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Division 15 District 1SR US Coast Guard Auxiliary

The Watchstander _______________________________________________Summer 2010

From the Division Commander:

Tom Venezio, DNACO-O, held training recently to familiarize

Division and Flotilla leaders with using Everbridge, the Auxiliary’s notification system for important and emergency messages.

Division members can expect to receive test notifications soon so they, too, will become familiar with how Everbridge works. Think of it as a phone tree, only better. The system will call your home phone with a message. Follow the prompts to acknowledge that you received the message. If you don’t answer your phone, the system will send the message to your cell phone, and also to

your e-mail address if necessary. Once you acknowledge receipt of the message, it will stop sending additional messages.

Everbridge uses the contact information that you provided to the Auxiliary. To check that your information is correct, go to https://auxofficer.cgaux.org or click on Aux Directory on the Members Deck. If you need to update your information, your FSO-IS will help you fill out a 7028 form.

Using Everbridge, on July 15 I will send all Division 15 members a message to ask whether you will attend the Division picnic and meeting in Whitehall July 21. This will provide practice with the new system, and your response will help us plan the meal.

We will conduct an election for Division Commander (DCDR) and Division Vice

Commander (VCDR) at the September 15 Division meeting at the American Legion in Lake George. Any eligible member interested in running for either of these positions is asked to send a resume to me by September 1 for circulation to the Division Board.

To be eligible to serve in either office, a candidate must 1. have completed a regular term of office as Flotilla Commander by the date of

assuming office 2. have completed IS 200 and 800 by the date of nomination 3. be certified as of the date of election as vessel examiner, instructor, or in

Operations, or have served as an elected or staff officer at any level for the last year

or have logged 25 hours of mission (not 7029) time in the previous year.

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Who elects the DCDR and VCDR? The Division Board, which consists of the Division Commander, Division Vice Commander, Immediate Past Division Commander, District Commodore, and the six Flotilla Commanders.

Margaret Malone, DCDR

Less than 2 weeks until

the Division 15 Meeting and Picnic!

Wednesday, July 21 Skenesborough Fire Department

Whitehall, NY

Come by car or boat. There is free power along the canal wall near the

firehouse, which is above Lock 12.

Bring your family. Bring lawn chairs.

Activities begin at 1500 in the park by the canal with contests and fellowship:

Marlinespike challenge Heaving line contest Nautical Team Jeopardy

Prizes for the top three finishers in each category!

Dinner is served at 1800; the meeting will follow.

Cost: only $5!

The menu includes afternoon snacks and beverages.

Supper will feature sausage sandwiches with fried

peppers and onions, hamburgers, hot dogs, Texas hots,

assorted salads, and dessert.

Members are encouraged to bring a salad or dessert to share.

Uniform: civilian casual

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Telecommunications Training To Be Held July 31 Lynn Enny, Member Training Officer, and Jim Canavan, Communications Officer, have organized Telecommunications Training for Saturday, July 31, in Plattsburgh. Any members who wish to operate marine radios, particularly AuxNet radios, should take this training. Members who attend this session will need to come prepared:

1. Download and print the AUXILIARY TELECOMMUNICATIONS QUALIFICATION STANDARD book: http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg3/cg3pcx/missions/TC-PQS.pdf

2. Read all material and complete all questions/quizzes in the PQS guide. 3. Notify SO-MT Lynn Enny of attendance at the training. 4. Meet with a mentor at the July 31 session to complete

the tasks for qualification. 5. Successfully complete the test and any other standards.

Place of training: Flotilla 15-8 Ops Center, Plattsburgh Time: 0900 until sign-offs are complete

More detailed information will be provided at a later date to those who respond that they are planning on attending.

Attention FCs and Photographers: Awards Season Is Approaching Division 15 will present awards at the November 14 Change of Watch that recognize excellence. Each Flotilla Commander should submit his nominations for Auxiliarist of the Year and New Auxiliarist of the Year to the DCDR by October 15. Last year’s deserving winners were Ron Volungus of 15-9 and Don Craig of 15-8.

