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Flotilla 12-8s AOR

U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY FLOTILLA 12-8, 7TH DISTRICT CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA Vol. 31 No. 11 Membership Meeting 1900 November 9 at the Base
Full Flotilla Schedule

ATON PATROL NOVEMBER 12 PRACTICE SAFE EMAIL 2005 PATROL SCHEDULE

Thomas Schmidt - FC

TABLE OF CONTENTS
FLOTILLA COMMANDER ----------1 COMMUNICATION SERVICES -----2 OPERATIONS -----------------------2 VICE-FLOTILLA COMMANDER ----3 FELLOWSHIP -----------------------3 MEMBER TRAINING ---------------3 PARTNER VISITATION ------------3 MATERIALS -------------------------4 AIDS TO NAVIGATION----------- -4 PERSONNEL SERVICES---------- -4 SECRETARY/RECORDS---------- -5 INFORMATION SERVICES --------5 is working above and beyond the call of duty to improve our on the water (OTW) Training and Operations. He is insuring that we meet Coast Guard Stations needs, and is improving our fine

Flotilla Commander

Many of you know, I will not be seeking a second term as Flotilla Commander. Serving as your FC has been fun and rewarding. As in any organization, the highest bird on the tree is only successful if all the rest are hard working, sound, and loyal. We certainly have all of those qualities and more in our Chief of Staff, Allen Hap James I thank Hap, our Vice Flotilla Commander, for his commitment and devotion to the job, the Flotilla, the Auxiliary, and the Coast Guard. Hap

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relationship with our partners in the East Cooper Flotilla, 12-6. As Chief of Staff, he pays attends to the needs and inputs of all of our Flotilla Staff Officers (FSOs) and works with each. The 2005 FSOs did an exceptional job. All departments produced super results. Thank you all for all you are doing to better our Flotilla! The birds on the tree cannot function without the support of the tree, the Flotilla Membership as a whole. I cannot find adequate words to express the breadth and depth of my gratitude and appreciation for the friendship and support of all the Members of our Flotilla. Not only are you supportive of your Leadership and Management Team, you are extremely generous! The highest moment in my stint as your FC came when Joey Bokern wrote the $4,000 check to Division 12 for the Coast Guard Mutual Assistance Fund- Hurricane Relief. That says it allyou are wonderful people! Thank you and may GOD bless you,

1) When you forward an e-mail, DELETE all of the other addresses that appear in the body of the message. That's right, DELETE them. Highlight them and delete them, backspace them, cut them, whatever it is, you know how to do. It only takes a second. You MUST click the "Forward" button first, and then you will have full editing capabilities against the body and headers of the message. If you don't click on "Forward" first, you won't be able to edit the message at all. 2) Whenever you send an e-mail to more than one person, do not use the To: or Cc: columns for e-mail address. Always use the BCC: (blind carbon copy) column for listing the e-mail addresses. This way only the people you send the message to see their own e-mail address. If you don't see your BCC: option, click on where it says To: and your address list will appear. Highlight the address and choose BCC: and that's it. It's that easy. When you send to BCC: your message will say "Undisclosed Recipients" in the "TO:" field of the people who receive it. So please, in the future, let's stop the junk mail and the viruses! Finally, here's an idea!!! Let's send this to everyone we know (but strip my address off it first). This is something that SHOULD be forwarded. I hope you find the above information useful and helpful.

Communication Services
John Sikes FSO-CS

This excellent message ABSOLUTELY applies to ALL of us who send e-mails. Read the text below. Do you really know how to forward e-mails? Fifty percent of us do; fifty percent do not. Do you wonder why you get viruses or junk mail? Do you hate it? Every time you forward an e-mail there is information left over from the people who got the message before you, namely their names and email addresses. As the messages get forwarded along, the list of addresses builds, and builds, and builds, and all it takes is for some poor sap to get a virus, and his or her computer can send that virus to every e-mail address that has come across his computer. Or, someone can take all of those addresses and sell them or send junk mail to them in hopes that you will go to the site and he will make five cents for each hit. That's right, all of that inconvenience over a nickel! How do you stop it? There are two easy steps:

Operations

Allen James FSO-OP

October was a busy month. We accomplished all our patrols plus an additional one for Crowd Control during the test demolition of the Grace Bridge. While providing crowd control we also took on a passenger from the S.C. Department of Transportation to see the events .We continue to stand watch in Town Creek to keep traffic from the safety zone under the bridges where construction crews are removing the debris from the river bottom. There is heavy work boat traffic there which does not allow for safe recreational boating

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is as follows:
Sunday----------------------------- 6 Nov, Saturday---------------------------12 Nov. Sunday-----------------------------20 Nov, Saturday---------------------------26 Nov Sunday------------------------------4 Dec Saturday---------------------------10 Dec Sunday----------------------------18 Dec Saturday---------------------------24 Dec.

