Flotilla 25-8 General Information

NOTICE: The official Flotilla in-person Business Meetings and Workshops have been cancelled until further notice. Informal meetings will be held in their stead via teleconference at the usual time. Please see the Next Meeting Highlights page for more information and for details about connecting to the web conference session.

The May USCG AMSC Newsletter has been added to the Marine Safety & Emergency Management Page

The April USCG AMSC Newsletter has been added to the Marine Safety & Emergency Management Page

The Area Maritime Security's Maryland General Committee Meeting will be held on April 7^th. See the Marine Safety & Emergency Management Page for details.

The February CG-OEM Update has been added to the Marine Safety & Emergency Management Page

The March USCG AMSC Newsletter has been added to the Marine Safety Page

The February USCG AMSC Newsletter has been added to the Marine Safety Page

(Note, AMSC did not release a newsletter for January)

The December USCG AMSC Newsletter has been added to the Marine Safety Page

The November USCG AMSC Newsletter has been added to the Marine Safety Page

The October USCG AMSC Newsletter has been added to the Marine Safety Page

The September USCG AMSC Newsletter has been added to the Marine Safety Page

The August USCG AMSC Newsletter has been added to the Marine Safety Page

The July USCG AMSC Newsletter has been added to the Marine Safety Page

Please see the MSSB 05-21 describing the Security and Safety Zone for the Washington, D.C. July 4th Celebration posted on the Marine Safety page.

The June USCG AMSC Newsletter has been added to the Marine Safety Page

The May USCG AMSC Newsletter has been added to the Marine Safety Page. Of particular interest to those performing patrols and other operational and public facing activities is the information about the First Amendment Audits group, a social movement made up of individuals interested in making videos of their encounters with public officials. Please see the first paragraph of page two in the newsletter.

The April USCG AMSC Newsletter has been added to the Marine Safety Page.

The March USCG AMSC Newsletter has been added to the Marine Safety Page.

The February USCG AMSC Newsletter has been added to the Marine Safety Page.

For those interested, the January USCG AMSC Newsletter has been added to the Marine Safety Page.

For communication to all Members:   We will have the scheduled Jan 21 MS Training forum to review the Prevention program and website and to give a synopsis on the Four MS training classes we will be covering when the new eMeeting format is selected. This will be the final forum under the GoTo format. Stay tuned for the New Training dates to come out later.

For those interested, the December USCG AMSC Newsletter has been added to the Marine Safety Page. Since the content is designated as TLP:GREEN, you will need to log in using your Member Zone credentials to view it.

For those interested, the November USCG AMSC Newsletter has been added to the Marine Safety Page

For those interested, the October USCG AMSC Newsletter has been added to the Marine Safety Page.

There is a lot of information that the AMSC provided this month, including:

• Report of an unauthorized intruder on a MSTA regulated maritime facility
• Information on maritime cyber security due to Cyber Security Month
• Information on  Ransomware
• Information on the USCG Cyber Protection Team
• Report on two recent cyber attacks on the IMO & CMA CGM  Shipping Global Shipping Company
  
• Updated "See Something, Say Something" brochure
• Updated information regarding TWIC cards
• Other events that the MD/NCR AMSC is planning to do within the next couple of months, which is found in their cover memo
  

For those interested, the September USCG AMSC Newsletter has been added to the Marine Safety Page

Check out the new Photo Release about safe boating that was recently published.

For those interested, the August USCG AMSC Newsletter has been added to the Marine Safety Page

For those interested, a new posting has been added to the Marine Safety Page:

For those interested, a new posting has been added to the Marine Safety Page:

For those interested, two new postings have been added to the Marine Safety Page:

1. FEMA's release of their Information Bulletin #449 regarding the Expedited Period of Performance Extension Process for Certain FY 2016 and 2017 Preparedness Grants
2. MD-NCR AMSC's May 2020 Newsletter

UPDATED: On Monday 25 February a MTSA regulated facility reported computers and servers at their Baltimore location were affected by Ransomware that originated from the company's equipment located in another country. Read the Cyber Incident Notice Email and the follow-up Update Email from Fred Dolbow, Port Security/Recovery Specialist, for more details.

UPDATE: The April 1^st Maryland Port Administration Cruise Maryland Terminal Evacuation Exercise has been postponed to a date that is yet to be determined.

Maryland Port Administration Cruise Maryland Terminal Evacuation Exercise - HELP NEEDED!

There is a great opportunity for Auxiliarists to assist the Maryland Port Authority with their Cruise Maryland Terminal Evacuation Exercise on April 1st from 0930 to 1330 hours. They are looking for 100 volunteers. The Auxiliary POC is John Fewer, Auxiliary Sector Coordinator MD-NCR.

Please carefully read the details provided in the Cruise Maryland Terminal Evacuation Exercise post on the Marine Safety page.

The Fifth Southern District Marine Safety (MS) Forums is offering classes in a training program for the Marine Environmental Protection (MEP) qualification otherwise known as AUXMEES (Auxiliary Marine Environmental Educational Specialist), throughout this year. The classes provide online classes on the manuals that are needed to pass for this position.

For more detail, please see the 2020 Monthly Schedule for D5SR Marine Safety that is posted on the Marine Safety page

The Area Maritime Security Committee (AMSC) has disseminated a pair of security announcements related to terrorism threats and cybersecurity. Please read them on the Marine Safety page.

