What's New

Next Flotilla Meeting -18 Mayl 2006 - 1930 Hrs. - Dunellen American Legion Post 119 --- Your attendance is appreciated.

We must all have our finger prints taken and recorded. This can now be accomplished in one fell swoop by contacting Dan Craig, FSO, MA. He will be at the Flotilla meetings each month and have his print kit available for whomever needs to have their prints recorded. Please see that your prints are recorded soon since there is a time limit to this beyond which one cannot continue membership in the Auxiliary.

The Quest Is Here
It is time to enjoy the latest issue of The Quest, a quarterly publication available from the National Department of Training. This issue includes articles on Mentoring, ICS Training and Mandatory EFT Payments. Take a few minutes to read The Quest today.
[Posted: 18 DEC 2005. Source: DC-T]

Migration Update
Hundreds of our local unit websites have been successfully migrated from our old server to our new Local Unit Server. To complete the process, we will be re-pointing incoming hits from the old site uscgaux.org/ addresses to a new directory listing. This can then be used to locate the new unit websites at uscgaux.info/. We will be re-pointing the domain late Sunday night, and the redirect to the new directory listings should become functional on Monday 19 DEC.
Once people update any bookmarks they may have to the old unit sites, we will continue to maintain a list of new uscgaux.info/ address links for easy future reference.
[Posted: 17 DEC 2005. Source: Jeff Mahl, DC-I]

ANSC 3006 Available
ANSC 3006, Federal Requirements pamphlet, is now back in stock.
[Posted: 17 DEC 2005. Source: Stu Soffer, N-MS]

NACO Memo To The Commandant
The National Commodore's December 2005 Memo to the Commandant
reflecting recent Auxiliary activities has been posted on the NACO website.
[Posted: 16 DEC 2005. Source: NACO]

New Offerings In Public Education
The latest edition of On Course presented by NACO, begins a series of occasional articles written by the program experts – the National Staff who develop and oversee existing and emerging new programs.
[Posted: 15 DEC 2005. Source: NACO]

A Request For Help
We all know at times, when we are asked to support various programs, we are never sure the help is truly needed or if the money gets where it can do the most good. A group led by the National Commodore, Chief Director, a National Area Commodore and the District Commodore from D8-CR took a trip that started in Mobile, Alabama and ended in Port Arthur, Texas. Along the way they made stops at Pascagoula, Biloxi, Gulfport, Diamondhead and New Orleans. The purpose of the trip was to let the Auxiliary and Coast Guard personnel that had been through the devastating events of hurricanes Katrina and Rita that we care. Read this account of their travels and their first-hand account of what they saw, now on SITREP, the Auxiliary’s National e-magazine.
[Posted: 14 DEC 2005. Source: Mel Borofsky, DVC-AP]

Information On Upcoming National Training (N-Train) 2006
Information regarding the upcoming N-Train 2006 meeting in St. Louis is now available on the Coast Guard Auxiliary Association's (CGAuxA) Special Events page.

Please review if you plan to attend since it contains valuable information to assist with your travel plans. Time is short for making room reservations and obtaining the best airfares.

As a reminder, District Staff Officers (DSOs) Communications (CM), Communications Services (CS), Public Affair (PA), Publications (PB), Public Education (PE), and Personnel Services (PS) travel on U.S. Coast Guard orders issued by their Director of Auxiliary. These District Staff Officers shall coordinate their travel orders with their Director of Auxiliary. Auxiliary orders issued to them cover only lodging and Per Diem. DSOs should contact their District Commodore regarding questions/issues regarding their Auxiliary issued orders.
[Posted: 13 DEC 2005. Source: Martin L. Phillips, Executive Director, CGAuxA]

Still Looking For That Perfect Holiday Gift?
The Coast Guard Auxiliary Association, Inc. (CGAuxA) offers Associate Memberships to those interested in supporting the Auxiliary but not necessarily wishing to join as an active member. Associate Membership allows them to feel a part of the greatest maritime volunteer organization in the world and also may be tax deductible.
Associate Member programs offer a variety of levels, starting at only $25.00. At that level members receive a member card and decal, a thank you letter from the the National Commodore of the Coast Guard Auxiliary, an annual subscription to The Beacon magazine, and the privilege of buying CGAuxA logo items. As the level of the contribution increases, so do the perks.

What better gift to give a fellow boater, the person who has everything or the patriotic friend than one that supports Homeland Security, boater education and the training of Auxiliarists to continue being America’s Volunteer Lifesavers?

