Navigator Express is the official E-Magazine Quarterly of the USCG Auxiliary Editor, Roger Bazeley AUXPA1

1. EXPRESS
EXPRESS
NAVIGATOR
3 R D Q U A R T E R 2 0 2 1
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2. HOW WE MAKE A
DIFFERENCE IN
THE COAST GUARD
AUXILIARY
ABOUT THE AUXILIARY
Boater Safety
Education
The Auxiliary's most
prominent role is promoting
recreational boating safety
(RBS) among the general
public. The Auxiliary has
several distinct programs
that support this mission.
The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary (USCGAUX) is the uniformed
volunteer service of the United States Coast Guard (USCG). The
Auxiliary exists to support all USCG missions except roles that require
direct law enforcement or military engagement. As of 2019, there were
approximately 24,000 members of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Established by Congress in 1939, the United States Coast Guard
Auxiliary motto is Semper Paratus (Always Ready). We invite you to learn
more about who and what we do as members of TEAM COAST GUARD.
The Auxiliary operates in:
- Recreational Boating Safety and Education
- Public Affairs and Community Outreach
- Safety and Security Patrols – Ports/Waterways
- Search and Rescue Mission Support
- Food Specialists for USCG events/ships
- Mass Casualty and Disaster Assistance
- Pollution Response & Patrols
- Commercial Fishing Vessel and Recreational Vessel Exams
- Platforms for USCG Training – Helicopter OPS
- Recruitment for Coast Guard Auxiliary/USCG
In addition to the above, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary operates in any
mission as directed by the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard or
Secretary of Homeland Security. Our mission is to promote and
improve Recreational Boating Safety, to provide trained crews and
facilities to augment the Coast Guard and enhance safety and security
of our ports, waterways, and coastal regions, and to support Coast
Guard operational, administrative, and logistical requirements.
Providing free Vessel Safety Exams to recreational
boaters is one of the Auxiliary's longest-running and
most visible activities.
Public Affairs
Public Affairs (PA) assists
in publicizing the missions
and accomplishments of
Team Coast Guard. Public
Affairs provide a direct
link between the Auxiliary
and the public through
recruitment and retention of membership.
Public Affairs is important for providing
boating safety education to the public.
Augmenting The
Coast Guard
The Auxiliary serves as a force
multiplier for the Coast Guard
by promoting safety, security,
and assisting boaters and
paddle-craft using our national
waterways, via ports, bays,
rivers, lakes, and coastal areas.
Improving recreational boater safety was delegated
to the Auxiliary as our first job. The Auxiliary also
directly supports active duty and reservists in
search and rescue, marine safety, waterway
management, environmental protection, and
homeland security missions.
SAUSALITO CA.—Tiffany Townsend alongside AUX
patrol vessel Sea Horse February 2020, Pre-COVID-19
protocols. Photo by Roger Bazeley, AUXPA1
Navigator Express
2 3rd Quarter 2021

3. Missed a previous edition? Click on the covers below to read!
NAVIGATOR
EXPRESS
EXPRESS
THE OFFICIAL E-MAGAZINE OF
THE U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY
EDITOR
Roger Bazeley
LAYOUT EDITOR
Andrew Niquette
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Gail Giacomini
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Christopher Orlando
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Brady McNulty
PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIRECTOR
Lourdes Oliveras
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF
PUBLICATIONS
Sean Peoples
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF
SUPPORT
Mary Patton
DIVISION CHIEF OF
PUBLICATIONS
Reid Oslin
DEEP DIVES
THE LATEST
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5
8
9
12
16
20
22
23
From The Commandant
6 Catch The Wave!
Join Tracey Alderson as she explains the importance of paddle craft
safety, with added tips on the importance of safety.
Sharing Our Mission: Public Affairs
Public Affairs holds an important mission within the Auxiliary. Take an
in-depth look into how we support Team Coast Guard.
10
7 Ways To Remain Active During COVID-19
During the pandemic, we have shifted gears into a new way of
supporting our missions. Find out how you can stay mission ready.
14
Auxiliary Culinary Assistance: Mission Support
What's that? A new name? The Auxiliary's Culinary Assistance (formerly
Food Service) program highlights an important mission.
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Save A Life. Wear It!
Engine Cutoff Devices
AUXAIR Search & Rescue
PA Photography Course
Emergency Beacons
Change of Command
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25
26
27
28
29
30
32
33
AUX Culinary Assistance
Auxiliary's 9/11 Response
RBS Goes Digital
Auxiliary Medevac
Safe Boating
Life Jackets Save Lives!
Guardians of Cuisine
Benefits of Membership
Obituaries
Eternal Father
Contact/Submissions

