12-07 Earns the Coast Guard Team Commendation Ribbon for Humanitarian Service

     The 1SR D-Train March Conference Awards Luncheon proves to be quite the event for the membership of Flotilla 12-07. The Flotilla, under the leadership of Albin J. Cofone, Flotilla Commander of Air Station Republic, received for the membership, the Coast Guard Team Commendation Ribbon. Members of Flotilla 12-07 have engaged in various acts of benevolence as they supported a local East Farmingdale soup kitchen that fell victim to an Arson a week before Thanksgiving. Flotilla Members organized a food drive at the Republic Airport as they broadcasted an ALCOAST message to all District Aviators flying in for the Ice Patrol Workshop being held at their meeting space. Together, a total of 8 large boxes of food stuffs were collected and delivered to the Soup Kitchen.

 

     Members also organized a monetary collection of several hundred dollars to assist the American Red Cross in their relief efforts in Haiti, ran a blood drive with the assistance of New York Blood Center and sponsored a shoe drive for "Soles for Souls". This organization collects lightly worn foot ware and distributes same to needy persons around the world.

 

     This Flotilla's ability and willingness to think and act locally and globally in rendering assistance to those in need has demonstrated the very tenets of the US Coast Guard in that they acted "So Others May Live!"

In doing so, they have spread the good name and reputation of the United States Coast Guard, her Auxiliary and the United States! To Flotilla 12-07, Bravo Zulu!!

 

 

L-R  Albin J. Cofone FC 12-07, BM1 Krotz of Sector New York at the 2012 District Conference

(photo by William Goess, Flot. 12-07, Article by David G. Porter, DCDR D12)

AUXILIARIST of the YEAR, Theodore Prager of Division 12 Flotilla 01

Mr. Prager has been a member for 45 years having enrolled in 1967. Since then he has served as Vice Flotilla Commander, Flotilla Commander, Vice Captain (Vice Division Commander) and Division Captain (Division Commander). Additionally and currently, Mr. Prager serves Division 12 as the Staff Officer for Member Training and as the Division 12 Legal Parliamentarian.

 

In his capacity as the Member Training Officer, he has been chiefly responsible not only for obtaining and sharing information throughout the Division regarding member training opportunities but has been a steadfast supporter and educator in and of the Boat Crew Training Program. For years, Mr. Prager has stewarded members not only of the Division but within the District in the Boat Crew Training Program to ensure the operational readiness of all Boat Crews.

 

Mr. Prager's knowledge and familiarity with the Auxiliary Manual and Robert's Rules of Order have been key and essential in helping to guide new leaders in their roles of Flotilla, Vice Flotilla, Commander and Vice Commander roles thus ensuring a properly run and ordered meeting and has done so in a manner that has not sought to embarrass a member but to educate and inform them as to the proper conduct and prosecution of their office and their meeting. He always leads with a gentle hand offering guidance when needed and or when asked for never putting himself above the needs or staffing structure of the elected leadership so as to not usurp the authority entrusted in those elected to lead. His continued service and extensive knowledge has proven to be an irreplaceable asset to the Division and the organization as a whole. It is for these reasons and others that are too many to enumerate here that I the undersigned recommend THEODORE PRAGER for Division 12 AUXILIARIST OF THE YEAR.

 

Congratulations to Mr. Prager! Division 12 is proud to have you as one of our own!

 

   

New Auxiliarist of the Year of Division 12, Ft. Totten, Bayside, NY

     Since enrolling on 12 MAY 2011, Alexis Melnick has taken and passed her Boating Safety Course, ICS 100, 200, 700 and 800. She has taken all of her qualifying workshops and tests including but not limited to Pilot Test A and B, obtained her BQ Status and Direct Operational Waiver and begun her qualification process to obtain her Air Observer rating. Additionally she has become a mentor in her Flotilla and has assisted the Flotilla Commander and his Vice Commander as well as the Flotilla Staff Officer – Member Training in shepherding fellow members through the qualification process. In doing so, seven new members have been able to prepare for, take and pass the same qualifying exams and begin their Air Ops training. Alexis has also successfully recruited a New Member and has availed herself to Division 12 in the role as Staff Officer – Publications. She has accomplished all of this within eight months of becoming a  member. It is for these reasons that Alexis Melnick has been nominated as New Auxiliarist of the Year and that she is welcomed aboard to the Division Staff as our new Publications Officer.

     Many of you within the Division are doing a great many things that are note worthy. Please send that information to Alexis and I with pictures if available so that everyone in the Division, District, National as well as the civilian populace who view our site can see who we are and what we do. WE ARE D12! WE ARE FIRST SOUTHERN! And WE ARE FIRST AND FOREMOST!!!

L-R: COPT Sector New York, Rear ADM Linda Fagan, Alexis Melnick SO-PB, BM1 Troy Krotz Sector NY  (Photo Credit: William Goess, Flot. 12-07 Air Station Republic, Farmingdale, NY)  Article by: David G. Porter, DCDR, D12

RE: USCG Auxiliary Aviation Program

MISSION: To facilitate the use of Auxiliary Aircraft in support of Recreational Boating Safety (RBS); Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), and Search & Rescue (SAR). To ensure Auxiliary Air Safety and, to set policy for the use of Special Air Transport in support of USCG activities

 

 

 

USCG Auxiliary History

Boating always has been one of America's favorite pastimes and entered the sport arena in the early nineteenth century.  Rowing and yachting races were among the most popular spectator sports through the 1930s.  The wealth generated in post Civil War America, along with the growth of railroads, spurred the development of resorts, country homes, and the suburbs–all places to go boating.  The federal government began to construct large dams, reservoirs, and lake systems during the Depression, adding to waterways.  With the development of the single-operator motorboat and the outboard engine at the turn of the twentieth century, the number of recreational boaters skyrocketed. In 1939, the Coast Guard reported that there were more than 300,000 boats operating in federal waters.  In the previous year it had received 14,000 calls for assistance and had responded to 8,600 "in peril" cases–a record number.  Boaters needed to be better trained in seamanship and federal law.  At the same time, civilian yachtsmen were pressing the Coast Guard to establish a volunteer arm of the service.

 

As a result of these demands, on June 23, 1939, the Congress passed legislation that established the Coast Guard Reserve, its volunteer civilian component, to promote boating safety and to facilitate the operations of the Coast Guard.  Groups of boat owners were organized into flotillas and these into divisions within Coast Guard Districts around the country.  Members initially conducted safety and security patrols and helped enforce the provisions of the 1940 Federal Boating and Espionage Acts.  Then in February 1941, a military reserve was created and the volunteer Reserve was renamed the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.

 

Welcome to USCG Auxiliary Division 12 1 SR

Welcome to the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Division 12 1 Souther Region. Our mission is to serve the United States Coast Guard in keeping the general public safe and providing life saving services. In the days to follow we will post exciting information about our events, missions and information to keep you safe.