THE SCUTTLEBUTT

U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY FLOTILLA 12-8, 7TH DISTRICT CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA VOL 28, NO 1, JANUARY 2002 FLOTILLA WEB SITE: http://www.uscgauxcharleston.org
FLOTILLA COMMANDER VICE COMMANDER COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS FINANCE MATERIALS MEMBER TRAINING OPERATIONS PUBLIC EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS SECRETARY/RECORDS
Dean B. Creed . . . . 843-971-1541 Brett J. Grooms . . . . . . . . 553-216 Tom Beauchemin . . . . . . 873-0363 Richard Daniel . . . . . . . . 556-8453 rbdaniel1829@aol.com dbcreed@netzero.net brettg101@home.com two_short@charleston.net Brett J. Grooms . . . . . . . 553-2168 Joey Bokern . . . . . . . . . . 884-8616 Robert Lovinger . . . . . . . 762-6136 John Sikes . . . . . . . . . . . . 569-0994 jsikes@aux.uscg.net brettg101@home.com joseph.bokern@hughessupply.com rlovinger@earthlink.net

AIDS TO NAVIGATION CAREER COUNSELOR COMMUNICATIONS

727-0307 Dan Cowley . . . . . . . . . . 795-7053 Dean Creed . . . . . . . . . . . 971-1541 Tom Schmidt . . . . . . . . . 886-0500 Mike Ethridge methridge@carlockcopeland.com dbcreed@netzero.net cowleyet@home.com beach-cat@worldnet.att.net

INFORMATION SYSTEMS

MARINE SAFETY LIAISON MARINE VISITOR

W. Brent Hepburn . . . . . 884-6625 Dom Zito . . . . . . . . . . . . 795-1012 Bob Orenstein . . . . . . . . . 821-0233 David Beaudrot . . . . . . . 552-2632 dzito@knology.net bhepburn@worldnet.att.net orenstn@dycon.com (no e-mail access) Marguerite Bishop . . . . . 766-1741 Barbara J. Yeatman . . . . 795-4149 Dick Clarke . . . . . . . . . . 849-9216 Dick Clarke . . . . . . . . . . 849-9216 doberdoody@netzero.net mar-jer-bishop@msn.com clarker@citadel.edu clarker@citadel.edu

PERSONNEL SERVICES PUBLIC AFFAIRS

VESSEL EXAMINATION
IMMEDIATE PAST FC

FROM THE COMMANDER

Dean Creed, FC

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I think its going to be a great one for Flotilla 12-8. Were fortunate to have lots of new, energetic members (almost 1 out of every 4 current members joined in 2001), as well as lots of experienced members that can help get them involved and qualified. As you all know, there is a seemingly unlimited number of ways in which we can support our safe boating mission and Team Coast Guard. Options for involvement are many. Make your initial 2002 Auxiliary Involvement Choices now, and start pursuing them with gusto! A number of the Flotilla Staff Officers have already announced or proposed ambitious plans for 2002. They will need help from all members to make these plans a reality. The staff officers are not responsible for doing these things, the entire membership is! Some of what Im

talking about is Aids to Navigation getting qualified as an Aids Verifier and supporting the ATON mission; Group Charleston Support performing a wide variety of tasks at Group Charleston to help take a load off of regular and reserve CG personnel; Operations supporting the Maritime Homeland Security initiative and our many other forms of on-water patrols; Marine Dealer Visitors periodically visiting dealers and helping them promote safe boating; Marine Safety getting involved with MSO programs such as Sea Partners and supporting our local MSO office; Member Training not only increasing your knowledge through things such as Specialty Courses, but helping to provide training that members need and want, and particularly helping additional members get Crew and Coxswain qualified; Public Affairs getting the word out to the public about the Auxiliary and the many services we provide, remembering that every member is employed 24x7 by the Auxiliary Sales and Marketing Department; Public Education getting qualified as, and serving as, an Instructor for a number of public education programs for both adults and children; Publications getting the word out to our members

