February was a month of settling into
the business of getting the job done. It
was not a month of big events or new programs.
Rather, it was something better: moving the flotilla forward on a steady
pace towards our 2012 goals.
The staff officers are working
with their respective teams and posting the numbers we need to support the
Coast Guard, and inform and assist the boating public. Our flotilla dashboard readings, as well as
the reports from the staff officers, show a healthy and growing flotilla.
Prospective new member interest
continues at a steady pace. All of our
new members are engaged in training to begin their Auxiliary service. Vessel safety checks are maintaining a steady
pace, and program visits are growing in numbers substantially over last
year. We’re holding our own with number
of students attending our safe boating classes.
Our operations departments have
been very busy. We had twelve patrols on
the water during the month of February.
We have one of the busiest patrol schedules in the Division. As if the operations team didn’t have enough
to do; Ned Herrmann and Mike DiPierro washed the exterior of the communications
trailer the evening before the Bonita Bay Boat Show. I thought I might drop by with my car before
the next boat show at Fish Tale Marina.
We have qualified two new
watchstanders, with three more about to qualify. Our next watchstander class will most likely
have five more trainees preparing for qualification. The quality of our TCO class has developed a
reputation with neighboring flotillas.
Flotilla 93 has asked us to invite their trainees to our next class.
March is shaping up to be even
busier than February. We have five
speaking engagements scheduled, fifteen patrols, and member training activity
in VE, PV, boat crew, and watchstander qualifications.
Please thank our staff officers
and participating members for their hard work.
Without the staff officers’ leadership and the efforts of our members,
nothing would be accomplished.
At the monthly flotilla
commander’s meeting, there was considerable discussion about recurrent boat
crew training. This would be training between
the three-year requalification examinations.
Station Fort Myers Beach Commanding Officer Jeffrey Kerner participated
in a portion of these discussions. This
of course included continuing discussions about SABOT, the new Standardized
Auxiliary Boat Operations Training.
The
rollout of SABOT has been an agonizingly slow process. However, I think that will work to everyone’s
advantage. It is allowing the Auxiliary
and active-duty leadership the time to get it right.
Without
going into unnecessary detail, let me say that essentially all of the flotilla
commanders support the program. Further,
the Station supports it and they will most likely be participating in some
aspects of the program.
The
Division is beginning the process of organizing the program so that it will be
administered consistently to all flotillas in the Division. The important thing for all boat crew
personnel to understand is that this is designed as a supportive program. Its objective is to help boat crew personnel
maintain their competency between their three-year requalifications and improve
their proficiency in task performance.
So, even though the wait for rollout continues, it is on a steady pace
towards implementation.
As
always, we are Semper Paratus.