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Flotilla Commander Kent McCoin [email protected]  Vice Flotilla Commander George S. Crouch III [email protected] Aids to Navigation C.Dale Owen [email protected] Career Counselor Carl Brown [email protected] Communications Steve Davis [email protected] |
Communication Services Lee Olson [email protected] Finance Lynn Williams [email protected] Information Services Donald H. Davis [email protected] Materials James Smith [email protected] Marine Safety Hans Miller [email protected] |
Member Training Gerald J. Ruschkofski [email protected] Marine Dealer Visitor Albert C. Morgan [email protected] Operations George S. Crouch III [email protected] Public Affairs Edward C. Jones [email protected] Publications Joe M. Richbourg [email protected] |
Public Education Ronald J. Tvorik [email protected] Personnel Services Aaron R. Small [email protected] Secretary/Records Jeanette Brown [email protected] Vessel Examinations James Fleming [email protected] Division Captain Ellen Kreiling [email protected] |
For several months I have been saying Commander Jim Tunstall, Commander Group Charleston, was planning to visit our Flotilla meeting. Again, at the last minute, he had to reschedule to our March 25 meeting. Although we had good attendance at our February meeting, the delay is probably good in that he can get a better look at our facilities on Flotilla Island in March.
As you know from the shift in our meeting location last month, Sea School was utilizing our facilities for the Captain�s license training and testing. Well that�s over and no one is happier than Richard Boyd and me - now that the exam is behind us. (In fact, that is why I missed the flotilla meeting when the Commander cancelled and the school said I would not be allowed to take the exam without attending 100% of the class.) Richard is to particularly commended for completing what became a two year commitment. (This was based on time conflicts - not knowledge - because he really knows his �stuff.� In fact, anyone who can talk him into mentoring them on NavRules will be ahead of the game!) Many in our class took the course simply for the boating educational experience and on that basis I would recommend it for anyone who can fit it in. I understand three or more of our members are considering a similar course from another vendor real soon (call Joe Richbourg for details) and Sea School will start their next Columbia class July 13. Well, back to the Flotilla, thanks to VFC George for conducting the meeting in my absence and the safety �stand down� plus congratulations to the many recipients of awards at the last meeting. I hope everyone will be able to attend this month to meet Cmdr. Tunstall and hear the positive message he intends to bring.
Ron Tvorik has done a fantastic job as FSO-PE in his oversight of our BS&S class. This class has been well attended and Ron has already set the date for the next class to begin following Labor Day. Please keep this in mind as you talk to friends and send names to Ron for his follow-up. Ron has a high �sell rate� and the students are happy and learning!
On the subject of training, many of us have had TCT training, which introduces us to safety awareness and �risk analysis� as we go about our missions. Two more members, Aaron Small and Richard Lesnieski, received this 8 hour mandatory training in Charleston last weekend. However, since there are still a number of you who need this course, I will restate the requirements. Everyone in the �boat crew� program is required to complete this course by the end of this year - supposedly to remain active in boat crew activities - and at least every 5 years thereafter. I will see if I can arrange for the course to be taught in Columbia again - but I can�t promise yet. Other training is being planned for inclusion in our regular meeting time and includes the finalized forms for AuxData reporting after March 15 and a mandatory operations workshop before June 1 - again to remain active in the boat crew program. Even if it turns out watch standers are not required to attend, I�m sure it would still be helpful.
I still need forms from many of you for Operation Patriot Readiness. I think VFC George Crouch sent you the form and instructions by email and the form was �attached� to my article last month for web download. I need the remaining ones or any corrections ASAP. Thanks to you who have returned them! I plan to give you the new LOCK COMBINATION for the Flotilla Island gate and building as I get your forms. The CODE CHANGES will be effective APRIL 1!
The Flotilla Island joint board had another good meeting this month to discuss/decide items of mutual interest. LMPS will start clean-up and grass cutting every-other-month beginning April followed by the Flotilla in May, etc. We decided island �reservations� for personal use are acceptable but not �exclusive� in that courteous use by members of restroom facilities, etc are still in order. However, due to the increased level of activities by both organizations throughout the summer, �reservations� will not be accepted from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Guests are always welcome with members - and encouraged as recruiting prospects! We also discussed liability issues in connection with the island�s use and we will likely develop a waiver form to be signed. Anyone willing to help investigate liability insurance coverage and/or to help work on long range planning for flotilla island facilities (especially docks), please let me know. We currently have needs in both areas. Other attention items are cleaning up in and around the supply shed (and repair or replacement thereof) and floor tile/molding and counter repair in the bathrooms. We also want to better �define� the emergency helicopter pad so that parking doesn�t interfere.
Don�t forget vessel facility inspections planned for mid-March and soon thereafter the push on �public� vessel safety checks. Jim Fleming has a lot of plans in the mill again this year so everyone will have plenty of opportunity to meet your VE requalification quotas.
One more time, thanks to those of you patrolling and standing radio watch. You look good on the water! Especially to those in need!
Bring a friend/prospective member to the next meeting along with a suggested meeting presentation idea or future speaker!
