WASHINGTON - The Coast Guard reminds all boaters that beginning January 1, 2007, both 121.5 and 243 MHz Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) are prohibited from use in both commercial and recreational watercraft.  Boaters wishing to have an emergency rescue beacon aboard their vessel must have a digital 406 MHz model.

The January 1, 2007, date to stop using 121.5 MHz EPIRBs is in preparation for February 1, 2009, when satellite processing of distress signals from all 121.5/243 MHz beacons will terminate.  Following this termination date, only the 406 MHz beacons will be detected by the International Cospas-Sarsat Satellite System which provides distress alert and location data for search and rescue operations around the world. http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/786/139352/

Revised APC Student & Study Guides Published
The APC (Administrative Procedures Course) Instructor Guide COMDTPUB 16794.60 and Student Study Guide COMDTPUB 16794.61 are cancelled. The guides no longer correspond with the current Auxiliary Manual COMDTINST M16790.1F. The revised guides (Auxiliary Administrative Procedures Course Instructor Guide, Revised 1 November 2006 and Auxiliary Administrative Procedures Course Student Study Guide, Revised 1 November 2006) have been released and are now available from the National Training Department.
[Posted: 02 NOV 2006. Source: Ken Kendall, DVC-TI]

First Coast Guard District Legal Assistance Program - The District Commodore announces the establishment of the First Coast Guard District Legal Assistance Program. In this program, qualified Auxiliarists who are attorneys may provide legal assistance in certain areas to members of the US Armed Forces on active duty, their dependents, members of reserve components, and retired members of the US Armed Forces and their dependents.
For the complete details, please click on the link below.
District 1 Legal Assistance Program
(Date: 02 November 2006, Source: DCO)
 

New Value-Added Course Released
Any business meeting of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, whether flotilla, division, district, or National Board, must proceed in an orderly way if it is to bring satisfactory results. There are certain widely accepted rules of conducting such meetings. These “Rules of Order” are a part of that large body or practices which are grouped under the term “parliamentary procedure”. A re-released program “Rules of Order” is now available on the National Department of Training in the Member Section under "Value-Added Training".
[Posted: 03 NOV 2006. Source: Gail Fisher, DC-T]

ANY MEMBER Needing TCT should contact, Christopher Scarlata our SO-MT through the chain of command.  A TCT Class will be organized for sometime in September based upon local interest.  TCT is needed for Crew and Coxswain currency maintenance AND for initial Crew and Coxswain Certification!  

BOAT CREW TRAINING MAUNAL REVISED!  The revised Auxiliary Boat Crew Training Manual, COMDTINST M16794.51A has been signed and will become effective as of 01 January 2007. The manual is being released now to give members as much time as possible to become familiar with the changes made to the Boat Crew Training Program.

TEACHING PE CLASSES????  Send the Notice of Intent to Teach - (word version) via Email to our ADSO-PE Mike Kaff.  By doing so, your courses will be listed on the National Website (as well as our own!).

V-Department Upgrades Training Materials & Qualification Examination
The National Department of Vessel Examination has launched an initiative to upgrade training materials and qualification examinations for Vessel Examiners and Program Visitors. The first phase is complete and links to training materials for both Vessel Examiners and Program Visitors are now on the V-Dept Training page. Both the on-line and paper qualification examination (Edition "E" available from ANSC) for Vessel Examiner have been reviewed and modified to improve the accuracy and clarity of the examinations.
[Posted: 17 AUG 2006. Source: Peter Urgola DC-V]

AuxplusPE Program available now, and available to our PE officers. It is a Public education management program that allows for excellent record keeping / printing of individual Cards and certificates. There are a number of reports that can be also printed out for our finance and bridge officers. Keeping of records has just become a lot easier. There is an excellent instructional program available which will be supplied to all the division captains at the September District Board meeting but that is also available from the PE Website the website. Source David TenBroeck, DSO-PE, First Southern District, Aug. 16, 2006.   

HOT WEATHER UNIFORM AUTHORIZED -  Cut off those ODU Pant legs! 

NOAA Publishes Online Chart Viewer

On July 4, NOAA introduced a new public service called the Online Chart Viewer. The Viewer lets mariners display [almost] any nautical chart in the national suite using only an Internet browser. Supported charts are updated weekly for notice to Mariner corrections by NOAA cartographers. The Viewer's fast, image displaying software permits rapid raster chart display, panning and zooming.
[Posted: 21 JUL 2006.  Source: Ev Tucker, PNACO]

VESSEL EXAMINERS - TAKE NOTICE:

There exists NO legal source permitting use of script registration numbering on Vessels. Even the old COMDTINST Manual CFR  M16796.2E, Chapter 6 clearly illustrates vessel registration numbering in accordance with 33 VEs173.27.

This policy is clearly stated in Coast Guard Directive 16780, which can be accessed here.  All VSCs should be aware of this directive when performing inspections.

Suggest that in addition to sending this information FSO, VEs-VEs print out and give copies of  Coast Guard Directive 16780 to all VSC at their next Flotilla Meeting.
[Source: Bob Daraio DVC-VE. July 28, 2006]

CS UPDATE:

NEW ALTERNATIVE SITE FOR COMPLETING ICS100 COURSE MAY BE FOUND AT HTTP://LEARNING.USCG.MIL/. USERS MUST HAVE AN EMPLOYEE ID TO LOGIN (Use your Aux ID# + your last name)

Users taking ISC 100 at the USCG Mil site will have their results automatically entered into the AuxData System.  All test results require manual submission to Karl Saboda through the FC chain of leadership. 

PSI Update - Action Required - Effective immediately, Members who had been previously required to submit DO packages because they were in the boat crew or other operations programs are now only required to submit the OS package.  Please read the recent ALCOAST message from Commander Young: HERE

New ICS Requirements  As of February 2006, the ALCOAST from G-RPP announcing the revised dates for completion of Incident Command System (IS) coursework for CG Auxiliary forces has not been issued. Since there are both Area and District directives published, some members have expressed concerns about the apparent conflict between the dates published and the dates proposed. In an effort to resolve this conflict, CG Auxiliary members are directed to comply with directives published by CG Area and District commands until CG Headquarters guidance is available.  http://cgauxsurfaceops.us/ICS.htm

2005 Workshops and REYR Status - the Chief Director has issued a statement regarding REYR status for members who missed taking the 2005 mandatory workshops. Please click on the link below to access the ALAUX message.
2005 WORKSHOPS AND REYR STATUS -005/06
(Date: 04 February 2006, Source: CHDIRAUX)
 

Guidance on Sending Correspondence At the recent N-Train sessions in St. Louis, information was shared regarding the proper ways to send correspondence via or through the Chain of Leadership and Management. The linked document here is valuable reading Guidance on Sending Correspondence VIA/THRU the Chain of Leadership and Management  (Date: 08 February 2006, Source: DCO)