In support of a presentation at Sector this weekend I did a bit of analysis on our member locations. To assuage my privacy concerns and obligations this only maps to the Zip code location. The pin indicates the center of the Zip code where one or more members reside so in less populous areas the pin will likely be fairly far from the actual residence of the member. This also means that there is only one pin per Zip code where we have multiple members - 12 members in the most shared Zip code.
So how can we use this data?
It helps us communicate where we can provide RBS and other services to the American people
It helps identify areas we need to target recruiting to extend our reach or fill in gaps in our service area
It helps us understand where we could serve members by establishing detachments (although location is only one factor in such considerations).
At our annual Operations workshop we discussed sources of river temperature. We've traditionally focused on water temperature as the trigger for wearing our various types of cold water gear. We need to be thinking beyond just the determination of when we need to be in our dry suits to a major consideration in our risk management. Today the Columbia is 5.4 ºC = 41.72 ºF below Bonneville Dam near Warrendale, Oregon. We need to be asking ourselves what additional risks come at river temperatures of 40ºF, and not just for surface operations - what about doing work on local piers and docks?
There are a number of sources of river temperature data. For the Columbia I use:
This data is in ºC so you can use this conversion chart:
Please note, for surface operations the river temperature is determined by the OIC of Station Portland, if it is near to the 50ºF or 60ºF points please err on the side of caution and/or check in with Station. Also remember that Columbia and Willamette temperatures can differ significantly.
On Saturday at the District meeting Captain Kaup and Captain Myer discussed Sector Columbia River. Captain Kaup will be the Sector Commander and Captain Myer will serve as the Deputy Sector Commander. The presentation was an excellent overview of the new Sector and our role in the success of the Coast Guard missions throughout the Sector AOR.
CAPT Kaup, CAPT Myer, Capt Englebert, and DCAPT-E Kathleen Goodwin review a DVD of Eastern Area Auxiliarist performing missions.
COMO Vass asked for assistance of lawyers to help members of the Iowa National Guard prepare for overseas deployment. If you have legal expertise and are willing to assist please let me know and I will get the appropriate contact information.
It would be great to see this program succeed and expand to assist our citizen soldiers from States in the Northwest.
Shipmates,
On Friday and Saturday (12-13Feb) I attended the District Meeting. There were a number of points that will be of interest to the general membership.
New paddle craft safety course: Within the month a new paddlers safety course will be available for us to teach. Paddling related injuries and fatalities are a major issue, particularly in our area where we have so many members of the public participating in paddle sports and recreational paddling of all sorts. This course is a great opportunity to strengthen our outreach on paddling safety. Tim Young, VFC 76 is our paddle safety lead and I know we have a number of members who are very interested in paddling safety and paddle craft operations.
New Auxiliary Manual: The new Auxiliary Manual may be released within 30 to 60 days. The manual should incorporate the changes to the National organization, as well as other changes promulgated since the last (F) edition was published in 2004. We can expect additional changes to be incorporated into the new manual. As with all policy changes I ask your patience as we determine the impacts and incorporate the changes into our Auxiliary practices and activities.
Online testing revisions: The online tests have been reviewed to remove or clarify questions that were inaccurate, tricky or did not properly reflect a member's understanding of the required material. We had issues where certain questions had very high failure rates, often an indicator of a bad question rather than a lack of knowledge on the part of the members taking the test. The tests should now be a better reflection of our member's knowledge.
Remote teaching of ICS-210: We will be able to conduct ICS-210 training, with Coast Guard instructors, via video conferencing.
Online mission and activity reporting: In the next few years we should have direct online reporting of member activities and missions to replace our current forms. This will reduce the paperwork overhead experienced by our IS officers, ease reporting by members, and should result in more hours reported by members with greater accuracy. Complete, accurate, and relevant reporting is important as we expand our missions.
Metrics: We report to track activity for awards and qualification maintenance but the reporting is also used to manage our programs and determine needs. These numbers will be directly incorporated into the Coast Guard's future SOPP (Standard Operations Planning Project) so our activity will be part of the Coast Guard's overall view of risks and risk management. This is part of the reasoning behind the new 7029 so we can better understand our value to the Coast Guard.
Strategic approach to what we do for the Coast Guard: Traditionally we've gone to our active duty counterparts and asked what they need of us. Captain Englebert, the Sector Seattle Commander, wants us to change our approach - to take the reporting and metrics on Auxiliary capacities and Coast Guard needs and develop strategies which meet needs. This would allow us to go to our OICs and Commands and say "This is what we can do for you", being proactive to meet risks and needs. We'll discuss this much more in future posts.
Finally, I'd like to thank the Division members who assisted with the raffle including Doug Balkema, Mark Murphy, Barbara Korsmo, Todd Mains and Brian Rollins. We also had assistance from the DCDR of Division 6, Gary Kobes and the VCDR Emily Chaput. The raffle was a success and raised over $400 for the District.
The transition of the leadership continues with the announcement of three Vice Admirals who will serve under our next Commandant. An item caught my eye, one of the three is a Portland native. Pending confirmation by the Senate, Rear Adm. Robert C. Parker will be promoted to vice admiral and assigned as commander of the Coast Guard’s Atlantic Area.