The Division will also recognize the Flotilla of the Year, an honor won last year by Flotilla 15-9. By November 1, each Flotilla Commander should submit to the DCDR a summary of flotilla activities following this outline:

I. Mission and Programs A. Member Services II. Member Training and Qualifications B. Recreational Boating Safety III. Organizational Support C. Operational and Marine Safety IV. Noteworthy Contributions D. Fellowship V. Why the Flotilla Deserves the Award

The Fouled Line Trophy is given to the subject of an embarrassing photograph, such as the one that made Lee Townsend last year’s winner. Anyone with a camera has a chance to record this year’s winner. Here are the guidelines:

• The Fouled Line Trophy shall be awarded annually at the Division 15 Change of Watch to a Division 15 member in good standing.

• The subject must be clearly identified as a member of the Auxiliary.

• The reason for the award can in no way bring credit on the CG, the CG Auxiliary, or the member.

• The recipient must display the trophy and the photographic evidence during the year that the member has the trophy.

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• The recipient must also display the photographic evidence at the following Change of Watch when reluctantly returning the award so it can be presented to the next deserving member.

Entries should be submitted electronically to Frank Williams, the Division’s busiest photographer, by November 1. He will submit the entries to the Division Board for their vote.

Surface Operations Training Days Lead Off Patrol Season Lynn Enny, Division Member Training Officer; Karl Saboda, Chief Qualification Examiner; and Charlie Pound, Division Operations Officer, led Operations Training Days for southern flotillas at Harris Bay Yacht Club on Lake George May 22 and at Station Burlington on June 5 for northern flotillas. Thirty-eight members attended one or both events. The annual training is designed to refresh boat crew skills at the start of a new patrol season. The morning classroom training included one-hour TCT, an update on the boat crew mentoring program, and reviews of the pre-underway checklist, GAR, man overboard procedures, and towing. Threatening weather caused the cancellation of the underway training in Burlington, but at Lake George everyone took to the water in five boats during the afternoon. Below: Margaret Malone, Karl Saboda, Lynn Enny, Charlie

Pound, Kris Teply, Don Craig, Jim Moore, Dick Bayer, and Tom Malone in Burlington.

Aux Directory Replaces eDirectory As of July 2, the eDirectory has been replaced by the updated and improved Aux Directory. Reach it by going to https://auxofficer.cgaux.org or by going to the Members Deck page and clicking on Aux Directory. The directory lists addresses, contact information, and qualifications for all Auxiliarists, including AP members.

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Bridge Construction in Progress Pilot Ron Volungus of 15-9 provided these photographs of work beginning on the bridge at Crown Point in April. Jim Wilson, Air Observer, and trainees Tom Catellier and Gregory Hunter took photos on two different patrols. In the photo above, the ferries are each at their landings. Vermont is on the left. The Champlain Memorial Lighthouse can be seen on the right. Because of the construction, frequent ferry traffic, and narrowness of the channel (note

photo on left), Station Burlington has requested Auxiliary patrols in the area each weekend through boating season.

15-13 Tours Cumberland Captain Heather Stewart, head of Operations of Lake Champlain Transportation Company, provided a lecture and tour of the Cumberland for Flotilla 15-13 members and their guests on June 21. The Cumberland and the Grand Isle are providing free transportation at the Champlain Bridge site during construction. At right, Jim Canavan, IPDCDR, Stewart, and David Hirtle, FC of 15-13.

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Division Welcomes New Members Division 15 has added 22 new members this year. Welcome aboard!. New members should attend flotilla meetings to learn what the Auxiliary is about. Our more experienced members can help them figure out the uniforms, get them involved in training, and tell them how much we appreciate their help. Right, Carl Duford

fingerprints Flotilla 15-2 applicant Phil Gullion.

