[1SR-L] Thoughts on the 67th Anniversary of the Coast Guard Auxiliary - 015/06

[Announcement List for First Southern District]

TO:     ALAUXDIST1SR
FM:     CDR Young, DIRAUX
Subj:   Thoughts on the 67th Anniversary of the Coast Guard Auxiliary -
015/06


1.     As today we celebrate the 67th Anniversary of the Coast Guard
Auxiliary, I would like to share a few thoughts with you. The history of the
Coast Guard Auxiliary can be traced back to a letter written by Malcolm
Stuart Boylan, Commodore of the Pacific Writers' Yacht Club in Los Angeles,
California. On August 23, 1934, to Lt. Francis C. Pollard of the Coast
Guard:

		This brings me to the suggestion that a Coast Guard Reserve
would be an excellent thing to perpetuate these traditions, preserve its
entity, and, more practically, to place at the disposal of Coast Guard
officers, auxiliary flotillas of small craft for the frequent emergencies
incident to your twenty-two prescribed and countless unexpected duties..

The Coast Guard Reserve was later formed on 23 June 1939, later renamed the
Auxiliary in February 1941.

Fast forward 60 years and a few months:   Members from First Southern
mobilize to assist the Coast Guard and the public in the wake of the
September 11th tragedy.

Fast forward almost three full years:  Members of First Southern stand-up
and assist the victims of the triple set of hurricanes that hit Florida.
Members from 1SR join FEMA, this in response to their request for Disaster
Assistance Employees.  

Fast forward almost another year.  Members of 1SR answer the call for help
this in the wake of the largest natural disaster to hit this country in over
a century.  Whether they work as individuals, members of other groups,
Auxiliarists or FEMA employees, 1SR Auxiliarists are right there, assisting
fellow Americans in their time of need.

I find it inspiring that 1SR Auxiliarists have donated their time, equipment
and money covering Coast Guard missions, but it doesn't stop there; when the
call to assist our own Coast Guard members came in, you donated more money.
The number of individuals and units that contributed to Operation Life Ring
leaves me in awe!

It is now Sixty-Seven years since the founding of the United States Coast
Guard Auxiliary.  Sixty-Seven years that civilian volunteers have offered
the services, their assets and more importantly, their time to assist the
Coast Guard and the public.

I can't be prouder of a group of people who show so much dedication,
patriotism and professionalism. I am astonished at your individual and
collective achievements.  I feel both fortunate and proud to be your
Director of Auxiliary.  


The Active Duty, Reserve and Civilian Employees of Team  Coast Guard salute
you and are proud that you are members of our Coast Guard family.

On this, the Sixty-Seventh Anniversary of the founding of the United States
Coast Guard Auxiliary, speaking for every man and woman who served in the
USCG these past sixty-seven years, I thank all of you who make the Coast
Guard Auxiliary the best volunteer organization in the world.

Semper Paratus!


Elizabeth D. Young
CDR, USCG

2.	FYI:

ALCOAST 347/06 
COMDTNOTE 16790 
SUBJ:  SIXTY-SEVENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD 
AUXILIARY 

1. JUNE 23, 2006, IS A SIGNIFICANT DATE FOR TEAM COAST GUARD.  IT WILL MARK
OUR AUXILIARYS SIXTY-SEVENTH YEAR OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE NATION. 