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Vice-Flotilla Commander Allen James - VFC

.The patrol schedule for November and December

.Being VFC this past year was so much fun that

I am a candidate for FC for 2006. All office seekers should tell the voters what they intend to do if elected, so here goes. First, we want to selectively search for new members, ones who want to participate in our many programs and will support the Auxiliary. Next, existing members will be encouraged to participate in one or more areas. We don't have any sit on your backside "positions. All FSO's will be recruiting till each member is included in one of the staff functions! I ask each member to make a positive effort to get involved at some function . Don't wait to be asked. DO YOUR PART All FSO's will be recruiting till each member is included in one of the staff functions! I ask each member to make a positive effort to get involved at some function. Don't wait to be asked. DO YOUR PART>

All OPFAC owners, Coxswains and Crew check this schedule and let me know right away what days you will be available. We have over fifty patrols a year --.be sure you do your share!

Fellowship

Jane Orenstein Fellowship

Please be certain you have responded to the Change of Watch. Your $35. per person must be in to me by the Nov. meeting if you want to be with us 11/19 at the Air Force Base. Last years menu was so warmly received that we are repeating it. So build up your appetite!

Partner Visitation

Member Training

Bob Mathewes FSO-MT

Barbara Yeatman FSO-PV

As another boating season winds down, it is still "just the two of us." Maybe one fine day in 2006 it will be "the 4 of us. I am still waiting for the upper echelon to see fit to "deputize" my 2 new "recruits! In the meantime, my "good buddy" Lester has faithfully visited every spot on his run. I have temporarily "lost a couple," renovations et al. By next season all should be back in full swing. I just hope the supplies, especially racks, will be here for us to distribute. So, there you have it, another year, another year older, still only 2, BUT hoping for 4.

The AUXSAR class has ended. We have had four members take the exam and we are awaiting the results. There are no more formal classes scheduled for this year. We have been hearing for a year that the AUXOP program, as we know it is going to go away. It seems now that the message was somewhat premature. The program will continue, in much the present form, for another year. The only differences will probably be the discontinuation of on-line testing and the discontinuation of printed manuals. We have a limited stock of most manuals on hand. The manuals will probably be made available in CD form. The decision to conduct classes next year will be based on interest and availability of material. Another subject has been brought to my attention. That is the proper wearing f the uniform. Last year I wrote, in this column, a series of two articles on that subject. Since that

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time, we have inducted a number of new members. It seems that some of the old members either didnt read the articles or did not take them to heart. Please, folks, remember that the general public does not differentiate between the Auxiliary and the Gold Side when they look at us. Improper wearing of the uniform demonstrates disrespect for both the uniform and the long Coast Guard heritage that it represents. The working blue, now the ODU uniform, is a work uniform but should not look like it. It should be neat, clean, and not consist of a patchwork of uniform and non-uniform pieces. The old working blues are still authorized for Auxiliary wear. They must, however, look presentable. That means free of grease and paint and consisting of standard uniform pieces and not Dickies or other look alikes. This uniform that we have the privilege of wearing has a proud and honorable history. Respect it, the men and women of the active duty Coast Guard and yourself by wearing it properly. and Fenders problems with three bridges, observed 30 Private Aids; discovered discrepancies with eight. We also encountered three different boats anchored next to the bridges in the security zone. We covered more than 50 Nautical Miles. Dan Cowley was the Coxswain. Hank Wolf, Hugo Endris and Richard Daniel made up the crew. 1Everyone participated in a very positive way that resulted in enjoyment for us all.

Personnel Services
Tom Schmidt FSO-PS

Materials

Henry Wolf FSO-MA

Members will find items to purchase on the materials page of the Flotilla's Website as listed below:

www.uscgauxcharleston.org/materials.htm Aids To Navigation

We are planning another PATON Cruise on 12 November for the Stono River. We will be checking the PATONS in our AOR but will also give a lot of attention to the Federal Aids. This will be a combination Afternoon/Night Patrol. We are most anxious for you to join us for this patrol. There is a surprising amount of work that must be done and at the same time navigate the boat safely through some difficult night operations. Please give careful thought about joining us for the November patrol. We welcome everyone and will see to it that you have a worthwhile experience on the water. To date in 2005, five individuals have taken the Oath of Membership. Three of these, now Members, were works in progress as the result of my capable predecessor, Pete Chylko. There are currently six potential members in the queue from our spring and fall 2005 membership courses. Two of them, John Smoak and Tom Jerussi, have completed their Enrollment Application and Personnel Security Investigation (PSI) packages. In 2005 we have channeled our efforts toward target recruiting; specifically identifying and

Richard Daniels FSO-AN

We had a fun filled ATON patrol on 8 October that took in the afternoon and night hours until 2300. We were inspecting both Private Aids as well as Federal Aids. It is amazing how many Aids have one problem or the other. We completed our mission with verifying some 53 Federal Aids, discovered discrepancies with eight. We discovered lights

