All D13 CS and PE officers,

Effective May 1^st 2012 D13 will adopt National’s new PE database. National has created functionality that is substantially similar to the posting and listing functionality offered by the D13 website and leveraged by unit sites across the district for the past couple of years. Classes posted in the National database will be searchable across the District and Nationwide. 

Subject: [f19] New Reporting requirements in Canadian waters

To: District 13

FYI.

Requirement to Report

All recreational boaters are required to present themselves upon their arrival in Canada as per the Customs Act (CA) and Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). This includes all foreign boaters entering Canada, as well as private boaters who depart Canada and enter foreign waters, and subsequently return to Canada.

This obligation exists regardless of their activities while outside of Canada or their planned activities while in Canada. Arrival in Canada occurs when the pleasure craft crosses the international boundary into Canadian waters.

This provision applies regardless of whether or not boaters drop anchor, land, enter an inland tributary or moor alongside another vessel while in foreign waters.

The only exception to the above applies to vessels that are 'in-transit'

through Canada. In order to be considered "in-transit" the vessel must be...

WANTED: Auxiliary Volunteer’s who can commit to a minimum of just 4 hours, once per week to assist us in the DIRAUX office in beautiful downtown Seattle. We need everything from filers, Data processing (Input into AUXDATA), and a list of other chores that we do on a daily basis.

AWARDS WRITING TEAM:  In the Auxiliary, awards cannot be another item on a harried unit-leader’s “to-do when I get a chance” list.  It has to be an integral and systematic part of the routine of managing your unit. For easy how to steps on how to draft an award check out this link: http://tinyurl.com/How-to-write-Awards

When you have finished drafting the award you will want to submit it for consideration, click on this link: http://www.d13aux.uscgnews.com/go/site/1655/  to make an awards request. You will also find sample citations and an outline that you can use for submitting your request.

AUXILIARIST OF THE WEEK: To submit a request for Auxiliarist of the Week you do not have to go through the Awards Committee. If you have an Auxiliarist in mind for the AUX of the Week award all you need to do is email a paragraph telling the DIRAUX what the Auxiliarist did to merit the award and...

FROM THE DESK of Ms. Shirley Blanchett

DISENROLLMENTS: Historically two-thirds of all disenrollments are submitted between October 1 and December 31st. In anticipation of heavy activity we request that you submit your disenrollment paperwork early to allow sufficient time for processing. All Disenrollments must be processed before December 31st to prevent the active flotilla members from being obligated to pay the Division, District and National dues for them. Flotilla Commanders are responsible for submitting CHANGE OF MEMBERSHIP STATUS forms. When a member is being disenrolled for “Non-payment of Financial Obligations,” Section I must be completed and signed by the Flotilla Commander. Should the member “Request Disenrollment,” section II must be completed and signed by the member. For Retirements, please ensure that the member has the required 15 years before submitting a request. Finally, Section III must be completed and signed by the flotilla commander before the form is submitted to the serving DSO-HR,...

FROM THE DESK of YN1 Gonzales

I just wanted to take a moment to go over travel issues that were addressed with the conferences in Clackamas and Tukwila.

There has been some confusion with local travel and what you’re authorized and what you’re not.  Local travel is considered any travel less than 50 miles from your home port, in an Auxiliarist’s case your home of residence. The members that were within 50 miles of Clackamas and Tukwila were on local travel and only authorized one roundtrip mileage to and from there home each day. You are not authorized meals or per diem.  You also do not receive orders for local travel. To be reimbursed you will need to fill out a local travel form SF1164 and sign it in blue ink and send it to the DIRAUX office once your travel is complete.  I will do the rest. This must be done within 3 days of travel or you may not be reimbursed. The mileage rate is .51 cents per mile. The distance is based on zip code to zip code.

Keep in mind it is taking PPC 3-4 weeks...

