea grass found in shallow
waters along the shoreline throughout Tampa Bay, and they take
refuge in warm water sites when the water temperature drops, as
it had on the day of this years Gasparilla parade. Manatees are a
protected species under federal and state law. The challenge to the
event sponsors is to ensure that manatees and other protected ma-
rine species avoid harm during the parade.
Manatees, dolphins, sea turtles, cetaceans and small-tooth sawfish
are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 and/
or the Endangered Species Act of 1973. It is unlawful for any per-
son, at any time, by any means or in any manner, intentionally or
negligently, to annoy, molest, harass or disturb any protected spe-
cies. The water parade permit issued by the Coast Guard requires
measures to protect manatees.
We are conducting this watch on behalf of Ye Mystic Krewe of
Gasparilla, which was required to obtain a Permit for Marine Event
from the U.S. Coast Guard, explains Mary James, an ecologist with
The Ash Group, a local engineering firm hired by the sponsor to
coordinate the watch.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reviews the application, and
each year adds a condition to the permit that requires the Krewe
to have a Manatee Watch Plan in
place. We have been assisting
with the watch for 10 years now,
and we have a team of about 25
volunteer observers in seven
boats, two land-based stations
and one in the helicopterour
aerial observer. We are required
to start our watch at least one
hour before the marine parade
begins, and continue until 30
minutes after the Jos Gasparilla
docks at the Tampa Convention
Center. During this time, we pa-
trol our generally assigned areas
looking for manatees, dolphins,
sea turtles, whales and small-
tooth sawfish. These are the
protected marine species that
could potentially be in Tampa
Bay. But, dolphins and manatees
are the most likely species to be
present this time of year.
The Tampa Bay Times reported
on Jan. 24 (page 1B), that a rec-
ord 829 Florida manatees died
last year from all causes, includ-
ing commercial fishing, a Red
Tide algae bloom in the Lee and
Collier County region, and the
mysterious die-off in the Indian
River Lagoon on Floridas Atlan-
Endangered Marine Species Get Special Protection During Gasparilla Boat Parade
Dozens of manatees congregate in the relatvely warm waters of the Apollo Beach
Power Plant at Big Bend, just south of the Manatee Watch area. Courtesy photo by
Tom Ash aboard WFLA-TVs Eagle 8 helicopter.
Mary McRae James, senior project scien-
tst with The Ash Group, aboard Luv@1st
Site, asks boaters to observe the No Wake
Zone. Auxiliary photo by Dick Risk, Senior
Editor, Breeze.

19

tic coast. Of that number, 173 were breeding age females. As of
January 2011, there were just 4,834 Florida manatees, according
to a report from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published in
the Federal Register on Jan. 23, 2014. That report estimated that 99
manatee deaths are human-caused each year. The Tampa Bay
Times reported on Feb. 7 (page 1B) that a new count conducted on
Jan. 24 and 27 this year determined that there are now 4,831, very
close to the 2011 number of 4,8342,514 of them on Floridas west
coast, 2,317 on the states east coast. This suggests that the popu-
lation may be stable. However, commentators caution that counts
depend on key factors, including cold weather conditions that
cause manatees to seek refuge in warm water coves, where they
can be spotted from the air, and that there is a great margin for
error.
Five of the 18 Auxiliary facilities served as Manatee Watch boats,
in addition to their vessel safety and security role. Operating pri-
marily south of upper Hillsborough Bay and lower Seddon Chan-
nel, they carried representatives from The Ash Group, which co-
ordinated the manatee watch with the Hillsborough County Envi-
ronmental Protection Commission (EPC). Luv@1st Site with Gene
Keller, commander of Flotilla 72 (St. Petersburg), as coxswain,
served as the mother boat for the observers. Ken Morningstar,
Flotilla 74 (Brandon, Fla.), was the manatee lead patrol, as cox-
swain of Kamstar. Auxiliary facilities Lil Nan and Sea Hugger, both
of Flotilla 79 (Tampa), and Merry K, Flotilla 74, also carried mana-
tee observers. Additionally, Tampa Audubon Society contributed
to the watch and provided transport for four observers in its boat.
More observers were passengers on civilian boats. In all, Manatee
Watch observers on the water patrolled Ballast Point, Pendola
Point and Port Sutton-East Bay Channel on the south end of Davis
Islands, as well as the central portion of Hillsborough Bay, north
and south of the parade route. Land-based observers watched
from the roof of Tampa General Hospital, at Ballast Point, and on
the Tampa Yacht Club dock. According to The Ash Group, half of
the observers had experience with Gasparilla in prior years. Ob-
servers without prior experience were paired with experienced
ones.
Tom Ash, general manager with the Environmental Protection
Commission (EPC) of Hillsborough County, served as the aerial
observer, as he has since 2005. Aerial transport came from the
Eagle 8 helicopter, piloted by Judd Chapin, of WFLA News Channel
8, who has also helped the Gasparilla Manatee Watch since 2005.
Jan Ash, a professional engineer and principal of The Ash Group,
served as Manatee Command, the principal coordinator for the
event as a passenger on the Hillsborough EPC vessel. Observers
were to report to Manatee Command any sightings of a protected
marine species within the vicinity of the parade route or in any
danger of injury. In turn, Jan was to relay the information to pa-
rade officials, who would dispatch additional watch boats to sur-
round and protect the marine species from spectator boats. Man-
atee Command had the authority to halt or re-route the parade if
necessary to ensure the safety of protected marine species.
Each watch boat was equipped with 2-foot by 3-foot signs reading
SLOW, MANATEE WATCH, NO WAKE and IDLE SPEED to
wave in support of the No Wake Zone established by the Coast
Guard for the event. As neither the Auxiliary members nor the
Manatee Watch observers have law enforcement authority, they
were to report all violations to the Tampa Police Department or
Florida Marine Patrol.
The Ash Group has coordinated the Manatee Watch since 2005
and, according to their watch plan, no injuries to manatees or
other protected marine species have resulted from the event
since that time.

