USCG Auxiliary leadership transition plan

1. 2016-17 Transition
Plan
Larry Ankrum

2. 1 2016 TransitionPlan| US CoastGuard Auxiliary-FourteenthDistrict
Watch words
 Service
 Integrity
 Competence
Vision statement
 To be the premier recreational boating organization in the Central/South Pacific
Mission Statement
 To train our members so they become invaluable resources for the US Coast Guard
in the Fourteenth District.
 To foster an organizational atmosphere of cooperation that makes belonging a fun
and satisfying experience.
 Through group and one-on-one contacts lower the incidence of boating accidents
and ocean paddling fatalities.

3. 2 2016 TransitionPlan| US CoastGuard Auxiliary-FourteenthDistrict
Transition team
Form an ad hoc transition team that represents the diverse nature of our organization.
Members of this group will represent differing ages, culture, geography, experience levels and
positions in the auxiliary. This team will be tasked with identifying potential problems and
opportunities as well as strategies to meet these issues.
Transition team will be comprised of IPDCO, Div 3 VCDR, Div 2 CDR, Div 1 VCDR, DCAPT-R,
DCAPT-P, ASC-Honolulu, and FC-Kauai. In addition to acting as commodore advisors, members
will also be an integral part of an overall communication strategy that flows information to and
from the membership.
Staff officers
District staff officers will be selected based on their interests, program expertise, leadership
and ability to work cooperatively up and down the chain of communication. District staff
officers will also be expected to work across program areas to magnify their effectiveness i.e.
Public affairs officer working with Public education officer working with Vessel examiners.
District staff officers will also serve as a committee of the whole to act as a steering group for
the district.
Technology team
A cadre of members will be selected to specifically address technology issues. This team’s goals
will be to:
 Improve geographically challenging communication issues within the organization (we
have flotillas in two different hemispheres about 2,500 miles apart)
 Develop strategies to overcome time zone differences (we not only have different time
zones in the district, but two flotillas are over the international date line so it’s a
different day)
Implement technology within the district to take advantage of approaches to provide public
education consistent with new methods coming from upstream from our national organization.

4. 3 2016 TransitionPlan| US CoastGuard Auxiliary-FourteenthDistrict
Recruitment and retention
Our membership has steadily increased in average age for the last two decades. Death and
disability has taken a toll on active members. Our public education programs, always a source
of new members, have likewise dwindled. Although we have not heard complaints about dues
payment increases for 2016, the collection of dues seems to be slower than normal. To reverse
the trend we must:
 Actively query members who leave the organization as to why they left
 Use surveys and face to face contacts to learn what would increase members’
satisfaction with the organization
 Sell the auxiliary’s programs across the internet (stress service to community and
country)
 Recruit younger participants by emphasizing the more active programs in which
members can contribute (operations, inspections and paddle craft)
 Make each current member a recruiter
 Do everything, within the control of the district, to make joining the auxiliary quick and
easy
 Get new members active quickly
Communication plan
 Plan to have at least one district-wide elected officer visit in person each flotilla at least
once a year. Pride in the organization will be a key theme. Each visit will be debriefed
with the district commodore/district chief of staff.
 Meetings and conferences will be video recorded and made available on-line.
 Space will be made available on the district web site for agendas and meeting notes.
 District Facebook® page will be used to highlight activities within the district.
 CS officers will be encouraged to use RSS feeds on division and flotilla web pages from
national sites to keep members abreast of national issues.
 Provide training within the district/division leaders detailing how to use Survey
Monkey® to garner feedback from the membership.
 Use public media to broadcast word of our events and sell boating safety.

5. 4 2016 TransitionPlan| US CoastGuard Auxiliary-FourteenthDistrict
Program development
Focus on core historical missions:
 Public education
 Vessel exams
 Operations (Air, surface and radio)
 Fellowship
Introduce new missions
 Auxiliary Paddle
 Waterways management (aids verification)
 Marine safety
o Uninspected Passenger Vessel inspection
o Commercial Fishing Vessel inspection
o Pollution response
o Coast Guard active duty support

6. 5 2016 TransitionPlan| US CoastGuard Auxiliary-FourteenthDistrict
Gantt chart-to be attached

7. 6 2016 TransitionPlan| US CoastGuard Auxiliary-FourteenthDistrict
Organization chart-to be attached