Intercom spring 2015 by Dorothy Riley

Divi Di Division Divisi ivi visi sion ion n 7 Tampa Tam a pa pa Bay, Bay Ba ay,, District Dist Di istri rict ict 7 United nited States Sta Stat tates tess Coast C Coas ast Guard Gu G uard d Auxiliary Auxi Au x liaryy xiliary

Volume Volu Vo V ollu lume um me XXXVIII XXX XXX X VI VIII II

Issue IIsss ssu sue ue 1

Spring Spri prin ing 2015 2 15 20 5

INTERCOM

Newsle er for Division 7 Tampa Bay, District 7, USCG Auxiliary Volume XXXVIII Issue 1 Spring 2015

In this Issue...

Click on Ɵtle to read arƟcles. Use the "Home" buƩon on the boƩom of each page to return to this contents page. From the Helm Jeffrey Gines, DCDR Gene Keller, VCDR Coast Guard Responds to Gasparilla Pirate Invasion By Dick Risk, Auxiliary Public Information Liaison for Gasparilla A Message from COMO Robert Weskerna, DCO 7 Flotilla News Flotilla 72 Flotilla 74 Flotilla 75 Flotilla 78 Flotilla 79 Flotilla 7-16 Staff Reports: Updates and Events in Logistics, Response and Prevention Departments Gasparilla History and Facts for Newcomers. By Dorothy Riley Gasparilla madness serves a greater purpose: Auxiliarist Help Protect Florida Manatees By Dottie Riley Gasparilla Radio Support: 20 Boats and No Waiting! By Dave Rockwell, SO-CM, Division 7 Whew! Two SARs in one night! By George Papabeis, Staff Officer-Public Affairs, Division 7 Blackthorn Remembrance Ceremony: Remembering the Coast Guard’s Greatest Peacetime Tragedy By Dorothy Riley There is still Time to accept the challenge! District 7 Public Education Challenge COMO Robert Weskerna, DCO 7; Judith Hudson, DCOS 7 D7 Newly Elected Commodore Attends Division 7 Change of Watch By Dottie Riley Division 7 HF Operators Are On-The-Air By Dave Rockwell, Staff Officer-Communications, Division 7 Division 7 Ensures Radios Are Ready for Operations By Dave Rockwell, Staff Officer-Communications, Division 7 Gasparilla 2015 Photographs Manatee Watch Letter of Appreciation from The Ash Group, Inc

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INTERCOM

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Newsle er for Division 7 Tampa Bay, District 7, USCG Auxiliary Volume XXXVIII Issue 1 Spring 2015

Division 7 Elected Officers 2015 Div 7 Division Commander Div 7 Division Vice Commander Div 7 Immed. Past Division Commander

Jeﬀery Gines, DCDR Gene Keller, VCDR J. Michael Shea, IPDCDR

FL-72 Flo lla Commander Flo lla Vice Commander FL-74 Flo lla Commander Flo lla Vice Commander FL-75 Flo lla Commander Flo lla Vice Commander FL-78 Flo lla Commander Flo lla Vice Commander FL-79 Flo lla Commander Flo lla Vice Commander FL-7-16 Flo lla Commander Flo lla Vice Commander

Jack Lee, FC Tony Hooper, VFC Dus n Buxton, FC Carlos Velez, VFC Gary Mull, FC Judith Clapp, VFC Tony Novellino, FC Eric Davis, VFC Michael Massimini, FC Darren Hart, VFC Tom Bodi, FC Bill Zinner, VFC

Division 7 Appointed Staff 2014 Communica ons Communica on Services Diversity Finance Informa on Services Human Resources Materials Marine Safety Member Training Naviga on Systems Opera ons Public Aﬀairs Publica ons Public Educa on Program Visitor Secretary Vessel Examina ons Auxiliary Unit Coordinator

David Rockwell, SO-CM Franco Ripple, SO-CS Donald T. Hershman, SO-DV Linda Brandt, SO-FN Theresa Johnson, SO-IS Judith Clapp, SO-HR Guy Mandigo, SO-MA Conrad Palermo, SO-MS David Langdon, Jr., SO-MT David Perillo, SO-NS Linda Churchill, SO-OP George Papabeis, SO-PA Dorothy J. Riley, SO-PB James Fogle, SO-PE Darren Hart, SO-PV Heleyde Aponte, SO-SR Richard Smith, SO-VE Richard Short

We’re on the web! h p://A07007.wow.uscgaux. info You can contact any of our oﬃcers on the Division 7 web page! The Intercom is a publica on of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, Division Seven, District Seven. The cost of publica on is provided by dues-paying members of the Auxiliary, an organizaon of unpaid, civilian volunteers whose mission is to assist the U.S. Coast Guard in promo ng boa ng safety. Ar cles may be reprinted only with the express consent of the author or photographer, with proper credit given to same. For permissions or for more informaon, please contact the editor, Dorothy Joan Riley, SO-PB, Email address: do eriley1@verizon.net

Cover photo: GASPARILLA and its mosquito ﬂeet of pirates heads for the Tampa Convention Center to "invade" the city Jan. 31, 2015, during the annual city-wide celebration that includes numerous events including land and boat parades. Photo by Dick Risk

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Intercom

USCG Auxiliary

Division 7, District 7

From the Helm Jeffrey Gines, Division Commander Shipmates: Across this Division and within each of our Flo llas, we all have much to look forward to in 2015. Leading into this year, you have put much me and energy into the development of our goals and objec ves for the year and the planning necessary to meet and exceed them. Your focus and diligence in preparing for this year has been outstanding, and I am confident that together we will achieve great results throughout this year. When speaking about achieving great results this year, one topic of discussion that should not be ignored is your many great achievements in 2014. Your reless eﬀorts and commitment have been and will con nue to be founda onal in improving both our capability and capacity to achieve great results this year and in the years to come. At our Division Change of Watch ceremony in December, CAPT Gregory Case, Commander Sector St. Petersburg, and COMO Robert Weskerna, District Commodore 7th District, recognized and honored the members of Division 7 in the presenta on of the USCG Auxiliary 7th District’s award for the “Best Division Na onal Safe Boa ng Week Program for 2014.” Congratula ons and thanks again to all of you on a job well done. The outstanding results you achieved throughout 2014 certainly did not start, nor did they end there. Over the previous year, your valued eﬀorts in 2014 resulted in increasing our Public Educa on course graduates by 7 percent; Vessel Safety Checks performed by nearly 10 percent, Program Partner Visita ons by over 2 percent, and incredibly Opera ons Hours by nearly 20 percent. That is teamwork.

we serve and CG Sector St. Petersburg. S ll, there is more to do as we step into 2015 with strength and purpose. We certainly welcome the challenges in the weeks and months ahead, ones we choose to embrace through the goals and objec ves we set out to achieve this year. One thing many of you have heard me talk about in flo lla and division meetings, various emails and one-on-one conversa ons is the three “R’s,” which we must con nuously evaluate as we plan our work and work our plans: Are we doing the right things? Are we doing them the right way? And are we ge ng the right results? I have the greatest confidence in you all in con nuing to balance what we do and how we do it with an eye toward improving and maximizing the results and the impact we have to promo ng boa ng safety and saving lives. The breadth and depth of experience and exper se we have across this Division is excep onal. These are among our greatest strengths and most valued assets. That said, I want to issue a challenge to all of you, especially to those of you whose par cipa on in Auxiliary ac vi es has in recent months, been less than you may have wanted or had an cipated. I would ask you to consider revisi ng what inspired and compelled you to become a member and con nue as a membership in this great organiza on. For some of you, this may mean evalua ng or even re-evalua ng what mission ac vi es and programs you may want to become more ac vely involved with; areas you have a passion for and interest in being further mentored and trained in, or even re-qualified. We need the very most and very best of what you can oﬀer, and we are commi ed to suppor ng you in being able to do that. Thank you again for your outstanding service and unselfish devo on to duty. Semper Paratus! Respec ully

An impera ve to these successes is member training, Jeffrey O. Gines, DCDR which underpins all of this in further building upon our capacity to sustain this momentum and our capa- Division 7, 7th District bili es to support more and varied mission ac vi es eﬀec vely. With that in mind, over the previous year your commitment to training resulted in increasing our Instructors by 20 percent, Boat Crew members by over 40 percent, Coxswains by nearly 25 percent, and Vessel Examiners by over 30 percent. These achievements truly exemplify your passion, dedica on to duty, and commitment to safe boa ng in support of the public

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From the Helm Gene Keller, Division Vice Commander Leadership

good leaders strive to foster great leaders.

‘’The success of the Coast Guard Auxiliary will depend upon the extent of your par cipa on and upon the Great leaders are always commi ed to the propoquality of the leaders that you, the member, select.” si on that their succesDoes that sound familiar? The pledge that we all took sors will be be er than when we joined extols us to select quality leaders, but them. what quali es make a good leader? Living this concept will go far to insure our con nued In today’s complex and technologically sophis cated success. terrain our leaders have to be jacks of many trades. Interac ng with help desks, social media, and online So the simple truth is par cipa ng in building our leadtraining systems has added greatly to the demands ership is part of all of our job descrip ons. Hone your placed on each of us in elected and staﬀ posi ons alike. skills, develop your management style, and train your successor. And remember that you are our future. And of course the good old fashion people skills required in a voluntary organiza on is even more in de- Respec ully mand. Recrui ng new members and sustaining our ex- Gene Keller, VCDR is ng ranks will con nue to challenge us going forward. Division 7, 7th District So what should each of us be doing to help define, train and develop our future leaders? Good leaders do not seek to create good followers;

Jeffrey Gines and Gene Keller take the oath of ofﬁce as Division Commander and Division vice Vommander respectively at the Division 7 Change of Watch ceremony held Dec. 6, 2014 in Tampa. Photo by Zac Lessin

"Great leaders are always committed to the proposition that their successors will be better than them."

