Public Information
Flotilla Commander: Dennis Smith (2025)
Flotilla Vice Commander: Guy Stephens (2025)
FLOTILLA COMMANDER’S Mission Plan
Jacksonville, Florida – 1 Jan 2025 – D7-14-08
My mission plan for Flotilla 14-8 in the year 2025 is a simple one. Over the past three years the Flotilla
has come out of the pandemic period simply maintaining its existence. Now is the time to build a solid
base in order for the Flotilla to move forward into the next
decade.
The initial fully functional qualification of an Auxiliarist is the BQ qualification. An Auxiliarist can if they
desire then complete an intense program of additional training and become AUXOP (AX) qualified. These
are the functioning qualifications for Auxiliarists. The next qualifications that most Auxiliarists are
directed to focus on initially are Vessel Examiner, Program Visitor, and Instructor. They are relatively
easy to get done, provide an Award in the form of a certificate and a ribbon/medal and give the member
a sense of accomplishment.
I recommend we encourage every member of the Flotilla to consider getting qualified in any and all of
these certifications through the use of a strong mentorship program and a strong community relations
program and presence.
My short term (one year) focus for the Flotilla centers on what I call the Zero 1, 2, 3, 4 Initiative and is
explained as follows:
Zero
We currently have one member in IQ Status, four members in AP Status and six members who have not
completed their Core Training, either the first instance being it was required or failing to complete it
(renew) five years after initially completing it. Initially our intent is to get every Auxiliarist in the
Flotilla BQ or AX qualified. Once this occurs the member must remain qualified by completing Core Training requirements every five (5) years. This means the member is able to function in all aspects or
duties as an Auxiliarist where an additional qualification or certification is not required. An example
of a required qualification would be Vessel Examiner or Boat Crew Member.
By building a strong Mentorship program we will be able to assist all new members with obtaining that
certification at the start and we will also be able to assist those current members who have not
progressed in their qualifications.
Our goal as a Flotilla should be to have every member qualified BQ or AX with (0) no one in REYR status.
1
The Public Education Initiative of the Auxiliary is extremely important. Not only do Florida State
Statutes require new boaters born after January 1, 1988 to have training in a Boater Safety Course but
common sense tells us that we are safer through education. To conduct public education Auxiliarists
must have an instructor qualification.
Currently our Flotilla has four instructors. Providing Public Education is a key action of the Auxiliary. We
need instructors to facilitate this. Four members can be hard pressed to be available for a weekend
course depending on their personal schedules. Our goal in 2025 should be to increase our certified
instructors by 100%. (from 4 to 8)
2
The next qualification that is extremely important is the Vessel Examiner Qualification.
Vessel Safety Examinations are extremely important for Recreational Boating Safety. These
examinations also show the Auxiliary to the boating public and help to get the word out on our Public
Education initiatives. As a Flotilla we have six qualified Vessel Examiners. An increase of 200 percent
would mean 12 qualified Vessel Examiners. Our goal in 2025 should be to increase our certified members
in VE by 200%.
3
I urge everyone to consider the Recreational Boating Safety Visitor Program (PV) first. Doing a program
visit with a business in the community puts a face on the Auxiliary and the Flotilla. We are able to get
Recreational Boating Safety Material out to the public and we make the public aware of our Public
Education initiatives and our Vessel Safety Inspections. I see this as a very efficient way of interacting
with the community. We currently have three certified PVs in the Flotilla. If we
increase our certified PVs from 3 to 9 we will be able to reach out to more people and businesses in the
community. Our goal in 2025 should be to increase our certified members in PV by 300%.
4
As a qualified BQ or AX Auxiliarist any member can take part in Community Relation Events, such as
public interaction at a boat show or community event. When hours for these events are recorded in
AUXDATA II they are recorded with the code 10J. The following is the reported hours by the Flotilla membership (combined for all) with the year noted first. I left 2021 and 2020 out due to the pandemic situation. Note 2019 was no better than 2023 or 2024. The low numbers may be due to our members inability to report via AUXDATA II but I’m inclined to
believe the reporting is pretty accurate.