4. FROMTHE
COMMANDANT
throughout history, the Coast Guard has consistently risen to the challenge of protecting
the American people and our way of life. As our Nation and the global community
confront the Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19), our Coast Guard continues to perform
critical missions that protect our national interests, promote economic prosperity, and
ensure public safety.
While this virus may be new, the Coast Guard’s skilled and practiced response to all
threats is not. THIS IS WHAT WE DO. We surge our resources, we focus our efforts, we take
care of each other, we adjust as conditions require, and above
all we remain calm. Emergency management expertise and
a disciplined approach to contingencies are part of our
organizational DNA and will successfully navigate us
through the uncertain days ahead.
While we don’t know how long the effects of COVID-19
will endure, I assure you that we will continue to maintain
situational awareness and plan for potential impacts. The
American public counts on us to remain “Always Ready”
to defend our nation, safeguard our citizens, and facilitate
our economy – just as we’ve done for nearly 230 years.
This is why we serve!
During times of uncertainty
Navigator Express
4 3rd Quarter 2021

5. Save A Life.
Wear It!
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www.cgaux.org

6. T
Catch The Wave
RECREATIONAL BOATING SAFETY
A row of kayaks on
display. Photo by USCG
Auxiliary Public Affairs.
The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is trying to catch
the wave as far as being current with the paddle
craft trend. More and more people are drawn to
paddle craft than ever before. These are non-
motorized watercraft: kayaks, canoes, and stand-
up paddleboards (SUP). They are relatively
affordable, portable, and inexpensive.
Unfortunately, with the increased uptick of this
hobby has also come increased fatalities. In terms
of our Recreational Boating Safety mission:
“The current U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Strategic
Plan focuses on Auxiliary efforts to address the
problem by expanding the outreach to the paddle
craft community.”
As Auxiliarists, we need to educate ourselves on
boating safety requirements specific to paddle
craft. The Auxiliary offers instruction to members
via AUXPAD Ashore and AUXPAD Afloat. As
we resume patrols, we need to be mindful that we
may encounter canoeists, kayakers, and
paddleboarders. They are part of our mission of
Recreational Boating Safety.
By Tracey Alderson, ADSO-PB
Navigator Express
6 3rd Quarter 2021

7. PADDLE SAFETY TIPS
Before you leave, tell someone your plans. This
information is a float plan. It can be formal or
informal. Check in with your contact, especially
upon return. Plan an alternative takeout point in
case of emergency.
Monitor the weather. Check the forecast before
leaving, and prepare for rain even if you don't
think it will. Bring a weather radio as an early
warning system for inclement weather.
Don’t underestimate the power of wind and
waves, especially on large lakes. Be cautious of
obstacles in the river and avoid overhanging
and dead trees.
Bring clean drinking water and a waterproof
container with a first aid kit (know how to use
it), waterproof matches, and extra clothes.
Before launching and before leaving, clean off
aquatic plants and animals to prevent invasive
species from taking hold in a new water body.
Drain all water away from the landing.
Wear a life jacket at all times while on the water.
It will save your life. Buckle and zip up that life
jacket. Wear bright colors or a high-visibility
life jacket.
Carry plenty of food and water. Drink fluids
frequently to avoid dehydration, which can
impair your judgment and damage your health.
The ANSC has the “If Found” stickers for paddle
craft. This sticker can prevent an expensive and
extensive missing person S&R if searchers can
contact you to ensure that your adrift canoe did
not have you in it.
Motorized boaters will readily tell you that paddle craft can be a nuisance. Of course, this goes both ways.
We need to educate paddlers on proper navigation and boating etiquette. Remember:
· Be aware of your surroundings. It may make the sole difference in everyone’s safety.
· The safest way for paddle craft to cross the path of a powerboat is astern.
· At night, a white light must be shown toward oncoming traffic.
· Any vessel less than 20 meters should not impede the passage of a larger ship
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www.cgaux.org

