Welcome to the District 11NR Commodore's Web Page! 

Although I firmly believe in using our Auxiliary Chain of Leadership and Management in our communications,  this web page is a unique opportunity for me to post information which will be directly available to all of our membership. 

My hope is that through clear and open communication we will improve understanding of district issues, goals and strategies, which will ultimately improve our mission execution.

                Visit:

                       The COMMANDANT of the United States Coast Guard
                                                Leadership Development Policy Statement

                       National Commodore's website

                       11th District Commander's Direction and Guiding  Principles ...link

                       Auxiliarist Support to CG Health Care Facilities

 

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11NR VISION STATEMENT

 

Our vision is to promote a volunteer environment and organizational climate that empowers our members and enables them to successfully carry out Coast Guard and Auxiliary missions with a high level of personal fulfillment and satisfaction.  

 

 

11NR MISSION STATEMENT

 

The mission of District 11 North of the Coast Guard Auxiliary is to contribute to the safety and security of the citizens, ports, waterways and maritime environment of our area through direct operational support to the Coast Guard, maritime domain awareness, and programs that promote and enhance recreational boating safety.

 

 

11NR KEY VALUES

 

·        Education    

We provide the opportunity for regular training so that we can stay prepared and ready to perform our missions successfully.

 

·        Excellence

We perform at a high standard and strive to exceed expectations

 

·        Innovation   

We are supported, but not constrained by tradition.  We will encourage our leaders to take calculated and creative risks, knowing that there will occasionally be mistakes and failures, but realizing that we will be nurturing an environment that is fresh, relevant, and successful over the long run.

 

·        Operational Excellence   

We perform our missions with skill and efficiency in a timely manner.

 

·        Personnel    

The Auxiliary is a volunteer service.  Our members determine their own level of activity and our members may accept or decline to participate in our activities.

 

·        Professionalism    

As volunteers, we are well trained, committed to honorable service, respectful of the needs and knowledge of our customers and dedicated to the successful accomplishment of our mission

 

·        Teamwork   

We work as a team and value the contributions of each individual.  We support each other both professionally and personally.  We know that our people are our most important resource

 

         ·        Ethics

We will conduct business following the Auxiliary Manual, all procedures guides available, and adhere to the National Commodore’s Statement on Sexual Harassment Prevention and Diversity.  We will treat everyone fairly and with respect.  Diversity is strength, and we will be strong.

 

 

 

OUR KEY BUSINESS DRIVERS

 

·        Operational support to the Coast Guard

·        Education of the public in boating, environmental and waterway safety

·        Providing our members with the tools and training to keep their qualifications and carry out our missions.

  

 

 

OPERATING ENVIRONMENT

We carry out our support missions in a three-state area of responsibility (Northern California, Nevada, Utah) which includes a large number of coastal, inland and sole state waterways.  In some areas where there is no active duty Coast Guard presence, we are perceived by the local maritime community as the Coast Guard.

 

We have experienced a significant decrease in Auxiliary membership over the past three years probably due to a variety of factors, including the PSI security process and other new membership requirements, and a general decline in volunteerism across the country.  At the same time, we have experienced decreased funding for a number of our programs.  This decrease in membership and financial support has created a significant series of challenges to  our ability to fulfill our missions.

 

 

11NR SWOT DATA SUMMARY - 2007

 

	Operations/Service	Human Resources	Organizational Management	Technology/ Facilities
Strengths	Excellent public education program   Emergency response capability   Good coverage of our area of responsibility   Good facility availability   Direct support to the Coast Guard as a force multiplier	Member experience   Motivation   Well trained and ready Members   Enthusiastic Instructors   Many retired members who are readily available	Clear chain of authority   Support from Coast Guard  structure   Leadership availability   Unit call trees in place	Radio communicationsexpertise   Many facilities prepared and ready   Good teaching materials   Local radio tower and several ramp launches available
Weaknesses	Occasionally poor mission execution and discipline   Fuel budget limitations   Freeways congested – difficulty to move around AOR   Coastal QEs should not be evaluating inland boat crew   Large AOR for our division creates logistical problems	Lack of ethnic diversity   Lack of flotilla leadership candidates   Leadership poor   Facility owners not always available   Available personnel poorly trained   Instructors vary in quality   Overeagerness of some members   Members must travel long distances   Many members have jobs which limit their availability	Lack of leadership Training   Constant changing relationship to CG   Call out trees slow and not functioning efficiently   Problems between division and district leadership communication   Marketing of PE needs repair   Leaders have other obligations   Need to backup leadership positions	Clumsy database systems   Lack of PPE for members   Emergency equipment not always available   Well trained for SAR on inland lakes   Facilities are not centrally located, some in remote areas
Opportunities	Assist with state mandated PE   Increase in VE Program   Members perceived as CG in many areas   Build strong relationships with local agencies   Members well trained along with	Work in Conjunction with CG   Add more facilities and crew   Add radio tower in local areas	Participate in multi-agency drills more frequently   AWW and MDA   Train with active duty   Increase budget support from CG for fuel and maintenance	Improve database systems   Increase use of Internet for recruiting and PA   Video-conferencing   Improve radio repeater systems   Improve computer communications in existing fac
Threats	Competition from other service and volunteer groups   All members not ICS trained as yet	Aging facilities in need of repair (SAMA funding)   Training classrooms unavailable   Rotate crew and facilities in long operations.	Unpredictable member availability   Need more drills   Delay in ordering and receiving PE Materials	Too much reliance on cell phones

