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Flotilla Staff Officer Job Descriptions

FC - Flotilla Commander: Provides primary leadership and supervision to the flotilla. The FC is responsible to assure that the overall flotilla program conforms to the Coast Guard and Auxiliary policies and procedures, as well as provide the communications link with Division elected officers.

VFC - Vice Flotilla Commander: Has the primary responsibility for administration and coordination of the flotilla staff. The VFC is essentially the Chief of Staff for the Flotilla.
Immediate Past FC: Indicates an elected office held by an Auxiliarist who was the last to hold that office for a full term. Elected leaders must have been succeeded in office as a result of a regular election, and must not have been removed from office. An immediate past officer shall retain designation until another immediate past officer is generated by a regular election. If an immediate past officer leaves the office for any reason, the immediate past office remains vacant until the next regular scheduled election.

FSO-CM - Communications: Exercise staff responsibility and supervision over all matters pertaining to flotilla communications, and keep flotilla members informed of all developments in this area. Unless otherwise directed, you are to schedule qualified Auxiliarists to perform specific activities within your area of responsibility. The schedule must include a specific time and place for the activity. Maintain close liaison with the Division Communications Staff Officer (SO-CM) in planning, organizing and implementing the flotilla's communication activities. Ensure that every activation of an Auxiliary Radio Facility is under Coast Guard orders. Inspect fixed land and land mobile radio facilities if qualified as a Communications Specialist. Encourage the obtaining of additional radio facilities. In cooperation with the Flotilla Member Training Staff Officer (FSO-MT), encourage increased member participation in communications training and qualification as Communications Specialists.

FSO-CS - Communication Services: Exercise staff responsibility and supervision over electronic communication services for the flotilla. Keep the flotilla informed of all developments in these areas. Unless otherwise directed, create and maintain a flotilla website that is in full compliance with Auxiliary web policies. Maintain personal e-mail and Internet access. Be registered in the national e-mail directory and keep your registration information up-to-date. Foster interest in electronic communication among the members. Encourage and facilitate the use of electronic communication throughout the flotilla. Facilitate the information relay process between those members who have e-mail and World Wide Web access capabilities and those members who do not yet have such access to electronic media. Coordinate and cooperate with the FSO-PB.

FSO-FN - Finance: Exercise staff responsibility and supervision over all flotilla financial matters and keep flotilla members informed of developments in this area. Unless otherwise directed, you are to schedule qualified Auxiliarists to perform specific activities in your area of responsibility. The schedule must include a specific time and place for the activity. Maintain close liaison with the Division Finance Staff Officer (SO-FN).Keep complete and understandable records of all receipts, disbursements, and other financial transactions. Prepare an annual budget for review by the Budget Committee and approval of the flotilla. Render financial reports at flotilla meetings and as otherwise required and encourage prompt payment of all obligations. Under the supervision of the Flotilla Commander, you shall receive and pay out all moneys of the flotilla, from an account set up in the name of the flotilla, in accordance with the Standing Rules.

FSO-IS - Information Services: Exercise staff responsibility and supervision over all matters pertaining to the collection, recording, and forwarding of the flotilla's AUXMIS data, and keep members informed of all developments in this area. Unless otherwise directed, you are to schedule qualified Auxiliarists to perform specific activities in your area of responsibility. The schedule must include a specific time and place for the activity. Maintain close liaison with the Division Information Systems Staff Officer (SO-IS) in order to ensure proper credit is received for the members' and flotilla's activities. Coordinate and cooperate with the Flotilla Vessel Examination Staff Officer (FSO-VE), Flotilla Public Education Staff Officer (FSO-PE), Flotilla Operations Staff Officer (FSO-OP), Flotilla Member Training Staff Officer (FSO-MT), and Flotilla Personnel Services Staff Officer (FSO-PS), so that they are kept advised of the progress in each of their areas of responsibility.

FSO-MA - Materials: Exercise staff responsibility and supervision over the procurement of materials including stationery, forms and publications for distribution to the flotilla officers and members and keep flotilla members informed of all developments in this area. Unless otherwise directed, you are to schedule qualified Auxiliarists to perform specific activities in your area of responsibility. The schedule must include a specific time and place for the activity. Maintain close liaison with the Division Materials Staff Officer (SO-MA). Coordinate and cooperate with all staff officers in order to keep them supplied with the items necessary for the performance of their duties. Maintain and disseminate, as required, listings on supplies and prices thereof, sources available, and information on procurement. Advise all concerned of any changes or updates to all of the publications and forms. The FSO-MA is to order material from the ANSC as required and will take orders during the flotilla meeting.