Mary James talks to Eagle 8 while it hovers over parade area. Manatee Com-
mand patrols a cove. Stan Clark, Flotlla 72 (St. Petersburg), observes with volun-
teers Joe Milligan and Mark Mostrom, while Gene Keller, Flotlla 72 commander,
Click here to view video on Auxiliary support of Manatee Watch
If link does not operate, enter URL: www.vimeo.com/87780283
talks to Tampa Radio One. Luv@1st Site serves as mother boat for the observ-
ers. Courtesy photo of Luv@1st Site taken by Alicia Slater-Haase. Story and other
photos by Dick Risk, Breeze Senior Editor.

20
Winter 2013-2014

The question comes to me in all forms: What is the right uniform
for a boat show? What should I wear at a static display booth? Why
cant I wear what I want at a public affairs event? The questions
are appropriate, but sometimes the answer I give is neither heard
nor accepted.
Nationally, the Public Affairs Department prefers the operational
dress uniform (ODU) to be worn at boat shows and static displays
at boat ramps. Flotilla commanders quite often are rigid in saying
only tropical blues (trops) can be worn. Others permit a mish-
mash of uniforms, trops along with ODUs, or shorts.
The Auxiliary Manual is quite specific about uniform wear for all
of our events with the exception of public affairs. The standard
then becomes one that the district Public Affairs Department has
to set. In that case, the decision falls to me. The manual has one
brief line, upon which I base my recommendation. Chapter 10,
Setting an Example: Uniforms shall be pressed, clean, fit
properly, and be in good repair. It also talks about grooming,
weight and overall appearance. This last reference is the key to
understanding why I have developed a standard for District 7.
Boat Shows: Inside or Outside? ODUs are preferred, black boots
or black tennis shoesno white tennis shoes. ODUs are what
should be worn at outside displays, particularly at boat ramps. At
inside events, in which the Coast Guard has members present,
ODUs are a must. Coasties will be wearing them and we should
mirror them.
Trops are acceptable at inside events, boat shows and static dis-
plays unless the Coast Guard is also at the event. Then ODUs come
into play. We must remember that many of our members are not
in operations and all they have are trops. I do not want someone
excluded from helping at an inside event simply because they do
not have ODUs. If a member wants to help staff a booth and only
has trops, then pair that member with another who will also be in
trops. Make the uniforms match for each duty session. The key
is grooming and overall appearance.
What about shorts? The truth is, at our age most of us would cer-
tainly look better in long pants. On our patrol boats or while doing
vessel examinations in the summer heat, those shorts feel good.
But at a boat ramp with a safety booth, long pants are my prefer-
ence. No shorts. In the summer heat, a clean, new looking Auxilia-
ry T-shirt can be worn along with long ODU pants, proper belt,
black tennis shoes, black socks and the proper cover (ball cap).
Youll survive, and so will the high standard of appearance that
the Coast Guard expects of us. There are hearty souls who wear
the full ODU at outside public affairs events all year round. My
cover is off to them. Semper Paratus!

Rob Raybuck and Pat
McCarn, from Flotlla 9-10
(Ft. Myers and Cape Coral,
Fla.), wearing the tropical
blue uniform, talk to two
visitors at the Fort Myers
Boat Show. Auxiliary photo
by Constance O. Irvin.
Members of Flotlla 59 (Stuart, Fla.), decked out in their operatonal dress uniforms
(ODUs), pause for a moment in front of their statc display in front of a Lowes
store, complete with Coaste, the robot. Auxiliary photo by Hank Cushard.
WHICH UNIFORM IS CORRECT?
By Constance O. Irvin, DSO-PA, District 7

21
VOLUNTEERISM
AND THE AUXILIARY
By Dr. Bill Wendel,
Flotilla 23 (Northeast Georgia)

Will the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary survive
the 21st century?
The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is losing
members, dropping from an estimated
38,000 in 2004 to about 30,000+ in 2013.
Traditionally, the main avenue for reinvig-
orating membership came from students
taking the Auxiliarys public education
courses. Smaller numbers came from those
recruited from vessel safety checks and
those who found out about the Auxiliary by
other means. Recruiting drives, where Na-
tional asked local flotillas to make a special
effort to find and process new members,
accounted for others.
In fact, none of these tried-and-true meth-
ods now works well enough to make up the
Auxiliary numbers. Recruits from public
education classes have fallen off dramati-
cally, as have the other traditional meth-
ods.
Why this drop in recruiting new members?
There are many reasons, one of which is
that aggressive recruiting is often not done.
Some flotillas that take a more laid back
approach, only accepting new members if
theyre contacted first. Even then, there are
many flotillas that dont accept recruits be-
cause, its too much effort to train them,
or were just the right size and dont want
more members, or its not our job.
The Auxiliary, late in studying these dy-
namics and playing catch-up, is just begin-
ning to look at concepts and processes to
retain existing membership, but without an
infusion of new members, this program will
not ultimately be successful in maintaining
viable numbers.
The challenge is to find and implement a
course of action to rebuild the Auxiliarys
numbers. To do so, the Auxiliary needs to
address the generational changes that have
already begun to affect recruiting practices.

Past and present recruiting methods wont
work much longer. New approaches to re-
cruiting and retention must be found. And
that may change the face of the Auxiliary
and how it does business.
Older volunteers arent dropping out of vol-
unteeringnot more rapidly than age and
accidents have always accounted for. The
difference is that community organizations
like Coast Guard Auxiliary flotillas are
no longer being continuously revitalized, as
in the past, by a steady stream of new mem-
bers.
Voting patterns are instructive as a proxy
of social engagement. Compared to demo-
graphically matched non-voters, voters are
more likely to be interested in politics, give
to charity, volunteer, serve on juries, attend
school board meetings, participate in public
demonstrations, and cooperate with their
follow citizens on community affairs.
Today, participation in the electoral pro-
cess is at one of the lowest points in the
countrys history and is the most visible
symptom of a broader disengagement from
community life. It is not just from the vot-
ing booth that Americans are increasingly
AWOL. Americans are involved less and less
in every aspect of civic engagement than
they were 20 years ago.
The Baby Boomers are just beginning to re-
tire. If you think of this generation as a gi-
ant bell curve, the beginning edge to the
curve are those people approaching 65
years of age. Over the next 20 years this
generation will surge into retirement.
Marketing specialists, researchers, founda-
tions and membership organizations such
as AARP are already studying these soon-to-
be retirees, and with good reason. This gen-
eration has been known for breaking with
tradition and charting new courses. This is
the 60s generation that rebelled against
authority, organized movements and
changed the workplace.
Now, Baby Boomers give every indication of
being a new breed of volunteer.

