(T)he Coast Guard calls on  Auxiliarists to perform a host of duties such as radio operator, engine mechanic, interpreter duties, medical backup or administrative functions. These Auxiliarists have completed Auxiliary training as well as Coast Guard training specific to their assignment. Where available, current Auxiliary members volunteer and are trained for these augmentations. Where there is not a sufficient number of local Auxiliary members for Coast Guard needs, the Auxiliary “target recruits” specifically qualified local citizens.

USCG Auxiliary White Paper on Maritime Domain Awareness (2005)

WORKING TOGETHER

As the needs of Maritime Domain Awareness/Operation Patriot Readiness continue to grow, the concept the Coast Guard and the Auxiliary "Working  Together" has taken on new and expanded meanings.

The traditional model of Auxiliary units supplementing Coast Guard  services by conducting safety patrols, vessel safety checks and other independent flotilla missions continues. But the services of individual Auxiliarists are, more and more often, being employed to fill critical positions at Coast Guard groups, stations, cutters and offices -- positions traditionally staffed by active duty and reserve personnel.

Auxiliarists may also augment in performing support jobs not traditionally thought of as "critical" to Coast Guard operations -- but which are necessary to the day-to-day administration of any Coast Guard unit. When these ancillary jobs -- think yeoman and storekeeper functions, facility maintenance, cooking, data entry, custodial services, accounting, personnel services, and a host of others -- are performed by an Auxiliarist, it frees up active duty and reserve personnel for assignment to direct operational duties.

To be sure, "augmentation" models only work when a pool of qualified Auxiliarists possess desired skills and are available to serve:

First, never forget that many of our members already hold skills obtained through their activity in vocations and avocations outside the Coast Guard and the Auxiliary -- current skills that may be valuable to the administration and operation of local Coast Guard units.

Then consider training current members in new skills and, finally, using targeted recruitment methods to find qualified and qualifiable people who are willing and able to assist the Coast Guard by augmenting at Coast Guard units.

One of the most pressing needs of MDA/OPR is to increase the number and availability of qualified Auxiliarists able to take on this challenge, and the information on this page and its links should help local leaders meet and maintain MDA/OPR goals.

ALTERNATIVE AUGMENTATION PATHS & OPPORTUNITIES

As described below, AUXPAL has been established as a formal mechanism to recruit and discover Auxiliarists who have skills described in the AUXDATA system, and which may be useful in augmenting at Coast Guard units. But instances of Auxiliarists augmenting at Coast Guard units occurred on a regular basis long before the AUXPAL system was devised, and they continue today. The arrangements have been and are being made by local flotillas, and even by individual members who, discovering a need, offered to volunteer their services.

Obviously not every skill of every active Auxiliarist is captured in AUXDATA, and many of these undocumented skills may be useful in filling the service needs of particular Coast Guard cutters, stations and offices. Members with these skills can be connected to augmentation opportunities without going through the formal AUXPAL processes. Little or no training is necessary because the Auxiliarist is already fully trained and highly skilled in a particular field, though some orientation in the "Coast Guard Way" of doing things may be provided.

Let's take a look at a few examples of non-traditional possibilities -- possibilities other local USCG OICs and Auxiliarists may not have considered in the past when looking at augmentation by Auxiliarists:

Ombudsman Afloat: Norma Bailey, a member from District 13, is one of the few Auxiliarists serving as Ombudsmen to a Coast Guard cutter. The Ombudsman program is usually thought of as an onshore one, in which people assist Coast Guard active and Reserve members and their families to resolve personal difficulties. However, ombudsmen can also serve aboard Coast Guard vessels and Ms. Bailey did her orientation for the program aboard the USCGC MIDGETT. She boarded the MIDGETT in San Diego for the trip back to home port in Seattle. (The Beacon - Summer 2005)