FROM THE DESK of CHARLES CLAYTOR

Fast approaching is the end of the year.  Soon all elections at both the flotilla and Division level will have been completed.  New elected officers should have their staff selected and ready to assume office on 1 January 2012.  All Flotilla Commanders and Division Commanders should submit to DIRAUX their ANSC 7007 (11-10) ANNUAL UNIT OFFICERS REPORT no later than (NLT) 15 December 2011.  We need the ANSC 7007 even if your flotilla and division officers remain the same as the past year.  Our mailing rosters and email depend on the accuracy of these rosters to ensure DIRAUX correspondence is getting to the correct person.  Mail may be held if no ANSC 7007 is received by the 15th of December.

Please check the accuracy of all new member applications.  One missing signature can delay the entry of a new member into AUXDATA by several weeks.  I have a new member checklist that lists all the applicable forms and data record to include important notes on how to complete the...

FROM THE DESK of CWO Chris Brown

Seasonal Change and PPE

Greetings D-13 Auxiliary, I hope everyone is doing well. I must admit since my report date nearly four months ago, the majority of my time here has been a blur but overall I believe I am starting to adjust to the demands and optempo of this job.

As I mentioned in the Buoy 13 Newsletter one of my main concerns is the proper use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Practicing and wearing proper PPE is important for every mission and patrol order. There are no exceptions to this standard. Boat crews can apply for and obtain waivers; however, keep in mind the gear still has to be onboard the facility and remain readily available. Following the procedures of the Rescue and Survival Systems and Boat Crew Seamanship Manual is extremely important. Let’s remember, CO’s and OINC’s can be relieved of command for not properly outfitting and burdening their people with additional risk.

Some of us (I included) will agree that boating during...

FROM THE DESK of CDR Chappelka 27 October 2011

Uniforms:  Both in the Auxiliary manual and throughout the Coast Guard there have been changes in uniform policy and emphases on making our uniform wear, appropriately, more uniform.

As guidance District 13 Staff (The Seattle Federal Building) have been instructed to wear tropical blue for day to day office wear.  ODUs are no longer a uniform of the day.  If working out of the office on an assignment where ODUs would be the appropriate ODU sleeves will be worn down from 01NOV to 31MAR.  Your local Coast Guard unit may have a different policy to meet their local conditions.  Be sure to coordinate with your local unit POC to make sure you are in alignment when working on their unit.

When not aboard a USCG unit Auxiliary members have flexibility in choosing to wear sleeves up or down to meet local weather conditions and mission requirements, with the caveat that all members on a mission (Ops, VE, PA, PE, etc.) are to wear their sleeves in the same...

UNCLAS //N05500//

ALCOAST 471/11

COMDTNOTE 5500

SUBJ: CYBERSECURITY MONTH AND THE DHS STOP, THINK, CONNECT CAMPAIGN 1. IN OCTOBER 2010 THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND (DHS) SECURITY LAUNCHED THE STOP, THINK, CONNECT CAMPAIGN. THE CAMPAIGN WAS INTENDED TO PROMOTE SAFE ONLINE BEHAVIOR, PRACTICES TO COMBAT THREATS, AND RAISE AWARENESS IN CYBERSECURITY ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE PRESIDENT HAS CHARGED DHS WITH LEADING THIS UNPRECEDENTED EFFORT THAT SPANS ACROSS FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND INDUSTRY BOUNDARIES.

2. THREATS TO THE CYBERSECURITY OF OUR NATION ARE TRULY THREATS TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY. WE ALL HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN UNDERSTANDING AND PREVENTING THESE THREATS.

3. THE ONLINE WORLD OF CYBERCRIME PRESENTS CRITICAL DECISIONS FOR YOU TO MAKE.  THEY COULD COME IN THE FORM OF A LINK WITH A TEMPTING OFFER OR A TEXT MESSAGE FROM A KNOWN SENDER. WILL YOU CHOOSE THE CORRECT OPTION OR WILL YOU BE ATTACKED?  EVERYONE WHO GOES ONLINE IS VULNERABLE.  THE BAD GUYS ARE OUT THERE.  THEY ARE ORGANIZED...