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is
losing members, dropping from
an estimated 38,000 in 2004 to
about 30,000 plus in 2013.

22
Winter 2013-2014
They expect to live longer and they are
planning for financial, mental and
emotional security.

They believe they have far more choices in
terms of activities and lifestyles.
They plan to travel, explore new places and
spend periods away from home.
They do not view retirement as the end of a
career, but rather as an opportunity to begin
a new career.
They are not constrained by traditional ide-
as of retirement. They refuse to get old, and
they refuse to believe that age will limit
them in any way.
They are showing a tendency to remain in
the communities where they have lived and
work. There are indications they may be less
inclined to move to the traditional retire-
ment community states.
Volunteer managers are being challenged to
design new recruitment efforts, systems and
structures to meet this new generation of
volunteers.
Current research has identified several
themes and priorities to consider:
1. Offer choice, flexibility and responsive-
ness to todays lifestyles. Provide numer-
ous options and the ability to choose
what and how much a volunteer can do.
2. Pair volunteer activities with educa-
tional and recreational opportunities, life
-long learning, domestic and internation-
al travel, family and intergenerational
relationships, and volunteer service and
learning that can lead to new employ-
ment options. National organizations in
particular may wish to develop volunteer
exchange programs with interstate mem-
bers/partners.
3. Begin now to develop and promote re-
cruitment information for those ap-
proaching retirement. This generation is
already planning for their retirement
years.
4. Use the Internet to give information,
make statewide and national connections
and to recruit and place volunteers.
5. Enhance marketing messages with pho-
tos and images of volunteers doing new,
unexpected things, of volunteers having a
good time together, of volunteer
experts solving problems.
6. Dont rely on civic duty and make a
difference as marketing messages for
this generation. Offer opportunities for
new experiences, challenges and stimula-
tion. Personal growth and the desire for
new knowledge and skills are powerful
forces within this generation.
7. Develop career paths for volunteers to
promote life-long learning, advancement
and skill development.
8. Provide opportunities for volunteer to
try-before-you-buy experiences as a
marketing tool. This consumer-oriented
generation looks for quality, efficiency
and effectiveness. Episodic volunteering
has been the norm for many of these busy
working people.
9. Provide clear expectations regarding
time, tasks and training.
10. When possible promote the connec-
tion to local issues and local problems,
and communicate how volunteers will
make a difference.
Leadership is often viewed by the older gen-
erations as synonymous with commitment,
dedication, skills, knowledge and experi-
ence. These preconceived ideas of what it is
to be in a leadership role create subtle mes-
sages for new, younger volunteers about
long-term commitment and dedication.
Younger volunteers do not always see them-
selves as experienced, skilled or capable of
leadership. They do not readily see whats in
it for them. Attracting and cultivating new
leadership and new volunteers require new
approaches on how to do the work as well as
new messages about the value of the work
and the personal growth and development
that comes from volunteer and leadership
service.
Many volunteers are less interested in mak-
ing a difference and more interested in the
personal return on their investment. To-
days younger volunteers are attracted to
the opportunities for skills building, career
enhancement, networking and professional/
leadership development that come from
board and committee work
Unique styles: Each generation has differing
expectations. The challenge is to bring these
diverse generations together through multi-
ple options and opportunities. The Auxiliary
must understand the unique needs and
styles of each generation, volunteers and
constituents, and create ways for each to
receive personal satisfaction and reward.

The Auxiliary must understand the
unique needs and styles of each gener-
ation, volunteers and constituents, and
create ways for each to receive person-
al satisfaction and reward.

23

DISTRICT LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP:
FOCUS ON PROBLEM SOLVING
By Nan Ellen Fuller, Division 2 Commander
Nine leadership workshops took place throughout District 7 dur-
ing the first quarter of 2014. These workshops continued the dis-
tricts long standing practice of providing training in skills and
practices that benefit Auxiliary units and enhance the elected
and staff officer experience.
As with past district leadership workshops, instructors for the
2014 workshops came from the district leadership team and dis-
trict bridge. The program was organized around four modules of
approximately one and a half hours each. The content selected
for the 2014 leadership workshops reflected the needs that flotil-
la and division commanders expressed in their responses to a re-
cent survey.
The first module provided an overview of the districts progress
in meeting its goals and introduced a new toolbox for helping
leaders to resolve questions and concerns about operational and
policy matters. The second and third modules utilized workshop
participants collaborative skills to determine and prioritize at
least six essential initial ac-
tions needed to succeed as a
flotilla commander and as a
division commander.
During this process, partici-
pants had the opportunity to
practice team skills, includ-
ing, selecting a leader, estab-
lishing ground rules, setting
an agenda, having a time-
keeper, and staying on track.
Methods included brain-
storming techniques, record-
ing actions, how to utilize a
parking lot, reaching con-
sensus, prioritizing, and im-
plementing findings. The
Coast Guard Performance Improvement Guide (PIG book) helped
guide participants through techniques used by effective teams.
The goal of these two modules was for participants to effectively
utilize teams to understand and utilize the process to achieve the
objective and not to jump directly to solving the problem.

Larry Hartman, Flotlla 21 vice commander, records his groups thoughts. Auxiliary
photos, taken in Savannah, Ga., on Jan. 25 and St. Augustne, Fla., on Jan. 26 by Nan
Ellen Fuller.
Frank Lann, district training ofcer, facilitates discussion on team skills.
(Contnued on page #)

24
Winter 2013-2014

The fourth module introduced
the new Leadership Develop-
ment Center for providing in-
structional materials and lead-
ership training assistance to
divisions and flotillas.
Attendance at this years work-
shops included division com-
manders, flotilla commanders,
division vice com-
manders, flotilla
vice commanders,
district director-
ate chiefs, Auxilia-
ry sector coordi-
nators, division
staff officers, flotilla staff offic-
ers, as well as other members
showing high potential and in-
terest in holding future elected
offices.
Lef and right: Bob Weskerna, District 7 Chief of Staf,
makes his points at Savannah workshop.
Center: Sara Snyder, Flotlla 29 Vice Commander,
serves as her groups scribe.
Below, Lef: Commodore John Tyson joins the discus-
sion led by John Hadley, 14-8 (Jacksonville, Fla.) Flotlla
Vice Commander. Right: Beth Gallagher, Flotlla 45
(Sanford, Fla.), serves as a group scribe in St. Augustne.
Whether you were new to an office or you had one or more years of
leadership under your belt, this years workshop had something for
you. All participants came away with a few nuggets and several new
skills to assist them as leaders in the Auxiliary.