through newsletter articles (which should be submitted by more than just staff officers!); Recruiting introducing folks to the Auxiliary, the regular and reserve Coast Guard, training and mentoring new members, and finding potential candidates for our wonderful AIM Program; and Vessel Examinations getting qualified as a Vessel Examiner and helping the public ensure that their boats, from jon boats to commercial fishing vessels, are safe. We have done a lot in 2001. Ive been very pleased to present a number of Sustained Service awards lately. Each award represents 750 hours of Auxiliary service, and many of these are the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th awards for a given member. Its wonderful to see such commitment! Ive also been pleased to present quite a few Qualification awards in recent months, ranging from Coxswain & Crew, to Instructor and Vessel Examiner, and its wonderful to see members receiving the fruits of their labors. I continue to be impressed with our on-water response to the increased Coast Guard security patrols since 11 September 2001. We provided a very respectable number of hours of operational support. I am quite proud of

Information contained in this newsletter is for official US Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary use only under the Privacy Act of 1974. The Auxiliary is guided by the current equal opportunity policies of the Commandant of the Coast Guard. No person shall be subject to discrimination in the Auxiliary or its programs because of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, or disability.

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our flotilla. All I can say is keep up the great work! Weve got a lot to do in 2002. I know were up to the task!

The Scuttlebutt

January 2002
going to go BOWLING !!! The Charleston Rifle Club has some equipment available balls, shoes, etc., so if you dont have equipment come on out. If you have equipment come on out. If you can borrow equipment come on out, If you just want to watch and cheer the others on come on out. There are also pool tables, shuffleboard, large TVs and a full service bar. We will have pizzas around 4 or4:30pm. This is offered to CG Aux, Regular CG, and families. PLEASE CALL ME BY JAN 7,2002 so that I can reserve enough alleys. Come on and lets have a FUN time, My telephone number is:766-1741 and e-mail is mar-jer-bishop@msn.com . Let me hear from you!

PUBLIC EDUCATION
Richard Daniel, FSO-PE Year 2002 Boating Safety Course schedule has been completed and will be listed on the web site for the general public soon. If all goes as planned we will be offering the public a combination of course selection as well as times being offered. Boating Skills and Seamanship will start on January 8th and end around February 28th with the class meeting every Tuesday and Thursday evening at 1900 hours. We will be offering another Boating Skills and Seamanship in September, and the Boating Safely course being offered in March, April, May and November. If we have the interest, we will be offering Advanced Coastal Navigation starting in March. This is a Tuesday evening offering that will run at least 16 weeks but probably longer since there is so much material to cover. We would like all members to think about taking a refresher course. Anyone interested in helping should contact me at 556-8453, 745-9600 or email me at Rbdaniel1829@aol.com

FROM THE VICE

Brett Grooms, VFC I would like to thank the membership for having the confidence to elect Dean and me to serve another year as FC and VFC respectively. Im confident this will be a GREAT year!!! I have seen a surge of enthusiasm develop in our Flotilla since September 11, 2001. This terrible and tragic event did one thing: help underline the important job we do for the Coast Guard and Nation as Auxiliary members. What is our job? Thats easy Save Lives. The Auxiliary recognized that fact and changed our slogan to Americas Volunteer Lifesavers, a fitting name for everything our members do. Saving lives has many forms; Teaching Public Education Programs, Vessel Safety Checks, On-Water Patrols, providing pamphlets/handouts to retail stores and Assisting the Coast Guard in Administrative Tasks. contd on page 4

