THE SCUTTLEBUTT

Sept. 2006 U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Scuttlebutt Flotilla 12-8, 7th District Charleston, South Carolina Vol. 32, No. 9-September 2006
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Flotilla Web Site: http://www.uscgauxcharleston.org

Commanders Corner
Allen James, FC 12-8 August was a busy month with our commitment to assist in training of the new flotilla, 12-12, at Edisto Beach. The training will continue through this year and into next year until they train coxswains, crew, all FSOs and obtain OPFACS. The training of the Edisto flotilla can be combined with the raining of our own members and, in so doing, we will be better trained ourselves. So, I look forward to the next year and a half with its necessary work. We should be concentrating on bringing in new members . At present we have three potential members in the paperwork stages of their joining. If you know of anyone who may be interested in joining, talk to them and direct them to Bob Orenstein or myself. The old bridges are almost completely down with only two sections remaining at Town Creek. We were requested several times to assist the Coast Guard with crowd control during the past year. We assisted each time they needed us and our last assist was for a concrete pier to be taken out so the channel can be wider. Other than the blast itself, the most interesting thing was the people who netted the
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Vice Commander
Joe Fleming, FC 12-8 Lots of things have been going on. Operations on the water are doing great, thanks Inside to Richardss hard work. FC .............1 New members VFC...........1 AN .............5 have been riding along CM ............3 on patrols, to see what we do on CS ..............4 the water, sounds like they all Fellowship 3 have had fun. Hopefully this will FN .............5 help with membership to our floIS ...............6 tilla. MA ............3 Some crewmembers have MS .............? been talking about getting inflatMT ............2 able PFDs. You need to wait a lit- OP .............5 tle while. Mustang is working on PA .............4 a new inflatable for crewmembers PB..............2 PS ..............3 with pockets built in for equipPV .............4 ment we use. I understand it will SR..............7 be about a month before it is on VE .............7 the market. Calendar ...8 Those who missed our Trivia ........7 last meeting, at Sticky Fingers, missed a great meal and a good time to socialize. I think we all ate our fair share of ribs that night. Our hats are off to Jane for a great time. It was good to hear from Bob Mathewes. We all have him in our thoughts and prayers for a quick recovery. Joe Fleming, VFC 12-8

Confidentiality Notice: Telephone numbers and addresses of members are protected by the Privacy Act of 1974. As a matter of policy, rosters of names, addresses and telephone numbers shall not be made available to the general public or any outside organization. Privacy of all rosters shall be safeguarded and the page clearly labeled. The publication of these rosters, addresses, and telephone numbers on any computer on-line service including the Internet is prohibited by the Privacy Act of 1974. The Auxiliary is guided by the current equal opportunities policies of the Commandant of the Coast Guard. No Person shall be subject to

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Publications
Bob Mathewes, FSO-PB

Member Training
Bob Mathewes, DSO-MT D7 There really isnt much in the way of member training to report this month. The big news is the second, and last, major deadline of the year. ICS-200 and ICS-800 are due completion by the end of this month. We passed the deadline for ICS-100 and ICS-700 earlier in the year and only about half of you got it done. Everyone thought, I didnt lose my qualifications. I didnt get dis-enrolled. Thats true and you wont lose them on 1 Oct. if you dont meet this deadline. The day of retribution will be 1 January 2007. On that date, a lot of people will be REYR as crew or coxswain or one of several other qualifications tied to ICS in AUXDATA. When that day comes and the weeping and wailing starts, I am going to be stone deaf. Bob Mathewes, DSO-MT D7
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t is incumbent upon me to start with a heart felt , Thank You. If it wasnt for the efforts of John Sikes on my behalf, there would be no Scuttlebutt this month. John started begging and bullying the staff for articles while I was still in the hospital. Over half the articles were in my in-box when I got home. Since my energy level is still somewhere in the bottom fifteen percentile, Its a good thing that was done for me. Unfortunately there are still those whose thinking runs along the path of, How late can I send in my article and still beat the deadline? I understand that there are late breaking events that need to appear in the newsletter and warrant last minutes entry. The funny thing is that it is the same people who slip in under that deadline every month. When you finally write and submit your article you are through, The editors job is just beginning. The article must be formatted to fit the available space. Gaps must be filled. The giant jigsaw puzzle that is the final product must often be rearranged to make things fit. To those who got their articles in early, I say, Thank You!" To those who, once again waited out the end of the month, I say, Thank you for your article. Next time, try to beat the deadline by more than a hair. Bob Mathewes, FSO-PB

dead or stunned floating fish after the blast! Also, there was a lot of floating polyolefin line in the water afterwards. Watch that stuff ! Prop wrap up or raw water intake stoppage. We're wishing a speedy and full recovery for Bob Mathewes who underwent surgery in August. Bob , you do so much for the Flotilla and the Auxiliary that we can't let you have an extended vacation! A big GET WELL from all of us!!! Hap James, FC 12-8

VE Blitz, Limehouse Boat Ramp 17 September

Dues are currently due and payable. See page 5!

