Winter is Gone, Time For Training

Auxilarist Marty Robey (left) and Trevor Henderson practice throwing a line to a person in distress during boat crew training.
(U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary by Doug Jansen)

Now that our harsh winter is in the past, members of the flotilla are continuing their training to prepare them for qualification as boat crew members. New boat crew trainees were given an orientation to our Coast Guard Auxiliary vessels. Hands on skills such as knot tying and throw bag deployment was also taught.

Boat crew students included Bill Eggers, Trevor Henderson, Marty Robey, Chris Shade and Ralph Tomlinson.

During boat crew training Auxilarist Ralph Tomlinson ties a fender to the boat during boat crew training.
(U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary by Doug Jansen)

Auxilarist Trevor Henderson learns how to tie a fender to the Lady Grace during boat crew training.
(U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary by Doug Jansen)

Tomlinson Completes Course in California

Auxiliarist Ralph Tomlinson recently completed the Coast Guard Instructor Development Course at TRACON Petaluma.

Mr. Tomlinson was a member of the class which consisted of 4 Auxiliarists, 13 active duty Coast Guard members and one Coast Guard civilian employee. This was the premier course for instructors in the Coast Guard. Attendees are expected to become instructors for active duty, reserve, and civilian Coast Guard member training.

“I am looking forward to continue teaching ICS 210, 300, and 400 courses,” said Mr. Tomlinson “I will also be involved in the Team Coordination Training courses this spring.”

After completing the other requirements, Tomlinson will be able to become a Team Coordination Training facilitators, the first in Flotilla 4.




Auxilarist Ralph Tomlinson
(U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Photo by Suzanne Tomlinson)

Boat Crew Trainees Hit the Pool

Brandon Butters enters the water for his PFD Swim. Brandon demonstrated how a manual inflating PFD works for the group.

(U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Photo / photo by Doug Jansen)

The group of boat crew member trainees float for fifteen minutes during their training. (Left to right) Phil Patterson, Wendy Faganel, John Halbrook, Chuck Brudtkuhl, Brandon Butters, and John Hawkinson)
(U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Photo / photo by Doug Jansen)

As their training winds down Flotilla 4's new Boat Crew Member trainees hit the pool to perform their PFD Swim. Trainees must enter the water properly, float on their own, and swim in their PFD as part of this training evolution.

Hawkinson Completes AUX-10 Course in California

John Hawkinson showing a fellow Auxiliarist how to set up a “field query” in Oracle during the AUX-10 Course in Alameda, CA.
(U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 085-33-04 photo / Photo by Mr. Harry McBain, ADSO-PAP, Division 11N)

Flotilla 4 member John Hawkinson attended the Coast Guard Auxiliary AUX-10 course at Coast Guard Island in Alameda, CA. The course is designed to take new staff officers in the Information Systems (IS) field and give them some exposure to the mechanics of the AUXDATA and AUXINFO systems used to manage people and facilities in the Coast Guard Auxiliary. This class had every range of experience from brand new to experienced Auxiliarists who had been recently appointed to Auxiliary information systems positions. Some of these appointments ranged from being part of a flotilla job rotation, to a staff member of a DIRAUX office, to the then Department Chief-Information Technology (DC-I), now the Deputy Chief Technology Officer from the National Staff. (The DC-I was there to get oriented on how training and system operations look like to someone serving at the flotilla or division level).

Training ran from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and until noon on Sunday. The training was fairly fast-paced, as there was a lot of material to go through, learning how to enter personnel, activity and facility data into AUXDATA, how to run various queries into AUXINFO, and how to run a variety of reports. Students also received an orientation to the Patrol Order Management System (POMS). It was quite clear why the Auxiliary prefers to have its new information systems officers go through the AUX-10 course early on; there’s a lot of process knowledge involved in running the different databases and reporting tools effectively.

Dining was at a Coast Guard mess hall for lunch. At night students dined off-site at seafood restaurants around Oakland on Friday and Saturday evenings.

John Hawkinson is now a graduate of the AUX-10 course, and is now in the “practicum” portion of his training. He is still reviewing Flotilla 4 forms and forwarding the approved ones to the Division 33 IS Officer for data entry as before, but he is also keying in the information into an AUXDATA Training Database. This “dual data entry” will continue for awhile (potentially up to 60 days), while the Division IS officer reviews Hawkinson’s work and provides needed feedback and “course corrections”, before he is approved to officially key records into the “live” production database.

“The AUX-10 course was a very worthwhile experience,” said Hawkinson, ”one that I would encourage new Information Systems officers to apply for as early in their careers as possible.”

John Hawkinson (center) is figuring out one of the data entry assignments, entering in a simulated Boat Crew mission. Course Director McBain (standing) is making the rounds to see if we’re “getting it”.
(U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 085-33-04 photo / Photo by Mr. Harry McBain, ADSO-PAP, Division 11N)

Boat Crew Training Continues

Phil Patterson practices handling a line on the Lady Grace
during Boat Crew Training in March.


Members of the flotilla are continuing their training to prepare them for qualification as boat crew members. On March 14th members practiced knot tying and line handling procedures. Drills were conducted practicing different towing, man overboard, and anchor evolutions.

Instructors Jeff Towle and Travis Daniels worked with students during the March training weekend. Students included Chuck Brudtkuhl, Brandon Butters, Paul Faganel, Wendy Faganel, John Hawkinson, Doug Jansen, and Phil Patterson.

Work continued on the Lady Grace as it was made ready for inspection to become a Coast Guard Auxiliary Facility.

Flotilla Staff Officer Going To Alameda, California for Training

John Hawkinson, Flotilla Staff Officer for Information Systems, will soon be leaving for Alameda, California for the Coast Guard Auxiliary Information Systems (AUXDATA/AUXINFO) Staff Training.

This program is designed to provide district, division and flotilla information systems personnel with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to exercise responsibility for all matters pertaining to the collection, recording, and forwarding of the flotilla’s AUXDATA information, and keep members informed of all developments in this area. Report generation and creation of ad-hoc queries using AUXINFO will be reviewed using in-depth classroom hands on exercises.

As the Flotilla Staff Officer for Information Systems, Mr. Hawkinson is responsible for helping to manage data regarding qualifications, participation, and training for the flotilla.

Initial Indoctrination to Marine Safety (IIMS) Course

Five members of Flotilla 4 sat for the Initial Indoctrination to Marine Safety (IIMS) Course Exam this afternoon.  This exam is proctored by the active duty Coast Guard.

The purpose of the IIMS course is to provide entry-level education in Marine Safety to Auxiliarists.  The course consists of six lessons including; Marine Safety Programs and Organization, Marine Safety Missions Overview, Legal Authorities, Reference Sources, Occupational Safety and Health, and Conduct and Ethics.

The flotilla members that took the exam included Chuck Brudtkuhl, Norma Newton, Roland Newton, Ralph Tomlinson, and Suzanne Tomlinson.