America's Volunteer
Lifesavers

            

Flotilla 86 Venice, FL             www.cgauxvenice.org           7th District

 Juan Hernandez PhD, Commander           James Sleichert, Vice-Commander

Flotilla Commander's Message

From the Commander

I would like to start by asking all members to congratulate Jim Sleichert and Ed Stebner on their election as FC and VFC, respectively.  I am confident that they will be successful in leading our Flotilla and helping us develop as members.

In the following paragraphs I want to highlight our major achievements for this year to put in perspective what we were able to achieve through commitment and teamwork. I will also outline some of the projects that will be continued next year.

Our major accomplishment was the relocation from the Moorings to the Training Center, which had to be done during a short period of time to provide on-going support for our safety patrols and training activities.  Several projects were completed to finalize the transition from the Moorings, such as, relocating the sheds and the radio facility; removing the radio tower and cleaning the Moorings facility; building a concrete pad for the storage shed and the base for the radio tower; mounting the radio tower and antennas; installing the grounding network and the computers and finishing other peripheral activities.

The successful completion of these projects was due to the contributions made by many members, and once again, I thank them for their support and dedication. In addition, we reached agreement with Marine Max to use their facilities for on-the-water training activities.  This provides an excellent venue for on-the-water training activities, including the use of a training room and easy access to our vessels.

Mystery lunch cruises enhanced fellowship activities this year and, according to the level of participation, these events should be continued next year.  These fellowship events provided our significant others the opportunity to be part of our team and share the camaraderie.

Finally, our Flotilla is leading two projects at the national level, namely, the Digital Selective Calling Tracking and Navigation System (DSC-TNS) and the Flotilla Leadership Course.  The DSC-TNS was presented to the National Area Planning Meeting in Miami on Friday, April 24^th.  The system is now being used to support our training activities and will be available soon on Blackboard as a national online navigation course.

The Flotilla Leadership Course was developed by the National Training Department to train Flotilla Commanders.  This program has been deployed to all Districts as a residential and online course using the Blackboard 8 Community System hosted by Southern New Hampshire University Online.   Judi  Bidwick and Dee Kermode worked with me on the development of this program.

Our boat crews had two SAR missions this year where we were the first responders in both incidents and saved a total of four lives.  The first one occurred on Saturday, May 9^th while on safety patrol on my boat, The Guardian, with Patrick Wheeler, Harry Bruno and Valerie Weede as crew members.  Ruth Bruno was our radio watch stander. This SAR involved two fishermen in a small fishing boat that capsized outside the Venice Inlet; both victims were rescued.

The second mission occurred during Operational Training on Thursday, June 11^th, while two facilities were in route to the Rum Bay restaurant to do a dead reckoning exercise.  The Sea Note II, with Lou Magyar as coxswain and Henry Reynolds, Patrick Wheeler and Ramon Thompson as crew, spotted a small aluminum boat that capsized on the Intra-Coastal Waterway across from the Venice Yacht Club.  Two fishermen were also rescued during this mission.

Both crews did very well and deserve our kudos.  These incidents highlight the fact that we need to be always ready because we never know when we are going to be called again for another SAR mission.

We closed the year with four significant events that helped us promote boating safety and public education and offer a forum for public relations and recruiting for both the Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Auxiliary.  They were the USCG Cutter Crocodile Adoption Ceremony and Division 8 “ALWAYS READY” SAR on October 3^rd, the Sun Fiesta Parade on October 17, 2009, and the Pubic Affairs event at Home Depot to support National Safety Month.

Overall, we had a very good year in terms of missions and public service activities.  The year-to-date statistics are shown on the table below.

 

Unit Summary Data 01-JAN-2009 to 22-OCT-2009

MARINE DEALER VISITS: 16

OPERATIONS 369 HOURS; 90 PATROLS; 4 LIFES SAVED

OTHER MISSIONS: 5,758

PUBLIC AFFAIRS:  342 HOURS

PUBLIC EDUCATION: 116 HOURS

TRAINING

·         MEMBER TRAINING SESSIONS: 125 HOURS

·         SPECIALTY COURSES: 261 HOURS

VESSEL SAFETY CHECKS

·         GIVEN 391;

·         VSC'S PASSED 202 (51.7%)

Our Flotilla also did very well at the Division awards this year.  Our members and the Flotilla received a total of 22 awards, 15 individual and 7 Flotilla awards.  This is truly outstanding and our heartfelt congratulations go to these members and to all of you for such remarkable achievements.

 I want to close by saying that it has been a privilege and an honor to serve as Flotilla Commander for this year.  I am grateful for your support and look forward to continuing to work with such a fine team in the future.

 Juan C. Hernandez, FC

 

 Juan Hernandez
 

 

Important Notice Best Viewed With Windows Internet Explorer Flotilla Staff Officers                CM - Juan Hernandez                CS -  Denis Keyes                FN -  Janet Heijens                IS   - Harry Bruno                MA - Richard Markwitz                MS - Roman Gzyl                 MT -  Lou Magyar                OP - Jim Sleichert                PA - Al Bidwick                PB - Judi Bidwick                PE - Judi Bidwick                PS - John Kandes                PV - Jerry Mitchell                SR - Ruthanne Bruno                                       General Meeting:               First Tuesday - 1930                  Training Center               On The Water Training               Every Thursday - 0830                Marine Max, Venice

Vice Commander
James Sleichert

 

                                           FROM THE VICE FLOTILLA COMMANDER DESK:

October is here and our snow bird members are arriving from the cold.  Let’s hope they can take the heat since summer will not let go.  