Auxiliary Firearms Coaches: A unique program has taken root at Group Moriches in the First District Southern Region (1SR), to further improve the training of both Coast Guard Active Duty and Reserves -- using Auxiliary personnel as Firearms Coaches. Similar to a coaching program run by Auxiliarists for the  Coast Guard Regulars and Reservists at Group Miami, its purpose is to provide hands-on assistance to the Coast Guard in carrying out necessary firearms training and currency maintenance efforts for Coast Guard personnel. Criteria for candidates includes prior military and/or law enforcement experience with firearms, active gun club membership or certification as a firearms instructor. All coaches are required to pass the same Personal Qualification Standard (PQS) exam for firearms that is required of USCG personnel; and to qualify or be proficient with the three basic personal weapons used by the Coast Guard. While the coaching program is staffed and run by the Auxiliary, the ultimate jurisdiction of the program is under the aegis of the USCG Group or Sector commander. The Auxiliary Firearms Coaching Unit is yet another example of opportunities for Auxiliarists with special backgrounds and training to come forward to augment the missions of the Coast Guard. More details can be found in the Summer edition of the D1SR newsletter, "Over the Bow."

Air Station Audits: CAPE COD-Members of Auxiliary Flotilla 11-08 D1NR just surpassed the one year milestone in their volunteer service to Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod. A dedicated team of seven Auxilarists has been providing an extremely valuable service in the Aviation Engineering Department of Air Station Cape Cod since November 2003. By performing administrative tasks, which require meticulous attention to detail and frequent repetition, they freed up over 300 work hours that would have otherwise been a burden on the over tasked active duty workforce. Aircraft maintenance technicians, who also
serve as flight crewmembers, are frequently task-saturated with flying duties related to search and rescue, law enforcement, and
Homeland Security missions. . . Another vital maintenance support role that the Auxiliary recently performed was a comprehensive audit of the technical publications library. Semi-annual audits of the technical publications library are required to ensure that vital technical publications are updated with the latest revisions. Not only did the dedicated Auxiliary team complete the audit, they also performed several page changes to aircraft technical manuals that are used by technicians on a regular basis. . . (The Navigator - Spring 2005)

Cooking & Messcooking: Coast Guard crews of stations and cutters not only have to eat, but access to good meals and refreshments helps them perform their duties efficiently. Almost all units have enlisted Food Service Specialists assigned to run their galleys and messdecks, and to prepare and serve meals, often with the assistance of non-rated messcooks. Crewmembers so assigned often have other duties at the unit, such as standing watch, maintaining the facility, and participating in operational activities. At some units Auxiliarists with cooking skills have volunteered their services to either cook entire meals, or to assist the enlisted staff in preparation, serving and cleanup -- thus freeing up the regular staff for other duties or giving them the opportunity to take well-deserved time off. Volunteering in food service billets may involve the services of an individual Auxiliarist who, like Mike Scrivano, cooks one meal a week for the crew of the USCGC Kukui (SITREP 06/18/05). Or individual activity may evolve into the beginning of a program such as the Auxiliary Chefs Program in District 1SR.

Augmenting on Cutters: There are numerous Auxiliary units in 1st District-Northern that have “adopted” vessels and stations, which provides Auxiliarists with some of the most rewarding experiences to be had in our organization. Flotilla 38 established its “Adopt-A-Cutter” relationship with the RELIANCE in 2001. In addition to underway duties, qualified Auxiliarists can replace crewmembers when the ship is inport, allowing them to spend more time with their families. FL 38 Auxiliarists also use their civilian acquired skills to provide medical and law enforcement training for the crew and another serves as a ship ombudsman in support of families. When the ship is at sea, a favorite Auxiliary activity is providing family morale events like bus trips to the New England Aquarium or the Museum of Science. The augmenting experience of Auxiliarist Charlie Grossimon was described in the Spring 2005 edition of D1NRs official newsletter, The Nor'Easter.

WHAT IS AUXPAL?

AUXPAL (Auxiliary Personnel Allowance List) is a formal method for determining the availability of Auxiliarists for augmentation and applying this information to the staffing needs of Coast Guard units.

As explained in the USCG Auxiliary White Paper on Maritime Domain Awareness (2005), "Using information captured in  AUXDATA, the Coast Guard calls on  Auxiliarists to perform a host of duties such as radio operator, engine mechanic, interpreter duties, medical backup or administrative functions. These Auxiliarists have completed Auxiliary training as well as Coast Guard training specific to their assignment. Where available, current Auxiliary members volunteer and are trained for these augmentations. Where there is not a sufficient number of local Auxiliary members for Coast Guard needs, the Auxiliary “target recruits” specifically qualified local citizens. These new members are then provided with the necessary Auxiliary and Coast Guard education and training and then become part of the augmentation program. The education and training provided is done on an accelerated basis to accomplish all that is required within a relatively short time."