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Intercom

USCG Auxiliary

Division 7, District 7

Coast Guard Responds to Gasparilla Pirate Invasion By Dick Risk, Auxiliary Public Information Liaison for Gasparilla

A Coast Guard 33-foot Special Purpose Craft-Law Enforcement boat stands by as the JOSÉ GASPARILLA docks at the Tampa Convention Center Jan. 31, 2015. The pirate 'krewes' capture the city and Tampa's mayor surrenders the keys of the city to them, sparking off nearly two weeks of revelry. Photo by George Papabeis, SO-PA 7

or the 100th me since 1904, Tampa Bay has been “invaded” by pirates. For more than 50 of those invasions, the U.S. Coast Guard, including the Coast Guard Auxiliary, has assisted in keeping safe the thousands of boaters who came to watch. The replica pirate ship JOSÉ GASPARILLA entered the Port of Tampa Saturday, Jan. 31, towed by a tugboat and escorted by the Tampa Fire Rescue fireboat PATRIOT with its water cannons fully energized, trailed by an armada of some 16 vessels for the 2015 Gasparilla mock pirate invasion.

for the past two years as incident commander. Cmdr. Victor Rivera was opera ons sec on chief. “Safety is our top priority for the Gasparilla Pirate fes val,” says Case. “The Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary work cohesively with our law enforcement partners to ensure boaters have a safe and fun experience while enjoying the parade.” Organiza on

According to Case, “A large mul agency eﬀort goes into In case you are doing the math, the 2015 invasion the prepara on for this event.” Planning for an incident marked only its 100th me since 1904 because it was of this magnitude requires an organiza on structure similar to a response to a natural disaster. In fact, the suspended during World Wars I and II. coali on of federal, state and local agencies for GaspaCapt. Gregory Case, the commander of Sector St. Pe- rilla uses the Incident Command System (ICS) template tersburg and captain of the Port of Tampa Bay, has prescribed by the Department of Homeland Security been at the forefront of the Gasparilla marine parade ConƟnued on page 7

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ConƟnued from page 6 as part of the Na onal Incident Management System overseen by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The Coast Guard and Federal Emergency Management Agency are both Homeland Security en es.

Spring 2015

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en route to Tampa Bay from points all-around, took status reports, and monitored the Auxiliary vessels as they traveled home a er the parade.

ICS is a standardized management tool for mee ng the demands of small or large emergency or nonemergency situa ons. The incident management team for Gasparilla was organized as a unified command, which allows agencies with different legal, geographic and func onal authori es and responsibili es to work together effec vely without affec ng individual agency authority, responsibility or accountability. The Coast Guard, including the Coast Guard Auxiliary, has the responsibility to maintain safety and security on the water during the annual Gasparilla marine event. Coast Guard parcipants this year included Air Staon Clearwater; the U.S. Coast Guard Cu er ALLIGATOR, homeported at Sector St. Petersburg; Sta on St. Petersburg; Sta on Cortez; Sta on Sand Key; and Aids to Naviga on Team St. Petersburg. District 7 Public Affairs Detachment Tampa Bay, augmented by members of the Auxiliary, handled public informa on, news media relaons, social media pos ngs, and s ll photo and video imagery documentaon.

Auxiliary member Dean Hoskin of Flotilla 72, St. Petersburg, goes over a U.S. Coast Guard brochure with a recreational boater telling of special rules for boaters that will be in effect during the annual Gasparilla pirate invasion boat parade. The Auxiliary distributed brochures to hundreds of boaters prior to the event. U.S. Coast Photo by Dick Risk.

Role of the Auxiliary Par cipa ng Auxiliary vessels and their support systems were operated by volunteer coxswains, boat crew members and radio watchstanders from Divisions 7, 8 and 11. Linda Churchill, Division 7 Staff Officer-Opera ons, assisted by John Simone, directed Auxiliary patrols while aboard CHASIN’ TAIL. Auxiliary TAMPA RADIO ONE sta on at Flo lla 79, next to the Salty Sol Fleischman Boat Ramp, was under the supervision of Dave Rockwell, Division 7 Staff Officer-Communica ons. Radio watchstanders provided radio guard for Auxiliary vessels

The Tampa Fire Rescue boat PATRIOT ﬁres its water cannons as it leads the parade of vessels towards the Tampa Convention Center. PATRIOT not only escorted the Gasparilla armada with its water cannons but also served as the Coast Guard’s mobile incident command post. Photo by Frank Goyco

ConƟnued on page 8

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Intercom

USCG Auxiliary

Division 7, District 7

ConƟnued from page 7 The Tampa Fire Rescue fireboat PATRIOT not only escorted the Gasparilla armada with its water cannons but also served as the Coast Guard’s mobile incident command post. Lt. Deal was aboard PATRIOT as patrol commander, assisted by Lt. j.g. Shawn Antonelli. Jack Sa erfield, Flo lla 72, St. Petersburg, coordinated radio communicaons with the Auxiliary. Maj. Dennis Post of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conserva on Commission (FWC) coordinated law enforcement response. The Coast Guard worked with partnering law enforcement agencies— FWC, Tampa Police Department, and the Hillsborough County and Pinellas County sheriﬀs’ oﬃces—to ensure all boaters were safe and in compliance with all mari me laws. Other organiza ons represented in the incident ac on plan included the Federal Bureau of Inves ga on, U.S. Customs and Border Protec on, and the Environmental Protec on Commission of Hillsborough County. “We wanted to remind boaters that, while the event is a lot of fun, it can also be very dangerous if you don't take steps to protect yourself, others and the environment,” said Lt. Holly Deal, the deputy chief of response at Sector St. Petersburg. “While working with our partner agencies, it was our job to ensure these safety measures were met." The partner law enforcement agencies patrolled for viola ons of no wake zones and boa ng under the influence, with breath alcohol tes ng capability on-site. Very few arrests occurred this year, according to news accounts a ributed to law enforcement agencies.

The Auxiliary facility SUE SEA Q makes way to its assigned location before the start of the Gasparilla pirate invasion Jan. 31, 2015. Toni Novellino is at the helm with crew Keith Anderson, Amanda Davis (right rear) and Valerie Fernandes (not shown), all from Flotilla 78. U.S. Photo by Valerie Fernandes

Judith Clapp, a Telecommunications Operator from Flotilla 75

While Auxiliary members are prohibit- stands radio guard at TAMPA RADIO ONE for the many Auxiliary ed from conduc ng law enforcement facilities preparing to leave various ramps to assist with Gaspaac ons, Auxiliary facili es patrolling rilla security and to transport members of the Tampa Bay Manatee the waters along the parade route and Watch. Radio watch opened at 5:30 a.m. and continued until the at the entrance to the security zones last vessel docked at 4:30 p.m. Photo by Patricia Prado played a major role in educa ng mariners about the no wake zone and existence of restrict- Before the Gasparilla marine parade, members of the Auxiliary distributed brochures to recrea onal boaters ed areas to boaters. ConƟnued on page 9

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ConƟnued from page 8 advising them of the regulated area and its inherent restric ons. Manatee Watch As a condi on of obtaining a necessary marine event permit issued by the Coast Guard, the event's organizer was required to create a manatee watch program for the safety of marine wildlife, with the plan to be approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Manatees, dolphins, sea turtles, cetaceans and small-tooth sawfish are protected by the Marine Mammal Protec on Act of 1972 and/or the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Manatees feed on sea grass found in shallow waters along the shoreline through Tampa Bay.

Coast Guard Auxiliary prepare to assist with safety zones during the annual Gasparilla parade in Tampa, Fla., Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015. Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission ofﬁcers partnered with local law "Approximately 30 percent of mana- enforcement agencies to maintain marine safety during the event. tee deaths statewide are a ributed to Photo by Dottie Riley

watercra ,” said Deal. "All par cipants in the Gasparilla invasion had an inherent responsibility to report any manatee sigh ngs by the quickest available means." Boaters were reminded to abide by the posted speed zone signs while in areas known to be used by manatees or when observa ons indicated manatees might be present, and to avoid boa ng over sea grass beds and shallow areas. Five of the 16 Auxiliary vessels patrolling security zones and regulated areas served as manatee watch boats in addi on to their vessel safety and security role, trans-

por ng volunteer manatee watch observers on the water. Gene Keller, Vice Commander, Division 7 and his trawler LUV@1ST SITE served as “mother boat” for the manatee watch. Ken Morningstar, Flo lla 79, Tampa, on KAMSTAR was lead vessel. If a manatee was sighted within the parade route, the nearest Auxiliary vessels were prepared to respond and assist by encircling the manatee to ensure that recrea onal boat traﬃc and parade traﬃc avoid collision. No manatees were harmed during this event.

A brief message to the members of U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary District 7 from Commodore Robert Weskerna http://youtu.be/sWRVqiKa8Sk

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USCG Auxiliary

Division 7, District 7

Flotilla 72 St. Petersburg Jack Lee, Flotilla Commander

lo lla 72 St. Petersburg was chartered March 15, 1940, marking 2015 as its 75th Anniversary year. The Flo lla has established a planning commi ee to recognize and celebrate this occasion throughout 2015. They held their first planning meeting Jan. 15, 2015.