 

 

STRATEGIC ISSUES

 

PRIORITY ONE – RECRUIT AND RETAIN

 

We have lost members over the past three years, which impacts our ability to carry out our missions.  One way to enhance our capability and expand our resources is to grow.   A primary focus must be recruitment of new members and retention of existing members.  When we have revitalized our membership we will be better able to meet our objectives.  We cannot fulfill our goals without a membership that has diversity, is motivated, trained, and has adequate personnel. 

 

The means to attract new members and retain them is to meet their expectations.  We should conduct business in a manner that appeals to a broad range of volunteers.  We must cultivate new members with a variety of skills and backgrounds so that we are optimally prepared for our new missions.

 

 

CHANGE AND ADAPTATION

 

The Coast Guard is going through many changes as a result of its Homeland Security mandate.  The Auxiliary, as an integral part of Team Coast Guard, is also going through many changes.  This adjustment creates many organizational challenges for us as Auxiliarists. 

 

We are well situated to meet these challenges because of our broad range of skills, our extensive experience, and our training.  By completing PSIs, taking ICS courses and meeting other new readiness requirements, we are becoming better prepared.

 

Our biggest challenge is to find ways to balance our traditional RBS program missions (vessel exams, public education and program visitation) with new CG Homeland Security and Maritime Safety missions.  We must continually look for improved ways to increase our efficiency and productivity, while at the same time taking care of ourselves and our fellow members.

 

 

FOCUS ON MISSION EXECUTION AND ACCOUNTABILITY

 

In order to fulfill our goal of providing superior volunteer support, it is crucial to keep our focus on Mission Execution.  We must keep our individual members and units trained and “Good to Go”.  We must formulate unit response plans and drill on them regularly.

 

We must maintain and upgrade our facilities and support equipment as necessary.  Our members will increasingly learn to use the internet and other new electronic technologies for improved training and communications.

 

Our core values of honor, respect and devotion to duty dictate that once we accept a task as an Auxiliarist, we OWN it.  We follow through and complete it to the best of our ability.  We commit ourselves, take responsibility, and are accountable for our actions.

 

 

INSPIRE A SHARED VISION THROUGH LEADERSHIP

 

We need to communicate with and lead our members at all unit levels.  It must be clear who we are, where we are now, what our goals are, where we want to go, and how we are going to get there. 

 

Our membership needs to know that their leaders are listening, understanding, and addressing concerns, and that the members feel “in the loop” as far as receipt of information.  We should inspire a climate of trust through transparency, communication, and good leadership and management.

 

In addition, our current unit leaders must always be attentive to training and recruiting upcoming leaders to eventually take their place.  We should attempt to identify and recruit new members with leadership skills, encourage them to assume leadership roles, and facilitate the leadership training process.

 

 

BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR MARITIME PARTNERS

 

We will seek out and nurture relationships with other maritime federal, state, and local agencies, other volunteer groups, and private organizations in a professional and competent manner. 

 

This networking will help us accomplish our missions, working in concert with our partners.   Reaching out to our partners can build upon and sustain a positive perception of the Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary among the general public.

 

 

 

STRATEGIC DIRECTION

 

Our primary customers are the US Coast Guard, certain local, state and federal agencies, and members of the maritime communities of Northern California, Nevada and Utah.

 

     1.      We will support our traditional Recreational Boating Safety mission by building upon our already successful programs in Public Affairs, Vessel Exams, Public Education and Program Visitation.  The Coast Guard has become increasingly dependent upon the Auxiliary to carry out these important missions as their own Homeland Security demands have increased.

 

     2.      Our operational programs will be a mainstay of Coast Guard support.  We are a significant force multiplier in marine safety, communications, verifying aids to navigation and chart updating, and surface, aviation and land mobile operations.  We will maintain a ready fleet of Auxiliary operational facilities and qualified boat crew, as we meet new operational qualification requirements.  Our Administrative and Member Services departments will provide important training, planning and logistical support for our operational and operational support missions.