MARINE SAFETY LIAISON

Dom Zito, FSO-MS In my final report as outgoing Finance Officer at the December Staff Meeting, I reiterated that the Public Education Course income was over $2,000 below last year, and consequently member dues, from which we recruit most new members, was down considerably. Both Richard Daniel FSO-PE and Dick Clarke, FSO-PA, expressed their concerns and have ambitious plans to stimulate public awareness for the flotillas future progress. I am confident that incoming FN Joey Bokern will do exceptionally well as FSO-FN as he has in his former Auxiliary assignments. I look forward to working cooperatively with all current and newly appointed staff in my new assignment FSO-MS which seems to tie in with my Administration support duties in the MSO, which I enjoy and find interesting. I urge other Auxiliarists to offer whatever time they have to spare, to help the USCG by volunteering in any capacity that will help relieve the burdensome USCG missions. I wish you and your families a Prosperous and Healthy 2002.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Dick Clarke, FSO-PA Our first event of the new year will be the Charleston Boat Show scheduled at the North Charleston Convention Center 24-27 January 2002. A little something different has been added in that we will be giving a PWC class at the SEA-DOO of CHARLESTON exhibit and conduct a VSC using a boat on display by DUNCAN's Boat Harbor. These events will be publicized by the boat show people. Of course we'll need maximum volunteer participation in manning our booth to be successful.. Plan to sign up at the January membership meeting

COMMUNICATIONS
Marguerite Bishop, FSO-CM I will start the new Communications course on Monday, Jan. 14, 2002 beginning at 7:00 pm in the CG Base Conference room. Also the Weather course will begin at the same time and same place! If you can, please let me know which course you would like to take. I need this so that I may order the exams. My phone number is 766-1741, the e-mail is: mar-jer-bishop@msn.com , Snail mail to 1679 Wappoo Rd., Isle de Nemours, Charleston, SC 29407.

FLOTILLA SOCIAL
Marguerite Bishop We are going to try this again. On Saturday, January 12th, at 2:00 pm we are

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The Scuttlebutt
your first trip down the AICW to check out the scenery in Florida. You have never been in this area before and for some reason they have removed all of the day boards and buoys and range markers and bridge depth boards and so forth and so on. Its the middle of the night or youve hit an unexpected rain storm at high noon. Theyve never published a Notice to Mariners for this area and they dont broadcast hazards to navigation on the marine radio. Now, honestly, what would you do? The highways on the water are like those on land - there would be utter chaos without the roads around here having stoplights and speed signs and traffic directions and so forth. The state and federal governments keep those signs up and keep those lights burning. There are plenty more byways that depend upon local governments to keep the public informed in a way that makes auto travel safer and more pleasurable. For the most part, the Coast Guard takes care of all of those highways on the water. It is up to those of us in the Auxiliary to take care of

January 2002
the byways. There are plenty of private aids to navigation out there that help mariners get home safely, find a neighbors place, or get back to a good fishing hole. As your new FSO-AN I would like to invite you to learn more about the wonderful world of all of those large and small aids to navigation on all of our waters, large and small how to verify when everything is in its place and working properly, keeping the public safer and making time on the water more pleasurable, and how to report any discrepancies you might see along your own course out there. And something you might not have thought of is that the Coast Guard also could use our help keeping up the gold side of our aids to navigation through the local ANT Team. They invite us to attend their schools, how to work on aids, and so forth, and they welcome us aboard their working boats at anytime. Please contact me if you have any interest in helping out with our Aids to Navigation program.

AIDS TO NAVIGATION
Dan Cowley, FSO-AN For those of you who have spent a lot of time on the local waters, you probably know where all of the channels and sand bars are, where the good water is and where the bad water is. You might even know where the submerged objects are that could cause your boat some problems in the event of a really low ebb tide, or where the dredges are operating, or which lights are not watching properly. Maybe you dont even need to read the Notice to Mariners or to listen to the unscheduled marine broadcasts on Channel 22, because you have already been out there and seen it with your own eyes. Lets say that you can even navigate around here in the dark with your eyes closed! Even so, most of us would probably take a bet that youre likely to bump into something or run aground soon! Imagine if you will, for a moment, that you are in your new boat, that you are from up north, and that you are taking