The flo lla is taking the lead for the Tampa Bay Boat Show at Tropicana Field March 13-15. Dave Rockwell met with Senior Chief Opera ons Specialist Burke and LT Rosen Jan. 26 regarding watchstanding with the Coast Guard Situa on Unit. Training commenced Feb. 2 and required he commit 8 hours every Monday and Tuesday now and in the future. OSCS Burke will serve as Rockwell’s mentor.

Thanks and apprecia on go out to Dick Risk who on beThe flo lla held an Outreach Commi ee mee ng to half of the Coast Guard, produced and professionally plan specific efforts for the first several months of 2015 printed brochures for distribu ng to the public informand launched the first Recrea onal Boa ng Safety-cen- ing boaters about important informa on and regulattric email blast Jan. 10 publicizing their Paddlesports ed areas in effect during the Gasparilla Parade. These brochures were given to all flo llas within the division Course Jan. 17 at the flo lla. for targeted distribu on. The brochure is pictured at Flo lla 72 conducted an annual St. Pete Yacht Club Ves- the top of page 7. sel Safety Check /Public Affairs event Jan. 25 and completed over 30 Vessel Safety Checks.

Barry Porter received some well-deserved airtime when Flotilla 72 honored his 55 years of service at their meeting Nov. 6, 2014. View the FOX news interview: http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/ clip/10823482/55-years-of-service

Sector St. Petersburg South Moorings, USCGC Venturous by D. Riley

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Flotilla 74 Brandon Dustin Buxton, Flotilla Commander

n Dec. 6, 2015, Polk County Detachment (PCD) parcipated in the annual Christmas Boat Parade on the Chain of Lakes in Winter Haven, Florida, as a public aﬀairs mission. Many thanks go out to George Kremer, Gil Thomas, Dus n Buxton, Steve Hunnicu , Ulises Vargas, and Jim Mulligan for making that happen for the PCD. We resumed conduc ng Vessel Safety Checks at William’s Park and Riverview Park beginning in January. Members of the PCD also conduct Vessel Safety Checks and Recrea onal Boa ng Safety Program Visits rou-

Members of Flotilla 74 and their spouses enjoy their meal and each other’s company at the Division 7 Change of Watch Dec. 6, 2015. They are from left, Steve Hunnicutt, Ron Matz, Dan McMahan, Petra Velez, Carlos Velez, Dustin Buxton and Ken Morningstar. Auxiliary photo by George Papabeis

Mark Jaqua and wife, Linda, were two of several Flotilla 74 members and their spouses who attended the Division 7 Change of Watch ceremony Dec. 6, 2015, in Tampa. Photo by Dottie Riley

Williams Park, Riverview, Fla. by D. Riley

nely. Our Public Educa on programs are presented per our published schedules. Contact made with Plant City Kiwanis Club to arrange for About Boa ng Safely presenta on – date and me pending. Jim Mulligan represented Flo lla 74 at Williams Park during Gasparilla event Jan. 31, 2015. Flo lla 74 member, Robert Lowry died Nov. 21, 2014. We wish him fair winds and following seas.

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USCG Auxiliary

Division 7, District 7

Flotilla 75 Ruskin Gary Mull, Flotilla Commander

lo lla 75 organized a “Career Day” type event for February to promote upcoming events and our public educa on programs, and to recruit new members.

One of the flo lla's facili es, SOUTHERN GRACE par cipated in this year’s Gasparilla boat parade as one of several vessels dedicated to manatee watch. Keith Westbrook was coxswain with Gary Mull and Ted Cohen, all from Flo lla 75, and Frank Goyco from Flo lla 74 as crew. Flo lla 75 sadly reports the loss of member, Joseph Lori, a Past Flo lla Commander and Division 7 Captain, who died Jan. 21, 2015. In 2008, the Coast Guard awarded Lori the pres gious Coast Guard Auxiliary Service Medal, the highest award given to a civilian. On June 9, 2015, members of Flo lla 75 Ruskin dedicated their new Radio Communica on Cenhis terr in h te is name. ((See See “Intercom,” Volume XXXVI Issue 2 summer 2013) 

Above:

Gasparilla Jan. 31, 2015.

Keith Westbrook sits at the helm of SOUTHERN GRACE. Gary Mull, Ted Cohen, (Flotilla 75), and Frank Goyco (Flotilla 74) served as crew during

Midpage: the USCGC ALLIGATOR heads for the parade route in the early morning hours before the commencement of the Gasparilla pirate invasion and boat parade. Left: LUV @ 1ST SITE from Flotilla 72 passes another Auxiliary facility while conducting manatee watch. The observer from Tampa Bay Manatee Watch stands near the bow. Photos by Frank Goyco

E.G. Simmons Park, Ruskin, Fla., boat ramp by D. Riley

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Flotilla 78 Pass-a-Grille Tony Novellino, Flotilla Commander

lo lla 78 Pass-a-Grille is working with representa- The flo lla is proud of its ves from Eckerd College to renew their long-stand- new facility, SUE-SEA Q, ing collabora ve efforts in promo ng boa ng safety. which on its “maiden voyThe outreach mee ng with Eckerd was successful in age” as an Auxiliary facility furthering collabora ve steps in areas of training, Ves- dis nguished itself and its crew, Tony Novellino, Valsel Safety Checks and public educa on. erie Fernandes, Amanda Of the 13 students registered in the flo lla’s Boa ng Davis and Keith Anderson all from Flo lla 78. During Skills and Seamanship course Tuesday evenings, 2 re- the last few minutes of the required watch, they and cently graduated. The flo lla’s Public Educa on pro- four other Auxiliary vessels dis nguished themselves gram is progressing with one new instructor cer fied by protec ng 3 manatees that crossed the channel this year. Addi onally, the flo lla is developing a spe- near Davis Island and placed themselves in harm’s way. cial boater safety class for Eckerd College students. They protected the manatees by cordoning off them Members performed Vessel Safety Checks at St. Pete off and by asking boaters to slow down to avoid collidYacht Club and the Harborside Yacht Club. Members ing with the animals. (See le er of apprecia on from a ended a mee ng at the Harborside Yacht Club Jan. Ash Group.)  12, 2015, with LT Commander Louis Hadac as guest speaker.

Equipped with nothing more than her camera phone, Valerie Fernandes photographs her fellow crew members aboard SUE SEA Q while en route to their assigned position. Tony Novellino is at the helm with crewmembers Keith Anderson and Amanda Davis behind him.

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USCG Auxiliary

Division 7, District 7

Flotilla 79 Tampa Michael Massimini, Flotilla Commander

ongratula ons go out to four members of Flo lla 79 Tampa. On Jan. 10, Linda Churchill and Dean Bell successfully completed their qualifying examina ons to become coxswains. A week later, Mike Massimini, Flo lla Commander, and John McLoughlin also successfully passed their qualifying examina on and were also coxswain cer fied. Bravo Zulu to all four! On Jan. 11, members of Flo lla 79 Tampa performing Vessel Safety Checks at Salty Sol boat ramp on Gandy (in front of the flo lla) and informed boaters of the Frogman swim while other members handed out over 100 Recrea onal Boa ng Safety pamphlets covering

life jacket wear, boa ng safety informa on, public educa on schedules and Auxiliary recrui ng material. Members Glen LeRoy and Patricia Prado set up recrea onal boa ng safety table at the Salty Sol boat ramp on the day of the Gasparilla pirate invasion and boat parade. The team handed out approximately 100 Gasparilla safety and route brochures and completed about 25 Vessel Examina ons. Flo lla 79 Tampa conducted a Recrea onal Boa ng Safety Fair in conjunc on with Gander Mountain sporting goods store Feb. 7. ď ?

Darren Hart conducts a Vessel Examination for a customer at the Gander Mountain Recreational Boating Safety event. Inside the store, the members set up a table displaying both marine safety equipment available for purchase and Recreational Boating Safety brochures including Public Education schedules. As this event held Sept. 20, 2015, the January 2015 event presents a win-win scenario for both Gander Mountain and the Auxiliary. Photos provided by Darren Hart

Salty Sol Boat Ramp, Tampa, Fla. by D. Riley

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Flotilla 7-16 Gulfport Tom Bodi, Flotilla Commander

embers of Flo lla 7-16 were honored with two Meritorious Team Commenda ons presented at the Division 7 Change of Watch ceremony held Dec. 6, 2014, in Tampa. The first award recognized the members’ outstanding work as part of the flo lla’s Vessel Examina on Team. The second honored their contribu ons as part of the Flo lla 7-16 Gulfport Building Renova ons team. Addi onally, Brad Dykens received the Auxiliary Commandant’s Le er of Commenda on. Dykens, who was not present, accepted the award at the flo lla mee ng Feb. 4, 2015. Members have formed a Community Outreach program with C.W. "Bill" Young Veterans Hospital. Members visited pa ents Dec. 15, 2014, and again Feb. 9, 2015. The five members are Terry Hershman, Thomas Bodi, Elle Zinner, Gerald Hayward and Oreste Baﬃ. Vessel Examina ons and Recrea onal Boa ng Safety Program Visits are integral func ons of our flo lla. Members conducted Vessel Examina ons in January and held a Vessel Examina ons blitz at Fort Desoto Boat Ramp in January and February.