15-2: James Moore 15-4: Edward Keyrouze, Davide Abade 15-8: Jessica Berg, Theodore Alwine, Scot Zaremba-Woodward, Joshua Jerome, Brandon Johnson, Joseph Shoemaker 15-9: Neil Satterly, Myron Barley, Harold Siegel, Beth Berger, Paul Berger, Andrew Defeo, Jamie Hillenbrandt, Francis Johnson, Jerald OBrien, Robert Tomlinson, Jeffrey Vasold 15-10: Gary Slusher 15-13: William Doyle

Public Boating Classes Help Keep Boaters Safe Auxiliary instructors know that what they do saves lives: 70% of reported boating fatalities occur on boats where the operator has not received boating instruction. They teach wherever they can gather a roomful of students—marinas, firehouses, schools, stores—continuing a basic and important Auxiliary mission. Knowledgeable boaters who can teach are valuable members in any flotilla. Samples of ABS classes: above, Flotilla 15-10 at Cossayuna in June and Flotilla 15-8 at Gaines Marina in May; below, 15-10 at Harris Bay Yacht Club, June, and 15-8 at Rouses Point Fire Department, May.

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Four New ATON Verifiers Qualify on Malletts Bay Aid to Navigation (ATON) Verifier training was presented by BM1 Aaron Miller at Station Burlington April 23-24. Four new AVs were certified, while others in the class of 13 attended to refresh their knowledge. Classroom training culminated in a trip to Malletts Bay to check PATONs (private ATONs). New AVs are Dick Bayer (below right, with BM1 Miller) and Reid Allen of 15-2, Don Craig of 15-8, and Mike Balch of 15-10. Trainees were split between the USCG TANB and Mike Balch’s Zodiac. AVs will be checking private aids this summer.

Division Website Is Redesigned Jim Quaile, SO-CS and Keeper of the Division 15 Website, reports that the website has been redesigned to conform to a new uniform look and feel being urged within Team Coast Guard. While not mandatory, it is strongly suggested for all unit websites. Uniformity is achieved by using a template, which controls the header, footer and side panel. Units are free to include as many pages as desired with customized content. FSOs-CS should contact the SO-CS with questions concerning flotilla websites. The Division site is available at http://a01415.uscgaux.info/.

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It’s Official: The Watchstander Is First in First Southern At the District Conference in March, The Watchstander won first prize for division publications in First Southern District. While displaying the award at the April division meeting, the editor credited all the contributors—note the long list on page 11—who supply the news and photographs for each issue showing the gamut of our members’ activities in support of recreational boaters, the Coast Guard, and their country. For examples, see what follows.

Auxiliarists in Action

David Muse of Flotilla 15-2

has become the Division’s newest Watchstander. Muse joined the Auxiliary a year ago. He has also qualified as a Fingerprint Tech and is in the Boat Crew program. He is shown in the Watch Room at Station Burlington.

Other Division 15 members have added new qualifications to their resumes recently:

15-2: Reid Allen: Program Visitor, Aid to Navigation Verifier Jean-Miguel Bariteau: Interpreter Richard Bayer: Aid to Navigation Verifier 15-4: Douglas Leininger: Telecommunications PQS, Vessel Examiner 15-8: Donald Craig: Aid to Navigation Verifier Margaret Malone: Program Visitor 15-10: Michael Balch: Aid to Navigation Verifier Matthew Gilbert: Program Visitor Jeremy Putorti: Program Visitor

Lee Townsend, shown at left,

and Jeremy Putorti, at right, were among the members of Flotilla 15-10 manning a Safe Boating booth at the Greater Upstate Boat Show at the Adirondack Sport Complex in Queensbury on March 26-28. With hundreds of boats on display, the show claims to be the biggest boat show between Montreal and NYC.

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Nick Flora, FC of 15-2, (on

left )joined personnel from Station Burlington at the city’s annual Kids’ Day festival. The station’s air boat drew lots of interest and gave the men an opportunity to remind kids and their parents to wear their life jackets.

On May 6, Jim Quaile of Flotilla 15-9

(in shorts in front) attended Flotilla 16-1’s monthly meeting in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, while on vacation. This was one of several interactions with members of the flotilla, whose members helped Quaile in planning his trip and with socializing during the visit. Flotilla 16-1 is active in surface, air and radio missions and is blessed with a 12- month boating season.