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cultivating individuals interested in active participation in our Flotilla. The results have been good and all who are currently in process have identified an area(s) in which they intend to participate, i.e. Recreational Boating Safety Visitation (RBSV), Vessel Examination (VE), OTW, others. Ellen Kreiling, our District/Division Security Liaison-12, DDSL-12, who handles the security issues for the Flotilla, has started working directly with Hap James and me in the New Member courses. In October, Ellen attended the last class of the all New Member course. She fingerprinted the applicants and reviewed their PSI packages for accuracy and completeness. In her new position, Ellen will be of invaluable assistance in facilitating the PSI packages. This will greatly shorten the turn around time between submission of Enrollment Applications and receipt of Membership Certificates. Thank you Ellen!

Our SO-IS, Don Davis, is the only person who can input your hours into AUXDATA and he must do this for all the Flotillas in the Division. Lets not overload him!

Information Services
Diane Schmidt FSO-IS

Secretary/Records
Shirley Wolf FSO-SN

Were you at the Division meeting on 22 October? If not, then you missed SO-IS Don Davis handout on how to correctly complete Form 7030 for Paton Patrols. I will have a few copies for those of you who need one at our monthly membership meeting on November 9th. See you there. You may have noticed the Scuttlebutt is looking more and more like a web page with every edition. This is to make it easy to read right on your display. Instead of printing it our and grinding up your color ink you can easily read it right on the screen.

Publication

Frank Leister FSO-PB

If you want the print larger, simply click on the little plus sign at the top of the screen or press ctl and the plus sign. Both will do it. Any feedback you may want to put forward on this is appreciated. Email me at [email protected] by clicking on my blue, email address. Notice you cannot see who the Scuttlebutt went to. That is a security measure. Please read FSOCS column on page 2. Last months meeting was the cookout. There were no minutes, of course. What happens at the cookout stays at the cookout I know it is hard to believe, but the year is quickly drawing to a close. Are you current with all of your Forms, i.e., 7029, 7030, 7046, so that you can be credited with the many hours you have been of service? Please do not wait until December!!!

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Scuttlebutt --KEY SOURCES FOR INFORMATION--

November 2004

Following is a list of web sites of value to us all. Please keep abreast of news and directives by checking these sources on a regular basis. >USCG Aux Info Tracking Progress http://www.cgaux.info/g_ocx/auxdata/auxinfohelp.htm USCG Aux What's New Page http://www.cgaux.org/cgauxweb/memtable.shtml > USCG Aux On-line Testing Page http://cgexams.info/testing/ > USCG Aux AuxInfo http://www.auxinfo.uscg.gov/ > USCG Aux e-Train http://www.auxetrain.org/ > USCG Aux Forms & Manuals Page http://www.cgaux.org/cgauxweb/tbforms.shtml > 7th District DirAux West http://www.dirauxwest.org/ > ChDirAux Items of Interest Page http://www.cgaux.info/g_ocx/ > DIRAUX District 7 Homepage http://www.d7oax3.net/ > DIRAUX District 7 Directives http://www.d7oax3.net/pol_dir.htm > USCG Aux D7 Member Page http://www.cgaux7.org/index_members.asp > Division 12 Website http://www.uscgaux.org/~07012/ > Flotilla Website http://www.uscgauxcharleston.org/

Flotilla 12-8 Officers

Click on Name to send an e-mail message

Flotilla 12-8 Elected Officers: Position

FC - Flotilla Commander VFC - Flotilla Vice Commander

Name
Thomas A. Schmidt Allen N. James

Web Page
Welcome

Flotilla 12-8 Staff Officers: Position

FSO-AN - Aids to Navigation FSO-AV - Aviation Coordinator FSO-CC - Career Counselor FSO-CM - Communications FSO-CS - Communications Services FSO-FN - Finance FSO-IS - Information Services FSO-MA - Materials

Name
Richard B. Daniel Terry Heinz W. Brent Hepburn Richard R. Clarke John L. Sikes Joseph H. Bokern, IV Diane Schmidt Henry Wolf

Web Page
Air Operations Academy Introduction Mission (AIM)

Materials

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FSO-MS - Marine Safety FSO-MT - Member Training FSO-OP - Operations FSO-PA - Public Affairs FSO-PB - Publications FSO-PE - Public Education FSO-PS - Personnel Services FSO-PV - Partner Visitation FSO-SR - Secretary/Records FSO-VE - Vessel Examination IPFC - Immediate Past Flotilla Commander

Louis C. Mintz Robert H. Mathewes Allen James W. Barney Holt Frank C. Leister Robert J. Lovinger Thomas A. Schmidt Barbara Yeatman Shirley A. Wolf Joseph L. Fleming Robert L. Kreiling Safety Checks Newsletters Public Courses Join The Auxiliary Surface Operations