2019 = 08.00 Hours
2022 = 02.00 Hours
2023 = 50.00 Hours
2024 = 13.50 Hours
As a Flotilla our primary focus after mentorship of the members should be on community relations.
Every qualified Auxiliarist can take part and get credit for this activity. Five members spending two hours
each at one Marina for an event would yield 10 hours cumulative for the Flotilla. Each member
would be credited with two hours. As a Flotilla we should attempt to increase our Community Relations 10J
reporting 400%. An increase of that amount would mean as a Flotilla, 54 hours of 10J are reported.
Divide that up as you like, that’s 10.8 hours for five members or 5.4 hours for 10 members. All of this is
done over the course of the year.
Why should we focus on this?
1. We get the Auxiliary out in front of the public. We show ourselves and we show the Coast Guard.
2. We may be able to generate an interest in others to join either the Auxiliary or the U.S. Coast Guard itself.
3. We increase Recreational Boat Safety Awareness with the public.
4. In areas such as Boat Ramps and Marinas with boat ramp access we may be able to conduct
Vessel Safety Exams while engaging in Community Relations. This is kind of a 2 for 1 activity
where we can claim our time for doing VEs and time engaging in Public Relations as such.
5. We can inform members of the public about our Public Education Boating Safety Courses.
Our goal in 2025 should be to get our members out and focus on Community Relations and increase the
number of reported 10J hours by 400%.
The bottom line is to bring the Flotilla forward from:
39 BQ/AX Qualified Auxiliarists out of 50 to 50 BQ/AX Qualified Auxiliarists out of 50
Four (4) Qualified Instructors to Eight (8) Qualified Instructors
Six (6) Qualified Vessel Examiners to 12 Qualified Vessel Examiners
Three (3) Qualified Program Visitors to Nine (9) Qualified Program Visitors
13.5 Hours of Community Relations Reported to 54 Hours of Community Relations Reported
Dennis Smith
Flotilla Commander
Flotilla 14-8, Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Florida – 1 Jan 2025 – D7-14-08
has come out of the pandemic period simply maintaining its existence. Now is the time to build a solid
base in order for the Flotilla to move forward into the next
decade.
The initial fully functional qualification of an Auxiliarist is the BQ qualification. An Auxiliarist can if they
desire then complete an intense program of additional training and become AUXOP (AX) qualified. These
are the functioning qualifications for Auxiliarists. The next qualifications that most Auxiliarists are
directed to focus on initially are Vessel Examiner, Program Visitor, and Instructor. They are relatively
easy to get done, provide an Award in the form of a certificate and a ribbon/medal and give the member
a sense of accomplishment.
I recommend we encourage every member of the Flotilla to consider getting qualified in any and all of
these certifications through the use of a strong mentorship program and a strong community relations
program and presence.
My short term (one year) focus for the Flotilla centers on what I call the Zero 1, 2, 3, 4 Initiative and is
explained as follows:
Zero
We currently have one member in IQ Status, four members in AP Status and six members who have not
completed their Core Training, either the first instance being it was required or failing to complete it
(renew) five years after initially completing it. Initially our intent is to get every Auxiliarist in the
Flotilla BQ or AX qualified. Once this occurs the member must remain qualified by completing Core Training requirements every five (5) years. This means the member is able to function in all aspects or
duties as an Auxiliarist where an additional qualification or certification is not required. An example
of a required qualification would be Vessel Examiner or Boat Crew Member.
By building a strong Mentorship program we will be able to assist all new members with obtaining that
certification at the start and we will also be able to assist those current members who have not
progressed in their qualifications.
Our goal as a Flotilla should be to have every member qualified BQ or AX with (0) no one in REYR status.