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Communications

Materials

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Dick Clarke, FSO-CM

n VHF radio traffic we sometimes hear the first word or two omitted because the mike key is not pressed in the hurried world of wanting to quickly respond to the caller. Sometimes too, especially if the radio is in the scan mode, the call will be received on one channel and by the time the recipient keys his mike the radio has gone to a different channel. Key to the whole thing here is to take just an extra second or two to check to make sure you are "good to go" when you transmit. Dick Clarke, FSO-CM

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Hank Wolf, FSO-MA

embers are encouraged to check the Materials section of our web page. www. uscgauxcharleston.org/ materials.htm. If there is something you need that you cannot find, contact me and I'll try to help you find the source. We have a new catalog and price list from Mustang if anyone is in need of a new jacket or the inflatable vest. Henry G. Wolf , FSO-MA

Fellowship
Jane Orenstein he August meeting at Sticky Fingers was one of the nicest events weve had. The food was good and the company, simply great. Next time we dine out, we hope youll be with us. This is fair warning that the Change of Watch will be held Saturday, November 11, at the Charleston Club on the Air Force Base. I phrase it that way because you need to know how serious we are that responses with money must be in to me by Saturday. October 21. I really didnt want to return to the Base because of the red tape involved, but everyone enjoyed it so much the past two years that I gave in. The menu will be the usual buffet. So, send your check for $26 per person made payable to the Flotilla to me at 128 Wainwright Manor, Summerville 29485. Why not do it now while its fresh in your mind? Due to travel commitments we will be out of town for the Sept. and Oct. meetings, so if you have any questions, please,
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Personnel Services
Bob Orenstein, FSO-PS need everyones help in the Flotilla to recruit new members. It is my belief that all of you can assist by letting prospective candidates know that the process involved in becoming a member MAY take considerable time. This has been my experience since all of the security needs have been put in place by Uncle. The layers of additional paper-work, proof of citizenship, finger-printing, photos, etc., has stretched out the process to a minimum of at least 6 monthsand generally longer. What I have found is that in addition to the above, the candidates run into all sorts of personal problems - all valid excuses for not being able to move their requirements along faster. And I am sure that it is as frustrating to all of them as it is to the flotilla. What I am suggesting is that when
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Partner Visitor

Communication Services
John Sikes, FSO-CS

Barbara Yeatman, FSO-PV

kay, folks, its time for that change I have mentioned for the last 2 months. Who among you will be the next FSO-PV? Please, call me and offer. Another wild and wooly boating season is beginning to wind down, only because the youngsters go back to the classroom, not because it is getting cold! We have had (and continue to have) another great season, lots of information handed out, classes done and more safe boaters on the water. What more could we ask other than new members for the Auxiliary, and personally a new FSO-PV? So beat down the door, ring the phone off the hook, "elevate your position, move up the chain" from plain shoulder boards to one with a stripe. Be a PV if not "the boss." Barbara Yeatman, FSO-PV out .

hile weve discussed this in the past, we feel it worth repeating due to the benefits the program offers.

Public Affairs

Barney Holt, FSO-PA

ome of you may have noticed in the recent issue of the James Island supplement to the Post and Courier an article featuring DNR and a crackdown on safe usage of PWCs. Col. Alvin Taylor, Director of DNR Law Enforcement urged boaters to take a boating safety course and mentioned the Auxiliary as a source. The new release date for the Guardian, a new movie featuring the Coast Guard, is September 29. It would be a great movie to take friends, etc. to , especially if they are interested in the Auxiliary.

What if you could use a search engine to spread the word about the Coast Guard Auxiliary Association or rally fellow Auxiliarists to raise money for our cause all without spending a cent? Two search engines offering such services are GoodSearch , which funnels 50 percent of its ad-generated revenue to various nonprofits each time one of their supporters types in a new search term, and Google, whose Grants program allows nonprofits to spread their messages to a wider audience by providing them with free advertisements that show up alongside Google search results. These two programs are helping thousands of nonprofits raise funds and generate awareness, all without requiring existing and potential supporters to expend any extra effort. To use GoodSearch, go to www. goodsearch.com and enter the name of Coast Guard Auxiliary Association (St Louis, MO) (without the quotes of course), then go about your search as always. There is a long list of Q&As in the About GoodSearch link at the bottom of the page that should answer any questions you might have. The Auxiliary Association has earned more than $130 since the program was initiated several months ago. This is money that they would not otherwise have had. Wont you help out in this effort? It
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Operations/AN