Flotilla 12-8 Membership Meeting Minutes 12 December 2001

The meeting was called to order at 1900 by FC Dean Creed. Dick Clarke led the Pledge of Allegiance. Members present: Tom Beauchemin Dave Beaudrot Jerome Bishop Marguerite Bishop Joey Bokern Dick Clarke Dan Cowley Elizabeth Cowley Dean Creed Richard Daniel Vinnie Gennaro Brett Grooms Bob Kreiling Ellen Kreiling Robert Lovinger Bob Mathewes Lou Mintz Mark Ratliff Barbara Yeatman Guests: Chris Beckham Nick Cuomo Bill Dempsey Allen James Frank Leister Kip Zimmerman

Dan Cowley received the Auxiliarys Sustained Service Award Fourth Award. Lou Mintz received the Sustained Service Award Second Award. Bob Mathewes received his Coxswain qualification and pin. FC Dean Creed swore in the Flotilla Staff Officers for 2002. VFC Brett Grooms called for Flotilla Staff Officers to provide their reports (refer to their columns in the Scuttlebutt for the details). SO-OP Bob Kreiling summarized the 12 DEC 2001 meeting held with USCG Group Charleston AUXLO Walsh, Commander Besson, and the Coxswains of Flotillas 12-6 and 12-8 regarding Auxiliary patrols in support of the Maritime Homeland Security initiative. The primary focus is on (1) awareness and (2) prevention. Flotillas 12-6 and 12-8 will be providing randomly-scheduled patrols

on Tuesday and Saturday of each week. Bob Kreiling, as SO-OP, will coordinate Division 12's response. Bob Kreiling and Dean Creed emphasized the need to have anyone interested in offering their boat for use as an Operational Facility to have it inspected within the next month. FSO-VE Dave Beaudrot may arrange an OPFAC Blitz to address this need. FSO-PE Richard Daniel stressed the need for Instructor participation in upcoming public education programs. The current BS&S program expects to graduate 10 participants on 08 JAN 2002. The next BS&S program begins on 08 JAN 2002 (the same day). Anyone interested in attending the BS&S, particularly those interested in Crew Qualification who have not attended a boating safety class, should contact Richard.

FSO-PA Dick Clarke mentioned several planned activities for the Public Affairs mission. The large boat show at the North Charleston Coliseum will be on 24-27 JAN 2002. Dick needs members (no special qualification necessary) to staff our USCG Auxiliary booth. Contact Dick to offer your support. Dean Creed mentioned that a large number of members are interested in becoming Crew Qualified. The current plan is to begin shore-side training in January. Lou Mintz proposed holding occasional joint meetings with East Cooper Flotilla 12-6. The proposal received general agreement. Dean Creed will propose to 126, and expects to hold the first one as a dinner meeting in February 2002. The meeting was adjourned at 2015.

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The Scuttlebutt

January 2002

Flotilla 12-8 Calendar January 2002

Sunday Dec 30 Monday Dec 31 1 Tuesday 2 Wednesday 3 Thursday 4 Friday 5 Saturday FM

New Years Eve 6 7

New Years Day 8 BS&S Course begins 1900 hrs at Yeamans Park Presby Church 15 BS&S Course, 1900 hrs at Yeamans Park Presby Church 22 BS&S Coures, 1900 hrs at Yeamans Park Presby Church 29 BS&S Course, 1900 hrs at Yeamans Park Presby Church 9 Staff mtg 1800 Membership mtg 1900, base Chas 16 10 BS&S Course, 1900 hrs at Yeamans Park Presby Church 17 BS&S Course, 1900 hrs at Yeamans Park Presby Church 24 BS&S Course, 1900 hrs at Yeamans Park Presby Church 31 BS&S Course, 1900 hrs at Yeamans Park Presby Church 11 12

13

NM

14

18

19

20

21 FQ Martin Luther King, Jrs birthday (obs.) 28 FM

23

25 Division Change of Watch Feb 1

26 Division Change of Watch Feb 2

27

30