1
The Public Education Initiative of the Auxiliary is extremely important. Not only do Florida State
Statutes require new boaters born after January 1, 1988 to have training in a Boater Safety Course but
common sense tells us that we are safer through education. To conduct public education Auxiliarists
must have an instructor qualification.
Currently our Flotilla has four instructors. Providing Public Education is a key action of the Auxiliary. We
need instructors to facilitate this. Four members can be hard pressed to be available for a weekend
course depending on their personal schedules. Our goal in 2025 should be to increase our certified
instructors by 100%. (from 4 to 8)
2
The next qualification that is extremely important is the Vessel Examiner Qualification.
Vessel Safety Examinations are extremely important for Recreational Boating Safety. These
examinations also show the Auxiliary to the boating public and help to get the word out on our Public
Education initiatives. As a Flotilla we have six qualified Vessel Examiners. An increase of 200 percent
would mean 12 qualified Vessel Examiners. Our goal in 2025 should be to increase our certified members
in VE by 200%.
3
I urge everyone to consider the Recreational Boating Safety Visitor Program (PV) first. Doing a program
visit with a business in the community puts a face on the Auxiliary and the Flotilla. We are able to get
Recreational Boating Safety Material out to the public and we make the public aware of our Public
Education initiatives and our Vessel Safety Inspections. I see this as a very efficient way of interacting
with the community. We currently have three certified PVs in the Flotilla. If we
increase our certified PVs from 3 to 9 we will be able to reach out to more people and businesses in the
community. Our goal in 2025 should be to increase our certified members in PV by 300%.
4
As a qualified BQ or AX Auxiliarist any member can take part in Community Relation Events, such as
public interaction at a boat show or community event. When hours for these events are recorded in
AUXDATA II they are recorded with the code 10J. The following is the reported hours by the Flotilla membership (combined for all) with the year noted first. I left 2021 and 2020 out due to the pandemic situation. Note 2019 was no better than 2023 or 2024. The low numbers may be due to our members inability to report via AUXDATA II but I’m inclined to
believe the reporting is pretty accurate.
2019 = 08.00 Hours
2022 = 02.00 Hours
2023 = 50.00 Hours
2024 = 13.50 Hours
As a Flotilla our primary focus after mentorship of the members should be on community relations.
Every qualified Auxiliarist can take part and get credit for this activity. Five members spending two hours
each at one Marina for an event would yield 10 hours cumulative for the Flotilla. Each member
would be credited with two hours. As a Flotilla we should attempt to increase our Community Relations 10J
reporting 400%. An increase of that amount would mean as a Flotilla, 54 hours of 10J are reported.
Divide that up as you like, that’s 10.8 hours for five members or 5.4 hours for 10 members. All of this is
done over the course of the year.
Why should we focus on this?
1. We get the Auxiliary out in front of the public. We show ourselves and we show the Coast Guard.
2. We may be able to generate an interest in others to join either the Auxiliary or the U.S. Coast Guard itself.
3. We increase Recreational Boat Safety Awareness with the public.
4. In areas such as Boat Ramps and Marinas with boat ramp access we may be able to conduct
Vessel Safety Exams while engaging in Community Relations. This is kind of a 2 for 1 activity
where we can claim our time for doing VEs and time engaging in Public Relations as such.
5. We can inform members of the public about our Public Education Boating Safety Courses.
Our goal in 2025 should be to get our members out and focus on Community Relations and increase the
number of reported 10J hours by 400%.
The bottom line is to bring the Flotilla forward from:
39 BQ/AX Qualified Auxiliarists out of 50 to 50 BQ/AX Qualified Auxiliarists out of 50
Four (4) Qualified Instructors to Eight (8) Qualified Instructors
Six (6) Qualified Vessel Examiners to 12 Qualified Vessel Examiners
Three (3) Qualified Program Visitors to Nine (9) Qualified Program Visitors
13.5 Hours of Community Relations Reported to 54 Hours of Community Relations Reported
Dennis Smith
Flotilla Commander
Flotilla 14-8, Jacksonville