Parker, a native of Portland, Ore., serves as the U.S. Southern Command’s first director of security and intelligence in Miami, where he directs U.S. military operations and intelligence efforts, and coordinates interagency operations in Southern Command’s area of responsibility. He is the first Coast Guard officer to serve as a director in a Department of Defense command. In his new position at Atlantic Area, Parker will command an area of responsibility that ranges from the Rocky Mountains to the Arabian Gulf and includes five Coast Guard Districts, 42 states and over 14 million square miles.
For those of you keeping track of modernization this means Rear Adm. Parker will take responsibility for the Coast Guard Operations Command (OPCOM).
[Republished from the Division 7 newsletter The Daymark, February 2010]
Shipmates,
In January I discussed my desire for the Auxiliary to be where you, and future members, choose to contribute your valuable time and energy. I have established four key principles for myself and the Division staff as we work to make the Flotillas and the Division the volunteer opportunity of choice. These are the principles that, along with the Core Values, will guide us in 2010.
Support the Members by supporting the Five Flotillas and the Flotilla leadership: Our missions are executed by our members as individuals, small teams of members and as Flotillas. The role of the Auxiliary organization, Division and above, is two-fold. First, the organization exists to provide the framework that enables the members of Flotillas to successfully and safely execute the mission. Second, the Division, District and National organizations work to direct the membership towards the missions identified by the Coast Guard. The Division leadership and staff serves the Flotillas. As the Division staff and leadership serve the members working through the Flotillas via the Flotilla Commanders and parallel Flotilla staff should a key objective. There are circumstances where the Division role in a mission or activity goes beyond simple coordination and the Division staff, Division Board or Vice Commander and I will need to assume management and leadership of that mission or activity. This may be due to operational necessity, the scale or complexity of the mission, a mismatch between the skills and assets of the Flotilla and the task, a very short timeline, a directive from District or National, or due to a directive from our Active Duty operational commanders. In this event we must be cognizant that there is a tradeoff when the Division takes the lead. While the Division's role may enhance execution of the mission or activity we have missed an opportunity for the Flotilla leadership, staff and members to take ownership of the mission or activity, develop capability in the mission or activity, and develop as a cohesive unit. Ultimately the Division will succeed when each of our five Flotillas has the capability, confidence, member strength and collective desire to execute the wide variety of Auxiliary missions we face.
Connect recruiting to mission execution with a focus on the member experience: We focus on recruiting and on the output of our members in mission execution. Between these two points we do a mixed job of preparing new members to execute missions. There must be a clear path for new members, and existing members wishing to explore additional opportunities, to move into new mission areas and achieve the qualifications necessary to participate fully.
The Division leadership intends to encourage and facilitate a systematic approach to qualifying new members in a variety of different areas using an academy model. The academy model has benefits all participating members, trainees, instructor cadre, and mentors. It is my hope the academies will continue to be sponsored and managed by the Flotillas with overall coordination of timing by the Board and Division staff.
We need to examine all our processes to identify issues that prevent our members from participating and then do our best to remove those blocks we can.
Promote personal and organizational readiness: Be Semper Paratus as individuals, teams, crews, Flotillas, and as a Division.
The Division leadership will discuss, promote and exemplify personal readiness.
We will encourage and support Flotilla readiness programs and projects.
We will seek the necessary resources and facilitate the training required for members to be ready.
The Division will build a contingency planning working group to workshop plans and determine the need for training, exercises and additional capabilities and equipment.
We will emphasize the impact readiness has on safety and safety has on readiness. We can only be ready if we operate safely and only operate safely if we are ready.
Communicate to build tolerance for change: Over the last few years we've seen a number changes in our mission set, policy and organization. I expect this pace of change to increase, perhaps dramatically, as the Coast Guard and the Auxiliary continue to modernize.
The Division leadership will communicate to our membership that the Auxiliary is in a time of growth and change.
We will assure the context for policy changes is provided and help members see meet the challenge -- providing the what, why and how of the change
Some changes may be difficult, it is important to remember our role as a component of the Coast Guard and our commitment to the Core Values as we adapt and build a stronger Auxiliary.
Finally, as always, let the core values be our guide
Honor: Integrity is our standard. We demonstrate uncompromising ethical conduct and moral behavior in all of our personal actions. We are loyal and accountable to the public trust.
Respect: We value our diverse work force. We treat each other with fairness, dignity, and compassion. We encourage individual opportunity and growth. We encourage creativity through empowerment. We work as a team.
Devotion to Duty: We are professionals, military and civilian, who seek responsibility, accept accountability, and are committed to the successful achievement of our organizational goals. We exist to serve. We serve with pride.
Thank you for your service. As always be safe in all your Coast Guard and life activities and look to the safety of your shipmates.
Shipmates,
Parker, a native of Portland, Ore., serves as the U.S. Southern Command’s first director of security and intelligence in Miami, where he directs U.S. military operations and intelligence efforts, and coordinates interagency operations in Southern Command’s area of responsibility. He is the first Coast Guard officer to serve as a director in a Department of Defense command. In his new position at Atlantic Area, Parker will command an area of responsibility that ranges from the Rocky Mountains to the Arabian Gulf and includes five Coast Guard Districts, 42 states and over 14 million square miles.