Top: Tom Bodi, Flotilla Commander, presents the Auxiliary Commandant Letter of Commendation to Brad Dykens Feb. 4, 2015 for teaching CPR and ﬁrst aid to Coast Guard members assigned to Sector St. Petersburg. U.S. Coast Guard Photo by Terry Hershman

Four of the ﬁve members of Flotilla 7-16 Gulfport Community Outreach team visit the James E. Haley Veteran’s Hospital in Tampa Feb. 9, 2015. They are from left, Terry Hershman, Tom Bodi, Orrie Bafﬁ and Gerald Hayward. Photo provided by Terry Hershman

Member training is oﬀ to a great start. So far this year, the flo lla held a one-hour Team Coordinaon Training workshop and a two-hour Diversity workshop Feb. 4, 2015. Addi onally, the flo lla hosted the division sponsored Telecommunica ons Operator training part 2 on Fe. 7, 2015. 

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Intercom

USCG Auxiliary

Division 7, District 7

Staff Reports Logis cs Franco Ripple-Communica on Services Franco Ripple was one of several members who augmented the Coast Guard Public Affairs Detachment (PADET) to publicize boa ng safety topics before and during the Gasparilla invasion and to prepare news releases immediately a er the event. Ripple, Zac Lessin from Flo lla 79 and Larry McKinnon from Flo lla 74 posted and shared tweets and re-tweeted hundreds of posts to our Facebook page and Twi er accounts regarding Gasparilla safety and Recrea onal Boating Safety. How effec ve were their efforts? Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary ac vity surrounding Gasparilla resulted in two digital news stories served to 86,817 unique users, and pos ng on Coast Guard social media assets resulted in 37,511 total impressions, 651 likes and 145 shares. In short, they reached thousands of people! Terry Hershman-Diversity Division Diversity staff con nue to define goals and objec ves with Flo lla Staff Officers-Diversity throughout the division. We are planning a mee ng to outline the Na onal Commodore 3-Star Award for Diversity as well as to present informaon about member awareness and recrui ng from a diversity standpoint. Diversity would like to start sharing the experiences that helped your unit compete for the NACO's Three Star Award for Excellence in Diversity Management. Submit photographs of events and brief descrip ons of ac vi es along with relevant goal category and ac on item. Contact Terry Hershman for more informa on. Theresa Johnson-Informa on Services A reminder to our members- be sure to turn in your hours! Make sure you and ConƟnued on page 17

“The beads ARE part of the uniform of the Day for Gasparilla!” Dottie Riley and Franco Ripple at the Coast Guard Prevention ofﬁce take a few moments to watch the boat parade. Riley and Ripple served as part of a team that augmented the Coast Guard Public Affairs Detachment (PADET) to provide news coverage for Gasparilla and impart important safety issues to Tampa Bay boaters. Below: Franco Ripple, George Papabeis, Dick Risk and Dottie Riley (not shown) meet at Air Station Clearwater Jan. 9, 2015 with Public Affairs Chief Crystalynn Kneen (front left) and Lt. Holly J. Deal (front right). The members augmented the Coast Guard Tampa Bay Public Affairs Detachment and highlighted safety and security measures before and during the Gasparilla boat parade. Photo by Dottie Riley

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Staff Reports Members distributed Gasparilla brochures to the boa ng public at key boat ramps Jan. 31, 2015. In an cipa on of Na onal Safe Boa ng Week, we are securing Safe Boa ng Proclama ons from the mayor’s office in Tampa and from the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners. We will provide copies of the proclamaons to the flo llas. Public Affairs is publicizing “Paddlecra America” and “GPS for Mariners” classes, division wide ini a ves. Do e Riley-Publica ons John Simone asks Linda Churchill, Staff Officer-Operations7 (front left) for clarification while pointing at the chart during the pre-Gasparilla briefing for coxswains and crew Jan. 29, 2015. Members from several divisions under Sector St. Petersburg attended the briefing conducted at Flotilla 79 Tampa. Photo by John McLoughlin

ConƟnued from page 16

Division Publica ons provided support to naonal‘s Recrea onal Boa ng Safety, Vessel Examina ons and Public Educa on Directorates in producing a banner and logo for a new newsletter as well as preparing materials for a presenta on by the Public Educa on Directorate for NTRAIN in St. Louis. ConƟnued on page 18

your flo lla receive credit for all that you do! Judith Clapp-Human Resources The division conducted a Human Resources and Fingerprint workshop Jan. 17 at Flo lla 7-16 Gulfport. George Papabeis-Public Aﬀairs Several members of the division augmented PADET from Air Sta on Clearwater for the Gasparilla event Jan. 31, 2015. The team, led by Dick Risk, included Franco Ripple, Do e Riley and George Papabeis. Other members assis ng included Zac Lessin and Larry McKinnon. The team posted Recrea onal Boa ng Safety messages and no ces about security zones from the Coast Guard ahead of the parade, and helped create 5 to 8 signature images for the evening news on the day of the event.

This image, based on a photo by John Simone, is one of

Coast Guard PADET conducted a media several images tweeted or posted to Facebook to encourage briefing for Gasparilla Jan. 30 at the Salty boaters to get a Vessel Safety Check and information about Sol boat ramp in front of Flo lla 79 Tampa. obtaining a boating safety course. Because web image resolution is lower, most cannot be shown in our newsletter.

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USCG Auxiliary

Division 7, District 7

Staff Reports ConƟnued from page 17

Response David Rockwell-Communica ons Jack Sa erfield arranged a booth for the Coast Guard Auxiliary at the Tampa Bay Ham Fest in Plant City Dec. 12-13, 2014. Sa erfield and Dave Rockwell stood watch Friday. Gene Keller, Sa erfield, and Rockwell stood the watch Saturday. A number of Amateur Radio Operators expressed interest in joining the Auxiliary and learning more about recrea onal boa ng safety. Dave Rockwell met with Senior Chief Opera ons Specialist OSCS Burke and LT Rosen Jan. 26 to volunteer as a watchstander with Coast Guard Situa on Unit and started training Feb. 2 with OSCS Burke serving as his mentor. The posi on requires Rockwell to commit 8 hours every Monday and Tuesday on an ongoing basis.

Lt. j.g. Shawn Antonelli, left, of Sector St. Petersburg and Auxiliarist Jack Satterfield, Flotilla 72, St. Petersburg, aboard the Tampa Fire Rescue fireboat Patriot were part of the patrol command team for the Gasparilla marine parade Jan. 31. Antonelli was liaison to the partnering law enforcement agencies and Satterfield handled radio communications with the participatTAMPA RADIO ONE provided radio watch ing Auxiliary facilities. U.S. Coast Guard photo by PA3 Ashley J. for the Gasparilla Auxiliary fleet of 20 Johnson.

facili es. Telecommunica ons Operators Heleyde Aponte, Flo lla 79; Dave

Rockwell, Flo lla 72; and Judith Clapp, Flo lla 75 coordinated with Auxiliary Communica ons aboard the fireboat, PATRIOT to provide radio support during the Gasparilla boat parade Jan. 31, 2015. The three stood watch beginning around 5:30 a.m. and con nued un l the last vessel rounded Pinellas Point on its return trip at 4:30 p.m.. In addi on, Jack Sa erfield, Flo lla 72 served as Auxiliary Communica ons operator aboard the PATRIOT fireboat that served as Coast Guard command vessel for Gasparilla. Since the Telecommunica ons Operator training conducted Jan. 24 and Feb. 7 at Flo lla 7-16 Gulfport, eight new Telecommunica ons Operator candidates are ready to stand supervised watches.

David Rockwell, Staff Ofﬁcer-Communications, instructs eight members of the division Jan. 24, 2015 during the two-day Telecommunications Operator workshop at Flotilla 7-16. Photo by Terry Hershman

David Langdon-Member Training ConƟnued on page 19

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Staff Reports

Auxiliary facility CHASIN’ TAIL passes by the United States Coast Guard Cutter ALLIGATOR in Seddon Channel in front of the Coast Guard Prevention ofﬁce Jan. 31, 2015. John Simon served as coxswain with John McLoughlin and Heleyde Aponte, all three from Flotilla 79 Tampa as crew. Photo by Dottie Riley

ConƟnued from page 18 Flo lla 7-16 Gulfport hosted a division workshop for Fingerprin ng and New Member Enrollment Jan. 17. The training focused on the E-responder process and fingerprin ng techniques. Eight members par cipated in the Telecommunicaons Operator training conducted Jan. 24 and Feb. 7 at Flo lla 7-16 Gulfport. Bravo Zulu to instructors Bill Zinner and Terry Hershman from Flo lla 7-16, and to Jack Sa erfield, Dave Rockwell, and Gene Keller from Flo lla 72. Len Chiacchia, Flo lla 74 and Tony Hooper, Flo lla 72 helped with the second session of the annual Telecommunica ons Operator Workshop.

on Training workshop Feb. 28, 2015 at Flo lla 79 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Flo lla 79 will present Auxiliary weather star ng in April. The current schedule is Tuesday evenings from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., April 21 through June 9, 2015. Interested persons should contact George Bartuska, Flo lla 79 for more informa on. Linda Churchill–Opera ons Four Auxiliary facili es supported the Annual Frogman Swim Jan. 11 with coxswains and crews from all flo llas across Division 7.