With the increased needs of local Coast Guard  units (including MSOs) for augmentation by qualified members of the Auxiliary, a program has been developed to better respond. AUXPAL  is designed to clearly define the exact nature of local Auxiliary augmentation needs. This is similar to the approach Coast Guard units have been using for years with PAL (for Active) and RPAL (for Reserve) staffing. Click for a sample AUXPAL Form. The Patrol & Billet Augmentation Planning Guides are available in the section immediately following How to Mobilize Flotilla Forces on the MDA/OPR Toolbox page on this web site.

 

TARGETED RECRUITMENT

The Auxiliary then fills those staffing  needs with a Targeted Augmenting and Recruiting Program (TARP). This  approach has been tested and shown to effectively fill a CG Unit's needs with both current members and newly recruited Auxiliary members, benefiting both the CG Unit and local Flotillas!

An article from a recent edition of the Navigator discusses several ways to implement Targeted Recruiting and includes links to other web pages addressing Auxiliary recruitment and retention issues.

Another possible group to target for Auxiliary membership is veterans of the Coast Guard and other branches of the Armed  Forces. The skills they developed while serving in enlisted or officer positions may well be the same skills needed in Auxiliary augmentation missions. District 5NR has developed a handout addressed to veterans who may want to Stay in the Loop by joining the Auxiliary. It can be adapted for local use, and would be suitable for distribution to members of veteran's organizations.

More recruitment ideas can be found at the Auxiliary's Personnel Department Web Site,  including a description of "Member Benefits" and a copy of a slide presentation on "Targeted Recruiting and Retention."

AUXILIARY DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL ("P")

As stated on its web site, "The Department of Personnel is responsible for increasing pride and esprit de corps among the membership as well as membership growth and retention and increasing the diversity of Auxiliary membership. It is also responsible for the Academy Introduction Mission, the Recruiting Assistance Program, Help Wanted section of the National Web Page and the Interchange Newsletter. Without question, the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary is an organization that needs to be strong and robust in order to fulfill its core missions in support of the Coast Guard and the safety of the boating public. As with any volunteer organization, there is competition for our very members. The Department of Personnel has the responsibility to enact initiatives to help the Auxiliary continue to be strong into the future by attracting and keeping its most valuable resource – our members."   Whether establishing an AUXPAL program in cooperation with a local Coast Guard unit, engaging in a local membership recruitment campaign, or simply wanting to keep abreast of the latest ideas in the recruitment, motivation and retention of Auxiliary members, the Department of Personnel Web Site should be the first place you look for the latest information.

AUGMENTATION IN ACTION

Though the results may be the same, the actual mechanics of recruiting targeted members, providing any necessary training, and determining how best their skills will be utilized by local Coast Guard commands may vary from District to District, Sector to Sector, and even Station to Station. The following descriptions provide good examples of how the system is designed to work.

How Targeted Recruitment/Augmentation Works at One Coast Guard Station.

At Coast Guard Station Ft. Meyers Beach, Florida, an Augmentation and Recruiting Program is already in place. An article in the Summer 2003 issue of Navigator, We Can Do It!, describes the program, and their We Need You! web site illustrates how the program can work to target specific groups of members and potential members to augment in critically needed specialties at particular Coast Guard units.

G-OCX CHDIRAUX - Working Together Video 

The following is a  video message from BOSN4 Rick Ramos the Commanding Officer of Station Fort Myers. This shows how the Coast Guard Auxiliary and Coast Guard can and do work together.

NOTE:  The videos need to load a buffer before the movie starts. On a high speed connection the low quality takes about 3 seconds, the medium quality about 10 seconds and the high quality about 15 seconds.  It may take a few minutes on slower dial-up connections, and you should use the Low Quality version below.