Finance
Frank Leister, FSO-FN Two months have lapsed since 82 members were billed for their annual membership dues. To date, thirty-nine have paid -- three resigned. That is a forty-nine percent response. Those who paid are listed below. If you paid and your name is not on the list, please email me at fcl@lwinslow. com or call me at 843-991-1118 or 828733-4620 and we will resolve the discrepancy. If your name is not on that list and you have not sent your check in, I ask that you do so as soon as you read this. Again, send it to Frank Leister, PO Box 122 Jonas Ridge, NC 28641. Those who have not paid by September first will receive a registered letter stating dues must be received by end of September or the member will be disenrolled . The Flotilla has to pay dues in October therefore we must have funds in hand. Those whose have paid: Baker, Barnes, Beauchemin, Berka, Bryson, Clarke, Curran, Daniel, Davis, Dempsey, Deveaux, Endris H., Endris J., Heinz, Jackson, James, Jerussi, Kilpatrick, Kreiling E., Kreiling R., Leister, Lovinger, Mathewes, McDonnell, McLaren, Mintz, Morrison, Orenstein J., Orenstein R., Schmidt D., Schmidt T., Schmidt J., Schultz, Sikes, Tindall, Wieland, Wolf S., Wolf H. and Wright. Frank Leister, FSO-FN
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Richard Daniel, FSO-OP

ugust has been a very busy month. The patrols went well for the month. We had an opportunity for four potential members to actually go on our patrols with us so they could see exactly what our 12-8 is all about. All four were scheduled for patrol, one person per patrol. Two were able to get underway while two had to back out. All in all this was a truly great experience and opportunity to retain interested folks in our unit. My deepest thanks and well done to all those great facility owners, coxswains and crew that make this Operations/AN experience so valuable and enjoyable. Simply put, you are all very much appreciated. You all make a huge Coast Guard difference. Crew training continues to advance well. Joe Fleming is working away at his Coxswain qualification under Allen James. Joe will make an excellent Coxswain when all said and done. Eric Kilpatrick, Tom Jerussi and Bobby Baker are coming along very nicely and have got most of the dockside training completed. They will have one more dockside class on charting that will be completed on 5 SEP. They will be going down the stretch with an oral exam and PFD Swim in SEP as well as a mentor on the water patrol to practice before their QE. Everyone should be ready for QE for Coxswain as well as Crewmen in October. Frank Leister, while away for the summer, is working away at the material and will pick up on the water training when he returns in October. We need to get in a final night
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you find someone who is interested in joining, let them know that it may take a substantial time to get them to the point where theyre sworn in, but lets all try to keep their enthusiasm up.. Thanks for the help! Bob Orenstein, FSO-PS

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Information Services
Chris Thomas, FSO-IS
Welcome to another episode of The Litter Box. I dont like to harp on a subject or beat a dead horse, so-to-speak, but I feel I must until we all get it right. Please do not submit a 7029 form for the current month until the end of the month. If you are one of the unfortunate few who have submitted an errant 7029 and it was returned to you, please do not send two forms for the same month. Continue the form from where you left off or submit an entirely new form for the entire month. Once again Im asking that you not save your time on a 7029 form until you have a full sheet. Please submit them monthly, even if your only activity was to attend the monthly flotilla meeting. Your time counts and is greatly appreciated. I am still receiving numerous 7029 forms with activities but no prep or travel time. Im not sure how this is possible. If you are planning to attend a function and shower and change into your uniform, collect your paperwork and then do the reverse when you get home, you should be claiming Prep time. Im also not sure how anyone can attend an event without claiming Travel Time. Even if you are carpooling and youre not the driver, youre still entitled to travel time. When studying for or taking any one of the ICS courses or exams, it is not necessary for you to have a Prep period. Its all the same thing and comes under the heading of Activity. If, however, you were to participate in a patrol, any time spent to prepare the vessel for that patrol should be listed in the Prep column. This not only pertains to getting the vessel ready for the activity, but also the cleanup that is done afterwards. It normally takes me one hour to prep the ship for departure. It takes me another two hours to wash the footprints, spilled soda and salt spray off her decks afterwards. I would count that as a three hour Prep activity. This is something that Im not seeing on many, if any, of the missions reported on the 7029 form. Speaking of which, there are still several of you who are not reporting a mission on the 7029 form. The Activity should be 0. That time will be reported on the 7030 form but you should, however, be putting in for Prep and Travel time. If you were to prep your vessel the day prior to or after a mission, that time would be reported as an activity. To those who participate in Training Mis-

sions, unless youre totally indifferent to whether or not you receive proper credit for your efforts, do not use 22A on a 7030 Mission form. For whatever reason, youll receive no credit for your time and trouble. Dont forget, the ICS-200 and ICS-800 is due by the end of this month. Once again, Im asking you to please send ONLY the e-mail confirmation received from FEMA. DO NOT send the certificate itself! If youve accidentally trashed or lost the e-mail confirmation, you can fax the certificate to me at the fax number below. Its easy and its free and no cover sheet is necessary. Until next time, thank you and God Bless. Chris Thomas, FSO-IS 12-08 E-Mail: Irish29483@earthlink.net