Congratula ons go out to Mike Massimini, John McLoughlin, Linda Churchill and Dean Bell, members Division Boat Crew Training course began Feb. 19, of Flo lla 79 Tampa who successfully completed their 2015. This annual training requires a great commit- qualifying examina ons in January to become our newment of me and resources from our instructors, men- est coxswains. Great job! tors, coxswains and crewmembers. A briefing for Gasparilla coxswains and crewmembers The division plans to conduct a 4-hour Team Coordina- was conducted Jan. 29, 2015, at Flo lla 79. Fi een divi-

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ConƟnued from page 19

Intercom

USCG Auxiliary

Division 7, District 7

Preven on

sion Auxiliary facili es provided support the Gasparilla James Fogle-Public Educa on fleet with an addi onal 5 vessels suppor ng the associPublic Educa on is proceeding well throughout the ated manatee watch. division. Flo lla 78 Pass-a-Grill reports having 13 registered students a ending its Boa ng Skills and SeaDavid Perillo-Naviga on Systems manship course presented Tuesday evenings. We are The division's Staﬀ Oﬃcer-Naviga on Systems is work- working with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conserva on ing with Coast Guard aids to naviga on (ATON) repre- Commission to promote our boa ng safety classes. senta ve BM2 Carter to iden fy private aids to naviga on (PATON) within our area of opera ons to be We are working on an agreement with a local retailer, verified and to establish a frequency for inspec ons. Sweetwater Kayaks, to provide classroom training to Bravo Zulu to Tony Hooper, Flo lla 72, for forma ng buyers of paddle cra s. Paddle cra s are the fastest growing boa ng market and the lack of basic training the list of PATON for more convenient use. by new owners poses a grave risk. Flo lla 72 planned a The next task is to iden fy individuals interested in be- Paddlecra class held Fe. 21. coming Aid Verifiers and to train and cer fy them. We an cipate Coast Guard support for training Aids Veri- Flo lla 79 plans to conduct a GPS course March 8. This class needs publicizing to fill up the classroom. fiers in March. ConƟnued on page 21 Darren Hart, the National Safe Boating Week Coordinator for Division 7 accepts the 7th District Award for “Best Division National Safe Boating Week Program in 2014” from Capt. Gregory Case, commander, Sector St. Petersburg (not shown), and COMO Robert Weskerna, District Commodore(e) at the Change of Watch ceremony held Dec. 6, 2014. In addition to the trophy, 70 members earned a Meritorious Team Commendation ribbon for their efforts in support of National Safe Boating Week and the7th District Award for the Best Performing Division in Vessel Examinations for 2013. Photo by Zac Lessin

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ConƟnued from page 20

A great start towards achieving our goals for the year!

Public Educa on broadcast three Safe Boa ng spots before Gasparilla on AM Radio.

Conrad Palermo-Marine Safety

Darren Hart-RBS Program Visitor We are working on Gander Mountain Recrea onal Boa ng Safety event tenta vely scheduled for Feb. 28 as well as an event at a local marina in March. We received permission from both the Tampa Parks Department and the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners to place Recrea onal Boa ng Safety brochures and our Public Educa on schedule on city and county bulle n boards and community centers. Richard Smith-Vessel Examina ons

At Tampa Bay Ham Fest, Gene Keller and Dave Rockwell made contact with a representa ve from the Na onal Weather Service who is in the process of star ng a marine spo er program similar to the SkyWarn Spo er program for repor ng severe weather. They would like to have a group of trained boaters report weather condi ons on the water such as waterspouts and severe squalls to explore the Auxiliary as a uniquely qualified group to pilot the program. Division Marine Safety is cul va ng a rela onship with NAMEPA (North American Marine Environmental Protec on Associa on). We a ended a mee ng with various stakeholders to learn how the Auxiliary can improve its collabora ve eﬀorts with the local “clean marina” programs.

With only six weeks into the New Year, our flo llas conducted a great number of Vessel Safety Check events on both sides of the bay. These events include but are Division Marine Safety con nues to make significant progress with Sector Preven on. CDR Calhoun and his not limited to: department heads met with 18 Auxiliarists the week • Flo lla 72 St. Petersburg Jan. 4 at Ft. DeSoto boat of Jan. 5-9, in three separate mee ngs. As commi ed to by CDR Calhoun, department heads have ini ated ramp, Jan. 25 at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club • Flo lla 74 Brandon at Williams and Riverview Parks direct contact with interested Auxiliarists to start the process of u lizing them in the following areas: AdJan. 17 and 24 ministra ve Support, Waterways Management, Vessel • Flo lla 79 Tampa at Salty Sol boat ramp Jan. 24 and Traﬃc System, Commercial Fishing Vessel Examina31 ons, Uninspected Passenger Vessels, Illegal Charter • Flo lla 78 Pass-a-Grille Jan. 25 at St. Petersburg Opera ons, Environment Management, Event PlanYacht Club ning and Casualty.  • Flo lla 7-16 Gulfport at Fort Desoto Boat Ramp inJanuary and February.

Elle Zinner from Flotilla 7-16 Gulfport checks out the display of photos, brochures, posters and vintage uniforms at the Division 7 Change of Watch ceremony Dec. 6, 2014 in Tampa. The event was the ﬁnal opportunity for members to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Auxiliary. Photo by George Papabeis

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USCG Auxiliary

Division 7, District 7

Gasparilla History and Facts for Newcomers. By Do e Riley

osè Gaspar, a well-educated Spanish aristocrat, served as a lieutenant in the Royal Spanish Navy. In 1783, he mu nied, seized command of a Spanish sloopof-war, and began an adventurous life as an outlaw of the sea along the coast of Florida. In December 1821, he and his crew mistook the U.S.S. Enterprise, a Navy warship, for a merchant vessel, and upon a emp ng to plunder her, was himself defeated, ending decades of high-seas crime. One can easily imagine that the ficonal Jack Sparrow was based upon José Gaspar and his life, his loves and his exploits. Josè Gaspar was a just another piece of Florida’s forgo en history un l 1904, when Tampa’s civic leaders adopted the pirate as patron rogue of their citywide celebra on. The first celebra on was in May and the original parade route was to Plant Field in Tampa, the

former loca on of the Florida State Fair Grounds. Long before the pirate ships became a staple of this fes ve tradi on, the pirates invaded the city on horseback. In 1904, secret mee ngs gave birth to the first "Ye Mys c Krewe of Gasparilla," whose forty members surprised the fes valgoers with a mock pirate invasion of Tampa. Masked and fully costumed, the first krewe arrived on horseback and "captured the city" during the Fes val Parade. The fes val was so popular with civic leaders, businesspersons and the public that after that first celebra on, the city decided to stage the event every year. Beginning in 1911, the invasion was via boats and Tampa’s foremost civic and prominent business leaders soon created over 40 ‘krewes’ modeled a er the krewes of New Orleans. For decades and un l a er the Sept. 11, 2001, a acks, a U.S. Navy vessel defended the city. Small boats threw ConƟnued on page 22 Left: The ﬁrst 40-member "Krewe of the Josè Gaspar" invades the city on horseback fully costumed in 1904. They were a sensation with business leaders and the public. Photo courtesy of Tampa Bay History Center.

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ConƟnued from page 22 black beans and Cuban bread at the naval vessel, which defended itself with fire hoses but would eventually surrender to the Alcalde of Ybor City. A erward, the sailors were treated to a night on the town. The sailors then par cipated in the Gasparilla parade as part of “Tampa Navy Week.” Historically, Gasparilla was held on the second Monday of February. It was a holiday in Tampa, with schools and many businesses closed. In 1988, the main parade was moved to the first Saturday in February to allow more local communies to take part in the celebra on. Since 2005, the event has been held on the last TAMPA, Fla. (Jan. 20, 2007)-- Executive Ofﬁcer of the Naval OpSaturday of January.

erational Support Center Tampa, Lt. Mark Moreno, leads a formation of Sailors marching in the Tampa Bay Gasparilla Pirate Festival. Tampa Navy Week is one of 26 Navy Weeks planned across America in 2007 designed to show Americans the investment they have made in their Navy and increase awareness in cities that do not have a signiﬁcant everyday Navy presence. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Jesse Allen One week before the pirate invasion is Sherwin III

Gasparilla is the largest boat parade in the na on. It has seen as many as 3,000 boats par cipa ng, and nearly every year, draws 300,000 spectators. One year, the parade drew an es mated 1,000,000.

the Gasparilla Children’s Parade. One to two weeks a er the invasion is the Sant'Yago Illuminated Knight Parade. In the weeks and months before and a er the fes val, the city, its businesses and local organiza ons host dozens of private and public events that include fundraisers for chari es, the Gasparilla Distance Classic and other spor ng events, art contest and cra shows, beauty pageants, etc. Es mates are that Gasparilla accounts for between $20-40 million in revenues annually. Bottom of page 16: The GASPARILLA approaches the Tampa Convention Center during the 2015 pirate invasion. Photo by D. Riley

To read the complete article, click on the image at right which links to Tampa Tribune Online (TBO). http://tbo.com/gasparilla-news/cubanbread-flies-during-59th-ybor-navalinvasion-20150118/

Gail Ryan of the U.S. Navy Sea Cadets, taunts the Ybor City Navy invaders Sunday, Jan. 15, 2015. The SS American Victory currently assumes the role of Tampa's ﬁrst line of defense against marauding pirates. Since the vessel has no water cannons, brigands loyal to the mayor of Ybor City (Naval Sea Cadets and Boy Scouts) hurl Cuban bread at the "pirates," who assisted by local tug boats and the Tampa Fire Department, spray water over the Victory's decks. The event kicks off a week of revelry and clears the way for pirates to invade Saturday, Jan. 21, 2015. Photo: Jim Reed/ TBO Staff Reprinted with permission TBO.com

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USCG Auxiliary

Division 7, District 7

Gasparilla madness serves a greater purpose:

Auxiliarist Help Protect Florida Manatees By Dorothy Riley

In the chilly early morning hours of Jan. 31, 2015, two Coast Guard Auxiliary vessels take on members of the Tampa Bay Manatee at Davis Island public boat ramps. If a manatee is sighted, the nearest Auxiliary vessel responds by encircling the manatee to ensure that recreational boat trafﬁc does not encroach the manatee’s space. Photo by Auxiliarist Dottie Riley

an endangered species protected by both state and federal laws. The sheer number of boaters during the Gasparilla Boat Parade combined with the high rate of alcohol consump on during these fes vi es increases the threat to these gentle creatures tenfold. To all of our members who par cipated in the annual manatee watch—thank you! If you were fortunate enough to Many Auxiliarists escort members of Tampa Bay’s catch one of their snouts breaching the water’s surManatee Watch, an organiza on that helps to protect face, it is a thrill you will never forget! the manatees from accidental injuries by recrea onal boaters and conducts an annual count to track the ani- Here is some general informaƟon about our manatees, one of Florida’s greatest treasures: mal’s dwindling numbers.

very year as the Gasparilla Boat Parade makes its way toward the Tampa Conven on Center, Auxiliarists are assigned du es that o en sta on them far from the madness and the fray. Why, many Auxiliarists ask, are our valuable resources diverted away from the fes vi es?

