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Here is the ALCOAST that redefined the Auxiliary participation in Coast Guard Marine Safety, Security and Environmental Protection programs.  In addition, for historical background, the original ALCOAST (262/03) that provides the foundation for such participation is also included. Note that levels of participation that were authorized in 2003 were substantially dialed back in the later ALCOAST.

The Trident Program is designed to recognize the Auxiliarist who attains a specific level of education and practical experience in Marine Safety, Security  and Environmental Protection Missions. Full details of the program are available from the National resource link below. However, in brief, Trident is a prevention training program with three components: Education, Personal Qualification Standards, and Service. Achievement is recognized with the distinctive Trident Device, shown here.

In order to qualify for the device the member must earn the Marine Safety Ribbon, by passing seven (7) courses, including Introduction to Marine Safety & Environmental Protection, Good Mate, ICS 100, 200, 210, 700, and 800.

In addition, the member must pass at least four Personal Qualification Standards, from 27 available. Finally, the member must log a minimum of 96 hours per year in AUXDATA, for five (5) years, and then complete an application co-signed by the DSO-MS.

For further details, follow the resource links below.

Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach Instruction 16618, issued by Sector Commander, Captain Roger Laferriere, formally established the Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) Inspector program on March 11, 2010.

According to the Instruction, the MDA Inspector program uses trusted and highly-trained Auxiliarists to conduct land-based patrols within pre-assigned geographic zones to achieve Sector maritime domain awareness in support of all Coast Guard Missions, including America's Waterway Watch.

All members now participating in Sector LA/LB MDA programs, as well as any Auxiliarists who are members of Sector LA/LB AOR Flotillas and wish to participate in the Sector MDA programs are urged to download and read the full 7-page instruction available below.

Here are the latest Performance Qualification Standards for MSSEP. The list is exhaustive and up to date as of 28 Jan 2010, the date of ALCOAST 045-10. Qualifications not listed here have been deprecated.

1. Auxiliary Assistant Barge Inspector (AUX-BI)
2. Auxiliary Assistant Container Inspector (AUX-CI)
3. Auxiliary Assistant Contingency Planner (AUX-ACP)
4. Auxiliary Assistant Facility Inspector (AUX-EU)
5. Auxiliary Assistant Federal On-Scene Coordinator  Representative (AUX-ET)
6. Auxiliary Assistant Foreign Freight Vessel Examiner (AUX-FFVE)
7. Auxiliary Assistant Foreign Passenger Vessel Examiner (AUX-FPVE)
8. Auxiliary Assistant Hull Inspector (AUX-HI)
9. Auxiliary Assistant K-Boat Inspector (AUX-KI)
10. Auxiliary Assistant Life Raft Examiner (AUX-LR)
11. Auxiliary Assistant Machinery Inspector (AUX-MI)
12. Auxiliary Assistant Machinery Inspector (Steam) (AUX-MS)
13. Auxiliary Assistant Marine Casualty Investigator (AUX-FO)
14. Auxiliary Assistant Maritime Enforcement Investigator (AUX-EO)
15. Auxiliary Assistant Pollution Investigator (AUX-ED)
16. Auxiliary Assistant Port State Control Examiner (AUX-PSCE)
17. Auxiliary Assistant Suspension/Revocation Investigator (AUX-FN)
18. Auxiliary Assistant T-Boat Inspector (AUX-TI)
19. Auxiliary Assistant Waterways Management Representative (AUX-WM)
20. Auxiliary Marine Safety Administrative/Management (AUX-MSAM)
21. Auxiliary Port State Control Dispatcher (AUX-PSC)
22. Auxiliary Prevention Outreach Specialist (AUX-MEES)
23. Auxiliary Uninspected Passenger Vessel Examiner (AUX-UPV)
24. Auxiliary Uninspected Towing Vessel Examiner (AUX-UTV)
25. Auxiliary Assistant License and Document Examiner (AUX-LDEX)
26. Auxiliary Assistant License and Document Evaluator (AUX-LDEV)
27. Commercial Fishing Vessel Examiner (CFVE)

Each of these Performance Qualification Standards may be downloaded from the National Prevention Department website's Marine Safety Performance Qualification Standards page (resource below).

Auxiliary members must have a Verifying Officer who holds that PQS or the Active Duty equivalent; MSAM and AUX MEES PQSs are Auxiliary-only and require an Auxiliary mentor who holds the PQS as a Verifying Officer. Contact the DSO-MS for a mentor for each of these PQSs.

The Active Duty Training Coordinator Sector Prevention Office will assign the initial mentor and Verifying Officer of Auxiliarists participating in the program. Best efforts will be made at this stage to train the participating Auxiliarists as trainers, mentors and verifying officers for successive Auxiliarists seeking qualification in a particular PQS. Auxiliarists can serve as verifying officers (the right to sign off on a PQS) only for those qualifications in which they hold a Letter of Designation, and have been selected to act as a Verifying Officer either by the Active Duty Training Coordinator or DIRAUX (for MSAM and AUX MEES PDQs).

Upon completion of a PQS booklet, candidates must passan Oral Board, led by Active Duty personnel qualified in the particular specialty, (or Auxiliarists in the case of MSAM and AUX MEES PQSs) in order to receive a Letter of Designation testifying to completion. The remaining members of the PQS panel may be Active Duty, Reserve, Civilian and/or Auxiliary personnel who are certified in the subject qualification or a related, higher level, Active Duty PQS (except for MSAM and AUX MEES PQSs which require that all Oral Board members be Auxiliarists who hold the PQS).

Upon completion of all certification requirements of a particular PQS, the Captain of the Port (COTP) or his designee will issue  a Letter of Designation to the member. The Auxiliarist is responsible for submitting a copy of the letter through appropriate channels. The Letter of Designation shall be forwarded to the DIRAUX (dpa-s) who will enter the designation into AUXDATA. A Letter of Designation can only be provided to members who have competed the particular PQS booklet in its entirety.

The following material is provided to assist Staff Officers at all levels to perform the duties of their office more effectively. If there is special material that would be helpful, please email the DSO-MS through the MS Chain, being sure to copy your respective VCs.

The following resources are available for you below: 

• Want to try something new is a document that provides you with an orientation of the Prevention Department and its major programs. 
• “P” Department:   Prevention Marine Safety and Environmental Protection is powerpoint created by the DSO-MS for the District Conference to provide an overview of the Trident program and other MS programs.
• FSO-MS PQS is the PQS for FSO-MS officers and provides a checklist of requirements for the office.
• So you are an FSO-MS. What now? is a presentation to orient any FSO-MS officer to the duties and responsibilities of their office. 
• SO-MS PQS is the PQS for SO-MS officers and provides a checklist of requirements for the office. 
• So you are an SO-MS. What now? is a presentation to orient any SO-MS officer to the duties and responsibilities of their office.