AuxChefs Tom Malone and

Jim Canavan assist FS2 Chris Smith preparing for the gala July 3 picnic at Station Burlington for Coasties and their families, LE personnel, and about 20 Auxiliarists. Malone estimates they cooked 80 each of cheeseburgers and hot dogs to satisfy the hungry crowd.

On July 3 David Hirtle,

Pastor of the First Congregational Church of Crown Point and FC of Flotilla 15-13, led a memorial service for Division 15 members who have died recently. Hirtle spoke about the interdependence of members—it’s how we get

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our jobs done and why we enjoy our work. Frank Williams, Nick Flora, Carl Duford, and Margaret Malone gave eulogies for the departed: Shirley Evertsen, Frank Williams, Ray Dahle, Jackie Roach, Neil Carey, Rod Tarte.

Flotillas thanked their hosts for the use of

their facilities for flotilla meetings with Certificates of Appreciation. At left, Tom Venezio and Craig Hammer, FC, at the Stratton Air National Guard Base at the

Schenectady County Airport, home to 15-9. At right, Carl Duford, VFC of 15-8, thanks the South Plattsburgh Fire Department, which provides the flotilla’s winter home.

Mike Balch and Charlie Pound

volunteered their facilities for a mock boarding exercise with Station Burlington

personnel on June 4. Above, the boarding party enter Balch’s boat. At right, they board Pound’s sailboat and interrogate the crew. No arrests were made.

Margaret Malone spent five days at Auxiliary Search,

Coordination, and Execution C School in Phoenix, AZ, in June The course included SAR organization and policy, On Scene Commander and SAR Unit duties, search planning variables, and plotting search patterns. In addition to SCE, the training included a component to prepare students as SCE trainers. One of 12 students from across the nation, Malone counts the week well spent.

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Shirley Evertsen died April 15 in Troy. She joined the Auxiliary in April 1975, and was the fourth most senior member of Division 15. Shirley was critical in the formation and maintenance of Flotilla 15-4 and served as Flotilla Commander in 1980 and 1981. Karl Saboda writes, “I recall my first days in the Flotilla at the Crescent Boat Club and Shirley giving a detailed financial report of $100.04. She was always accounting for every penny so the $0.04 was clearly communicated to the membership and became a long-standing point of laughter for 1504.” More recently Shirley served as flotilla secretary. Our

condolences go to her husband Bob—also a 35-year member—her son Bob Jr., both members of 15-4, and her family.

Members of Flotilla 15-8 were deeply saddened by the death of Frank Kennedy on March 25 in Plattsburgh. Joining the Auxiliary in October 2007, Frank was a plank member of Plattsburgh Flotilla, serving as Communications Officer. He was an active student. Having completed Seamanship and Communications, Frank was studying Telecommunications, Navigation, and Boat Crew at the time of his death. Our condolences go to Frank’s wife Jeanne and to his son and daughter and their families. He was a valued friend and shipmate who will be greatly missed.

Division 15 Calendar

July 21: Division Meeting and Picnic, Skenesborough Fire Dept., Whitehall July 31: Telecommunications Training, Plattsburgh

September 15: Division Meeting and Election, American Legion, Lake George, 1800

November 14: Division Change of Watch , Queensbury Hotel, Glens Falls

December 3-5: District Leadership Conference, Mystic Marriott, CT

The editor thanks Karl Saboda, Ron Volungus, Jim Wilson, Tom Catellier, Gregory Hunter, Frank Williams, Mark Bertsche, Don Craig, Bob Flynn, Lynn Enny, Heidi Behrendt, Josh Behrendt, Nick Flora, Jim Quaile, Mike Balch, Charlie Pound, Tom Malone, and Jim Canavan for their contributions to The Watchstander.

Election requirements can be found at http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg3/cg3pcx/publications/comdtinst/M16790.1F-election-criteria.pdf

The information contained in this document is subject to the provisions of the FEDERAL PRIVACY ACT of 1974 and may be used ONLY FOR OFFICIAL BUSINESS of the COAST GUARD and the COAST GUARD AUXILIARY. EDITOR: Margaret Malone, 75 Trim Road, Morrisonville NY 12962, 518-561-0561, caphuff@charter.net