25
AUXOP
THE OPERATIONAL AUXILIARIST
EXPERIENCE

By Kerry Eakins, ADSO-PB
District 7

Some Auxiliarists feel that the Operational Auxiliarist designa-
tion (AUXOP, AX and AX2) is similar to a Ph.D. level of education.
While I do not feel it is that intense, I certainly appreciate the
time and effort it takes to achieve this designation, and feel hon-
ored to have achieved it myself.
My introduction to AUXOP came while I was working in Virginia,
when I had the opportunity to participate in the Fifth Southern
Districts unique Advanced Skills Weekend. This program ran,
in cooperation with the Gold Side, at Yorktown Training Center
(Yorktown TraCen).
Auxiliary students took berths on base and ate at the mess hall
with the men and women in the active duty Coast Guard. Auxil-
iarists were never treated differently than active duty Coast
Guard personnel and received the same full measure of respect.
During this training weekend, everyone had an opportunity to
participate in everything from AUXCHEF (now Auxiliary Food
Services or AUXFS) to data entry to AUXOP clas-
ses. Recognition that Auxiliarists were there to
support the Coast Guard mission emanated from
the lowest ranking seaman up to the base com-
mander. Unfortunately, the Fifth Southern District
had to discontinue this program, and it is no long-
er available.
Viewing the classes available to qualify for AUX-
OP, I felt like a child at Christmas, wishing I had
time to take all of them in one weekend. Of course,
completing them all did take more than one weekend,
but the AUXOP designation provides the widest array
of information for Auxiliarists any level. Earning
AUXOP provides an education in all aspects of surface
operations, beyond the requirements for crewperson
or coxswain. Only about 12 percent of Auxiliarists na-
tionwide have achieved this rating.
Today one can attain the AUXOP designation by tak-
ing courses individually, online, or by taking ad-
vantage of flotilla, division or district level training
opportunities. The current AUXOP program requires
candidates to earn a total of seven credits: one from a
leadership course, three from core courses, and three from an ar-
ray of elective courses. As the table on the next page shows, the
candidate must take all three core courses, and each course must
be passed with a 75 percent or better grade.
Many speak of how difficult the weather class is, but I was lucky
to have an aviator as my instructor. His intense weather training
and experience flying in all types of weather let him present the
course in a down-to-earth manner that made everything easier to
understand.
The Communications Specialty teaches proper procedures and
etiquette for using a VHF radio. The Seamanship course teaches
knots, lines, engines, types of boats, parts on a boat, and many
other boating skills. The leadership courses provide specific in-
structions for all levels of Coast Guard Auxiliary management,
and offer newly promoted personnel insights into their new posi-
tions.
The electives cover a wide array of interests. Dont
be fooled by the titles. Introduction to Marine Safe-
ty and Environmental Protection (IMSEP) alerts the
student provides to different types of pollution and
invasive species.

26
Winter 2013-2014
When I took the Search Coordination and Execution (SC&E)
course, I got an opportunity to look at the Gold Side textbook and
realized how surprisingly close the two courses were. Even some
of their exercise questions were the same as those in our book. I
later learned that my instructor was also the lead instructor for
the National Search and Rescue School at the Yorktown TraCen.
This course taught me to be more inquisitive with my instructors,
and allowed me to appreciate and respect their backgrounds even
more than I already did.
In short, my AUXOP training gave me many skills that improved
my personal boating abilities. But it also introduced me to better
resources and procedures when teaching these skills to others,
and I have made lifelong friendships along the way.

Boat Essentials-USCG Safety Gear is a simple checklist app to
help boaters identify the safety items they are required to have
onboard. It also suggests other items that will make a boat safer
and more comfortable.
Useful for all powered and non-powered boats operated in the
United States and territorial waters. This app also contains fea-
tures to help maintain a boat, buy supplies for a boat, and helps
notify the user of important dates.
Download a PDF version at http://abyc.site-ym.com/store/ViewProduct.aspx?
id=2457429 or order a water-resistant version from the Auxiliary
National Supply Center, as item No. ANSC 3030. Get the free app
from the iStore an Android version is not yet available.
The American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) was created in 1954
as a non-profit organization to develop safety standards for the
design, construction, equipage, repair and maintenance of boats.
The mission of ABYC is to improve boating safety and reduce the
number of injuries and fatalities.