Low Quality - The image size is 160x120 pixels and can be downloaded by dial-up Internet connection users.
Click here for Video

Medium Quality - The image size is 320x240 pixels and is for high speed Internet connections such as DSL or cable modem.
Click here for Video

High Quality - The image size is only 320x240 pixels and is the highest quality.
Click here for Video

How Targeted Recruitment/Augmentation Works at MSOs

ALCOAST 262/03 announced increased Auxiliary support for the Coast Guard's Marine Safety, Security and Environmental Protection Program, and promulgated the PQS requirements for a number of positions Auxiliarists could fill at MSO commands. Highlights of ALCOAST 262/03 are also available as a PowerPoint presentation in Adobe Acrobat format.

This PQS list has since been updated and revised by ALCOAST 255/05. Along with further discussion of augmentation at MSOs, the revised list is available at the MTSA Support page of this web site.

WELCOME ABOARD

Once you've implemented an AUXPAL plan in coordination with a local Coast Guard unit, and successfully recruited new members through a Targeted Augmenting and Recruiting Program (TARP), new members have to become qualified to serve in particular MDA/OPR programs.

First, though, new members must become familiar with Coast Guard Auxiliary operations and procedures, as well as the culture of both the local flotilla and the national organization. Much of this is covered in the initial interview and subsequent IQ and BQ training/testing, and in a review of the Coast Guard Auxiliary Manual (AUXMAN). (Note: This is a very large Adobe Acrobat file, and may take a while to open/download.)

Since many of the members recruited through an AUXPAL program will be Operational Members, they should also be familiar with the contents of the Auxiliary Operations Policy Manual (COMDTINST M16798.3E)  which has been posted to the CG Directives System. This version contains many updates and changes from the previous version, and is in effect as of April 5, 2005. It can be downloaded directly, but is a very large PDF document (342 page), and the manual is distributed on a CD to all operational members.

As described on this page and elsewhere on this web site, new members are also encouraged to become qualified in various Auxiliary specialties -- some of them required for participation in MDA/OPR missions.

One especially useful resource for new members wishing to become familiar with the culture of the Auxiliary and many of its programs is the Auxie Notebook, available for online review. Some of the content is outdated, but is still a valuable supplement to the New Member Handbook.

Recruiting Younger Members

The average age of Auxiliarists hovers around the late 50s age grouping, yet many of the new roles being assigned are suitable for and could be attractive to younger volunteers -- men and women more apt to be in prime physical condition.

A few years ago the Auxiliary's National Personnel Department sent all flotilla  commanders an Age Diversity Recruitment Bulletin. It includes specific ideas for attracting younger members.

Many of the ideas in this bulletin still ring true, and the concepts are easily applied to current Targeted Recruitment efforts.

Attracting/recruiting qualified and qualifiable people from this large pool of potential Auxiliary members should be a high priority for local flotillas, but will require rethinking some of the recruiting methods and venues it uses for attracting new members:

1. Develop New Recruitment Material

The first rule of advertising is to target your audience. You wouldn't want to put an advertisement for hunting equipment in an Animal Rights Magazine! Therefore, we need to seek out young people where they "roost." Possible venues include high schools and colleges, sporting events, libraries, health clubs, hair salons, sailing clubs and shopping malls.

It's important that we review the way we advertise and recruit our younger volunteers. Are we using too many photos of people they can't identify with? What sort of language are we using? Will it appeal to younger people or drive them away? What sort of image are we portraying? Do we look stodgy or do we look like an exciting organization? Do we look, for lack of a better word, "nerdy?"

We need a special set of brochures and hand outs targeted to young people showing them the opportunities of volunteerism specific to their interests. These hand outs would show younger Auxiliarists as role models-- working with boaters and the Coast Guard. We would list the action-oriented activities which would excite them-- such as the opportunity to augment on a cutter or become an air observer.


2. Recognize Why Younger People Might Want to Join the Auxiliary

Once we establish motivation, it is easier to recruit a younger person into the fold. Some talking points:

1. Appeal to their sense of patriotism.

2. Promote volunteering as a way to meet others, particularly for those who are new to the area.

3. Emphasize the unique opportunities to work hand in hand with the Coast Guard.

4. Highlight the training they'll receive... not just the nautical skills, but leadership skills which can help them in their careers

5. Show them the Auxiliary is an exciting challenge

6. Explain the potential for recognition by the Coast Guard, the Auxiliary and the community

7. Tell them how much fun and rewarding volunteering with the Auxiliary is, and give them specific examples. Tell them how you helped rescue a stranded sail boater, or stood watch on the helm of a 65 foot icebreaker.