SAFETY ALERT: USCG Auxiliary Asks The Boating Public to Be Careful When Buying Nautical Charts
There have been several reports that retail chart sellers have been selling out-ofdate nautical charts to the boating public. Proper up-to-date are the first step in taking any cruise, whether its around the local bay or from San Diego to Catalina Island. Without accurate charts, the boat, its crew and passengers face increased risk from the ever- changing ocean. Each week, the United States Coast Guards Navigation Center (www.navcen. uscg.mil) issues nine regional Local Notice to Mariners. These notices detail specific changes in waters within the region. NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is charged with producing Nautical Charts. Before purchasing any Nautical Chart, boaters should stop by their website and check on the latest edition of the chart. This page is located at : http://chartmaker.ncd.noaa.gov/mcd/ dole.htm From Commander Bobs Boating Safety Handbook www.commanderbob.com

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Nautical Trivia
The current USCG Eagle (WIX-327) was built in

Vessel Examinations
Joe Fleming, FSO-VE
essel exams have been great, we did two boat-ramp blitzes this past month with good turnout on the part of both VEs and the public. Paul Berka completed his five vessel exams, as required, for his certification. Edisto flotilla 12-12 has some members ready to do their 5 vessels with us. Our next boatramp blitz will be set for September 17th at Limehouse boat ramp. I would like all VEs to e-mail me if they are available for this. Boat US has put up grant money, with ideas on boat safety projects that flotillas come up with and need funds for. So everybody think about a project we can do and let me know about it, so we can discuss it, and maybe submit it to boat US for funding. Joe Fleming, FSO-VE

1936 by the Blohm & Voss Shipyard, Hamburg, Germany, as a training vessel for German Naval Cadets. It was commissioned Horst Wessel and following World War II was taken as a war prize by the United States. On May 15, 1946, the barque was commissioned into U.S. Coast Guard service as the Eagle and sailed from Bremerhaven, Germany to New London, Connecticut. We had more participants this month that any month, to date. The correct answers, in order of receipt were from Agnes Wright, Dick McLaren, Dick Clarke, Bob Kreiling, John Sikes, Bob Lovinger, Team Wolf Septembers question will move us forward from sail to steam. What was the name of the first steam powered cutter? What year was she put into service? Although she was never stationed in Charleston, she had a connection to the Holy City. What was it?

Secretary Records
Shirley Wolf, FSO-SR
Since there was no formal business meeting in August, there are no minutes to report this month.
FSO-OP/AN (Continued from page 5)

USCGC Eagle
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doesnt cost you anything, and the search engine used is one were all familiar with already. John Sikes, FSO-CS

ATON Patrol for the Upper and Lower Cooper River. This patrol offers a great opportunity for our members to experience nighttime navigation. This is a totally unique and worthwhile boating experience. It also is one that provides a great serviced to the Coast Guard and Public. Please contact me if you are interested in going on any patrol. I have asked for one day a month. We have the patrols and we have the space. Everyone in Operations and AN has the opportunity to be on the water. How about you???? Richard Daniel, FSO-AN/OP
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email them to me or leave a voice mail message at home (821-0233). Jane Orenstein, Fellowship

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September 2006
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Flotilla Meeting 1900

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Flotilla Officers
Flotilla Commander Allen James jamesan38@bellsouth.net Communication Systems John Sikes jsikes@netrockets.com Materials Hank Wolf hgw39@bellsouth.net RBS Visitor Barbara Yeatman doberdoo@bellsouth.net Flotilla Vice Commander Joe Fleming joeflemingjr@comcast.net Fellowship Jane Orenstein orenstein@netrockets.com Marine Safety Lou Mintz lcmintz56@netzero.net Personnel Services Bob Orenstein Aids To Navigation Richard Daniel rbdaniel1829@aol.com Finance Frank Leister Communications Dick Clarke clarkerc@netzero.net Information Services Chris Thomas irish29483@earthlink.net Operations Richard Daniel rbdaniel1829@aol.com Public Education Vacant

FCL@Lwinslow.com
Member Training Bob Mathewes rhmathewes@att.net Public Affairs Barney Holt HoltW@cofc.edu

orenstein@netrockets.com

Publications Bob Mathewes rhmathewes@att.net

Secretary Records Shirley Wolf saw41@bellsouth.net

Vessel Examination Joe Fleming joeflemingjr@comcast.net