While keeping a watchful eye over Florida’s manatees Manatees are large mammals of the order Sirenia, may not oﬀer the same thrill and excitement as be- named a er the Greek mythological sirens thought to ing in the midst of the boat parade, it is not by any ConƟnued on page 25 means a less valuable service. Florida’s manatees are

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species of plants including turtle grass, manatee grass, shoal grass, mangrove leaves, various algae, water lure sailors to their graves. There is, however, nothing hyacinth, acorns and Hydrilla. The shallow shorelines sinister about these slow-moving, gentle giants more preferred by manatees are also filled with docks and closely related to elephants than to any other Mamma- boat ramps. This places manatees in grave danger from lian order. They are very tac le creatures, are known recrea onal boaters and accounts for many of their into touch swimmers deliberately as well as inanimate juries and accidental deaths. objects in the water, and are never aggressive. Florida’s manatees breed year-round. Their gesta onal The West Indian (Florida) manatee was once abundant period is 12 months and they live to be 50 to 60 years throughout the tropic and subtropical western North old. They communicate with chirps, trills and other and South Atlan c and Caribbean waters. The mana- sounds, keep their young calves close, and are semi sotee's numbers, however, have been greatly reduced. cial creatures. Today, the West Indian manatee is listed as an endangered species throughout its range. The range of the The Florida manatee is one of the most endangered Florida manatee is primarily peninsular Florida but marine mammals in the United States. Federal and extends as far north as Rhode Island. Manatees have state laws have been passed that protect Florida manatees. Federal laws prohibit hun ng, capturing, killing been rescued near Houston, Texas and Mississippi. or harassing these animals. These laws include the Marine Mammal Adult West Indian manProtec on Act atees average about 10 of 1972 and feet in length but large the Endangered individuals may reach Species Act of lengths of up to 13 feet. 1973. Penal es Average adult weights can include a are approximately 800 year in prison to 1,200 pounds. One and a fine up par cularly large Florto $20,000. Inida manatee weighed jured manatees 3,650 pounds. Females should be reare generally larger ported as soon than males. Despite as possible to their large size, when Florida Fish and a boater spots a manaWildlife or the tee, it is o en no more Coast Guard. than its snout breaking the water’s surface for Note: According air. A manatee’s body is to the U.S. Fish streamlined but thick in and Wildlife serthe middle and ends in a vice, as of their paddle-like tail. They are last aerial surgray and their bodies are o en scarred from brushes vey conduc ng in 2011, only 4,834 Florida manatees with propellers, sharp protrusions on boat docks and remain. The year 2013 witnessed a record number of piers or fishing hooks and lines. deaths, 811, but last year that figure dropped to 361. All manatees live in warm, tropic or sub-tropic waters Typically, watercra account for 20 percent of total in temperatures above 64 degrees. They prefer shal- manatee deaths.  low waters near shores, inlets, and mangroves where vegeta on is plen ful. Manatees feed on more than 60 Adapted from Intercom, 2010, Volume XXXIV, Issue # 1 ConƟnued from page 24

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USCG Auxiliary

Division 7, District 7

Gasparilla Radio Support:

20 Boats and No Waiting! By Dave Rockwell, SO-CM, Division 7

Telecommunications Operators Heleyde Aponte, Flotilla 79; Dave Rockwell, Flotilla 72; and Judith Clapp, Flotilla 75 coordinate with Auxiliary Communications aboard the ﬁreboat, PATRIOT to provide radio support to 20 Auxiliary vessels during the Gasparilla boat parade Jan. 31, 2015. The three stood watch beginning around 5:30 a.m. and continued until the last vessel rounded Pinellas Point on its return trip at 4:30 p.m. Photo by Patricia Prado

ivision 7 telecommunica ons operators (TCOs) provided radio support for all Auxiliary vessels for this year’s Gasparilla Pirate Invasion. TAMPA RADIO ONE (TR1), operated by Flo lla 79, provided radio guard for transit to and from the event. TR1 communicated with 20 boats including 13 from Division 7, 4 from Division 8, and 3 from Division 11. Heleyde Aponte, Judy Clapp, and Dave Rockwell stood the watch at TR1 beginning around 5:30 a.m. and con nuing un l the last vessel rounded Pinellas Point on its return trip at 4:30 p.m. When one of the radios at TR1 developed an intermittent transmit problem, the radio watch team quickly converted to the spare radio with no loss of communica ons. Once all the AUX vessels were in posi on around the parade route, radio control passed to the Auxiliary Communica ons Control (AUXCOM) directly supporting the Coast Officer commanding Auxiliary opera ons. Jack Sa erfield, Flo lla Staff Officer-Communica ons Flo lla 72, operated AUXCOM from the fireboat PATRIOT, directly suppor ng the Coast Guard leadership. AUXCOM coordinated the direct parade support, coordinated with law enforcement units and monitored the manatee watch ac vi es. TR1 provided relay support

whenever AUXCOM had difficulty contac ng an AUX vessel. Sa erfield overcame a number of environmental challenges opera ng from the deck of the fireboat and provided con nuous, effec ve control of all AUX facili es. Once the parade concluded, AUXCOM seamlessly transferred control back to TR1 to “take them home.” Division 7 Staff Officer-Communica ons, Dave Rockwell, received compliments from the Division 8 and 11 vessels for the professionalism of the radio operaons. The Division 7 crews performed their radio dues superbly throughout the en re opera ons. From the radio standpoint, the year’s Gasparilla was nearly perfect. When Auxiliary radio facili es take the radio guard for AUX vessels, the ac ve duty radio watch at Sta on St. Petersburg are available for other du es. It is a credit to the hard work and diligent study of our TCOs that the Coast Guard rou nely relies on AUX radio facili es to cover AUX patrols. It is especially noteworthy that Division 7 was asked to provide the AUXCOM during the parade. The Division 7 radio team suppor ng Gasparilla has earned a BRAVO ZULU from all. 

License paid manipulated stock photo.

Volume Vol olum umee Volume um XXXVIII XXXV XX XVII XV IIII XXXVIII II

Issue Isssu suee 1 Issue 1

Spring Spr prin in ng 2015 20 Summer 015 5 2015

Page Paaggee 27 27

Whew! Two SARs in one night! By George Papabeis, Staff Ofﬁcer-Public Affairs, Division 7

he night of Oct. 25, 2014, turned out to be busy for one B-0 patrol in Tampa Bay. Coxswain, John Simone, aboard CHASIN’ TAIL with crewmembers, John McLoughlin and Heleyde Aponte from Flo lla 79, and George Papabeis from Flo lla 74, received two search and rescue (SAR) requests. Both involved Jon boats with dead motors. The crew became aware of the first need for assistance when a distraught father approached them dockside while they were on a coﬀee break. The man told them that his son and another man were out in Tampa Bay in a small boat and had not returned. They took down the son’s cellphone number and went out to look for them. Daylight was quickly fading. The good news was the two men on the Jon boat had a flashlight, and between these and their cellphones, the Auxiliary crew was able to find them. The men on the Jon boat were not wearing their life jackets and the Auxiliary crew asked them to put them on. Their boat was about 10 feet long. A er going through the normal ques ons and answer, they hooked them up and towed them back in 2-3 foot seas. Everyone got a bit wet. On the way to safe harbor, the crew received a call that another boat was dead in the water, this one, a 14-foot Jon boat with children aboard. They called the second boat by cellphone, and one of them was clever enough to provide their la tude and longitude using their cellphone’s GPS. The Auxiliary crew told them to hang ght. They dropped the first boat dockside, got their names and addresses for the report, and le to search for the second boat. The la tude and longitude provided put them very close

to that boat’s loca on. Unfortunately, it was in very shallow water that had underwater obstruc ons. The coxswain charted a safe route and they carefully wove their way toward the distressed vessel. This second Jon boat also had a flashlight that aided in their approach. There were three adults and a one 4-year-old child onboard. The child was wearing an illfi ng adult life jacket and only two of the adults had life jackets. A second Auxiliary vessel captained by Mike Shea arrived on the scene. Simone determined (with input from the crew) that towing the aluminum Jon boat loaded with the three adults and child aboard was a bad idea. A er some back and forth on the radio with the Coast Guard, they received authoriza on to transfer the civilians to the Auxiliary boats. CHASIN’ TAIL took on two adults and the 4-year-old while the owner of the distressed vessel went on the second Auxiliary boat, LUCKY DOG. They also took the Jon boat in tow. Aponte dug up a blanket for the child, and Papabeis sat next to him on the bow seat of the vessel. He and the child had a good chat. The child told him that they caught some fish, one of his uncle’s trucks was stuck in the mud, and his dog's name was Buddy. Once dockside, they got their names and addresses, and then made way to their homeport. 45 minutes later, they were at their dock. They died up the boat, and the skipper called in their mission as closed. It was the kind of night that made one feel good about joining the Auxiliary and B-0 patrols. 