Flotilla membership renewals are coming in and most of our members have paid up for the new  year.  Unfortunately, we had to send about six registered letters asking for the dues to be paid or drop
membership in the flotilla.  Each of these members was notified by letter and e‐mail about the situation and we had no response.  Hopefully they just overlooked the time frame and will send in their dues.

 We had our election on the 6th of October and the membership turnout was great.  We had more than a quorum and some members were present that we had not seen for a long time. The election went flawlessly, as usual, and we now will have a new leadership for the coming year. 

I’m asking all flotilla members to try and make the Change of Watch which has been advertised through e‐mails to every member.  This will be an afternoon party and hopefully we will have a great turnout.  We are trying this for a year to see what response we get from our members.  We can always go back to a night party if you, the members,  do not like this agenda.  This is only held once a year and we need your presence.

I attended the division meeting that was held on the 10th of October and learned some disturbing facts.  The division cancel rate on patrols is high.  This makes the flotillas look like they are unable or unwilling to fill requested patrol dates.   It seems like a few coxswains  cancel at the drop of a hat.  If 10% of the coxswains cancel constantly, it makes the whole division look bad.  I have always said and will repeat --do not request orders unless you know for certain you will be available that day and have some idea of your crew.  This is especially  important in the summer when crew is not as available.  There should only be cancellations for weather (and that does not mean when you see a cloud in the sky) and mechanical problems.  Remember, you have access to crew from nearby flotillas that may be more than happy to get out on the water.  You cannot expect Station Cortez to have much faith in us if we cannot  honor a commitment  made to take a patrol.  We cancelled 26 % of all our requested orders.

I hope to see you on the water or at a class.  Please help out and do whatever you can, whenever you can.  If you have any questions or problems,  just give me a call.

Coxswains check out  this new GAR form and see if you want to use it.

http://www.cgaux.org/response/_documents/GAR%20Model%20Surface%20Ops.pdf

Jim Sleichert
Vice Commander      

Communications Services
 Denis Keyes, FSO-CS

Information Services
 Harry Bruno, FSO-IS

I recently had a new PowerPoint circulated to all flotilla members which demonstrates the new system for completing 7028s and sending them to the FSO-IS to update AUXDATA for personnel information.  The website address is http://auxofficer.cgaux.org   and your sign on and password are the same as what you use for the e-directory . 

Please be sure you follow this process when you wish to change any personal information in AUXDATA.  If you do not, AUXDATA will not be corrected and the proper chain of leadership will not receive notification.   I cannot make changes to your information by emails or phone calls to myself or someone else.   If you have any questions please contact me.   Thank you for your cooperation.

Harry Bruno
FSO-IS

Materials
Ron Roth, FSO-MA

NEW MEMBER UNIFORM ORDERING INFORMATION

To start, you will need the Operational Dress Uniform (ODU, your work uniform) and the Undress Blue Uniform (meetings uniform) plus nametags and insignia that are attached to the uniform.

The Uniforms 

Flotilla members order their own uniforms.  I have always had good luck ordering from USCG Uniform Distribution Center.  Go to www.uscg.mil/hr/udc then click on “Placing Orders” in the left column.  It pays to take a couple of minutes to read the instructions.

For ODU’s click on “ODU Uniform” in the left column then select “Tucked ODU Uniform” then make your selections.  Get T-Shirts and Shorts from the District 7 Materials Center. Telephone: 727-535-2593  Email: D7materialcenter@gmail.com. 

For Undress Blues click on “Men’s/Women’s Shirts” in the left column then make your selection.  Then click on "Men’s/Women’s Trousers” in the left column then make your selection.

Note:  The uniform sizes are not the same sizes you are used to.  Follow the measuring instructions.  Ask other Flotilla members who are about your size what size they are wearing.  They are willing to help you out.  They too have had to deal with USCG sizing.

Belts. 

There are several options.  Check what others are wearing and ask questions before ordering.  Send me an email or call me if you have questions.

Name Tags and Insignia

ODU Uniform - You will need the following three sew-ons: Member Collar Insignia, USCG Auxiliary and Your Name.  Sew the last two above your right and left pockets respectively.  The cloth tape on which the letters are sewn must extend from one side of the pocket to the other.

Undress Blue Uniform - You will need the pin-on metal Member Collar Insignia and a pin-on plastic Name Tag.

I will place an order for the nametags and insignia on Friday 11/9/09.   Send me the following information ASAP along with a check payable to Flotilla 86:

                                         ITEM                                                                                       COST

_____    ODU Sew-on Member Collar Insignia    ($2.50/set)                                    _______

_____    ODU Sew-on USCG Auxiliary Insignia  ($2.50/ea)                                     _______

_____    ODU Sew-on Name (1-11 letters)            ($2.50/ea)                                   _______  

_____    ODU Sew-on Name (11+ letters)             ($4.00/ea)                                   _______

_____    Undress Blue Pin-on Plastic Name Tag   ($5.00/set)                                 _______ 

_____    Undress Blue Pin-on Member Collar Insignia (I have 3 good used

                sets which go to the first 3 people who are interested  @ $4.50/set)      _______

 _____   Undress Blue Pin-on Member Collar Insignia  ($13.00/set)                      _______

 _____   Undress Blue Pin-on Member Collar Insignia (If you are not one of the

                first 3 people who ordered a used set, add $8.50 and you will receive a

                new set. If a used set is still available your $8.50 will be refunded.)          _______

                                    TOTAL COST                                                                               _______

RONALD ROTH,
FSO-MA 

Operations
Judy Bidwick, FSO-OP

    

         
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