3. Conduct an Informal Meeting for the Public

Advertise a special meeting in which potential members can come out and see a presentation about the Auxiliary. Think of an incentive to get people out-- such as door prizes.

Contact the local media before the event. Provide them with a news release to publish before the event, and invite them to cover the event.

4. Other Recruitment Ideas

Think outside the box. Speak at your church's young group. Give a presentation at your local health club. Put up posters in shopping centers, health clubs, and super markets.

Contact your local volunteer bureau and ask for referrals.

Approach your local recruiter. Provide him/her with printed materials and a stack of your business cards. Ask the recruiter to pass on suitable candidates who, for one reason or another, do not qualify for active duty. Be sure to say thank you for every referral. Don't forget to give the recruiter a certificate or plaque, or some other form of recognition for his/her work with you.

5. Use the Internet to Recruit

Most younger people are extremely internet literate. Many do their shopping and banking, and even dating on the internet. Let's use the web as a tool to recruit.

Not only should our national website reflect all ages of our members, but there are also other venues on the internet.

One idea is to talk up the Auxiliary on various forums. Look for forums where younger people frequent.

6. Be Inclusive

Keep in mind that younger people may have different tastes. When planning an event, such as a Change of Watch or end of year picnic, involve younger people in the decision making. Be open to their suggestions in their ideas of music and entertainment.

Plan events which would be of interest to all age groups. Some ideas might be to do a day trip on a tall ship, an afternoon at the Coast Guard Academy, a wine and cheese party, a trip to a nautical movie or play.

Take the initiative to include a younger person on your patrols. Although "birds of a feather tend to flock together"-- remember the young hatchling in your plans. Make sure he or she does not feel excluded.

Present a welcoming face to younger people, as they may feel alienated and out of place when they are in the minority. Take it upon yourself to make them welcome. Tell them you're glad they're here. If he or she is sitting alone, sit by them and strike up a conversation.

If it is a young person's first meeting, be sure to talk to them about their goals. Follow up with a phone call. Ask them what they thought of the meeting. Encourage them to return.

Age Diversity

But even with younger people, don't limit the scope of your outreach. Like the Coast Guard itself, the Auxiliary should pride itself on its diversity, and recruiters should consider all skills, abilities and experience a potential member may bring to the Auxiliary regardless of placement in any artificial age grouping.. With this in mind, recruiters should still take a particularly hard look at the group with the smallest representation among active Auxiliary members: the 17 to 25 year olds.

1. Does a local college have an ROTC or NROTC program? Members may go on directly to military service, but some do not -- and these people may be interested in the activities the Auxiliary offers.

2. Some high school students or recent graduates may also be interested in Auxiliary activities, especially the more active missions like SAR and Readiness Exercises. (Some may already be involved  in a Junior ROTC program (or Sea Explorers, or Navel Sea Cadets.) Some may be headed for military service. . . "but not quite yet . . ." and it might interest them to know that an active Auxiliarist who is boat crew or coxswain qualified can later enlist in the Coast Guard with advanced rating and salary placement (E2 and E3 respectively). If they think that the Auxiliary is too stodgy for them, an article like this one from a flotilla newsletter, or this one from SITREP, may help change their minds.

3. Other high school and college students -- the less "military minded" -- may already be headed for careers in Marine Science or other environmental disciplines. With more and more active duty MSTs being reassigned to law enforcement activities since 9/11, Auxiliarists are being asked to augment in these assignments at several MSOs. The student-scientists or other young environmentalists just starting their career in a laboratory might be eager to participate in some hands-on field work in  their chosen profession. 

4. Don't forget the recently discharged young veteran -- from any of military services. He or she is probably under the age of 25, and yet has picked up many skills useful to the Auxilary's missions -- and useful to the Coast Guard when they are looking for augmenters with special skills.

5. Finally, how about that "kid" who always hangs around the marina. The one who "lives for life around the water," but who obviously can't afford to buy a boat -- the one who takes on "pick up" jobs mating on charter and party boats, and "cleaning up around the place." Given a chance, and the right mentoring, that might be your flotilla commander in a few years.