 

     3.      We will focus on excellence in our performance and strive to exceed expectations by maintaining well trained and motivated personnel.  In order to meet our expanding mission requirements, we need to provide our members with the tools necessary to carry out our missions.  Our member training programs will meet this challenge. 

 

     4.      We will assure operational readiness through events like our District Training Conference (DTRAIN) workshops, our Operational Training Exercises (OPTREX), our new division coxswain academies, our search and rescue team competitions, and through outreach efforts to participate in activities with our local Coast Guard stations.  We will remain Semper Paratus and adapt to current local needs within our ever-changing operational environment.

 

     5.      Our district elected leaders will provide focus and direction to division and flotilla staff officers and elected officers, so they, in turn, can motivate and direct our members to plot and steer a course based on strategies established by the National Commodore.  Our leaders will act in a consistently trustworthy, fair, respectful, and honorable fashion, treating all members as partners and regularly using our many communication tools to both inform and receive feedback from members.    

 

     6.      We must take care of ourselves and our fellow members by creating a balanced workload with reasonable expectations and realistic volunteer assignments.  We will respect our member’s ideas and input, whether they volunteer frequently or occasionally, whether they are new members or seasoned veterans, whether they are young or old.  It is important to let people have options, a sense of control, and flexibility in their schedules while carrying out their volunteer tasks.  We cannot overburden our most productive members with too many responsibilities, which can lead to burnout.  We will recognize and reward our member’s accomplishments with individual and team awards.  We will thank people for their contributions frequently and publicly.

 

     7.      We are financially supported, with limitations, in our direct operational activities and training by the US Coast Guard.  For the majority of our other support missions, we support ourselves through the Coast Guard Auxiliary Association, Inc.  We will remain financially solvent and stay fiscally responsible by creating an annual district budget plan and periodically auditing our unit’s financial status.

 

     8.      We will create metrics to measure our outcomes using our Information Services databases – AUXDATA and AUXINFO.  Key measures include lives and property saved, preventive efforts, maritime commerce flow facilitated, and maritime resources protected. 

 

     9.      Finally, we will continue to represent the Coast Guard on our inland lakes and waterways, where there is no active duty Coast Guard presence.  Over the years, the public and local agencies have come to accept the Auxiliary as the Coast Guard in these areas, and look to us for help. We will continue to provide this presence, not as a force multiplier, but as the only representation of the Coast Guard in those areas. Our members will interact with the public wherever recreational boaters congregate, at boat ramps, in classrooms, at boat shows, spreading our boating safety message.

 

 

OUR PROGRAMS
 

 

OPERATIONAL SUPPORT TO THE CG	MEASURES	WHAT IT MEANS
·      Surface Operations (OP)	No. of Patrols
·      Harbor Patrols (HARPAT)		Force Multiplier
·      Search and Rescue		Force Multiplier
·      Safety and Regatta Patrols		Force Multiplier
·      Critical Infrastructure Patrols		Force Multiplier
·      Boat Crew Program		Force Multiplier
·      Operational Excellence Program		Force Multiplier
·      Aviation Operations (AV)	No. of Patrols
·      Harbor Patrols (HARPAT)		Force Multiplier
·      Communications (CM)	No. of Patrols
·      Harbor Patrols (HARPAT)		Force Multiplier
·      Fixed Land Radio Facilities		Force Multiplier
·      Land Mobile Patrols		Force Multiplier
·      Auxiliary Rapid Response Team – Communications (ARRT-C)		Force Multiplier
·      Auxiliary Mobile Communication Units (AMCUs)		Force Multiplier
·      Watchstander – Station	Mission Hours	Force Multiplier
·          Watchstander – Boarding Team	Mission Hours	Force Multiplier
Public Safety and Education
·          Vessel Examinations (VE)	No. of VSCs	Our VSC program will be maintained and expanded.  Our VSC program provides an opportunity to tell the Auxiliary Story.  Our VSC program that provides outreach and an opportunity for one-on-one boater education as well as an opportunity to facilitate the MDA programs.  VSC’s can also be used to recruit new members.
·      Recreational Boaters		Preventive SAR
·      Fishing Boats		Preventive SAR
·      Uninspected Passenger Vessels (Six Packs)		Preventive SAR
·      Public Education (PE)	No. of Classes Offered	PE provides us with both internal and external benefits. Externally PE is a major component of our outreach program for “Preventive SAR.”  Internally PE provides revenue and new members.
·      Marine Safety (MS)	Mission Hours
·      Container		Force Multiplier
·      Facilities		Force Multiplier
·      MER		Force Multiplier
·      Domestic Inspection