We are rapidly approaching the boating season and its time to start checking out our facilities. Being prepared is a key component to our SAR teams, fully fueled, properly equipped, maps, cell phones and knowledgeable about the lake. Flotilla 12-3's preparation and commitment to this year�s boating season is dependent on you as members, watchstanders, crew and coxswains. If each member were willing to contribute 4 to 6 hours one weekend per month (radio watch, crew or coxswain) we could accomplish great things this year. When you have a moment please let me know how involved you would like to be this year and if you are willing to participate on the SAR Team and at what level.
For those of you with facilities I would like to have the following information for our radio watchstanders: (1) Location of where your facility is stored, (2) Is your vessel stored on a trailer, (3) Can your vessel be trailered if needed, (4) Availability of your vessel for SAR calls, (5) Are you willing to participate/respond to night SAR calls, (6) Your cell phone number if you have one. I would like to give DNR and the Marine Patrols a realistic projection on what type of support they can expect from Flotilla 12-3 this year.
We can still use additional radio watchstanders to help monitor channel 16 around the lake. If you are interested in installing a base unit at your residence please contact Steve Davis. For those of us who already equipped with base stations it is time to start monitoring again; radio traffic is picking up.
A number of changes are coming in how we do business, handle reporting and updated TCT training on operations and harbor patrols. It is very important that you try to attend the next several Flotilla meeting. Thanks for your support!!
I want to thank the members for properly reporting problems with ATON�s on the lake. I in turn work with D.N.R. to solve the problem. When reporting a missing ATON please give GPS readings if possible. Also if you can report the number of the ATON that is missing or damage it would expedite the process. If a third party is involved with the reporting, please e-mail their name and number. I have also set up an additional e-mail that can be given to the public. It is easy to remember.
[email protected]
This should be easy for our members and the public to use.
Remember that there will be further training at Charleston for AIDS VERIFIER. A class on ATON repair will be given as well.
To the member who gave me the young lady's name and phone number, I talked to her at Chapin High School and was very impressed and her R.O.T.C. instructor gave her a very good reference. We will do all we can to get her to apply for AIM next year when she is eligible. I will be talking to the rest of the cadets at Chapin by time we have our next meeting. This coming week, I will be driving to Camden High to do my first presentation there. It looks as if we will be holding an AIM selection board again this year, with at least one applicant. If you know of any prospects, I am still interested in talking to them.
Click the following link to see an update of who is current in their TCT and Sexual Harrassment training:
TCT/Sexual Harrassment Training Report
Click "Back" button to return to newsletter.
Well, another month is upon us and I think all flotilla members have a good supply of the items/forms/stamps etc. asked for so far this Spring. I have plenty of stamps & envelopes, both large and small that I will bring to our meeting. These items come the ANSC/auxiliary national supply center/in Granite City, IL.
I�m holding an order for two for our members who want �sew-on� name tapes & collar insignia for their �work blues.�...If anyone else need anything for their �work blues,�..please let me know ASAP, either by e-mail or phone. (These items come from Tampa. Fl., from a private company.)
I want to mention a couple of things in this article. The first is a reminder to those folks needing Five Year Requalifications for Boat Crew/Coxswain and NavRules. This work must be completed before the end of the year. Those needing NavRules are: Bob Alexander, Carl Brown, and John O'Farrell. Those needing Boat Crew/Coxswain are: Bob Alexander, Carl Brown, Roger Deaton, Al MacCallister, George Mendenhall, John O'Farrell, Dale Owen, Jim Schneider, and Jim Smith. The NavRules Test can be taken online from DirauxWest at any time. The Coxswain/Crew work must be demonstrated and signed off by a QE during a scheduled visit.
At the March and April Flotilla meetings, George Crouch will give a TCT Refresher Class. This class is MANDATORY for all Operations personnel. An attendance list will be taken and submitted to Diraux. DON'T MISS THIS!!!!
The last thing I want to mention is another USGC Captains License Class which is going to be held in Columbia April 5 thru 14. This class will be given by the 3B's Captain's School. They are looking for at least 10 students. So far Joe, Ed and I have expressed an interest. I think the cost will be about $470.00 for USCGAUX members. I think Joe Richbourg is planning to discuss this more.
No substantial PA activity has occurred in the past month. Monthly articles will be submitted to newspapers and PA announcements are being prepared for the local radio stations. A review of this effort will be discussed in detail next month.
Congratulations to FC Kent McCoin and member Richard Boyd on the recent completion of their OUPV course. With the addition of Kent and Richard, Flotilla 12-3 now has four members with a USCG license. Jim Fleming already had his OUPV license, and Roger Deaton recently completed his upgrade to Master. As mentioned in Jerry Ruschkofski�s article, there will be another OUPV license course held in Columbia April 4-14. This one will be conducted by 3 B�s Captain�s School of Ocean City Maryland. Ed Jones, Jerry Ruschkofski and I have enrolled in this course. The course will be conducted over 2 weekends and 6 weeknights at a hotel conference facility in the Columbia area. If anyone else is interested, I will be glad to forward the contact information to you.