FSO-MS - Marine Safety: Exercise staff responsibility and supervision over all matters pertaining to the flotilla's role in the Auxiliary Marine Safety and Environmental Protection activity, and keep the Flotilla Commander and members informed of all developments in this area. Unless otherwise directed, schedule qualified Auxiliarists to perform specific activities in your area of responsibility. The schedule must contain a specific time and place for such activity. Maintain close liaison with counterpart staff officers at the Division (SO-MS) and District (DSO-MS) levels in order to ensure the proper implementation of Marine Safety and Environmental Protection activities. Coordinate and cooperate with counterpart flotilla staff officers, particularly the Flotilla Member Training Staff Officer (FSO-MT), the Flotilla Public Education Staff Officer (FSOPE), the Flotilla Public Affairs Staff Officer (FSO-PA), the Flotilla Operations Staff Officer (FSO-OP), and the Flotilla Communications Staff Officer (FSO-CM), to encourage appropriate outreach and training efforts, particularly any required advance training. Forward to the SO-MS, as well as to counterparts in other flotillas, such methods, training aids, course material, or other educational or training tools provided which may have division-wide application or be of value to others in the Marine Safety and Environmental Protection activities.

FSO-MT - Member Training: Exercise staff responsibility and supervision over all matters pertaining to the flotilla member training program, and keep flotilla members informed of all developments in the program. Unless otherwise directed, you are to schedule qualified Auxiliarists to perform specific activities in your area of responsibility. The schedule must include a specific time and place for the activity. Maintain close liaison with the Division Member Training Staff Officer (SO-MT) in order to implement the member training programs established for nation-wide, district-wide, or division-wide use. Coordinate and cooperate with the Flotilla Vessel Examination Staff Officer (FSO-VE) and Flotilla Public Education Staff Officer (FSO-PE) with respect to courtesy examiner and instructor training. Coordinate with the Flotilla Operations Staff Officer (FSO-OP) to ensure that all boat crew and air operations training is performed under Coast Guard orders. Foster an interest in enrolling and completing Auxiliary Specialty Courses. Forward to the SO-MT such methods, training aids, course materials, or other educational tools developed within the flotilla, which may have division-wide, district-wide, or nationwide application.

FSO-NS - Navigation Services (Aids to Navigation): Exercise staff supervision and responsibility for chart updating patrols, verification of private aids to navigation and the prompt reporting of discrepancies in aids to navigation (ATON) using Aids to Navigation Report (ANSC 7054), chart discrepancies and chart updating information using NOAA Form-77 (ANSC 7037), and to inform flotilla members of all developments. Unless otherwise directed, you are to schedule qualified Auxiliarists to perform specific activities in your area of responsibility. The schedule must include a specific time and place for the activity. Maintain close liaison with the Division Aids to Navigation Officer (SO-NS) and submit a monthly activity report. Also, advise the District Aids to Navigation Officer (DSO-NS), via the SO-NS, by 1 October each year of changes desired on chart distribution. Coordinate and cooperate with the FSO-OP to ensure that every deployment of an operational facility for chart updating, inspection of private aids to navigation, and others, are performed under Coast Guard patrol orders. Foster interest for members to maintain their own navigational publications in an up-to-date condition.

FSO-OP - Operations: Exercise staff responsibility and supervision over all flotilla operations programs, including search and rescue (SAR), regatta, safety and/or air patrols, and keep flotilla members informed of all developments in the program. Unless otherwise directed, you are to schedule qualified Auxiliarists to perform specific activities in your area of responsibility. The schedule must include a specific time and place for the activity. Maintain close liaison with the Division Operations Staff Officer (SO-OP), cooperating in every way, to ensure prompt and direct flow of information vital to authorized Auxiliary operational activities. Coordinate and cooperate with the Flotilla Member Training Staff Officer (FSO-MT) to develop and supervise training exercises in SAR procedures for Auxiliary facilities. Ensure that every deployment of an operational facility for any activity on behalf of the Coast Guard Auxiliary or Coast Guard is under Coast Guard reimbursable or non-reimbursable patrol orders. Maintain close contact with facility owning members to encourage operational activity and maintenance of uniformity and high standards. Maintain current records of Auxiliary facility characteristics including information useful for SAR as may be required to effectively discharge your responsibilities.

