Welcome to the Flotilla 12-8, District 1SR Web Site
About Flotilla 12-08
Welcome to Flotilla 12-08’s Web page. We hope you find this site to be helpful as a member of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, and/or a member of the general boating community.
Flotilla 12-08 is a unit of Division 12, servicing the northern shore of Long Island in the Queens/Nassau County area. In 2022, we are celebrating our 50th Anniversary, which actually occurred during the prior year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are commemorating that milestone during the current year.
We are named the “For Totten Flotilla”, and meet at Fort Totten, Bayside, NY in Building 611, on the third Thursday of each month. We share the facility with Flotillas 12-01, 12-05, and Division 12 itself. Our monthly meetings start at 2000, with a half-hour “social time” which precedes the meeting at 1930. Our meetings are fast-paced, well-organized, and widely attended. The welcoming of guests is a usual rather than occasional feature of our meetings.Flotilla 12-08 is a small but busy unit in every sense of the word. We have traditionally collaborated with other flotillas (particularly with 12-01 in the areas of Operations, Vessel Examinations and Public Education). In the Public Affairs arena, we traditionally participate in District 1sr wide events such as Security Watchstanding during the New York City Marathon, PA Booth manning at the New York Boat Show, and giving ship tours during Fleet Week, as well as manning the PA Booth in Manhattan for the event, which finally returned to the NY area after the pandemic hiatus.
We also took the lead in establishing the Division’s relationship with the Bayside St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee, resulting in Division 12’s lead off position in every year’s line of march. We along with our partner flotillas are also well represented in the Douglaston Memorial Day Parade. Lastly, we pursue various other smaller PA events, such as safety presentations to pre-schools and local Boy Scout groups.We feel that we have the right personnel in place to handle the challenges of the present and future. Our FSO-HR for example, is also our VFC, and while pursuing my duties as FC, I also am the FSO-MT. Personnel Development is one of our highest priorities.
Unless otherwise indicated, our meetings are always open to guests – Auxiliary members and interested prospects. Come to a meeting and join the conversation!
Respectfully,
Ben Pride
FC, FSO-MT, Flotilla
12-08