9. POMPANO BEACH, FL - On May 18, 2021, a
routine Auxiliary Aviation Maritime Observation
Mission in an AZTEC Twin PA32, departed from a
small airport in South Florida, crewed by fellow
Aircraft Commander Ron Kaplan, Thomas Powers,
and Aircrew Arvid Albanese. The flight observation
area included portions of the U.S. Coast Guard
Sectors Miami and Key West areas of
responsibilities (AOR). These areas include the
waters between Florida and the Bahamas and the
Straits of Florida, which separates Cuba and
Florida. During the morning, the patrol was
operationally normal.
After a refueling and lunch stop at Marathon in the
Florida Keys, the afternoon flight became a
different story. Once airborne, a call came from
USCG Sector Key West to check out a report of a
migrant vessel that had been called in by a passing
freighter. When Ron Kaplan plotted the reported
position, it was determined that we were only ten
minutes away. At the last reported vessel position,
there was no vessel in sight. We radioed to the
freighter, who then supplied an updated position for
the vessel two miles away from the previously
reported position. There it was – a 12-foot vessel
with a black sail and seven persons on board!
The normal procedure for an airborne “find,” is to
remain in the area, keeping the vessel in sight until
a surface asset can assist. In this case, that effort
was hampered by 12-foot seas and the vessel’s 30-
mile distance from shore. Two 45-foot response
vessels dispatched by the Coast Guard were forced
to turn back due to the sea conditions.
Directed by the Coast Guard, we asked the
freighter to return to the migrant vessel and take its
occupants aboard. They declined, citing the
dangerous sea conditions and the unknown health
status of the migrants, given the pandemic.
Having been on the scene for more than two hours
on the second flight segment of the day, we were
approaching our daily flight-time limit. We advised
USCG Sector Key West, who then diverted an
active-duty HC-144A, to take over the air cover
task until a Coast Guard cutter could get to the
vessel to rescue its occupants. Four hours later,
after nightfall, the USCG Cutter Paul Jones arrived
and embarked the seven migrants. As the sea
conditions worsened, it is unlikely that the small
craft's occupants would have survived.
Saving lives at sea takes a team of individuals and
assets working together. The Coast Guard team
included the Good Samaritan vessel crew who
made the initial report and kept track of the
vessel’s location, to the Sector Key West
Command Center personnel and aviation crews
from the Auxiliary. The USCG Sector Key West
SAR team included active duty, response boat, and
cutter surface crews.
AUXAIR: ALWAYS READY
AuxAir Patrol Evolves Into
SEARCH & RESCUE
By Thomas Powers, DSO-AV - District 7
P
The migrant vessel in distress shown from above as a
hoist is dropped to them. Photo by USCG Public
Affairs.
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www.cgaux.org

10. KNOW YOUR AUX: PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Sharing Our Mission:
Public Affairs
Here are some key takeaways from lessons and skills acquired
through the Auxiliary Public Affairs C-School Training.
By Roger Bazeley, AUXPA1
Communicating internally and externally, the
USCG Auxiliary service mission and brand Team
Coast Guard relies on specific skill sets and
methodologies. We are trained as Public Affairs
Officers in doing it with clarity and purpose in
procedures, form, and methodology when dealing
internally with the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S.
Coast Guard Auxiliary and interacting externally
with the public we serve. The value of precise
communications including writing and production
of published media must demonstrate clarity,
transparency, and accountability.
Public Affairs is involved with supporting many of
the various missions in recreational boating safety,
water and land patrol operations, and augmenting
various missions and tasks performed as a part of
Team Coast Guard. This varies from vessel
inspections to standing watch at various units like
Sector San Francisco, monitoring and logging
emergency calls, administration duties at Air
Station San Francisco, or with the Pacific Strike
Force where trained and qualified U.S. Coast
Guard Auxiliarists augment the enlisted U.S. Coast
Guard.
C
ODU covers lay aboard
a bridge table on the
CGC POMPANO. Photo
by Andrew Niquette.
Navigator Express
10 3rd Quarter 2021

