Here are the DSO Appointments for the 2020 year!

The most recent version of the Change of Watch and Awards Guide is now available on the PDCA pages! 2019_Change_of_Watch_and_Awards_Guide.pdf

Here are the results of the September 2019 District Elections:

• DCAPT LA/LB – North – Rick Ebel (Division 4)
• DCAPT LA/LB – South – Bill Kopenski (Division 6)
• DCAPT SD/I – Chris Milano (Division 9)
• P-PDCA – Pat O’Leary (Division 10)
• VP-PDCA – Gene Schultz (Division 11)

If you are submitting a District level report, such as a DSO report, please use the following links:

DDC-Logistics - DSO form for Diversity, Food Services, Member Training, Communications Systems, Human Resources, Information Services, Materials, Publications, Planning and State Liason Coordinator Arizona

DDC-Response DSO form for Aviation, Communications, Operations, and Incident Management

DDC-Prevention - DSO form for Marine Safety, Navigation Systems, Public Affairs, Public Education, RBS Visitor, Vessel Examination, and Life Jacket Observation

DCAPT LA/LB North - District Captain North report form

DCAPT LA/LB South - District Captain South report form

DCAPT SD/Inland - District Captain SD/Inland report form

DCDR LA/LB North - Division Commander report form for Divisions 4, 7, and 12

DCDR LA/LB South - Division Commander report form for Divisions 5, 6, and 11

DCDR SD/Inland - Division Commander report form for Divisions 1, 9, and 10

As with most elected and appointed officer positions, the District Staff Officer position is for a period of one year. Persons holding the position of District Staff Officer will need to fill out the District Staff Officer Application Form by October 15th, 2019 - this has been updated from November! The form is submitted to the DCOS Charlie Geiger as indicated at the bottom of the form, get your application in early!

News:DSO_Application_Form_V2.5.pdf

Competency-Based Members:
Below you will see guidance from the office of Boating Safety regarding completion of the online Risk Management course within the specified deadline of 30 April. Please note that all extensions are approved/denied on a case by case basis. I ask that you encourage completion rather than an extension. Extensions will only be granted for extenuating circumstances. Extensions should be generated by the member and routed through the COL. Member-FSO-SO-DIRAUX Shared Mailbox. The DSO should be copied on this request (via the SO) as well. If there are no FSO's or SO's for the competency-based member, extension requests should be routed via the FC-DC-DIRAUX shared mailbox.  I am not expecting a large number of extensions. I ask that each level of the member's COL either endorse or recommend denial of each extension request.

Elected Officer members:
Below you will see guidance from the office of Boating Safety regarding completion of the online Risk Management course within the specified deadline of 30 April. Please note that all extensions are approved/denied on a case by case basis. I ask that you encourage completion rather than an extension. Extensions will only be granted for extenuating circumstances. Extensions should be generated by the member and routed through the COL. Member-Flotilla Commander-Division Commander-District Captain-DIRAUX Shared Mailbox. The DSO-OP should be copied on this request (via the SO-OP) as well. I am not expecting a large number of extensions. I ask that each level of the member's COL either endorse or recommend denial of each extension request.

Members who have a competency-based requirement and who haven't completed the course by the deadline may request an extension. Extension requests must provide a good reason why the deadline could not be met. Extensions shall not be granted beyond 01 June 2019. If not completed by then, the member will have all of their certified competencies that require completion of the course placed into Required Yearly Not Met (REYR) status, and may neither request nor accept orders. Members shall be taken out of REYR status and have their currencies restored once they've completed the course and all other requirements for the competencies have been met.

Elected and appointed officers who haven't completed the course by 01 Sep 2019 will be ineligible for election and appointment to office. Members who are in two-year offices and haven't completed the course by 01 Sep 2019 shall be subject to removal from office. The Executive Committee (EXCOM) will consult prior to any such removal within the district/region, as will the National Executive Committee (NEXCOM) prior to any such removal at the national level.

View the Commandant's State of the Coast Guard presentation here.

The annual Memorial Marker Ceremony, honoring Auxiliarists who have crossed the bar during the last year, will be held on April 27, 2019 at 1000 hours (10 am) at the Sector LA/LB base in San Pedro. A barbecue will follow at noon at the athletic field, cost is $5.00.

Auxiliarists are encouraged to invite family and friends of our departed members to the ceremony to speak for their loved ones and hear them honored.

Uniform of the day is Tropical Blue with Combination Cover (only) or appropriate civilian attire.

BIG REMINDERS PLEASE:- this stuff has to get done

1. The Intro to Risk Management online course in LMS, course 100202, is required for all  surface operations program participants, all elected officers and most appointed officer plus miscellaneous cats and dogs such as VE’s,  Instructor’s, Aux FS, et al. The DEADLINE is 30 April or you are extinguished (REYR) from any competency that requires it. As of this morning barely over 200 members in our District have taken it out of almost 1500 members. I feel very confident in saying that the 1300 not taking it yet are not all exempt. It’s most likely more like 1100-1200 missing it still.

To check the status in your own unit go to Auxinfo.uscg.gov – Auxdata Cubes – Auxdata Tasls – Currency Maint. – Intro to Risk Management then drill down to your unit. 

1. National Surface Operations workshop – While not mandated by National this year, our District has made it mandatory for all in D11 Surface ops. Deadline is 30 June. We’re a third of the way to that date already and I suspect that completion of this is about in the same status as the RM course Time flies. I’m repeating the link to the materials and some local instructor notes here. It can be given by any reasonably competent surface ops person. Being an instructor is recommended but not required.

Link - Workshop is available at http://wow.uscgaux.info/content.php?unit=R-DEPT&category=WHATSNEW in both PDF and PowerPoint formats.

Some Notes

1. Slide 24 re mishaps – States to report to OIA and Aux. The initial mishap report goes only to the OIA (meaning the command/controller), not the Aux. If there are some concerns about an injury or such that you think your FC should be aware of, just ask the OIA to let you release the information. Otherwise, the CG notifies the AUX and does any required investigations.
2. Slide 27 – Kill switches. If there are there and operable, they MUST be used. This is a “flunk” item during a QE checkride.
3. Slide 37 – Orders are good for 24 hours from patrol start. There is still some unknow with this. For sure, they are good for the 24 hour period of the patrol date. Even if you asked for an afternoon patrol and then started in the morning, it’s OK. If you go past midnight on the same order, there is some probability that it will not record properly From AOM to AUXDATA. It’s best to have new orders starting at 0001 if a patrol goes past midnight. Verbal OK until you can get it done on your computer.
4. Slide 39 – reporting of QE on your patrol. Do not list the QE as crew. The QE’s report their time separately. Put QE name and number in comments. If you provide a QE a meal, use the “other expense” block. The dollar amount its what you would pay at the Galley for that meal. Under “reason for expense” put “QE meal”
5. Slide 42 Receipts. Our District requires receipts for ALL expenses claimed (except the QE meal)

1. The new annual TCT refresher is required to be taken as soon as possible after completing the online RM course.  Unfortunately, much of the application of this requirement is still up in the air or bouncing around somewhere. Our OTO and Chief Director’s office are working mightily on it. When the schedule is published, please jump right on a session. For the foreseeable future, facilitators will likely remain in short supply so get it when it’s available.  You can make a significant wager that once it’s announced, the completion deadline will be only a short time after.  I should have more information soon. As a part of the new Risk Management program, surface ops will need it every year. The online course is only once.

1. With the possible exception of TCT, depending on release and training availability, all of these items are required along with all other core training and currency maintenance items before a QE initial or reqaul checkride.