2. WE TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN CALLING THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE AUXILIARY OUR
SHIPMATES.  AS I INDICATED IN MY COMMANDANT'S INTENT MESSAGE TO ALL
AUXILIARIST SHORTLY AFTER ASSUMING COMMAND MAY 25, I CONSIDER EACH OF OUR
AUXILIARY MEMBERS AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR COAST GUARD. WE SIMPLY COULD NOT
MEET THE CHALLENGES WE FACE OR EXECUTE THE MISSIONS WE DO ON A DAY-TO-DAY
BASIS WITHOUT THEIR SELFLESS DEVOTION TO DUTY. OUR COAST GUARD AUXILIARY IS
TRULY THE FINEST ALL-VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION ON OUR NATION. DURING THE PAST
YEAR, THEY HAVE ANSWERED THE CALL TO DUTY DURING SOME OF THE MOST TRYING
TIMES IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY.  THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF PROFESSIONALISM AND
SELFLESSNESS DISPLAYED BY OUR AUXILIARY TEAM FOLLOWING THE AFTERMATH OF
HURRICANES KATRINA, WILMA AND RITA WAS NOTHING SHORT OF MONUMENTAL. THEIR
HEROIC RESPONSE DURING THE WORST NATURAL DISASTERS ON RECORD CLEARLY
ILLUSTRATES THEIR DEDICATION TO THE SERVICE AND OUR NATION. 

3. WHILE MEMBERS OF THE AUXILIARY IN THE GULF REGION FOCUSED THEIR EFFORTS
ON HELPING COMMUNITIES RECOVER FROM THE DEVASTATING EFFECTS OF THE
HURRICANES, MANY OTHERS CONTINUED TO CARRY OUT COAST GUARD MISSIONS IN OTHER
PARTS OF THE NATION. WHETHER CONDUCTING A VESSEL SAFETY CHECK, OR A
COMMERCIAL FISHING VESSEL DOCKSIDE SAFETY EXAM, STANDING A RADIO WATCH, OR
PULLING A SURVIVOR FROM THE WATER, THE AUXILIARY CONTINUED TO PROVE ITS
STRENGTH AND VALUE FROM COAST TO COAST.  LAST YEAR, THE ORGANIZATION
OPERATED AND MAINTAINED NEARLY 4,900 SURFACE FACILITIES, 2,900 RADIO
FACILITIES AND 300 AIR FACILITIES.   OVER 30,000 DEDICATED MEMBERS OF THE
AUXILIARY UTILIZED THESE ASSETS TO SAVE NEARLY 300 PEOPLE AND ASSIST OVER
8,000 MORE.  AN IMPRESSIVE 411,000 HOURS WERE SPENT ON OPERATIONAL 
PATROLS.  MOST RECENTLY, OUR AUXILIARISTS PROVED YET AGAIN THAT THEY WERE UP
TO THE CHALLENGE WHEN THEY ARRIVED ON THE SCENE OF A 24 FT VESSEL THAT
SUDDENLY BEGAN TO TAKE ON WATER AND SANK ON THE 
MISSISSIPPI RIVER.  THEIR TIMELY RESPONSE RESULTED IN THE SAFE RECOVERY OF
ALL 13 PEOPLE. 

4. THOUGH THE NUMBERS THAT AUXILIARISTS HAVE PRODUCED YEAR AFTER YEAR ARE
PROFOUND, THE GREATEST MEASURE OF THEIR IMPACT IS FOUND IN THE SPIRIT OF
PATRIOTISM AND COMMITMENT THEY HAVE CAST ACROSS OUR 
DECK PLATES AND DOWN TO THE MOST JUNIOR COAST GUARD RECRUITS. 

5. THE COAST GUARD AUXILIARY IS AN EXTREMELY VALUABLE ASSET TO THIS SERVICE,
THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, AND OUR NATION.  I VALUE THEIR
COMMITMENT AND AS SUCH HAVE ADDED THE NATIONAL 
COMMODORE AS A STANDING MENBER OF MY LEADERSHIP COUNCIL. ON JUNE 23, 2006, I
ENCOURAGE ALL COAST GUARD UNITS TO RECOGNIZE THE EXCEPTIONAL DEDICATION AND
DEVOTION TO DUTY THAT IS CONSISTENTLY 
DISPLAYED BY OUR COAST GUARD AUXILIARY VOLUNTEERS. 

6. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED. 

7. ADM ALLEN, COMMANDANT, SENDS. 
BT 
NNNN 


3.     The purpose of this list is to keep Auxiliarists in the First
Southern abreast of current developments, policies, manuals, etc. 

4.  Internet Release and Distribution is Authorized

5. CDR Young, Sends