Flotilla Commander’s Message
2010
Flotilla Commander Gerald Marano
I would like to
welcome all of you to a new year full of challenges and expectations. I would
also like to congratulate everyone for a job well done last year.
If you have been reading the headlines or listening to the news, you recognize
that increasingly more is being asked of the Coast Guard (CG) on both the
domestic and international scene. The Coast Guard, as part of Homeland Security,
is the only branch of the service with direct maritime law enforcement
responsibility. This means that the Coast Guard Auxiliary, you and I and anyone
else we can recruit, are being asked to back-fill and assist the Coast Guard in
many new and exciting ways that are not directly related to law enforcement or
military operations.
Our plans for 2010 include exceeding all of our Silver Oar Goals. As you know, the Silver Oar Goals measure our commitment to public boater safety education, hours-on- the-water in search & rescue training, vessel safety examinations, supplying boating safety literature to marine dealerships, CG support hours, member training, public affairs missions, and qualifying existing and new members in specialized skills. In addition, each flotilla staff officer and each flotilla member have personal goals they would like to accomplish this year.
Here are some of my goals for 2010:
Establish a Citizen’s Action Network (CAN) program along the Gulf Coast. This program will involve training selected citizen’s as eyes and ears of the Coast Guard and the Auxiliary to recognize and accurately report events including pollution spills, boaters in distress, and suspicious activities on the water.
Develop and utilize a Search & Rescue Exercise (SAREX) training course for use by flotilla members and Coast Guard personnel. We will use this training course to improve our skills in boating seamanship so that we can better aid boaters in distress.
Achieve 100 % member participation in Flotilla activities by improved communication, encouragement, and offering appropriate training. One hundred percent participation is critical if we are to be successful in supporting the Coast Guard in its missions to the best of our ability. I cannot stress enough that we are an active flotilla with individual members that have much to contribute and that it is a privilege to serve in this capacity.
Again, thank you for offering your time, energy, and talents.