Dave Shuster, Flotilla Commander

I’m pleased to report that our 2012 Flotilla Plan is off to an excellent start and I have a great deal to report.  The credit goes to our team of staff officers, aides and the flotilla members who provided the many man-hours of work.

Not only are we ahead in all three goal areas after our first month, in some cases we’re many months ahead of schedule.  As of today, our number one goal, significantly increasing recruitment and retention, is over 25% towards our annual target of fifteen new members. We have four new members and within a few weeks we may be at almost 70% of that target. 

As to retention, all of our new members have either started, will soon begin their first training classes or are participating as aides to flotilla staff officers.  We’ve started our second Telecommunications class with a mix of new and existing members attending.  Our Operations meetings under the leadership of Ned Herrmann and Mike DiPierro are moving forward with a full agenda, producing a significant increase in patrol activity and discussion of future improvements in operational performance and education.

Our second goal, improving mission excellence in all activities, is developing nicely.  The improvements in our speaker bureau methods are in large part behind our recruitment gains.  We have already begun to employ Coast Guard leadership methods in mission performance, with the chartering of a small task group to develop safe and effective recovery procedures for an unconscious person-in-the-water.  This focused, organized approach will ensure we adequately plan and execute our activities.

 Our third priority goal, expanding organizational relationships, is also ahead of schedule.  Through our presentation to the Brooks Fish Club, the Brooks gated-community club, called The Commons, will host one of our About Boating Safely classes at their facility, to the 2,000-plus members of their club, on March 27th and 29th.  

We performed vessel safety checks for the Riverwoods Yacht Club after our presentation on “What is the Auxiliary and What Do We Do?” Our next presentation will be to the Cascades Community Men’s Club.

Today I spoke with Bob Wasno, Director of the Marine Research Department for Florida Gulf Coast University.  He has scheduled, through Neil Arnal, to have us perform Vessel Safety Checks on their department boats again this year.  Further, he would like to set up a schedule of safe boating classes for their university students.  

Greg Guederian, our Public Affairs officer, has been busy securing promotional opportunities. He capitalized on a last-minute opportunity for our free participation at the Naples Boat Show. 

He also worked a deal with Sea Tow to provide free signaling whistles to handout at our VSCs, PE classes and other activities.  As with all flotilla initiatives, we can’t do the job without your help. Speaking engagements are a key strategy in our recruitment goals.  We are getting great results

As you’ll recall, at the last general membership meeting, I handed out a small ‘post-it’ to each member asking for a name of one organization or group that you feel might be a good prospect for the flotilla to schedule a presentation.  Unfortunately, at the end of the meeting, none we’re submitted.  Mark this up to lessons learned for a “newbie” flotilla commander.

 I really should have provided advance notice of my request, to give each of you time to think of a possible group as a presentation opportunity.

Therefore, with this lesson in mind, I will again pass out a ‘post-it’ to each flotilla member at the general meeting, on Wednesday, February 15th.  We’re looking for any community group, professional organization, local agency or any group of people you may know that would be interested in a presentation about the mission of the Auxiliary and what we do for the Coast Guard and the boating public.  The emphasis of this presentation is to highlight the fact that the Auxiliary is populated with volunteers just like them, and we enjoy an exciting and fulfilling list of important volunteer opportunities as Auxiliarists.

I know we won’t receive a suggested group from every member.  However, if we get something from just a third of you, that provides Greg Guederian in Public Affairs a great deal of help in scheduling future dates.

As with this issue, in future issues of the Hatchcover, I will provide an updated graph of our Flotilla Dashboard.  The Dashboard is a great leadership tool to keep the membership focused and updated on the progress of our flotilla goals.  Organizational performance measurement and its leadership tools is a major initiative in the 7th District.

I also have two announcements.  First, George Stancil has stood up a second time and accepted the duties of Flotilla Staff Officer for Materials in addition to his current role as Flotilla Staff Officer for Marine Safety.  Also, Mike DiPierro has also stood up a second time and accepted the position of Fleet Staff Officer for Program Visitation in addition to his current role as assistant to Ned Herrmann in Operations.   This will greatly relieve Neil Arnal, who was serving in both Vessel Examination and Program Visitation.

I want to thank both of these members for their generous commitment in time and talents.  They are already making a positive impact on the flotilla.  Please take a moment the next time you see George and Mike, to thank them for their service to our flotilla and the Auxiliary mission.

As always, we are Semper Paratus.