Pete Van Markwyck
Philip Portus

 

 

 

 

 

 

Images courtesy of Mike Gromet Bob Kelesa Don Magni Sal Piparo Alan Reff Ken Sommers

As was said in my closing remarks on Friday, the Team that participated in this event was quite large. In fact, there were 30 people involved in this Training course, more if the Helo & High Speed sections weren't cancelled, due to MARSEC II.

Some of the thirty people were behind the scenes, never to be seen at the Airport. Others were there day in and day out, while still others jumped into the fray at the last moment, to lend their energy and expertise.

From John Gieger, who was recruited at the last moment (Saturday night before the course started, at a social function) to teach Radar/GPS, to BM1 Dooley who did all the prep work for the Helo Ops and High Speed training that was usurped by the increased MARSEC Security level; from Tom Venezio who reviewed and commented on the course outline to our man on the scene - Hal Marschall, each contributed, in his way, just like the other twenty-six Team members to our collective success.

What is also unique about this Team effort was that we had members from many different Auxiliary Divisions involved. Diversity was personified in this group. Its diversity was its strength, and that strength shown through, in your professionalism, dedication and accomplishment.

We had Auxiliarists from Div 1, Div 5, Div 6, Div 10, Div 11, Div 13, and quite possibly more Divisions, but I don't have that information handy, it wasn't collected, because it had no bearing on who volunteered and was eventually accepted. We were not multiple Divisions, but a single Coast Guard/Auxiliary team working together.

We had people who were new to the Auxiliary and many who are 'veterans', each came with skill sets that enhanced the team. Some had just finished the Crew program, others came as seasoned instructors. Assets to the team were identified, and those distinct assets entered our Team and met at one short pre-course meeting; becoming the warp and weave of our Team fabric, which worked seamlessly.

With the single goal in mind, we went about the task to train the PAPD cops in small boat handling. A single non-divisional chain of leadership, predicated on leadership skills as well as a communication avenue, where all points of view were encouraged, and decisions were made, taking into account these diverse points of view. Not that all decisions were unanimously heralded at acceptable, but in a true Team spirit, they were accepted and we moved on.

Those of us who were able to be involved in the last days of the course saw something rather unique. It’s something in my ten years as a college
professor I rarely get to see. We saw the fruits of our collective labors, the collective energies of the thirty people involved in the project, take shape and fly.

The PAPD students started to think like boaters, act like boaters and utilizing their new found education, began to apply in real-world scenarios the lessons we all taught, whether in the classroom or on the water.

It is rare to see such a assorted group of people, collate such a large amount of information in such a short period, and then utilize this information in the way in which it was intended to be used. Not that our Students don't need practice; or additional training, but they demonstrated that they can perform their job function, as members of the PAPD Marine Team, and do their jobs safely.

Just as Safety was job number one for the TEAM, safety on the water is what we know our students understand and will practice. I am happy to say there were no injuries among the students or ourselves, and only some unfortunate damage and mechanical breakdowns to our vessels, all repairable.

Time; spatially and on the water; will fill-in and smooth the learning curves. Those who had trouble steering a truly straight course over time will steer true; those who had trouble with marlinespike will improve; but all the students have the knowledge that will keep them safe, and productive should they need to take the PAPD boat out in an emergency and deploy their life rafts.

Your accomplishments are not in a vacuum, through a Press Release issued prior to the start of the course; the entire Coast Guard knows your work, because the CG e-Newsletter picked up the release, and sent it to all those who read its newsletter. The Press Release also made it to several news venues, as well as to the PAPD Command.

We have also added a page to the DIRAUX web site, listing all your names and primary responsibility in the course so that everyone can see the TEAM responsible for this accomplishment.

If you look on the Small Boat Course page, we now have not only the course outline, resources and photos of the training, but the Team responsible for the first of several courses. The link is:

http://diraux.cgaux1sr.org/small-boat/team1.html

This course was considered such a success by the PAPD; they have asked the DIRAUX Office if we could put together another section for Mid-September. We are beginning that process. Besides inviting back any member of the first Team, we need your input.

Again, BZ on a job well done.

Chief Instructor Wayne Spivak