Free Mobile App (or Paper Checklist)
from American Boat & Yacht Council

27

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. The United States Power
Squadrons (USPS) celebrated its 100th birthday here at the end of
January. The organizations publication, The Ensign, covered the
history of that storied organization. Here, Id like to take you
through some of that history, about an organization that shares
the mission of recreational boating safety with the Coast Guard
Auxiliary.
Boating in the early 20
th
century consisted of large, wooden, sail-
boats, and most owners belonged to yacht clubs. It was a rich
mans sport, using paid professional crews to man these large
vessels. In time, powered pleasure boats entered the scene, caus-
ing a split between sail and power which was not always friendly.
Roger Upton, a member of the Boston Yacht Club, grew frustrat-
ed with his sailboats reliance on the wind, so he bought a gas-
driven launch to tow his 50-foot ketch when it was becalmed.
Soon he replaced the launch with a 60-foot double-ender steam
vessel, and that started a movement. Being a good mechanic, he
trailed sailing cruises, often either fixing or towing stalled boats
back to port. Often, he and 36 powerboat members sailed out to
sea, performing maneuvers and drills modeled after the U. S. Na-
vy, with the goal of making them an asset in time of war.
A remarkable cruise of 40 sailboats and 20 powerboats set out
from Portland, Maine, on an annual cruise, when a strong
noreaster caught them. The powerboats rescued many disabled
yachts, which was celebrated in the media. Power boats had ar-
rived, and yacht clubs began forming power squadrons.
At that time, federal laws governing navigation applied only to
steam vessels. Federal inspectors had little use for small internal
combustion powered craft, but wanted to control them. A group
of volunteers formed to protect pleasure boaters from the steam-
boat inspectors. They began to offer instructions on the rudi-
ments of boat handling. A group within the Boston Yacht Club
continued to grow and took on the name Power Squadrons of
the Boston Yacht Club, drawing the attention of Franklin Roose-
velt, then the assistant secretary of the Navy. Roosevelt accompa-
nied the squadron on Uptons powerboat to observe their drills
and maneuvers. With World War I looming, Roosevelt urged Up-
ton to create a national organization. The idea spread, and, in
1914, delegates from 20 clubs met at the New York Yacht Club to
form the USPS.
USPS offered a free nautical school to the public in 1917, but af-
ter the war, the organization dwindled. The squadrons still per-
formed drills and maneuvers, and members still had to belong to
a yacht club. When they dropped the drills and maneuvers and
the requirement to be a yacht club member, it rekindled growth
in USPS. By 1924, the organization became a teaching organiza-
tion and membership hit 323 individuals. In 1939, President Roo-
sevelt complimented the USPS on its 25
th
birthday and accepted
an honorary membership. The organization expanded from pri-
marily an Atlantic coastal group to one with squadrons in Flori-
da, Washington and California.
As World War II approached, USPS expanded its instruction pro-
grams beyond its original four courses. They also introduced
crews to defense issues.
Gas rationing in 1942 meant receiving a number of gallons equal
to the boats horsepower per week. With the evacuation of Dun-
kirk in mind, boaters were encouraged to keep their vessels
ready for possible employment for war needs. At Dunkirk, British
pleasure boats evacuated more than 300,000 British and French
soldiers in the teeth of a rapid Nazi advance.
USPS membership boomed during the 40s and 50s, reaching
45,000 in 268 squadrons in 1959. Each year, more people became
interested in boating, as fiberglass hulls and outboard engines
pushed the national registration of boats to 450,000. On the other
hand, an appalling number of small boat accidents highlighted
the need for serious education, and the USPS responded.
Over the years, USPS has been honored by five U.S. presidents. In
2004, on its 90
th
birthday, governors of all 50 states, Puerto Rico
and the U.S. Virgin Islands signed the Proclamation of the Gov-
U.S. POWER SQUADRONS CELEBRATES CENTENNIAL
By Bill Griswold, District 7 DSO-SL

28
Winter 2013-2014

ernors, proclaiming
recognition of, and grate-
ful appreciation for, the
USPS.
One of USPS most notable
chief commanders was
Charles Chapman, in 1946,
author of the famous se-
ries of nautical books,
Chapmans Seamanship.
Today, USPS has 403
squadrons and 35,000 vol-
unteers, of which 34 per-
cent are women. The USPS
ensign has flown just
about everywhere on
Earth, and even been car-
ried into space.
The USPS has come a long
way, during its 100 years,
from the original vision of
its first commanders, but
undoubtedly they would
be proud. Congratulations
and Happy Birthday USPS!
Heres to another 100
years in boating safety.
Editors note: USPS is des-
ignated by the Auxiliary,
through a Memorandum of
Understanding, to serve in
the Vessel Safety Check
and, (now) the Recreational
Boating Safety Visitation
programs. (See next article.)
The Auxiliary is the national
director and executive agent
for the Coast Guard in the
overall operation and ad-
ministration of these pro-
grams.
Not Your Typical
Boot Camp:
A Supplement to
Traditional Mentoring

To view video that correlates to an article of the same name in the
Fall 2013 issue of Breeze, click this link: https://
vimeo.com/88105480
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Some of
you may be aware that Nan Ellen
Fuller, Division 2 Commander,
and I attended the 100
th
Anniver-
sary and National Meeting of the
U.S. Power Squadrons (USPS) re-
cently in Jacksonville. At that
meeting, Stephen Ellerin, Chief of
the RBS national Liaison Division
and District 7 Staff Officer for
Publications, presented a train
the trainer course to train and
certify the very first group of
USPS program visitors (PVs). In
addition to his other Auxiliary
duties, Stephen is the liaison at
National for USPS.
Stephen quoted statistics during
his presentation that I found
staggering, concerning the hand-
ful of boaters we currently reach
with our programsfewer than
three percent. Taking the posi-
tive side, we have much work to
do and need all the help we can
get to push out the message.
The USPS is another major force
multiplier for the Coast Guard.
Working in partnership gives us
greater opportunity to reach the
97% of all boaters who need our
message of boating safety.
One point impressed upon the
participants several times in the
presentation was that the partner
visitor (PV) program is a Coast
Guard boating safety program and
that USPS PVs are also representa-
tives of the Coast Guard. The PV
program is shared by the Auxilia-
ry and USPS in much the same
way as the Vessel Safety Check
(VSC) program.
After Stephens presentation, he
gave each participant a written
exam and scored them. All partic-
ipants scored more than 90 per-
cent and passed the exam. At that
point, I assisted Stephen in the
final step in the certification pro-
cess, the supervised dealer visits.
We took all students aside and
No One Owns the Territory:
U.S. POWER SQUADRONS AUTHORIZED
TO PERFORM MARINE DEALER VISITS
By Dave Fuller, District CaptainNorth