11. USCG Auxiliarist Gail Giacomini from D11 Public Affairs
doing outreach for employees at the SF Federal
Reserve with safe boating and Auxiliary educational
materials and life vests displayed. Photo by Roger
Bazeley.
This external and internal identity reinforcement has
proven significant value and positive results through
motivational reinforcement, directly impacting the
recruitment, retention, and active participation of
Auxiliarists. There is a significant difference between
managing and performing public affairs tasks and
duties in the public sector versus within the confines
of a government agency or military organization in
procedures and the dissemination of information,
dealing with the media, public, stakeholders like
public officials, multiple government agencies.
These procedures and skills are best learned and
acquired through taking the online Introduction to
Public Affairs initially before taking on flotilla public
affairs duties and the highly recommended intense
public affairs three-day C-School offered several
times a year in different U.S. Coast Guard locations.
AUX-12 is a valuable comprehensive interactive
training course that covers a wide scope of
procedures and practices scenario training for being
an effective FSO-Public Affairs for delivering and
communicating positive public affairs messaging,
publishing articles, and responding to a variety of
local press opportunities, social media, and
incident/crisis response situations involving Auxiliary
participation.
A fully qualified Public Affairs Auxiliarist can be a
valuable asset to his/her flotilla, division, national
staff, or the Gold Side when there is a need for
additional staffing and expertise in a Joint Incident
Command operation as in Hurricane Katrina, or part
of incident response as in the Gulf’s BP Deep
Horizon oil well valve blow-out, fire and resulting in
a massive spill. This massive oil drilling and
environmental disaster required months of clean-up
operations management and monitoring by various
government response agencies under U.S. Coast
Guard and FEMA operations and management
oversight. Public affairs value is paramount in dealing
with the media and press at RBS events and in
incident response. Additionally, public affairs play a
key role in the positive promotion of the brand
identity/mission recognition of the U.S. Coast Guard
Auxiliary as a meaningful proactive public service
volunteer organization in promoting public
recreational boating safety and education.
Virginia Luchetti at a RBS booth, speaking with a
member of the public.
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www.cgaux.org

12. PUBLIC AFFAIRS PHOTOGRAPHY
Public Affairs Academy:
The First Photography Course
By Raymond Llorens, Jr.
The A-Directorate of the Coast Guard Auxiliary
hosted a photography course with classes offered
every Monday evening from July 27, 2020, to April
2021. Robin Priestly, Branch Chief of Photography,
led most of the classes with Commodore Kevin
Murphy, assisting with the web traffic and several
guest lectures. The course was open to all
Auxiliarists, whether Public Affairs, Publications,
or interested and enthusiastic about photography. A
hundred and eight Auxiliarists from thirty-seven
states participated in the online classroom via
GoToMeeting®. Photography classes covered
many subjects, including; composition, lighting,
storytelling, caption writing and choice of cameras.
Whether one shoots with a film camera, top-of-the-
line digital, or a cell phone, there was something
for everyone. It was not just a weekly lecture - we
all learned from one another. Often there was an
open discussion about individual shooting styles,
philosophy, and file management.
Members were faced with many photographic
challenges and physical obstacles, such as power
outages, forest fires, tornadoes, flooding, snow,
and ice storms, not to mention the COVID-19
Pandemic. Being on "stand down" for the most
part, we did not collect many Auxiliary action
shots, but we could practice some useful skills for
when we do get back to photographing what we
do.
T
Navigator Express
12 3rd Quarter 2021

