So, the year begins and we’re off to the races. I want to thank everyone who attended the Change of Watch. The dinner was great, well-earned awards were bestowed, past officers were sincerely thanked for their service and hard work, and new officers were sworn in. It was a nice evening and I hope everyone enjoyed each other’s company.
I spoke briefly about our flotilla plan for this year during my remarks at the Change of Watch. Our primary goal for 2012 is recruitment and retention. The flotilla needs growth in members, as well as, growth in our capabilities if we are to fulfill our missions in support of the Coast Guard. I will be discussing this in more detail at our general meeting this month.
I want to briefly talk about our philosophy moving forward and our relationships as we work together. All of our members are sincere in their motives regarding their contribution to the flotilla and the Auxiliary. If there are problems or disagreements, we need to assume the best in others. I hope we can all be tolerant, supportive and forgiving of each other.
In the Flotilla Leadership Course there is a module on conflict resolution. It covers the six phases of conflict and concludes that the second phase, which is the confrontation, is most important. That is where we have the best opportunity to resolve issues and disagreement. The key is that everyone engages in a healthy, respectful discussion that creates a process leading to a resolution. If the discussion is angry and assumes the worst in others, nothing is resolved. Not a desirable or pleasant outcome.
As to our methods in achieving our goals, I believe we need to proceed in a steady and methodical fashion, working as a team. We need to make sure each of us has an opportunity to share our thoughts. We need to work towards consensus building. We need to take the time to get it right. As they say, “do it right, and do it once.”
So, with this spirit in mind, I look forward to working with all of the membership this year. Your staff officers and aides are good, hard-working Auxiliarists who will need your support and participation.
One last note, we have a couple of vacant staff positions. If anyone is interested in either Human Resources or Materials, please contact me at your earliest convenience.
As always, we are Semper Paratus.