29

Dont see your photo or an article about your flotilla in this issue
of the Breeze?
Perhaps you forgot to send it to us?
The Breeze features items that show the Auxiliary in action that
reflect district and national interest.
Send letters or comments and article and photo submissions
to the Editors at D7Breeze@yahoo.com
took them through process of introducing themselves to a new
partner and getting the box and information on the shelf. At the
end of the supervised visits, we certified all 18 participants as the
first group of USPS members certified as partner visitors (PVs).
Our role in this, as Auxiliarists, is to promote the cooperation
and provide the resources required at the flotilla
level to help local power squadrons with this
program. Auxiliarists will need to cooperate
with their local squadrons Auxiliary PVs will
need to assist local power squadrons with the
certification process by supervising their two
required visits, especially in the initial stages.
USPS members will have their own sources of
material and boxes.
A potential problem area that we will need to
head off before it begins is that there may be
perceived territorial issues between local Auxil-
iary flotillas and local power squadrons. As you
know, we occasionally have this issue between
flotillas and even individual Auxiliarists within the Auxiliary PV
program.
It is important to note that no PV or flotilla owns a particular
territory or partner. In some areas, the Auxiliary may be sharing
space on a partners shelf with USPS brochures and class sched-
ules. and will share some of our brochures. They will likely add
class schedules, membership materials, etc. to their mix of infor-
mation to populate the racks, not only at new partners that they
set up, but also in display boxes at existing locations,
I do not know how quickly this program will spread throughout
the USPS, as we had only 18 initially certified as PVs at the USPS
National Conference, but the participants were
from squadrons across the country and eager to
launch the program. Eventually, this program
will be widespread and will come to all areas as
the USPS promotes it internally and it gains criti-
cal mass.
Cooperation and partnership between local pow-
er squadrons and Auxiliary flotillas will make
this a long-term success as has been long demon-
strated with the VE program. Please do every-
thing you can to promote cooperation and part-
ner with local squadrons. This is one more op-
portunity to have both organizations work to-
gether for our greater goal the promotion of
boating safety. After all,
this is why both organiza-
tions exist.

It is important to note
that no PV or flotilla
owns a particular terri-
tory or partner. In some
areas, the Auxiliary may
be sharing space on a
partners shelf with USPS
brochures and class
schedules
RIGHT: Look for the USPS logo
next to the Auxiliary logo on
future Program Visitor display
racks. USPS PVs are authorized
by the Auxiliary Natonal Com-
modore to add their logo to
the Auxiliary logo on existng
display racks.

30
Winter 2013-2014

A NEW TWIST ON SAFETY CHECKS
Bill Griswold, President,
United Safe Boating Institute & D7 DSO-SL
Recently we began collecting the reasons vessel fail a
vessel safety check (VSC). Were putting them into a
database for analysis, and the key to this programs
success is you, the vessel examiner.
Why Do Boats Most Often Fail a VSC?
Help Us Find Out
The United Safe Boating Institute (USBI), whose parent
organizations include the Coast Guard Auxiliary, U.S.
Power Squadrons (USPS), Canadian Power Squadrons,
American Red Cross, American Canoe Association and
US Sailing, has a project underway, funded by a Coast
Guard non-profit grant, to gather this information.
USBI has database into which you can log the reasons
any boat fails a VSC. To do this, we need input from
USPS and Auxiliary examiners.
OK, how does this work? An examiner goes out and
does several exams, filling out an ANSC Form 7012 for
each vessel. Lets say s/he does eight exams, and two
fail. When the examiner gets home, s/he goes to his/
her computer and types in http://www.usbi.org/
vsc.php. With just few point and clicks, the VE records a
few items to describe the boat, type of water used on,
state of use and organization of the inputter. with a few
more point and clicks, s/he records the reason(s) the
boat failed and hits the SUBMIT button. Poof, the infor-
mation goes into the database, and s/he enters the sec-
ond failure.
This site also has a PowerPoint that explains the pro-
gram, plus an Excel spread sheet with the data entered
sofar. These are available to anyone, and will be used to
analyze why boats fail, differences between states or
regions, size of boats and type of water on which its
used. We can also determine differences between Auxil-
iary and USPS examiners, just who is catching what.
The program began in 2012, with USPS entering VSC
failures from all states. By July, the Auxiliary began to
enter data from six pilot states. Although, at the end of
September, Hurricane Sandy flooded the web sites host
equipment, it was restored by the end of the year.
Current data in the spreadsheet reflects about 8,011
failed exams.
What We Know So Far...
A couple of quick observations fire extinguishers are
the leading reason a boat fails. Larger boats tend to
have more discrepancies per exam. Auxiliarists seem to
catch navigation lights more than USPS examiners,
while USPS folks nail the fire extinguishers more often.
Results of this program will serve a variety of needs.
First, they tell us where we need to strengthen our pub-
lic education efforts. Secondly they will tell us how well
boaters are complying with the carriage requirements.
A long-range hope of the program is to build a compati-
ble reporting system into a new version of AUXDATA,
so that submitting Form 7012 adds reasons for failure
to thia database.
I welcome any and all examiners to enroll themselves
in this reporting program. Yes, its an extra step; no, it
doesnt confer any credit; but it does give us a glimpse
on why 25 percent of vessel exams fail and hopefully
will steer our future efforts to better educate the pub-
lic.
Comments and questions are welcome, write Bill Gris-
wold at wsgriz@aol.com.
West Marine will again offer a
discount on safety-related
items to boaters who show
proof of having had a vessel
safety check. Vessel examin-
ers can hand out coupons
when performing vessel safe-
ty checks. Discount coupons
are also available on the "B
Directorate site. From the top
row of any Flotilla website,
click "Directorates" and then
select "RBS Outreach" or
click here:
http://bdept.cgaux.org/wp/wp-
content/uploads/2014/02/West
-Marine-2014-VSC-Safety-
Coupon_colorSm.pdf

To save on color ink or toner,
the two-sided coupon may be
printed in gray scale.

31
COASTIE DRAWS KIDS
AT MYRTLE BEACH BOAT
SHOW
By Jack Margolis, District 7
ADSO-PB

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. Coast
Guard Auxiliary members Loren
Sgro, Carl Brown, Jeanette
Brown and Stephen Clay from
Flotilla 12-2 (Grand Strand, S.C.)
and Eric Hurlin, Oliver Leimbach
Jr, Jack Margolis, Anthony Pres-
son and Vernon Shepard from Flotilla 12-4 (Central Grand Strand,
S.C.) interacted with the public during the Myrtle Beach Boat Show
Jan. 10-12 at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.
The boat show was well attended by the public even though the
weather report was for severe weather in the area on Saturday.
Many people visited the Coast Guard Auxiliary table throughout the
three-day event. Most visitors asked for information about outfit-
ting their boats to meet federal and state safety standards, when and
where the next boating safety classes would be conducted, and to
get information about joining the Coast Guard Auxiliary; and of
course to see Coastie.
The Auxiliarists staffing the table answered every question enthusi-
astically and provided the print material needed. Children received
Inky the Whale coloring books.
The biggest hit, as always was Coastie, always a draw for young and
old alike. Vernon Buddy Sheppard was one of the Coastie opera-
tors.
Coastie directed boat show attendees to the Auxiliary table and con-
versed with the young. To the children, Coastie is real, and Buddy
was able to draw them into some rather interesting conversations
that inevitably turned to being safe while near and on the water.
Coastie also worked on getting their parents to come visit the Auxil-
iary table.
In addition to answering questions and handing out material to
passers-by, the Auxiliary conducted two safe boating seminars and
assembled a list of names of visitors who asked to be contacted:
People looking for a boating safety class;
People needing Vessel Safety Checks; and
People interested in joining the Auxiliary.