FSO-PA Public Affairs: Ensure that both electronic and printed media are used to their fullest extent in providing information to the membership and to the boating public. Serve as flotilla Web Watcher. Monitor all Auxiliary E-mail NETs and the Auxiliary national website (CGAUXWEB) for important information. Ensure that such information reaches the appropriate elected and staff officers and the general membership in a timely fashion. Regularly monitor your local district, division and flotilla websites for official information posted for members by elected or staff officers. Regularly attend flotilla meetings and report on official information obtained from the web to members who do not have access to electronic media. Maintain close liaison with the Division Communication Services Officer (SO-CS) and provide a monthly activity report to the SO-CS. Upon expiration of your term of office, or when so directed by the Flotilla Commander, transfer all property and records of the office as well as the flotilla website to your successor.

FSO-PB - Publications: Be the editor of the flotilla newsletter. Maintain close liaison with the Division Publications Staff Officer (SO-PB) to ensure a prompt flow of suitable articles and information of interest to the readership within the division and district. Encourage all flotilla members to submit articles of interest for inclusion in the flotilla newsletter. Develop and maintain a file of photographs of flotilla activities as may be appropriate for use in the flotilla and division publication or for use by the Flotilla Public Affairs Staff Officer (FSO-PA).

FSO-PE - Public Education: Exercise staff responsibility and supervision over all matters pertaining to the public education program, which includes the scheduling, organization and conduct of flotilla public education activities; and keep flotilla members informed of all developments in the program. Unless otherwise directed, you are to schedule qualified Auxiliarists to perform specific activities in support of the public education program. The schedule must include a specified time and place for the activity. Maintain close liaison with the Division Public Education Staff Officer (SO-PE) in order to implement the public education programs established for nation-wide, district-wide and division-wide use. Coordinate and cooperate with the Flotilla Member Training Officer (FSO-MT) to increase the number of qualified instructors. Maintain a close contact with flotilla instructors to encourage increased activity, and maintenance of uniformly high standards. Forward to the SO-PE such methods, training aid, course materials, or other educational tools developed within the flotilla that may have division-wide application.

FSO-PS - Personnel Services: Exercise staff responsibility and supervision over all matters pertaining to the flotilla's member resources program, and keep flotilla members informed of all developments in the program. Unless otherwise directed, you are to schedule qualified Auxiliarists to perform specific activities in your area of responsibility. The schedule must include a specific time and place for the activity. Maintain close liaison with the Division Personal Services Staff Officer (SO-PS) in order to implement the member resources programs established for nation-wide, district-wide or division-wide use. Coordinate and cooperate with the Flotilla Public Affairs Staff Officer (FSO-PA) in publicizing the member resources program. Effectively implement the member resources program in accordance with prescribed procedures.

FSO-PV - Marine Dealer Visitor: Make courtesy calls on area marine retailers who deal with boaters to provide available materials and information.

FSO-SR - Secretary/Records: Maintain close liaison with the Division Secretary/Records Staff Officer (SO-SR). Be responsible for the recording and publication of the minutes of the flotilla when it meets in official sessions. Maintain a current record of flotilla officers, committee assignments and such other appointments as may be made by the FC. Maintain a current list of division officers. Maintain such other records as may be required to ensure the correctness and continuity of administration.

FSO-VE - Vessel Examinations: Exercise staff responsibility and supervision over all matters pertaining to the flotilla's VSC program, and the inspection of facilities; and keep flotilla members informed of all developments in the program. Unless otherwise directed, you are to schedule qualified Auxiliarists to perform specific activities in your area of responsibility. The schedule must include a specific time and place for the activity. Maintain close liaison with the Division Vessel Examination Staff Officer (SO-VE) to implement the VSC program established for district-wide or division use. Coordinate and cooperate with the Flotilla Member Training Staff Officer (FSO-MT) to encourage and increase the number of qualified vessel examiners. Maintain a close contact with flotilla vessel examiners to encourage increased activity and maintenance of uniformly high standards. Maintain current records of facility inspections, VSCs, decal distribution, and for such other purposes as may be required to effectively discharge your responsibilities.