Training Opportunities at NACON 2008 Article & photos by Mel Borofsky, Editor, SITREP

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COMO Seibert (L) and Urgola facilitate the ASOC course

There are many side benefits for many of the Auxiliarists who attend the National Conference. For some NACON is an opportunity to spend quality hours acquiring a new skill or brushing up on the latest information, procedures and rules of their fields of responsibility and expertise.

ASOC – Auxiliary Senior Officer’s Course.

This is a continuing course of education directed to the District Vice Commodores and members of the National Operation Committee. The course is facilitated by Past National Commodore Gene Seibert and Past National Chief of Staff Carol Urgola.

“This particular session, our transition workshop, is very important to some of our Vice Commodores who will be moving up next year. They will be taking the top office in their districts and we want them to be fully prepared for the task,” said Commodore Urgola.

Knowing some of the issues and problems faced by previous senior leaders and how they were handled is an important learning tool and we share these experiences with the workshop participants.

Auxiliary Search & Rescue Coordination and Execution (AUX SC&E).

The purpose of this twelve-lesson course is to train the trainers who will then return to their respective districts and propagate the information in local workshops. The purpose of the course is to provide the basic search & rescue (SAR) necessary for Coast Guard certified Communications Watch Standers, Quartermasters of the Watch, Coxswains, Boat Crewmen, Aircraft Pilots or Auxiliary Aircrew personnel to properly coordinate and execute SAR cases on scene.

The course is directed towards Coast Guard Auxiliarists assigned to operational units or conducting patrols under official orders with a SAR responsibility. Specifically aimed at Auxiliarists who may be required to coordinate and/or execute a Maritime Search Action Plan (SAP).

It was stressed, “It is the responsibility of each member of the program to keep up with the latest professional information available.

“Although our area of responsibility is lakes and rivers, this course offers practical information that we can use in the event of an emergency in these smaller bodies of water,” said Auxiliarist Don Proscia of District 7.

Operational Training Officers (OTO) Workshop.

This workshop is presented for the benefit of District OTO’s. These Coast Guardsman are the Assistant District Directors of Auxiliary and are mainly responsible for the operations within their district.

The workshop is the vehicle where new methods and procedures are introduced and discussed.


~HRW