DSO-IS Report

1. The first of three FSO-IS Training Classes was completed this past weekend. It was held in New Jersey at the Dwight-Englewood School and was attended by seven members of the District. I want to thank the Flotilla Commander of Flotilla 10-08, Dr. Ralph Sloan, the Headmaster of the Dwight-Englewood School.

On another note, I was quite surprised that there were only seven members who availed themselves of the class. Considering the “uproar” of members of the District about the need for these IS classes, they are surprisingly under enrolled. I have only 4 students for the Academy class and no one for the Stony Brook class. (I will cancel the Stony Brook Class if I don’t get any enrollments.)

2. With regard to Paragraph #1, I have a theory about why the poor response on all of the classes. COMMUNICATION!! Or rather the lack of it. Case in point. I distributed the letter announcing those classes at the District Board meeting on January 15th. A copy of the letter was passed out to all that attended that meeting. I mailed the same letter to each Flotilla Commander, Division Captains and the DCO, VCO & RCO’s. Only recently I have had a Division Captain and several members (who claimed that they attended their Flotilla meetings) called and emailed me to inquire about the classes. It kind of proves to me that the word doesn’t get out or down.

1. I have good news for all those that have been requesting IS training. I have arranged several training sessions around the District.

2. The first of these will be at the Dwight-Englewood School in New Jersey. It will be held on Saturday & Sunday, February 26th and 27th. 2005. The course will start at 0800 and will run until 1600 on both days. The second course will take place at the Coast Guard Academy on April 2nd & 3rd and the starting time will be the same. The third course wi9ll take place at Stony Brook on April 16th & 17th, 2005.

3. The following are rules that must be followed to qualify for the school.
a. Attendees at the training sessions (number to be determined based on facilities) will be on a first come, first served basis.
b. Advanced registration is a must, in order for me to obtain training passwords.
c. Although it goes without saying, each candidate must have internet access; be computer literate; own a fairly fast computer with a modem; and have the time and the desire to do the job.
d. Must hold the position as the appointed FSO-IS as indicated in Auxdata.
e. Have the approval of his/her FC.
f. Each FSO-IS will work with the SO-IS of their Division and will be subject to certain ground rules established by the DCO, DSO-IS and Director of Auxiliary.
g. Personally E-mail me at artreich@westnet.com with your request.
h. Be willing to attend at your own expense.
4. There is a new form posted on 12/31/04 for Pilot/Aircrew Qualification ANSC-7015 (1-05) has been added. Information previously collected on ANSC-7005 pertaining to personnel is now on this form, and has been removed from ANSC-7005. See below.
There are three revised facility forms, Vessel Facility Inspection and offer for use, ANSC-7003, Aircraft Facility Inspection and Offer for Use, ANSC-7005, and PWC Facility Inspection and Offer for Use, ANSC- 7008 are revised effective 01 January 2005. The previous editions are obsolete and may not be used. These forms no longer carry a CG form number, and all include LAT-LONG fields, along with other substantial changes.
There is one obsolete form, Patrol Order Form CG 5132 (ANSC-7000) and CG 5132-1 (ANSC-7000a) can no longer be used and has been removed from the library.

UNITED STATES COAST GUARD AUXILIARY COMMO. ARTHUR P. REICHLING
FIRST COAST GUARD DISTRICT (SR) 1401 WEAVER STREET
DISTRICT STAFF OFFICER - INFORMATION SERVICES SCARSDALE, NY 10583

artreich@westnet.com

AReichling@BatteryNY.uscg.mil

1. There have been a number of new competencies added to Auxdata and I am prepared to enter them into a members record when proper documentation is provided. The competencies are: Certified CPR Provider, Certified EMT, Certified First Aid Provider, Certified First Responder & Certified Paramedic. In order to be entered into Auxdata you must provide the Director’s Office with a copy of your certificate.

2. If you must fax your Facility Papers into the office, do not send the same copy into the office by regular mail. This adds confusion to the process. Taking an old English proverb into account relating to the timely submission of Facility paperwork, “Poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on our part”. Think ahead and get your paperwork in on time. Remember a Facility inspection is good for one year from the date of the last Inspection. Facility owners will be notified by email (providing it is in Auxdata and correct) of the due date, 30 days before it expires.

3. IMPORTANT!! Several Divisions have had problems with SO-IS’s leaving and accepting other positions and leaving the Division with no one to enter Auxdata info. This causes many problems because data, which is timely, needs to be imputed now in order to maintain member qualifications. As a result of this problem, I will insist that all Divisions appoint an Assistant SO-IS. I will ask that this Assistant be trained by the SO-IS and when he is fully qualified I will grant him access to the Division. I will insist that this appointment of an Assistant no longer be an option of the Division but rather a mandatory appointment.

When you think of IS or Information Systems, most members of the Auxiliary think of Auxmis. This is or has been true, that is, until recently. Well then let me "Welcome you to the wonderful world of Electronic Communications". IS has grown to a point that it now includes all electronic communications such as E-mail, Bulletin Boards, Electronic forms and the World Wide Web or Internet.

The Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary are both committed to changing the way things are done, in the way we communicate. E-mail now does communications between the various Coast Guard Commands. The National Auxiliary Excomm as well as the Department Chiefs all communicate by E-mail. The District Excomm communicate via E-mail. This is instant communications. Messages that take upwards of 3 days to deliver using the US Mail are delivered via E-mail in a matter of minutes. I have mentioned the preceeding only because I think you need to know what else the IS Department is all about.

Although we are heading for the Twenty-first Century in the electronic atmosphere, the Auxiliary is still committed to the printed word. We are well aware of the fact that most Auxiliarists are not tied into a computer and therefore we still need that piece of paper to know what's happening. We are not about to abandon the non-computer member.

By the time you read this, the First District Web Page should be near completion, if not up and running. What will appear will be sparse but it will build as we go along. It will allow our members to see District reports as they are published rather then have them read to you at flotilla and division meetings. "Interpolations", the Director's weekly publication will be available for all of our members to read as well as information coming from our National Bridge Officers and Coast Guard Headquarters. We will also be able to provide our address to the General Public to check on boating courses and Boating Safety information. We will let you know when we go on line.

Auxmis II is running well and I hope that each member is keeping track of his or her activities and sending them to their FSO-IS. The reason I mention this is because there are many reports being sent by members, directly to the Directors Office. All of these reports should be going to the Division or Flotilla Staff Officer for Information Systems. As to who should get it, Division or Flotilla, is up to the system established in your unit.

Rather then list where each Auxmis report should be sent, it is easier to just state that all reports should go through your local IS officer so they can be checked for completeness and accuracy and forwarded to appropriate office.

I welcome any general questions or suggestions regarding Auxmis II. If you have a specific question regarding your particular record, you'll have to ask your FSO-IS and they in turn will ask the SO-IS of your Division.

Just another word about our Web Page. We welcome input for the page and solicit your suggestions, comments and articles for the Web Page. Please send everything to: Arthur Reichling, DSO-IS, 1401 Weaver Street, Scarsdale, NY 10583-7018.
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