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USCG Auxiliary

Division 7, District 7

Blackthorn Remembrance Ceremony: Remembering the Coast Guard’s Greatest Peace me Tragedy Dorothy Riley

During the 35th annual Blackthorn memorial ceremony in St. Petersburg, Fla., a Coast Guardsman renders a salute after placing a rose representing one of the 23 crew members who perished aboard the Coast Guard Cutter BLACKTHORN on Jan. 28, 1980. The crew of the BLACKTHORN collided with the SS CAPRICORN Jan. 28, 1980, resulting in the service's worst peacetime disaster. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Ofﬁcer 3rd Class Ashley J. Johnson)

“The greatest casualty is being forgoƩen.”

hat is the mo o of one of the most well-known veteran’s chari es. Sector St. Petersburg knew those words well decades before the charity adopted them and annually honors the 23 cu ermen who lost their lives 35 years ago, Jan. 28, 1980. They are not forgotten. Every year on that fateful date, the Coast Guard holds a remembrance ceremony near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in St. Petersburg, Florida. Coast Guardsmen from the surrounding area, along with families of crewmembers of the Coast Guard Cu er Blackthorn and other guests a ended the 35th annual Blackthorn memorial ceremony. Guest speakers included Rear Adm.

Jake Korn, Commander, Coast Guard 7th District and Master Chief Pe y Oﬃcer Steven W. Cantrell. Members of Division 7 United States Coast Guard Auxiliary who a ended included T.D. Parrish, Mike Massimini, and Be y Hagan from Flo lla 79; Judith Clapp from Flolla 75; Marty Seiden, Glen Chiacchia and Jim Mulligan from Flo lla 74. The average age of today’s member of the Coast Guard is 30 years old, which means most where not born when this tragedy occurred. Given that the average age of Auxiliarists is considerably higher, even fewer Auxiliarists survive who remember firsthand the events of that day. Not only did it cons tute the greatest loss ConƟnued on page 29

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ConƟnued from page 28 of life through a single event by the Coast Guard in peace me, but also it changed how the Coast Guard trained its command level oﬃcers and senior enlisted members for command duty afloat. On the evening of Jan. 28, 1980, the USCGC BLACKTHORN le Tampa Shipyard to return to her homeport in Galveston, Texas. The BLACKTHORN never made it home. At 7:21 p.m., the ship collided with the tanker SS CAPRICORN just beyond the Skyway Bridge and quickly sank. . The vessels collided nearly head on, and as a result, the port anchor of CAPRICORN became embedded in the port side of the BLACKTHORN. The BLACKTHORN quickly sank and only 27 of the 50 crewmembers were T.D. Parrish, Betty Hagan and Michael Massimini from Flotilla rescued.

79 are three of the several members of Division 7 attending the

The BLACKTHORN tragedy sent shock- Blackthorn Rememberance Ceremony Jan. 28, 2015. Parrish waves throughout the Coast Guard. It was is also a member of the Korean War Veterans Association and unthinkable that a sturdy buoy tender attended in their uniform. Photo provided by T.D. Parrish would sink within minutes and even more disturbing that nearly half of its crew drowned. Twenty-three of the 50 guardsmen aboard lost their lives. Subsequent inves ga ons by the United States Coast Guard Marine Board of Inves ga on concluded that while both the captains of the BLACKTHORN and the CAPRICORN were at fault, primary responsibility rested with the captain of the BLACKTHORN. The sinking of the BLACKTHORN and the subsequent inves ga ve report provided the impetus for the establishment of the Command and Opera ons School at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connec cut. Commanding oﬃcers are now required to assess risks such as transi ng an unfamiliar port at night, given full discre on, and are encouraged to say no if they feel the risks involved are unnecessary. Addi onally, the Coast Guard developed new training requirements, spent more money on safety equipment and made changes to the naviga onal aids in and around Tampa Bay.

Right: Jim Mulligan, Flotilla 74 and Stephen Rogers, Flotilla 36, members of the USCG Pipe Band play "Amazing Grace" during the Blackthorn Remembrance Ceremony. Rogers has performed with his pipes every year for the past 14 years, even before the formation of the USCG Pipe Band. Photo by D. Riley

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USCG Auxiliary

Division 7, District 7

There is still Time to accept the challenge!

District 7 Public Education Challenge their year-over-year Public Educa on graduates with the following recogni on: 2% Increase $50 Yellow Streamer (minimum of 25 graduates to qualify) 5%Increase $100 Green Streamer 15% Increase $150 White Streamer 20% Increase $200 Red Streamer 25% Increase $250 Blue Streamer A Challenge Coin may also be presented to those members who demonstrate excep onal performance in Public Educa on instruc on or a related Recrea onal Boa ng Safety ac vity.

Why iis a P Public bli Ed Educa on Ch Challenge ll needed? d d? In 2013, there was a 12 percent decline in Public Educa on graduates in District Seven. This trend has to be reversed because we witnessed an increase in boa ng accidents and fatali es in 2014. Many of those accidents include 3 to 4 fatali es in one accident. Sadly, most of those accidents involved boaters who had never taken a boa ng safety course. The Public Educaon Challenge aims to increase the number of Public Educa on course graduates with the goal of decreasing boa ng accidents. We can do it! How is the Public Educa on Challenge set up? Beginning November 1, 2014 and ending May 31, 2015, the District will provide flo llas that increase

RED RIGHT RETURN A vessel is grounded outside of the marked channel near Apollo Beach. When returning to port, the operator of a vessel should keep the red, even numbered channel markers to the right, and the green markers to the left. This is the safe deep-water area for boat trafﬁc. Images like this are perfect for Public Service Announcement tweets and social media posts to invite the public to attend our boating safety programs. Photo by John Simone.

Addi onally, the two flo lla’s that achieve the highest number of Public Educa on graduates during the year will receive a grant of $1000, to be used for the purchase of materials or equipment for the flo lla’s Public Educa on program. Educa ng the boa ng public on the importance of safe boa ng prac ces is a mainstay in our missions. By accep ng the Public Educa on Challenge, flo llas will gain the sa sfac on of knowing they have increased their contribu on to preven ng a boa ng accident or fatality and have gained a monetary award that helps sustain their Public Educa on Program. Let’s go for it! Semper Paratus.

COMO Robert Weskerna, DCO Judith Hudson, DCOS

Volume XXXVIII

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Coast Guard Scholarship Program Application Deadline:

Feb. 28

The (each calendar year) Coast Guard Scholarship program is available to dependents of Auxiliary members who meet eligibility requirements. Applicants must be in the last year of high school or home schooling and scheduled to graduate and attend college full-time during the subsequent year. Those who have already graduated are not eligible to apply. To obtain information about this program and eligibility requirements go to: http://www.uscg.mil/mwr/hqrec/CGESScholarshipProgram.asp

Last year, Auxiliarists received over $41,900 in assistance.

on 7 Annual Awa i s i v rd Di Breakfast Saturday, April 18, 2015 8:30 - 10:45 a.m. Columbia Restaurant, Centennial Museum Room 2117 East 7th Avenue, Tampa Free reserved parking on the corner of 21st Street and 7th Avenue adjacent to this historic restaurant. Guests are welcome Please RSVP to your Flotilla Commander by April 12

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Coast Guard Mutual Assistance works because it allows all of us to pull together.â&#x20AC;?--Adm. Paul Zukunft, Commandant of the Coast Guard To learn more about the Supplemental Education Grant and other assistance available through Coast Guard Mutual Assistance, or to make a secure credit card donation, visit CGMA online at

www.cgmahq.org

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USCG Auxiliary

Division 7, District 7

D7 Newly Elected Commodore A ends Division 7 Change of Watch By Dottie Riley literature and vintage uniforms. Case and Weskerna officiated at the Oath of Office to the Jeffrey Gines, Division Commander and Gene Keller, Division Vice Commander Division 7, while Antonelli and Ezell officiated during the Oath of Office for the flo lla elected officers. They are Flo lla 72: Jack Lee, FC, and Anthony Hooper, VFC; Flo lla 74: Dus n Buxton, FC, and Carlos Velez, VFC; Flo lla 75: Gary Mull, FC, and Judith Clapp, VFC; Flo lla 78: Anthony Novellino, FC, and Eric Davis, VFC; Flo lla 79: Michael Massimini, FC, and Darren Hart, VFC; Flo lla 7-16: Tom Bodi, FC, and Bill Zinner, VFC. Flotilla 72 member, Barry Porter (center) is presented a plaque to honor 55 years of volunteer service to the Coast Guard Auxiliary at the Change of Watch ceremony held Dec. 6, 2014, in Ybor City, Tampa. COMO Robert Weskerna, District Commodore-elect (right) and Capt. Gregory Case, Commander, USCG Sector St Petersburg presented the award. Photo by Zac Lessin

ivision 7 Tampa Bay held its annual Change of Watch 0n Saturday, Dec. 6, 2014, at the Columbia Restaurant, Centennial Museum Room in Ybor, Tampa, Florida. The breakfast event started at 9 a.m.. To the member's delight, District Commodore (elect) Robert Weskerna and his wife, Jackie a ended the event. Other honored guests included Capt. Gregory Case, Commander, USCG Sector St. Petersburg; LTJG Shawn Antonelli, Auxiliary Liaison, USCG Sector St. Petersburg; BMCS Eamon McCormack, Oﬃcer in Charge, USCG, Sta on St. Petersburg; Braxton Ezell, District Captain-West D7; Paule e Parent, District Captain-West (e) D7; Paul Pelle er, DCDR 15, D7; and Don Hoge, Auxiliary Sector Coordinator, Sector St. Petersburg. The division took advantage of its last opportunity to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Coast Guard Auxiliary by setng up a display, which included posters,

Flo lla 72 member, Barry Porter (pictured with COMO Weskerna and Capt. Case) was honored for 55 years of service to the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. We are proud of Porter! 

