Charlie Noble
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CharlieCharlie NobleNoble Website: CGAinFLA.org Mary Patton, Publisher, [email protected] Volume 30, Number 1, Winter 2016 Quarterly Newsletter of Division 15, District 7 Trai Coxswains Ray O'Connell (standing L) and Mike Fitzgerald (far R) assist with side tow practice for Chet Bowman (center L) and Bruce Ristich (center R) Photo by Chuck Dolan Division 15 Bridge Division Commander Division Vice Commander Immediate Past Division Commander Diane Berman Andrew Render Paul Pelletier [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 2016 Division 15 Flotilla Bridge Officers 15-1 15-2 15-3 Linda Jones, FC Leslie Moore, FC Mary Patton, FC Ralph Altavilla, VFC John Caddigan, VFC Randy Patton, VFC 15-4 15-7 15-8 Robert Currie, FC Josef Weiss, FC James Nastelli, FC D. Rusty Hays, VFC Donald Sorli, Sr., VFC Bruce Ristich, VFC January Division Meeting Notes The meeting opened with the will be moving on and will be re- Pledge of Allegiance and a moment Jones, SO-FN. placed in October. Mr. Render It was announced that the division of silence. Diane Berman, DCDR, talked about the upcoming SO/FSO welcomed the Executive Petty Of- will have the 4-hour TCT training on meeting on 23 January and said he Sunday, 10 April, at 15-1’s building in ficer (XPO) from Station Yankee- would be talking about recent Auxil- town, BM1 Michael Shallue, USCG. Crystal River. Training will start at iary mishaps on the water. He re- 0900. The annual SO-FSO meeting In her opening remarks, Ms Berman ported that there will be a new Sector said 2016 is a rebuilding year. She will take place on Saturday, 23 Janu- Auxiliary Security Team appointed ary. All SOs and FSOs are asked to explained that Flotilla 15-5, Gaines- and the members will get specialized ville, disestablished itself due to lack attend. FSOs will break out and security training so the team can as- meet with their SO for training and to of members stepping up to take lead- sist Sector with security at various ership roles. Ms Berman also told answer FSO questions. The uniform events. Andy said that flotillas will of the day will be civilian casual—so, the meeting that Division 15 has lost need to appoint a Rescue & Survival almost 25% of its members due to be comfortable. (R&S) officer. Larry Berman, DDC-P Flotilla Disaster/Hurricane plans the dues increase, mandated train- and SO-IS, will be the R&S officer for ing, and retirements. She thanked should be forwarded to the VCDR the division. Personal Protection and copied to the DCDR, by the end all members of the division for help- Equipment (PPE) has to meet Coast ing the division win the 2014 Com- of March. Discussion was held on Guard standards now. Mr. Render obtaining storage for the division’s modore’s Cup for the most improved said Station Yankeetown has offered division. The award was presented equipment, most of which is currently their meeting rooms for Auxiliary stored at the Berman’s home. A to Diane at D-TRAIN in September. training and/or meetings, and he an- BM1 Shallue reported that Chief committee was formed to investigate nounced that the “ride-along pro- methods and costs of storage. Andy Whitmore, OIC at Station Yankee- gram” with active duty personnel is town, will likely be promoted to Chief Render, as the SO-OP, is the chair, starting up again. Members who with members Ralph Altavilla, Mi- Warrant Officer soon, and that he will wish to ride along on Coast Guard be transitioning to another position, chael Moore, Rusty Hays and two patrols should contact their FSO-OP members from 15-8. The annual re- probably in May. Mr. Shallue to express their interest. The pro- thanked the Auxiliary for their Holi- port by FCs is due by the end of Feb- gram is available on Tuesdays and ruary. The meeting was adjourned at day Ethnic Luncheon, and said, “It Thursdays. was awesome.” 