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SECURITY LEVELS

Operations & PATONs

 

Area of Activity

Flotilla 6-3 focuses its operations on the Poquoson River, York River, Back River, Mobjack Bay and lower Chesapeake Bay.  Our members support Coast Guard Sector Virginia, Station Cape Charles, Station Portsmouth, and Station Milford Haven, as well as Training Center Yorktown.  Flotilla 6-3 is proud of its member’s level of activity.Our members are usually visible at large events such as the Yorktown 4th of July, Langley Air Show, Poquoson Seafood Festival Workboat Races, Hampton Bay Days, HarborFest and OpSail, and at various USCG and US Navy training exercises in the area.  Through our frequent patrols, we have also assisted countless individuals in need of assistance on the water..Flotilla 6-3 focuses its operations on the Poquoson River, York River, Back River, Mobjack Bay and lower Chesapeake Bay.  Our members support Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads, Station Cape Charles, Station Portsmouth, and Station Milford Haven, as well as Training Center Yorktown.

Our Patrols

Flotilla 6-3 members are an integral part of “COAST GUARD FORCES” in Hampton Roads and the lower Chesapeake Bay.  We actively support the requests of local Coast Guard organizations such as supporting regattas and local boat races or supplementing Station crews.  Patrols are conducted for safety and assistance to recreational boaters, member training, search and rescue, aids to navigation and chart updates and verification, and for monitoring of hazards and pollution.

 

Above - two Flotilla 6-3 Operational Facilities escorting the Schooner Virginia during the 2017 Harborfest Parade of Sail.

 

     

 

 

Support for the 2018 Hampton Roads SAR Forum.  Top USCG SAR Helo Demo and bottom Night SAR Exercise.

Member Qualifications

To participate in patrol activities, Auxiliarists are required to achieve either "Crew" or "Coxswain" qualification.  Members achieve the Crew qualification by training in the fundamentals of safe boating including first aid, navigation, communication, boat handling, and basic mission functions.  Coxswains complete a higher level of training in order to be able to safely and effectively operate a boat, lead missions and direct the crew.  In addition to Crew training, Coxswains learn extensive boat handling, navigation, search and rescue, weather and first aid.

 

Members may also achieve the Auxiliary Operations (AUXOP) and/or Trident (marine safety) qualifications by expanding their boating knowledge even further.  The AUXOP comes through specialized training focused in different fields such as Seamanship, Navigation, Communications, Search and Rescue, Patrols, and Weather.  Several of Flotilla 6-3's members currently hold this qualification.  The Trident program involves the completion of multiple Personal Qualification Standards (PQSs) in topics such as container inspections, pollution control, marine safety watchstanding, plus the completion of 96 hours of approved marine safety activity in each of 4 years.