Capt. Gregory Case, Commander Sector St. Petersburg and COMO Robert Weskerna, DCO (e), (far right) administer the oath of ofﬁce to Jeffrey Gines (front) and Gene Keller as Division Commander and Division Vice Commander respectively at the Change of Watch Dec. 6, 2015. Photo by Dick Risk

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Issue 1

Spring 2015

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Division 7 HF Operators Are On-The-Air By Dave Rockwell, Staff Ofﬁcer-Communications, Division 7

Jack Satterﬁeld, Flotilla 72, St. Petersburg, Florida, stands a watch on the District 7 HF Net from his radio facility, BOCA CIEGA RADIO. Photo provided by Jack Satterﬁeld

ur very ac ve radio program in Division 7 has added a new dimension to our opera ons. Two of our Telecommunica ons Operators (TCOs) who are also licensed amateur radio operators received their Coast Guard Auxiliary High Frequency (HF) Licenses.

Jack Sa erfield, call sign NF07JS, and Dave Rockwell, call sign NF07DR, established the necessary Auxiliary VHF sta ons and applied through the District 7 chain to get the HF licenses issued by Na onal Headquarters. Since February 2014, Sa erfield and Rockwell have been joining the District 7 HF Net, when their other du es permit. Addi onally, both TCOs have become members of the U.S. government wide Shared Resources (SHARES) net. SHARES is a organiza on of radio operators from mul ple federal agencies who available for emergency communica ons services during na onal-level events and disasters. The Auxiliary HF Nets provide alternate communicaons capabili es for the Coast Guard, the Coast Guard Auxiliary, and other agencies whenever the standard

communica ons are disrupted. All members of the Auxiliary HF community par cipate whenever possible to learn and prac ce formal military radio procedures. Members of the HF community use tradi onal voice communica ons and addi onally employ the latest techniques in sending digital traffic over the HF band. Many of the Auxiliary HF operators are amateur radio operators, but that is not a requirement to par cipate in the Coast Guard Auxiliary HF program. Any cer fied TCO who is willing to make the investment in se ng up a Coast Guard Auxiliary radio facility can be licensed an HF operator on the Auxiliary nets. Anyone interested should start with his or her Flo lla Staff OfficerCommunica ons (FSO-CM) to learn the steps involved. The skills our HF operators learn can be applied during all our net opera ons and will be especially valuable when we as Auxiliary members respond during and after local emergencies. 

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USCG Auxili Auxiliary liar ay

From: Antonelli, Shawn R LTJG To: Coast Guard Auxiliary Members Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2015 1 Subject: Thank you!

Division Divisio 7, District 7

Deck Plate Leadership Series

Good Morning Everyone, Please disseminate this to all members, thank you. I want to start off by thanking each and every Auxiliarist of Sector St. Petersburg. You all have been an amazing group of people with skills and personalities far above anyone I have ever met. It has been a true honor to work with you for the last 2.5 years. With this being my ďŹ rst tour in the Coast Guard, I really didn't know what to expect and was a little nervous. When I arrived, I was told I was going to be the Auxiliary Liaison and that it entailed a lot of tiring work, which was right, but without a doubt was some of the most rewarding work I did my entire time here. If I could leave you all with one thing; keep working hard, stay safe, and enjoy every minute of it! Thank you so much! -Shawn Very Respectfully, LTJG. Shawn Antonelli USCG Sector St. Petersburg VBST Leader/ AUXLO & AOM Administrator KP '12

Part of the strategic plan issued by COMO Mark Simoni authorizes a Deck Plate Leadership Series, which contains short training modules and leadership articles available to all editors and publishers of Auxiliary newsletter and member communication products. You may access these new toolsby clicking this link or at the URL below:

http://wow.uscgaux.info/content.php?unit=TEPT&category=deckplate-ldr (logon required)

Mark your calendars!

District 7 Annual Training Conference Sept. 17-20, 2015 Florida Mall Hotel Orlando Watch for more information as it becomes available!

Volume XXXVIII

Issue 1

Spring 2015

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Division 7 Ensures Radios Are Ready for Opera ons By Dave Rockwell, Staff Ofﬁcer-Communications, Division 7

n Saturday, Oct. 25, 2014, The Communica ons Staff Officer for Division 7, Dave Rockwell of Flo lla 72, tested the radios aboard three of the Division’s Opera onal Facilies. This was part of the Division’s ongoing effort to improve radio communica ons throughout the area of opera on. Rockwell used an antenna analyzer to check the antennas on the vessels and a commercial grade wa meter to measure the power out on each of radios. Two of the vessels received a clean bill of health on their radios, though one of the vessels would improve their transmissions if they switched the primary and backup antennas. The third vessel showed some problems in the antenna system, but its radio was fine. Rockwell recommended that the coxswain/owner take the antenna back to the local marine store for warranty replacement. Addi onally, he recommended the owner consider installing a backup fixed radio when prac cal.

Above: Dave Rockwell, Communications Staff Ofﬁcer for Division 7 explains the antenna analyzer to Telecommunications Operator Heleyde Aponte aboard the USCGAUX Facility CHASIN’ TAIL. In the background, Coxswain John Simone disconnects the facility’s radio antenna in preparation for testing. Below: Dave Rockwell prepares to test the radio aboard the Coast Guard Auxiliary facility CHASIN’ TAIL using a commercial grade Watt meter and antenna analyzer. The Division has set a goal to check all Division 7 facilities within two years. Photos By George Papabeis.

The Division 7 Auxiliary facili es carry out opera ons all over Tampa Bay and the adjacent areas of the Gulf of Mexico. Good radio communicaons are a cornerstone for these opera ons. The division has a goal to test 100 percent of the vessel radios over the next two years. The effort by the communica ons staff so far has eliminated a number of chronic radio problems on the vessels. As a result, nearly all of the vessel radios are able to contact all of the seven Auxiliary radio facili es operated by the division throughout Tampa Bay. This has led to the land sta ons covering nearly 100 percent of the Auxiliary patrols conducted by Division 7, freeing the ac ve duty staff at Staon St Petersburg from opera ng those watches.

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USCG Auxiliary

Division 7, District 7

Div

ision 7 Photos

Gasparilla 2015

Crewmembers aboard IDLEWILDE, a vessel from Flotilla 86 Venice, help children retrieve a ball before the start of the Gasparilla boat parade Jan. 31, 2015. Walt Jennings is coxswain with crewmembers Robert Frank, John Harrison, Al Osieki and Bob Zacaroli. Right: A crewmember checks the contents of the holds on the IDLEWILDE before the start of their mission. Photos by Dottie Riley

Left: Madness on the Water! The crew of CHASIN’ TAIL looks back at the JOSÉ GASPARILLA and its mosquito ﬂ eet. John Si-mon serves as coxswain aboard the Auxiliary fa-cility with John McLoughlin and Heleyde Aponte from Flotilla 79 Tampa as crew. Click on the im-age to watch the brief video ﬁ lmed from the deck of SANDI CAY. Photo by George Papabeis

Volume Volume XXXVII XXXVIII

Issue 1 Issue 1

Spring 2014 Spring 2015

Page 37

The mock pirate ship GASPARILLA is towed by a tugboat toward the Port of Tampa during this year’s annual Gasparilla pirate invasion and boat parade surrounded by a “mosquito ﬂeet” of recreational boaters. Photo by Dick Risk.

Heleyde Aponte sits with her chin in hand listening intently during the pre-Gasparilla briefing for coxswains and crew held Jan. 29, 2015, at Flotilla 79 Tampa. Lt. Holly Deal, left of Aponte, is in the foreground. Photo by Dick Risk

Limited View Crewmembers Tony Novellino and Valerie Fernandes are reﬂected in the mirror of the SUE SEA Q’s console as they make way towards the parade route. Photo by Valerie Fernandes

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USCG Auxiliary

Division 7, District 7

Nautical terms to know... FOLLOWING SEA - An overtaking sea that comes from astern. When we wish someone ‘following seas,’ we wish them an easy journey. PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT

The Privacy Act of 1974 protects names, addresses, telephone/fax numbers and e-mail addresses of Auxiliary members which may appear in this or other USCGAUX publica ons. As a ma er of policy, informa on described above is not made available to the general public or outside groups without that member’s express and/or wri en consent. When such informa on appears, its privacy shall be safeguarded and the informa on will be clearly labeled. Publica on of this informa on by the general public and/or outside groups is prohibited by the Privacy Act.