13. Como Murphy's friendship, support, and class
commentary benefitted us all and deserves special
recognition
The success of this course would not have been
possible without the early efforts of Jeffery Schnider
and Tom Ceniglio. Jeff's suggestions, counsel, and
attention to detail provided the vendor discount,
calendar, and student tracking required to start this
process. He then provided tremendous technical
support for members who lacked the computer skills
to use a link or any virtual meeting software. Tom
provided the senior leadership, guidance, and
sponsorship required to get this idea out of dry-dock
and was a fountain of good cheer and optimism, even
when we were operating on portable generators.
The 2020-21 photography course was an education
and delivery pilot. Long term, the course will provide
guidance and information to develop more relevant
and purposeful training that will expand the benefit
and value for Team Coast Guard. Student
involvement and commitment are critical for any
training program. The tenacity, perseverance, and
creativity of our attendees exemplify the spirit of the
Auxiliary. Members drive our performance, and I am
proud to have been part of this class.
Photography Class Schedule Overview
Eligible Attendees: Any member of Team Coast
Guard may take the photography course, regardless
of skill level. One can attend the classes live on the
scheduled dates, or view the recordings and
PowerPoint presentations after the class session. You
can audit the class(es) for personal learning. You can
attend and participate in all of the scheduled/recorded
classes, submit the homework assignments, and get a
certificate of completion at the end of the course. If
you wish to take subjects a la carte without getting a
certificate, you may take the four modules out of
sequence.
The initial goal of the class was to improve the
quality of photographs submitted for publication. The
shared experience, interesting topics of conversation,
and the esprit de corps developed by the interaction of
the group were unexpectedly positive. But the
outcome was a measurable improvement in individual
skills and photo quality. The photography course was
a hop-on, hop-off set of five class modules. The
participants became an intriguing group of people
with many life skills and interesting stories to tell.
While sharing images, we discussed and viewed
photos captured from Antarctica to Zaire. Of the
Auxiliarist participants who started, thirty-seven
students from sixteen states completed all the
modules and assignments. Some individuals
dedicated five hundred hours or more practicing and
sharpening their photography and caption writing
skills!
Plans are already in the works to do additional classes
to continue gathering to sharpen each other's skills
and repeat the modules for those who would like to
continue completing the course. Robin Priestly and
Commodore Murphy, who certainly logged thousands
of hours on this endeavor, we say "Bravo Zulu." It
was an invaluable organized photography training
class and a Corvid-19 virtual activity experience for
all who participated during the Auxiliary’s Pandemic
stand-down.
The classes spanned ten months and are probably the
longest USCG Auxiliary course ever undertaken.
Commodore K.C. Murphy was the "Bluewater"
support for this course. He graciously offered and
accepted the task of platform management despite
numerous obstacles, not the least of which was
defunding.
The left image commemorates the completion of the Coast
Guard Auxiliary Public Affairs Academy's Inaugural
Photography Course on Monday, April 12, 2021. The three
objects featured - the Auxiliary Flag, Auxiliary combination
cover and a 4x5 large format camera, reflect the honor,
dedication and, longstanding tradition of the CG Auxiliary
photographer. Coast Guard Auxiliary photo by Ramon
Llorens, Jr.
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www.cgaux.org

14. During the stand down, free member training is available for anyone
wanting to be prepared to carry out the Coast Guard’s recreational boating
safety mission with the Sea Scouts. This training is mandatory for any Auxiliarist
who work with Sea Scouts “regularly,” defined as having contact with a Sea Scout at
least once a year. It is also required for certain elected and staff officers of Auxiliary
flotillas and divisions that charter Sea Scout Ships. Detailed information about the
Youth Protection Course can be found at scouting.org/ training/youth-protection.
T A K E S E A S C O U T Y O U T H P R O T E C T I O N T R A I N I N G
COVID-19 vaccination is a critical prevention measure to help end the COVID-19
pandemic. COVID-19 vaccines are now widely available in the United States, and
CDC recommends all people 12 years and older be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Public health recommendations for people fully vaccinated with FDA-approved or
FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccines consider evidence of vaccine effectiveness
against symptomatic COVID-19 with and without severe outcomes, as well as
vaccine impact on SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
There are a number of teleconferencing platforms that are available for use.
They include Skype, FaceTime and Houseparty. Some are free of charge while
others offer limited free time before requiring a monthly fee. When the stand down
is over, Auxiliary units will need to develop written electronic meeting plans and
standing rules for telephonic/electronic meetings if they have not done so already.
Units interested in teleconferencing or other uses of technology are encouraged to
work with their local communication services officer.
7 WAYS TO REMAIN ACTIVE
S T A Y I N G M I S S I O N R E A D Y
DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
By 1st District Northern Public Affairs
Infographic By Andrew Niquette
G E T Y O U R C O V I D - 1 9 V A C C I N A T I O N
U S E T E L E C O N F E R E N C E S T O K E E P I N T O U C H
Navigator Express
14 3rd Quarter 2021