The 2002 calendar has been updated, and is on the member's website and can be accessed by clicking on this link, 2002 Calendar or by going to www.geocities.com/cgauxmurray, Members' Web Site
In addition to the current issue of our newsletter, at the member's web site you can still access the past 28 issues, just in case you would like to see what we have done in the past couple of years. Click the "Back Issues" link to bring up the list.
You will also see an "Upcoming Events" section near the end of this newsletter to quickly summarize important dates without having to go through the entire year's calendar. If you have other dates to be added, just let me know and I will try to keep this updated.
At the February flotilla meeting, Ed Jones told the membership about our proposed "Navigation Contest." In preparation for our USCG license course that we will be taking next month, Ed and I have been exchanging navigation problems with each other. We thought we would like to share some of these with you and offer a prize to the member with the first correct answer. So, here is number one:
You and Bob Alexander leave from Charleston Harbor for an afternoon of offshore cruising. Beyond the jetties in the vicinity of "R 8", you turn to a course of 080 degrees True. A little later, you take a relative bearing on Charleston Light (Sullivan�s Island) of 224 degrees. You ask Bob what is the distance to the light. Fortunately, Bob brought along his sextant and gives you a vertical angle of 22 minutes on the Charleston Light. You refer to the chart and see that the height of the light is 163 feet. The questions are:
1) What is the true bearing to Charleston Light?
2) How far are you from the Charleston Light, to the nearest one/tenth nautical mile?
The first person submitting the correct answer to me by e-mail will be awarded a very nice prize at the March meeting.
Trivia: The Charleston Light is the only lighthouse in the United States to have what feature? Come to the March meeting to find out.
We have now completed class number 5 for the Boating Skills and Seamanship Course. The attendance has been very good, with an average of 27 students per class. They are a very attentive group and have been asking our instructors numerous questions. Some individuals are contemplating joining our flotilla.
The BS&S Staff encourages all of you to attend these classes. It is especially important to have a strong show of our 12-3 membership at the final class, on Tuesday, March 19th. If you can attend class, please notify me. The BS&S Staff has been having a pre-class supper at various restaurants in the area and I will let you know the location. It has been fun and promotes excellent camaraderie. Remember, you do earn CG Aux hours (2) for attending each class and please wear your DRESS uniform (that you wear to flotilla meetings.)
Ron Jones, National Weather Service, did an outstanding job with his NEW power point presentation on WEATHER. We also discussed the possibility of our flotilla having a meeting at the National Weather Service, located at the Columbia Airport. This meeting would consist of a BRIEF business meeting, then a presentation and tour of the National Weather Service with emphasis on Marine Weather. The details of this Off Site flotilla meeting need to be discussed by the Commander, Vice-Commander and the Flotilla Staff Officers. The membership will then be notified of their decision.
We will be doing Facility Inspections on March 16th., and 17th. at Flotilla Island, from 0900 until 1300. We�ll need VEs to help out, Check your schedule, and let me know if you want to help. Co-owners must sign the Facility Offer to Use Form and the co-owner consent form. If I missed any one at our last meeting who needs these forms, call or e-mail me, and I�ll mail them to you. If you Own a Facility, and can�t make it to the Island on these dates, let me, or any qualified VE know, and we will set up a time and place to do the Inspection on your Vessel.
For any of the Facility Vessel owners who may need a Skiff Hook for the Facility Inspections this month, this looks like it would do the job! It�s called �Captain Hook� The Web address is www.cdp-captainhook.com
The Turn around time, ( the time it takes from the day your Facility Papers are mailed, until they are returned approved ) is about 35 days. The paperwork has to be in, and approved before May 31st. After that date, you can NOT use your Facility for Patrol until the approval comes back from DIRAUX!!!
I�m in the process of setting VSC dates, and times for this up coming boating season. Our first VSCs are scheduled for April 06, and 13 at Dreher Island State Park, 0900 until 1300, Please let me know if you will be available to help out. We had a good turn out there last year, and did over 40 VSCs on the two days
VEs are reminded that they must complete at least 5 VSCs this season to keep their VE qualification.
Trivia : In the days of the� tall ships� the deck hands, or sailors, were called �Jack Tars.� The reason being, they would tar, and braid their hair. (I�m not sure why.) The long collar on the Navy uniform used to be detachable so the �Tars � could clean the tar off. It also was designed to protect the rest of the uniform from the tar!
March 16th, Facility Inspections (AM)
March 17th, Facility Inspections (PM)
March 23rd, Power Squadron Shake and Break Cruise at Flotilla Island
April 27th, Division Meeting, Mt. Pleasant
May 20th, Flotilla Meeting (3rd Monday this month due to Memorial Day.)
May 27th, Memorial Day observed
May 11th, Lake Murray Safe Boating Conference (tentative)
May 18-24, North American Safe Boating Campaign, click for web site
June 8th, Night Exercise and social
July 27th, Division Meeting, Mt. Pleasant
October 26th, Division Meeting, Mt. Pleasant
December 16th, Flotilla 12-3 Change of Watch dinner meeting
January 25th, 2003, Division 12 Change of Watch, hosted by Flotilla 12-3
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.