Local TV Channel 13 (CBS) mentioned the Auxiliary and Coasties
participation in the boat show, and safe boating programs.

(Above, L) Coastie converses
with young boat show at-
tendees.
(Below, R) Buddy Sheppard
operates the robot and talks
through it to the kids. Auxiliary
photos by Jack Margolis, Dis-
trict 7 ASDO-PB.

32
Winter 2013-2014

February 28, 2014
Dear Colleagues,

I am proud to announce President Obama's intent to nominate Vice Admiral Paul F. Zu-
kunft as the 25th Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard.
Since I became Secretary, I have had the opportunity to get to know Vice Admiral Zu-
kunft, and if confirmed he will be a great leader for the future of the Coast Guard. As a
37-year veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard, he has demonstrated this leadership while
serving in a number of different capacities, including coordinating federal response to
the Deepwater Horizon Spill. During the response, Vice Admiral Zukunft directed more
than 47,000 responders, 6,500 vessels and 120 aircraft as the Coast Guard worked to re-
spond to and recover from the largest oil spill in U.S. history.
Vice Admiral Zukunft currently commands U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area, and is a grad-
uate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and holds advanced degrees from the U.S. Naval
War College and Webster University.
If confirmed as commandant Vice Admiral Zukunft will follow another great leader
Admiral Robert Papp, Jr. I thank Admiral Papp for his years of service to the U.S. Coast
Guard, to the Department of Homeland Security, and to this Nation, and I look forward
to seeing Vice Admiral Zukunft continue his great work.

Sincerely,
Jeh Charles Johnson
Secretary of Homeland Security
VICE ADMIRAL PAUL F. ZUKUNFT NOMINATED
AS 25TH U.S. COAST GUARD COMMANDANT

33

Team Coast Guard in Action
AUXILIARISTS FROM DIVISION 9 TAKE PART IN
SIMULATED FUEL SPILL POLLUTION EXERCISE
By Mitchell D. Schlitt, Flotilla 98 Charlotte Harbor, Fla.,
Breeze Contributing Writer
FT. MYERS, Fla. Four members of Auxiliary Division 9 participated
in a Team Coast Guard simulat-
ed environmental spill exer-
cise conducted on Dec. 11,
2013, in Fort Myers, Fla., by
Coast Guard Sector St. Peters-
burg. Team Coast Guard refers
to the four components of the
Coast Guard as a whole: Regu-
lar, Reserve, Auxiliary, and
Coast Guard civilian employ-
ees.
Auxiliarists Pat McCarn, Flotil-
la 9-10 Ft. Myers and Cape Cor-
al; Tom McColough, Flotilla 94
Naples; Mitchell Schlitt, Flotil-
la 98 Charlotte Harbor; and
Tom Hart, Flotilla 96 Wiggins
Pass, all of Florida, reported to
the Marine Safety Detached
Duty Office in Ft. Myers
(DDFM) to join 13 others from
active duty Coast Guard and
the Reserve for this Federal On
-scene Coordinators Repre-
sentative (FOSCR) and Incident
Command System (ICS) simu-
lated disaster drill. All four had
taken the Introduction to Marine Safety and Environmental Protec-
tion course; McColough is also a certified Assistant Pollution Re-
sponder (APR).
Coast Guard Chief Marine Science Technician John Morgan of Sector
St. Petersburg, who conducted the exercise, initiated the activity by
sending a mock National Response Center incident report to the Ft.
Myers detachment indicating that a vessel at the shrimp boat dock
in Matanzas Harbor at Ft. Myers Beach had caught fire, releasing an
unknown quantity of diesel fuel into the harbor.
As the responders assembled at Salty Sams Marina, Morgan ex-
panded the details of the scenario, explaining that a 72-foot shrimp
boat had caught fire, which had spread to another fishing vessel
tied alongside. According to the scenario, efforts by the local fire
department failed to extinguish the flames before both vessels sank,
releasing some 3,500 gallons of diesel fuel, causing a 500-foot by 30-
foot rainbow sheen, moving south-southeast
Although the Auxiliarists were to
be observers only, Morgan as-
signed McCarn to monitor and take
notes on the drill and McColough
to perform the ICS function, to
monitor the whereabouts of all as-
signed personnel. Schlitt and Hart
were assigned to the Shoreline
Cleanup Assessment Team (SCAT),
which had responsibility to make
initial assessments from shore of
the spread and effect of the spill.
The scenario called for the sheen
to spread, impacting three areas: a
limited access mangrove canal, a
private canal across the harbor
with mangroves and concrete sea-
walls, and the protected man-
groves of the Matanzas Preserve.
SCAT leader LT Jessica Paxton as-
signed Schlitt to investigate all
three sheens and report using the
Coast Guards Short Shoreline As-
sessment Form. This form requires

Chief Marine Science Technician John Morgan (right), director of the polluton ex-
ercise on behalf of Sector St. Petersburg, and Auxiliarist Mitchell Schlit of Flotlla
98 examine informaton from diesel fuel spill reports by partcipants, posted on a
Google Earth map. Auxiliary photo by Tom Hart, Flotlla 96.

