First and Foremost - US Coast Guard Auxiliary, First District ...
First and Foremost - US Coast Guard Auxiliary, First District ...
First and Foremost - US Coast Guard Auxiliary, First District ...
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Friends <strong>and</strong> fellow Auxiliarists;<br />
I am grateful for this opportunity to share with you one my favorite things: The<br />
good people of Team <strong>Coast</strong> <strong>Guard</strong> who are part of our area of responsibility (AOR),<br />
<strong>and</strong> the contribution they make each <strong>and</strong> every day. I know much of what we accomplish<br />
here is similar to that done throughout the entire <strong>District</strong> for that matter<br />
the <strong>Auxiliary</strong> at-large but we have some important distinctions that are note<br />
worthy. “Our mission is simple; we do what we do, so the <strong>Coast</strong> <strong>Guard</strong> can do<br />
what they do better: Deploy CG assets to more important missions, <strong>and</strong> use the<br />
<strong>Auxiliary</strong> cost effective contribution of time <strong>and</strong> talent where applicable.”<br />
On the “gold side,” we report (with the exception of one flotilla) to <strong>Coast</strong> <strong>Guard</strong><br />
Sector Long Sound in New Haven, CT. We have had the extraordinary opportunity to work with two<br />
outst<strong>and</strong>ing Sector Comm<strong>and</strong>ing Officers: Captain Dan Ronan, now retired, <strong>and</strong> the new Sector Comm<strong>and</strong>er,<br />
Captain Joe Vojvodich <strong>and</strong> with their Comm<strong>and</strong> officers they continue a long tradition integrating<br />
the <strong>Auxiliary</strong> into CG missions <strong>and</strong> they hold us in high regard with the same expectation of<br />
st<strong>and</strong>ards in performance as their regular forces; they always make sure we remain part of their planning<br />
<strong>and</strong> mission execution.<br />
The real glue that keeps us together is the important close relationship of the three CG Stations we<br />
work with: Eaton’s Neck to the southwest, Station New Haven in central LIS, <strong>and</strong> Station New London<br />
to the east. We again have great fortune to work with the excellent <strong>Coast</strong> <strong>Guard</strong> leadership at<br />
these three Stations <strong>and</strong> with the many augmentation programs we provide they make us an integral<br />
part of their missions <strong>and</strong> tasking.<br />
SECLIS/N has three divisions, 7, 24 <strong>and</strong> 25 comprising of 18 Flotillas, from the Bronx/ Westchester<br />
County line in NY to the Rhode Isl<strong>and</strong> border. Barry Wilde, DCDR <strong>and</strong> Ray Birnbaume, VCDR of Division<br />
7, located on the western portion of our AOR with 6 Flotillas: Mamaroneck <strong>and</strong> Port Chester, NY,<br />
Cos Cob, Stamford, Norwalk, <strong>and</strong> Fairfield, CT. This Division has a unique management assignment<br />
with the fact one Flotilla serves Sector NY while the other 5 serve Sector LIS. Division 07’s approximately<br />
200 members report to CG Station Eaton’s Neck providing strong support with both Aux Air<br />
<strong>and</strong> surface assets, including Four flotilla owned vessels.<br />
Division 24 has 7 Flotillas with Bill Rol<strong>and</strong> DCDR <strong>and</strong> Kim Fillion VCDR. Their AOR starts at the<br />
Fairfield/ Stratford area <strong>and</strong> extends to Kelsey Point, Clinton, with Flotillas in Stratford, Milford, West<br />
Haven, Branford, Guilford, Clinton, <strong>and</strong> Oxford Ct. It’s complement of about 230 members report to<br />
Station New Haven, along with providing considerable support to the Sector . Division 24 has a strong<br />
surface operations program with 2 Flotilla owned vessels, but with limited Aux Air participation.<br />
Division 25 finishes our AOR east to the Rhode Isl<strong>and</strong> border with Dave Tyler, DCDR <strong>and</strong> David Marriott,<br />
VCDR with 5 Flotillas, including Old Saybrook, Mystic, East Hartford, South Windsor <strong>and</strong> New<br />
London, CT. Their 150 members report to Station New London with a strong surface operation program<br />
<strong>and</strong> Aux Air participation. Additional duties include staffing the summer SARDET at Fisher’s Isl<strong>and</strong>,<br />
along with strong ties to the CG academy, the Cutters Eagle <strong>and</strong> Chinook, <strong>and</strong> the International Ice<br />
Station. They took first place last year in DSAR <strong>and</strong> ASAR Competitions.<br />
(Article Continues on Page 33 )<br />
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