More information is available on the CGAuxA Associate Membership web page. You may even charge it with our secure check out process. What could be easier or more rewarding?
[Posted: 12 DEC 2005. Source: N-SA]
BoatU.S. Guides
BoatU.S. Consumer Protection Bureau has two free guides available that contain excellent information on “Buying and Selling A Boat” and a “Guide to Marine Service”. These would make good handouts for Public Education Classes, Vessel Exams, distribution by RBS Visitors, and for Public Information Display Booths. The Department of Boating has published a document (PDF:11 KB / 1 page) which contains a brief description of each of these guides and how to order them.
[Posted: 11 DEC 2005. Source: DC-B]

Service Restored
The National Web Server experienced intermittent problems and a hardware failure. The defective parts were replaced and the system was restored using a prior "clean" image dated 02 December 2005. We will be testing and updating to bring everything back to normal. We ask National level webmasters to review their sites hosted on this server. Auxiliary unit sites, recently migrated by our local webmasters (hosted on the *Local Unit Server*) were not affected.

We regret any inconvenience, and thank you for your patience and consideration.
[Posted: 11 DEC 2005. Source: Jeff Mahl DC-I]

Additional Support For Coast Guard & Auxiliary Hurricane Victims Needed
Coast Guard Mutual Assistance has provided $160,000 in loans to over 32 of our members in the hurricane devastated Gulf states, with additional members still seeking support. Through your generosity, Operation Life Ring has collected approximately $90,000 in donations with donations continuing to trickle in to go to Coast Guard Mutual Assistance to offset Auxiliarist loans.

I am appealing to all members to continue to open your hearts and support your fellow members in these disaster stricken areas. If we can not offset these loans through Operation Life Ring, our members, many of whom have been left with virtually nothing, will have to begin repaying these loans in April. Please support your fellow members of Team Coast guard by visiting the Operation Lifering website.
[Posted: 07 DEC 2005. Source: Jim Vass, COMO D8CR]

$4.99 Boating World Magazine Offer
Boating World Magazine is now offering current members of the Auxiliary a one-year subscription (10 issues) to their magazine for only $4.99 but only through Shop Auxiliary. This opportunity comes courtesy of your Coast Guard Auxiliary Association. Just one of the many benefits for serving as a member of the Auxiliary. Visit Shop Auxiliary for other great shopping bargains as well.
[Posted: 07 DEC 2005. Source: John P. Whelan, N-M]

Auxiliarist Receives Virginia Governor’s Safety Award
This is an annual award presented by the Virginia Transportation Safety Board in recognition of individuals and organizations who have made extraordinary contributions to transportation safety in Virginia. Read the details and some interesting facts about the Auxiliarist who received the award this year, now on SITREP, the Auxiliary’s National e-magazine.
[Posted: 05 DEC 2005. Source: Mel Borofsky, DVC-AP]

ANSC (Auxiliary National Supply Center) Update
ANSC #3002, Your Guide To Towing (You're In Command version) is back in stock at ANSC. This is an excellent product that contains tips for better towing, road rules for all 50 states, and a step-by step safety checklist.
[Posted: 02 DEC 2005. Source: Stu Soffer, N-MS]

Free Brochures For Winter Meetings
Looking for something to hand out at your next meeting or for the upcoming boat shows? The BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety & Clean Water has just the thing and will let Auxiliary members order by email. The Foundation’s brochures are free and cover boating safety and environmental topics like alcohol and boating, hypothermia, and clean fueling, many in both English and Spanish. To download an order form for free brochures, visit the BoatU.S. Foundation's Brochures page or email Lauren Paige at lpaige@boatus.com. Provide flotilla/division number, name, address, and quantity requested. You can obtain up to 200 per title, per quarter.
[Posted: 02 DEC 2005. Source: Stu Soffer, N-MS]

New AIRS (Auxiliary Internet Resource Site) Announced
The AIRS (Auxiliary Internet Resource Site) has been updated and moved to a new address: airs.uscgaux.info. The new AIRS site will now provide all the "interactive" information for our webmasters (individual site status updates, etc.). The CS Guide will continue to provide all "static" information (policies, procedures, etc.).
[Posted: 02 DEC 2005. Source: Jeff Mahl, DC-I]

Remember to send in your 99 forms to Andy VanJura. Man hour accounting is important to the efficacy of the Auxiliary.

Next meeting is to be held on 18 May 2006 1930 hrs. The meeting place will be at the American Legion Post 119, 137 New Market Road, Dunellen, N.J.