34
Winter 2013-2014

drawings and detailed fill-in-the-blank descriptions of the affected
areas. The information Schlitt gathered was radioed to the exer-
cise operations center, via marine VHF radio, along with marine
observation and air operations, so that a spill recovery and reme-
diation plan could be formulated. The incident command post staff
annotated the information forwarded from on-scene observers on-
to large-scale Google Earth maps printed specifically for the drill.
The exercise scenario then called for the simulation of hiring con-
tractors to contain and recover the released diesel fuel at the re-
ported locations. To add realism, Morgan updated the scenario
throughout the drill, including the simulated injury of contractors,
who were removed from the incident by emergency medical ser-
vice technicians.
Auxiliary members can participate in Marine Safety and Environ-
mental Protection in a variety of ways. Citing the Auxiliary New
Member Reference Guide, Chief Morgan points out: Qualified Auxil-
iarists and their facilities are authorized assignment to duty to as-
sist in marine safety and environmental protection. Auxiliarists
may provide facilities and personnel for public education, for sup-
port of pollution prevention activities, for environmental disaster
relief operations, and other assistance, as needed by Coast Guard
Sectors.
While Auxiliarists are not actually assigned to DDFM, according to
Chief Morgan, they can provide direct support. They do not have
ratings like the active duty component does, so theyre not consid-
ered Marine Safety Specialists, he explains. However, they may
be part of the Marine Safety Program.
Besides the exposure to way the ICS works, participation in the
drill earned the Auxiliarists training toward certification for the
APR designation. They also honed their critical thinking and
communication skills. Best of all, they have a better understanding
of what it means to be part of Team Coast Guard.

NEXT ISSUE:
Celebrating
75 Years of the
USCG Auxiliary
The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary turns 75 on June 23, 2014, and
the Breeze will dedicate a major part of its Spring 2014 issue to
that observance.
Alejandro de Quesada, District 7 historian, is writing a compre-
hensive history of the Auxiliary. The Breeze is soliciting historical
photographs and articles of significant events that occurred within
the District 7, including units that have since been assigned.
Please send digital files of your own article or links to other arti-
cles of historical significance describing Auxiliary activity, such as
the Auxiliary during World War II, major operations, rescues, sup-
port of national or regional events, etc., to: Historian, D7.
Also, please look for historical photos within your units. They may
be hanging someplace on the walls of your home flotilla. Photos
must be taken by an Auxiliarist, public domain, or accompanied
by a release from the owner. Scan them in at least 300 dpi reso-
lution and send them, with descriptions, to: Editor, Breeze.
To ensure that your submission is considered for inclusion in the
commemorative issue, please submit no later than April 15. Later
submissions may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.
Auxiliary facilities patrol the Atlantic Coast off Savannah,
Ga., during World War II.

35

A South Carolina
Department of Natu-
ral Resources ma-
rine patrol officer
observes the scene
and records the ac-
cident of a small
fishing vessel par-
tially submerged.
Auxiliary photo and
story by Joe New-
man, Vice Com-
mander, Flotilla 12-1
(The Inland Sea
Lake Marion, S.C.)
Smart Captain,
Happy Ending
Every three or four days, just after daybreak, when the lake is calm, one of
my friends, (who is 70-something) motors out a mile or so on Lake Marion
to tend to his twotrot lines. He has a trim, 16-foot runabout, with a bow-
mounted helm and a brand new Yamaha engine. On Oct. 28, his trip became
quite than normal. At around 7 a.m., about a half mile from shore, his boat
suddenly veered hard, possibly from hitting a submerged log. He was imme-
diately thrown from the boat. At that point, his luck went south. The boat,
with the steering locked, circled back and ran over him, perhaps more than
once, slicing both legs, and deeply along one leg from ankle to hip as the
prop ran up his leg. The boat then flipped over, killing the engine. My
friend spent the next 40 minutes in 65-degree water, first making his way to
the boat, collecting his thoughts, and finally signaling the only way he could
under the circumstancesyelling for help.
Four things saved his life. First, and foremost, he was wearing a hydrostati-
cally activated life vestwhich inflated as soon as he submerged. Second, he
is a former Navy underwater demolition team (UDT) diver, so he did not
panic. Third, by what he calls a divine circumstance a neighbor heard his
cries from almost a half-mile away.
The water was calm, the air was still, the victim was motivated, and our mu-
tual neighbor, Ed, was out taking a walk. Ed faintly heard a sound that he
could not distinguish, but which seemed out of place. He asked his wife to
come listenand between them, they agreed it was someone in distress. Ed
ran down to where he could see out onto the lake and spotted the over-
turned boat.
He borrowed a neighbors pontoon boat, and Ed and his wife, Beth, raced
out to the scene. They found the victim conscious, but very weak. They
managed to get him into the boat where Beth, a nurse (number four in to-
days collection of miracles) treated him for cuts, shock and hypothermia.
They called 911 and rushed him to shore, where he was stabilized and then
transported to the hospital for treatment.
The toll? A few new scars for our UDT man and his boat. Well have to wait
for the final report on his engine, but my friend has another story to tell
and hes still around to tell it. And for us in the Auxiliary, so many of the
things we are taught and that we teach to others played out in this real life
drama: wearing a life vest, discipline in an emergency, and emergency med-
ical skills paid off. If only hed been wearing his kill switch...

36
Winter 2013-2014

Dave Fuller, DCAPT-N, and Stephen Ellerin,
DVC-BL, both of the District 7, prepare,
train, and congratulate members of the US
Power Squadrons as the frst USPS Pro-
gram Visitor (PV) trainees. Startng this
year, USPS members join the Auxiliary in
the USCG Dealer Visitor Program. The
training session took place on January
30th, during the USPS Natonal Meetng in
Jacksonville, Fla.

37

District 7 DTRAIN collage. Auxiliary photos by
Bob Fabrich, ADSO-PB-Graphics, and others.
Collage by Bob Fabrich.

38
Winter 2013-2014

AUXAIR Annual Aviation Safety Workshop
at Air Station Borinquen Feb. 28-Mar 2,
2014. All awards were generated, signed
and presented by the active duty Coast
Guard, including RADM Korn.
Topping the list was the Auxiliary Meritori-
ous Service Medal and the first-time-ever
1000 mission hour plaque. This event in-
cluded the Dominican Republic Auxiliary,
Sector San Juan and BQN command at-
tending.
The event included perhaps the first Vest
Fest, and USCG survival personnel
demonstrated egress training.
Auxiliary photos by Bob Fabrich, ADSO-PB
-Graphics, and others. Collage by Bob
Fabrich.

2014 Winter

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