Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Coast Guard investigates hoax distress calls near Hobe Sound, Fla.
This is too close to home to ignore. It's in the AOR of my home Flotilla (FL59, D7). Let's get this guy! Take the link below to see the Coast Guard news release.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Loss of 57-Year Auxiliarist
Monday we lost a friend and Auxiliary shipmate - Robert Rose. Diane and I had the privilege of being with him for his last hour or so as he took his leave of this world.
Bob was 90 years old... an age that few reach in any condition. He was feisty up until the end - and clear-headed as well until just the last few weeks. What a life he led... photojournalist to 4 Presidents (Truman through Johnson) and thus a world traveler, a boater, an Auxiliarist, and a lover of history and its documentation. Bob was an Auxiliarist longer than I've been alive, having enrolled in July 1953. He was extremely active in the organization and its leadership until about the last 4 years of his life - especially the last 2, after the house fire that claimed his wife of 65 years, Alma, a 25-year Auxiliarist herself.
Upon hearing the news, USCG CAPT(ret) Bill Griswald (a former Chief Director of Auxiliary) wrote, "Bob was the ultimate Auxiliarist." High praise indeed from someone who should know... and who is an incredible Auxiliarist himself. I aspire to someday reach the level of accomplishment in the Auxiliary of either of those two men - but that's a long way off yet.
Fair winds and following seas, my good friend Bob. We will miss you.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Team Mercury
Back from the Coast Guard Innovation Expo. We had an incredible opportunity to share with the Coast Guard's senior leadership about our team and what it can do. We also had the folks from CG Video stop by and record a short video about our Team.
The link is:
http://cgvi.uscg.mil/media/main.php?g2_itemId=1041114
Now it's time to get ready for the Change of Watch season.
The link is:
http://cgvi.uscg.mil/media/main.php?g2_itemId=1041114
Now it's time to get ready for the Change of Watch season.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Coast Guard Innovation Expo
As I write this, it is the morning of day 3 of the Expo. As it is my first time at this 10-year-old event, I wasn't sure what to expect. I am pleasantly surprised, both at the wide variety of ideas and products on display and and at how much of the senior Coast Guard leadership is present here.
I am here with my District Captain - East, Dan Jacquish, assisting him in displaying Team Mercury - the Mobile Communications Rapid Response Team. This Team is composed of members of my division (Division 5) of the D7 Auxiliary and the mobile communications unit around which the team is built.
The unit is self-contained and self-sufficient, with the ability to forward deploy to any place that is reachable by road (or ship or air). The truck contains the communications work stations, of which there are two, and which also pulls the trailer. The trailer contains the work and living space for the team as well as the food and other supplies. In addition, it carries the 4-wheel Mule that is used for local transportation and re-supply.
One of the difficulties in forward-deploying Auxiliarists is in providing for their shelter, food, and hygiene needs. This team brings all of those things with it. The unit has berthing for 6 to 8, food for weeks, a full head with shower, a full galley including a refrigerator/freezer, and work and living space. It also carries 100 gallons of fuel for the generators and 100 gallons of fresh water, with additional capability for purification.
Another unique feature of this unit is its capability to provide an interface between the Coast Guard and the local law enforcement and response communities. This is accomplished by including the 800MHz trunked radios that most local communities use. By having these radios as part of the package, the unit can be that important link between those two operations.
We have had the incredible opportunity to show the unit to most of the Coast Guard's senior leadership over the last two days. If we were struggling in anonymity and obscurity before, I think we have cured that this week.
Now all we need is a couple of deployments, which will provide the opportunity to prove the capability and value of Team Mercury.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
District 7 Conference
It's Monday afternoon and the conference is history. The D7 leadership chose one of the other candidates for the District Captain - East position, but I'm glad I ran anyway. I learned a lot about the other Divisions in D7 and about the election process.
The choice leaves me free to concentrate on my national staff job (Division Chief - Aviation) - which I would have needed to give up if I had been elected. I had mixed feelings about that anyway, as there were ongoing projects and efforts that have not yet come to fruition. Now I will be able to continue those efforts and after 01 January will have more time to concentrate on them.
There are pressing things happening in other areas also... the largest of which is the Mercury Team having the privilege of presenting at the Coast Guard Innovation Expo in November in Tampa, FL. I am excited about the opportunity, but there is a lot of work to be done.
Had a great flight today - and had the privilege of having LT Lori Bard with us... she's the Chief Director's active duty Operations Officer for the Auxiliary.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
District 7 Conference
It is that time of year - the annual Conference of the Seventh District Auxiliary. This is a time for renewing old friendships and making new ones, for learning and socializing, and for choosing the District's leadership for the next two years.
For me, this is a special Conference, as I am a candidate for the position of District Captain - East. This area includes 6 Divisions, (5, 3, 6, 13, 1, 16) running from Sebastian, FL at the north end, to Key West at the other end, and also including Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. This year I have had the privilege of serving as the Division 5 Commander - the Treasure and Gold Coasts of southeast Florida. The next level up is an exciting but daunting prospect; I relish the challenge.
Friday afternoon, we'll all know.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Congratulations to the National Incident Command and Teams
A hearty congratulations to those responsible for the massive response operation for dealing with the Deepwater Horizon sinking and the related leaking of the Macondo 252 well in the Gulf of Mexico. As of this morning, the well has officially been declared dead.
This massive effort included thousands of people from the Coast Guard (active duty, reserve, auxiliary, and civilian components), a host of other federal alphabet specialty organizations (NOAA, EPA, DoI, and many others I'm not aware of), State and DoD organizations, BP and a bunch of contractors, and thousands of seafarers, fishermen, and other local individuals. The magnitude of this disaster required a response that was unprecedented in size and scope.
