Land-based classes will be held on Monday nights, from 1900 to 2200, at the Providence Center in Arnold, Maryland, north of Annapolis.

There will also be four on-the-water (OWT) training sessions that will provide students with practical experience (and needed patrol hours) that will enable them to qualify for sign-offs on their under way tasks. The OWT training will be held from 0930 to 1430 on April 26, May 4, May 10 and May 18, at Sandy Point State Park basin in Annapolis.

Important: Your registration form must be in to course leaders by March 15, so that the necessary arrangements can be made.  Please don’t miss this deadline!

Mail your completed registration forms to Nancy Gardner, SO-MT/DCP, at

2108 Bay Front Terrace, Annapolis, MD 21409 or e-mail them to her at ngardner@sensitivesystems.com. If you have any questions, call Nancy at 800-287-1317.

The next few pages in this packet include a registration form, a calendar of BCQ dates to remember, and some information about what you’ll need to take the course. (We’ll offer a similar course in September-October.) Please join us! If you’d like to be out on patrol with the Auxiliary, this is a great way to qualify for crew, coxswain or personal watercraft operator.

Nancy 

Nancy Gardner

Division Captain

Division I,

Fifth District Southern

US Coast Guard Auxiliary

FIFTH DISTRICT (SR) ADVANCED SKILLS WEEKEND  SPRING 2008 INFORMATION & REGISTRATION 

The Spring 2008 Fifth District (SR) Advanced Skills Weekend (ASW) will convene on the weekend of 28 – 30 March 2008 at the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center (TRACEN) Yorktown, VA.

SEND COMPLETED REGISTRATION FORM BY MAIL OR AS AN ATTACHMENT TO E-MAIL TO:                 HENRY W. STAKELY, DSO-MT 5SR                                      E-MAIL: hstakely@prodigy.net                PMB 117, 631-407 BRAWLEY SCHOOL ROAD                MOORESVILLE, NC 28117 – 6204 

REGISTRATIONS WILL BE ACKNOWLEDGED BY MAIL AND/OR E-MAIL. IF NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT RECEIVED WITHIN TWO WEEKS, CALL 704-663-9315

Associated Document
1-asc-auxdirect-auxiliarists-wanted-8002.doc

Interested in working more closely with the Coast Guard? Here’s the first installment of a weekly listing we’ll be sending you containing jobs at Coast Guard installations in Sector Baltimore that that Coast Guard wants Auxiliarists to fill. We’ll list each job by its title and location, then describe the duties and qualifications needed and show the hours that you’ll be expected to report.  At the bottom of this attachment, you’ll find an application form. If you’re interested in applying, please fill it out fully and send it to Art Pine, Auxiliary Sector Coordinator (Sector Baltimore) at: By e-mail to: ap99bc@starpower.net  or  Art Pine, ASC(SB)3519 Raymond StreetChevy Chase, MD 20815-3227 Note: Please do not send your application directly to the Coast Guard or to the installation. A word about commitment. Once you sign up for a job or training course with the Coast Guard, you’ll be expected to stand regular watches or work regular hours at the job after you’ve been certified. Please sign up, but please know in advance that doing so will require your continuing commitment.

Our daughter Cristyn, Manager at the West Marine in Glen Burnie, has invited us to hold a Vessel safety check/PA booth day at her store on April 26. She wants to work more closely with our flotilla, and has some great promotional ideas. West Marine will create flyers for the day, and will also send out an email blast to all Boat U.S members who live in the area. She’s working out a coupon for customers to use for purchase of safety-related items.

Joe – I’m hoping that you’re available to coordinate the VSCs

Ruby – I’ll email Lorraine to coordinate pickup of the brochures, pamphlets, etc. Even if she’s not in town, I know how to access them from her garage.

Holly

For more information, contact:

Anthony Turner
Public Affairs Officer
310-908-6950
www.auxpa.org

BOSTON LAWYERS ON FICTIONAL T.V. SHOW JOIN U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY?

Since mid-December viewers of a television series based on a fictional Boston law firm have heard mention of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. In fact two of the main characters in one of the most recent episodes were preparing to take the Coast Guard swim test.

Unlike this fictional T.V. show, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is real and no you don’t have to take a swim test to join. U.S. citizens who are at least 17 years or older are eligible to “sign up” and serve in what is regarded as the premier all volunteer force in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

So who are these volunteers in the Coast Guard Auxiliary?
They come from all walks of life; they are students, teachers, businessmen and women, retirees, aviators, police officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, health care professionals, carpenters, IT professionals, and yes just like the fictional Boston T.V. show, lawyers.

What can I do in the Coast Guard Auxiliary?
You can use skills you have already developed in the Coast Guard Auxiliary. For example, a teacher may teach safe boating classes, or an aviator may become part of the Auxiliary Air program, health care professionals may decide to serve in the Health Care Directorate and provide health services to Active Duty and Reserve Coast Guard members. Or, Auxiliarists may choose to learn how to become a Boat Crew Member or Coxswain (which do require a swim test), a Public Affairs Specialist, an Air Observer or an Assistant Pollution Investigator. Auxiliary Coast Guard Members, after training and qualifying, may choose to augment an Active Duty Coast Guard unit.

So what is the Coast Guard Auxiliary?
The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed civilian component of the United States Coast Guard. Created by an Act of Congress in 1939, the Auxiliary directly supports the Coast Guard in all missions, except military and law enforcement actions. The Coast Guard’s motto is SEMPER PARATUS (ALWAYS READY). The Coast Guard Auxiliary is an integral part the United Sates Coast Guard. For more information visit www.cgaux.org if you ready to be SEMPER PARATUS visit http://join.cgaux.org/ ..

Mike Pittinger

Flotilla Commander 12