1120 hours. Michael Moore, SO-PA, and Andy Render, VCDR, in his open- Ralph Altavilla, SO-PV, were sworn ing remarks, stated that CAPT Greg- in as new division staff officers by the ory Case, USCG, Commander of DCDR and VCDR. Minutes from the Sector St. Petersburg, will be trans- October meeting were approved and ferring in the spring. He also said the financial report was given by Don the Mr. O’Hara, the Sector AUXLO, 2 Division Commander’s Report by Diane Berman, DCDR This is a year of rebuilding for build up our numbers and member- Division 15. We’ve faced a number ship. of challenges in the past year includ- extra mile in keeping our missions ing the loss of a flotilla and the loss There have already been changes. up and even increasing our num- of almost one-quarter of our mem- Take a look at our new and improved bers. If everyone does just a few bership. Issues that contributed to Division website, www.cgainfla.org. more VEs and a few more PVs, the losses in 2015 included, but were Randy Patton, our new SO-CS, has we can do it. not limited to, Mandated Training already made major improvements and the increase in National dues. that will help keep everyone in the Division 15 was awarded the loop. He will also be aggressive in Commodore’s Cup for 2014 for But that was last year. As we keeping the information up to date and the most improved Division in Dis- look to the future of Division 15, we relevant to the Division. Let Randy trict 7. Andy and I aim to make see nothing but light. There have know what you would like to see as 2016 a repeat performance. With been many changes already with part of the site. your help, we can do it. new FCs and Division Staff Officers. Andy Render, VCDR, is working With the decrease in membership, Here’s to a great 2016 and an hard to get the SOs motivated and it’s important for everyone to go the even greater Division 15! working in concert with the FSOs to Division Vice Commander’s Report by Andy Render, VCDR Far too often we do not realize the is YOUR meeting! We will break into The best part is that the coffee important part that our staff officers staff position meetings, with each of and donuts are free. Civilian casual play in the success of our flotillas and the sub-meetings coordinated by the is the uniform of the day. I’m look- our division! It is difficult to imagine division staff officer for your particular ing forward to seeing you on Satur- trying to function if we did not have specialty. This is an excellent chance day, 23 January. someone who was there to input the for you to get to know each other and information for the missions we con- discuss the type of support to go “up ducted, or there was no one to and down the communication chain.” schedule training classes or no one to publish our newsletters! My hat is This will be a very informal meet- off to all of you who have stepped ing, you have the opportunity to map forward and offered your services as out your plans for the year, learn what a division staff officer. the staff position is all about, or simply take the opportunity to trade ideas In order for us to get off to a good and suggestions. start in 2016, we are again conduct- ing our annual SO/FSO meeting at Everyone in the division is invited 0900 hours on Saturday 23 January to join in! If you are not a staff officer, at the West Citrus Community Center but would like to find out more about in Homosassa. one of the offices, please join us! This should be a learning experience Diane and I will do a SHORT kick- for everyone. off for the meeting---- but after that it 3 Flotilla Commander Reports 15-1 Crystal River by James Simon, Outgoing FC During the fourth quarter, we provided one Watchstander at Station Yankeetown and have had one member in Watchstander training each week. Our flotilla has provided one AUXFS member to assist with meal preparation for the Station during this quarter. AUXFS member Vince Maida has received orders to serve on the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Diligence in January. Flotilla 15-1 was well-represented at the Coast Guard Ethnic Holiday Luncheon, put on by the Auxiliary at Station Yankeetown. At every meeting, we had member training this quarter presented by Jim Simon, FSO-MT. We went over the monthly Operations quizzes sent out to the members each month prior to the flotilla meeting. Our topic for the next several months will be a boating review based on the “Boating Skills & Seamanship” manual. We continue to provide weekend patrols where we found several ATON deficiencies and reported them. Twenty- four patrols were scheduled this past quarter, and we were able to complete twenty. The increase in our patrol AOR to include the Florida Barge Canal and the Withlacoochee River has been very valuable to our operations program and will benefit our SAR cases in this area. The flotilla was able to provide safety patrols on all three days during the Labor Day holiday weekend. We also provided a second boat for a QE mission with Flotilla 15-4 on the Homosassa River. We conducted several two-boat patrols on the Crystal River with a Flotilla 15-5 facility.