Further, this was the first national-scale implementation of the National Incident Response System (NIMS) - at least for the Coast Guard. All of the levels and components of the system that we all studied in abstract and theory became flesh and blood, staffed with real people, and fully functional. As with any first such implementation, there were bottlenecks and disconnects for sure, but overall it was an incredible learning experience for all involved, especially those from the Coast Guard Auxiliary, for whom it was their first full participation in such an event.
The knowledge gained will be of significant value to those in leadership positions and will position us well for future events.
My hat is off to Admiral Allen and his incredible team. Well-done, all.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Those of us in South Florida are thankful that we've had 3 misses lately - Earl, Fiona, and Gaston. I'm currently in St. Thomas, where they weren't quite so lucky with Earl. He came right by. They had a lot of tree damage, with some large trees completely blown over and lots of limbs lost from other trees. I haven't seen a lot of building damage, but it was after dark last night when we arrived. This afternoon's ride to the airport will tell a much more complete tale.
Of course, the NWS is watching another "disturbance" that's coming our way from Africa... but I guess that's the way of things this time of year. We're at the peak of hurricane season and it's not unusual to see 3 or 4 "things" to watch in the parade of "things" coming west out of Africa. I know our island friends have not let their guard down. We shouldn't either. Preparedness is the key.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
What a week!
Back from the Auxiliary's National Conference (NACON), where I had the opportunity to meet numerous people with whom I have only corresponded or talked on the phone. Among those are Andrew Welch, COMO Gary Taylor, many of the District Commodores, and ADM Robert Papp, the Commandant of the Coast Guard.
Election results have been widely reported, so I won't re-transmit them here. I will simply make the comment that I am pleased with the results and believe that both the Coast Guard and the Auxiliary are in good hands at the national level. I am excited at the possibilities for the next two years and look forward to good things happening. I say this primarily because of the extensive leadership and management backgrounds of those coming into the top leadership positions.
The Coast Guard Auxiliary national staff is just completing a very difficult transition period - one in which most mid- and upper-level positions and responsibility sets were re-defined. Many jobs were divided into two or more positions, generating at least the appearance of multiple overlapping responsibility sets and functions. The word is that this upcoming term of national office (two years) will be one of stability and consolidation, rather than large-scale change. I believe that will be good for the staff and good for our programs.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
National Conference 2010
It's Thursday of National Conference (NACON) week for the Coast Guard Auxiliary in Scottsdale, Arizona. This is one of the two annual gatherings of our national leadership. This is the main meeting; the other is the Training Conference, which our leadership somehow thinks appropriate to be held in St. Louis in the dead of winter - late January.
A major event of this Conference is the election of our new National Commodore, Vice Commodore, and three Area Commodores - the core of our national leadership. These are the folks who will set our direction and make major policy decisions for the next two years. There are numerous seminars as well, with the intent of sharing current and new information in all kinds of areas.
Another significant event of the NACON is the Saturday night formal dinner, at which we get to hear from the new Commandant of the Coast Guard, Admiral Bob Papp. I, for one, am eager to meet him and hear from him in person. Video feeds are fine and all, but there is nothing that can substitute for a direct person-to-person meeting and hearing a speech first-hand.
Of course, there is also the fourth cornerstone - fellowship. There will be plenty of that, thankfully... renewal of old friendships and acquaintances as well as making new ones. I look forward to that.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
Friday, June 4, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Monday, May 31, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
D7 Change of Command
Coast Guard's Seventh District held a time-honored ritual and celebration last week - the Change of Command. RADM Bill Baumgartner relieved RADM R. Steve Branham as the District's Commanding Officer. Upon his relief, RADM Branham retired from the Coast Guard, leaving a legacy of 37 years' service to our nation. In addition, as he finished his tour of duty, RADM Branham was awarded the Coast Guard's Distinguished Service Medal in recognition of the high level of achievement the District enjoyed under his command.
Quite significantly, RADM Branham honored the 5700 members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary Seventh District by having Auxiliarists make up one third of the honor platoon at his Change of Command. This was a clear demonstration of his commitment to his Auxiliarists to the world and to his relieving officer, RADM Baumgartner.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Monday, May 3, 2010
Friday, April 30, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Chart of Oil Spill as of 27 April 2010
Here is a chart of the extent of the oil spill as of the morning of 27 April 2010.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
National Safe Boating Week is Coming
This is an extremely busy time in the Coast Guard Auxiliary. The largest Recreational Boating Safety (RBS) effort of the year is nearly upon us - National Safe Boating Week (NSBW). This is the week leading up to Memorial Day, usually the last full week of May. The Coast Guard in the 7th District (D7) is mounting a large public awareness campaign that I hope will make a big splash - the "Wear-It" Tour - a tour down the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) from Jacksonville, FL to Miami, FL. The tour is a joint effort between the Coast Guard, the CG Auxiliary, and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). It will start in Jacksonville on Sunday 23 May and end in Miami on Friday 28 May. There will be media and public-awareness and public-access events all along the way, including a Vessel Safety Check (VSC) event at Phil Foster Park in Riviera Beach on Thursday 27 May. I will write more about it as the time gets closer.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Welcome to a new Blog
Welcome to a new blog by a neophyte blogger. In this space I will endeavor to accumulate (and solicit) information, knowledge, and perhaps even a bit of wisdom (from external sources, most likely) on the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, its programs, and its people. I solicit comment, support, and suggestions from all who support this most amazing organization - the primier volunteer organization in our country.
Best Regards to All.
Very Respectfully,
Wilson Riggan
Division Chief - Aviation (DVC-RA)
Division Commander 5 D7
US Coast Guard Auxiliary
Best Regards to All.
Very Respectfully,
Wilson Riggan
Division Chief - Aviation (DVC-RA)
Division Commander 5 D7
US Coast Guard Auxiliary
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