Friday morning in Nashville, and the weather report says a beautiful day. With the exception of some small breaks the better part of the day will be spent in meetings and training sessions.

The day started off with a chance meeting, Mr. Richard Rash, of the Coast Guard. We were both looking for the same meeting room and we were both lost. After going in what seemed like circles, a very nice hotel employee set us straight. Funny thing is, Mr. Rash is a retired US Air Force Pilot and Base Commander, and I consider my self a pretty good navigator… I guess our skills were overtaxed (the signage here can be confusing to the uninitiated).

Mr. Rash holds a fascinating job, the Program Manager of the Coast Guard’s Maritime Domain Awareness program. We had a nice chat (which essentially wasn’t about MDA, sorry folks) on the way to the meeting room. He was suitably impressed with not only the Auxiliary, but also the complexity of the hotel (this seems to be a re-appearing theme).

My first real meeting was with the members of the International Affairs Directorate (IAD). The IAD is the liaison between the Auxiliary and other Coast Guard’s and Auxiliaries around the world. At the meeting were members from the Canadian Coast Guard, Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Canadian Power Squadron, as well as the US Power Squadrons. Others present were from the Netherlands Antilles, the British West Indies, and Curacao.

Topics ranged from whether mandatory boating education helps reduce accidents or not, and whether an on-the-water requirement would work. Several of the participants spoke about how their countries were now starting to implement Recreational Boating Safety education programs, and were eyeing mandatory boating courses to help stem the tide of accidents and deaths of their boaters.

With the ills of the world solved (at least for a nano-second), I then had many impromptu meeting with a wide selection of members from all over the Auxiliary. Some were members in the Departments to which I am associated. I finally got to meet in person, people like Marilyn McBain (DC-I), Jeff Mahl (DC-Id), COMO Ev Tucker (N-I), Klaus & Bridgette Baumin (N-Id, N-ID).

At meetings these types of you get to put a face to voice or writing style. Its always amazing how you picture in your mind someone you’ve only had voice and e-mail correspondence with, and then meet them in-person. They never seem to be the same as your mental picture.

Later this evening (which will be in a separate report), the Friday night festivities will take place. This year it’s a country and western ho’down..