Return to Division 4's Home Page.

 All of us in Division 4 are fortunate in having fellow members who bring an impressive range of experience and skills to advancing the Auxiliary’s ongoing safe boating and community service missions. I am proud to lead this dedicated group of volunteers as we embark on a new year of projects. While focusing on our primary operations area of Central New Jersey/Raritan Bay, we will continue to engage in special missions as sought by marine EMS units and recreational boating groups in other parts of the State. Among the opportunities for participation available to Division 4 team members are:

* Conducting Vessel Safety Examinations of watercraft (kayaks, motorboats, sailing vessels, jet skis) as requested by members of the public

* Visiting boat and marine equipment dealerships, repair facilities, boat launch ramps and other interested stakeholders to distribute boating safety literature and explore public education opportunities

* Assisting trained instructors in presenting the Auxiliary’s popular boating safety education courses

* Monitoring dedicated marine radio channels as a Radio Watchstander to report boater requests for assistance to active-duty Coast Guard or other appropriate rescue units

* Engaging members of the public at boat shows and National Safe Boating Week events

* Obtaining formal training in these and other Auxiliary missions

Announcements are forthcoming about particular projects slated for 2023. Please do not hesitate to ask elected leadership or staff officers at Division, or in your local Flotillas, with any questions you may have in the interim.

I welcome you all, and look forward to our common engagement on Auxiliary missions in the coming months

                        Department of Homeland Security

                                       U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary

                                        District 1, Southern Region

                                         Division 4 Raritan Division

To: DCO Michael West

From: B. James Dry, DCDR Div. 4

Subject: 4th QTR. 2023 Division 4 Report January 4, 2024

Accomplishments to Date:

•   AUXNET drills are conducted every Tuesday and will continue in 2024. CW Reul 4-8 is NCS.

•   202 students attended Boat America classes since January with 94% passage rate.

•   All Instructors have passed or requalified as State Boat Safety Instructors since 1 January.

•   189 Vessel Exams were completed in 2023 with all flotillas participating.

•   774 Program Visits have been made for 2023. The previous report was typo – S/B 331.

•    Increased attendance at Division meetings.

•   The end of year census for Division 4 is at 97 a net gain of 2 for 2023.

•   Flotilla Elections were held with the following Changes: 4-2 VFC Samath Burns, 4-4 VFC Mike Rebeck and 4-8 FC Charles Reul & VFC Thomas Smith II. All other officers are elected for their 2nd Year.

• Members participated in the NY Marathon.

•  Flotillas are providing member training at their meetings. Flotillas 4-2 and 4-4 are holding member training days on opposite weeks of their meetings.

Planned:

•  Participation in District wide events are being encouraged.

•  Change of watch committee is hard at work planning 2024 festivities. Date to be announced.

• Division 4 bridge (DCDR & VCDR) are scheduled to attend flotilla meetings.

Concerns:

• The crew that needed signoffs and/or time were not available to a point where we had to cancel patrols due to the weather and lack of crew.

• Increasing the number of members at flotilla meetings.

•  No new awards have been issued.

Respectfully submitted,

B. James Dry

B. James Dry

DCDR Division 4 CC: Michael S. Klacik, DCOS, Dean Ferraro DCAPT NY-S, Joanne Moore VCDR 4, Thomas P Botsolas IPCDR 4, Bruce Caldwell Secretary/Records, Division 4 FC and VFC.