LOCATION HAS CHANGED from Rock Creek to Anacostia Park. This decision was made in order to have the greatest impact possible during the event. Due to the number of volunteers signed up to attend this cleanup, United by Blue is moving to a park and waterway that is in greater need of a cleanup.

Everything else about the event will stay the same.

They apologize for the last-minute change, and hope you are still able to join! If you are no longer able to attend, please feel free to "cancel" your registration. You can do so by logging into Eventbrite, selecting "Tickets" under your profile, and cancelling your "order."

Event link:
 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/united-by-blue-cleanup-washington-dc-registration-56131893003

Date And Time: Sat, June 8, 2019 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM EDT

Location: Anacostia Recreation Center, 1800 Anacostia Drive, Washington, DC 20020

POC: Scott Williamson - 703-593-5904 or  cleanup@unitedbyblue.com

Join United By Blue for a community cleanup event in Rock Creek Park in celebration of World Oceans Day! We'll spend the morning cleaning the trails and creek banks in this historic National Park.

Following the cleanup, volunteers can enjoy a complimentary lunch provided by Luke's Lobster.

Help us bring our mission of removing a pound of trash from waterways for every product we sell to life by joining us for this cleanup.

We'll provide:

• Cleanup supplies
• Water 
• Reusable water bottles
• and Snacks

You bring:

• Sturdy shoes
• Long pants,
• and your friends!
  

• In Memoriam: COMO Mary Todd Larsen-The Passing of a Giant in the Coast Guard Auxiliary Marine Safety and Environmental Protection Program
• Environmental Protection Gets Lift from Local Civic Group Conducting a Marine Safety Outreach Public Event
• Dockside Advising Takes Aim at 2019
• The Wild, Wild West
• Supporting America’s Waterway Watch
• Some thoughts to share…
• Coast Guard Safety Alert 12-18, Hazards of Parasail and Watersport Passenger Transfers

Get your copy of "Safety Lines" now!

See John Milkiewicz's presentation about how pollution impacts the Chesapeake Bay and to learn about events where you can help reduce trash that flows into the Potomac River and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay. Head over to the Marine Safety page!

See the post about Trash/Debris Pick-up on the Marine Safety page!

The District 5 Southern Region newsletter, The Blinker, is out for Summer!

Commodore's Comments

Shepard’s Prayer, “please don’t let me” mess this “up.”, Alan B. Shepard Paraphrased from Rocket Men as uttered by the first American in space.

“Please don’t let me” mess this “up” applies to so many so much of the time. As District Commodore it is always on my mind and my biggest concern.

Working with the EXCOM, CDR May, Michelle, Allen, Bruce, Todd, and Rob, as well as my right hand guy Sam Tilley, my District Administrative Assistant, we have a plan. Rather than quote the Strategic plan, here is the short version.

Our two main missions are Recreational Boating Safety and Support of the Active Duty Coast Guard. If we don’t report it, it didn’t happen. So, we focus on our active members submitting 0ur 7029s, 7030s and other activity reports. From units we need approved Meeting Minutes and Financial Reports. In addition to helping us know what is going on it is your record of what happened. I do read your reports and answer as many as possible. Of course, I am always behind. Remember, Yes we Report!!

Often overlooked, but crucial, is Assignment to Duty. Just routine until that claim for Aircraft Damage, Boat Damage or personal injury. No Assignment to Duty, No valid claim. Like a Life preserver or Fire Extinguisher we hope we don’t need them, but when we do there is no substitute.

Making our District goals a reality depends on all of us. My experience says that the Flotilla Commander is our most valuable asset. We are all Flotilla members depending on our Flotilla Commander to lead her/his staff and members. Flotilla members in positions as Division Commanders and staff, District Captains and Staff, District Chief of Staff and District Commodore are all there to support the Flotilla which is the front line in mission performance. The great advantage to being in the Auxiliary is that no matter what office we hold, we are still Flotilla members performing our mission. Few organizations share this opportunity.

I call on each and every Active Member at all levels of our organization to join me in Allen Shepard’s prayer, “Please don’t let me” mess “this up”. Then work hard to make us grow and thrive as the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary.

The Navigator Express, Second Qtr, 2017 contains the following stories:

• The Finest Hours Interview
• New Chief Director
• Diversity
• The Birth of the Coast Guard Racing Stripe
• Vessel Safety Check Program – 70th Anniversary
• Unique Auxiliary Buildings
• San Diego – Coast Guard City
• Auxiliarist Jeffrey Pielet
• Auxiliary Scuttlebutt

The District 5 Southern Region newsletter, The Blinker, is out for Spring!  It has some great info on the Mutual Assistance Campaign, D-Train, OPs, RBS, Diversity, and much more.  Give it a read.

• CURRENTS: is a live document published regularly electronically with links to valuable information for every member, including links to important documents and events. Auxiliary Leadership links - New Programs - National Commodore's messages and information for and from the member are its goals.

• Navigator Express, Fourth Qtr, 2016 (pdf)

Our flotilla team mates Arnie Daxe, Rich Miller, and Tom Walsh were mentioned in the 2016 Navigator magazine.  Give 'em a hand!

Check out the full-page article by Stephen Banea, DSO-PA, and Arnie Daxe FSO-OP, 5th District Southern Region, Flotilla 25-8:  Green Meets Blue in Promoting Boating Safety

FC: WOODROW JOHNSON

VFC: TED CALIGA