15. The Auxiliary’s most important mission is saving lives. Conducting as many
Vessel Safety Checks as possible is one way that that mission is accomplished. The
process of becoming a qualified Vessel Examiner is something that you can begin
now during the stand down. You can take and pass the online classroom VE exam
anytime that you want. The Vessel Examiner course is located on the Coast Guard
Auxiliary Online Classroom, at classroom2.cgaux.org/moodle/.
P A S S T H E V E S S E L E X A M I N E R ( V E ) E X A M
It’s often said that we learn from the ground up. But what better way is there
to learn seamanship than from the keel up? David Racicot, IPFC, Boothbay
Harbor Flotilla 25, is building a lightweight, 20 pound canoe. The wood frame will be
covered with Kevlar roving and Dacron skin. Racicot says that building paddle craft
himself enhances his credibility with local paddlers and has made conducting paddle
craft Vessel Safety Checks much easier.
B U I L D A B O A T !
No one knows exactly when the current stand down will end. When it does,
Auxiliarists once again will be in uniform at Coast Guard stations, as well as public
events and activities. Therefore, this is a great time to refresh our memories about
proper uniform wear and possibly even learn a few new things while doing so. A
useful place to begin reviewing uniform wear is “2019 Coast Guard Auxiliary
Uniforms.” It can be found on the web at cgaux.org/members/USCGAUX_
Uniform_Presentation-01082019.pdf.
R E V I E W U N I F O R M W E A R
The National Training (T) Directorate has just created a distance learning
course about COVID-19, providing factual information and insight into coping
with daily activities. It consists of 16 mini video lessons on a wide variety of topics,
plus web links to government resources. To access the course, go to
classroom2.cgaux.org/moodle/, then click on “T-Training,” then “Auxiliary Core and
Basic Qualification Training Portal.”
T A K E C O V I D - 1 9 A W A R E N E S S T R A I N I N G
Information contribution provided from District 1
Northern's publication Nor'easter - Wes Baden 15
www.cgaux.org

16. Carrying an emergency beacon with you
when you are on the water can save your
life. An emergency beacon, such as a
handheld Personal Locator Beacon (PLB)
or an Emergency Position Indicating Radio
Beacon (EPIRB), can be used in an
emergency to notify rescue authorities that
you are in trouble and can assist them in
finding you more quickly. PLBs and
EPIRBs operate in substantially the same
way, by transmitting a coded message on
the 406 MHz distress frequency. In the
U.S., you must register your beacon. An
EPIRB is specifically designed for
maritime applications. It is registered to the
vessel, while a PLB is smaller and lighter to
make carrying easier and is registered to the
person. If your beacon is activated, either
by you or automatically by hitting the water
(if so designed), the registration
information will give responders what they
need to know to help them better assist you.
The registration info will enable search and
rescue coordinators to contact you before
dispatching rescue personnel unnecessarily
in an accidental activation.
C
Emergency Beacons Save Lives:
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
By Sydney Hay, BC-BRE
Man in water – an emergency beacon greatly increases
a distressed boater’s chance of rescue. (Photo
credit: ACR Electronics, Inc. and reprinted with
permission of the National Safe Boating Council.
SEMPER PARATUS - ALWAYS READY
It is used to detect and locate distress signals from mariners,
aviators, and recreational enthusiasts almost anywhere in the
world at any time and in almost any condition using satellites
that relay distress signals from emergency beacons to a
network of ground stations and ultimately to the U.S. Mission
Control Center (USMCC.) The USMCC notifies the
appropriate search and rescue authorities about who is in
distress and the rescue location. In 2020, NOAA reported that
217 people in 83 incidents were rescued at sea by this system.
As the NOAA website says, “… SARSAT takes the ‘search’
out of search and rescue!” The Coast Guard recently rescued
two people aboard a disabled sailing vessel approximately 60
miles northwest of Marathon, Florida.
EPIRBs should be mounted to the vessel in
an area without overhead obstructions or
placed in a “ditch bag,” a floating container
containing emergency equipment. PLBs are
small enough to attach to a life jacket. And
while attaching that PLB, don’t forget to
affix a sound-producing device such as a
loud whistle to that jacket. e National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) operates the Search and Rescue
Satellite Aided Tracking (SARSAT) system
Navigator Express
16 3rd Quarter 2021

17. The U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Rules list the following distress signals that when used or
exhibited together or separately, indicate distress and need of assistance:
• A gun or other explosive signal fired at intervals of about a minute;
• A continuous sounding with any fog-signaling apparatus;
• Rockets or shells, throwing red stars fired one at a time at short intervals;
• A signal made by radiotelegraphy or by any other signaling method consisting of the group “. . .– – –. . .”
(SOS) in the Morse Code;
• A signal sent by radiotelephony consisting of the spoken word “Mayday”;
• The International Code Signal of distress indicated by N.C.;
• A signal consisting of a square flag having above or below it a ball or anything resembling a ball;
• Flames on the vessel (as from a burning tar barrel, oil barrel, etc.);
• A rocket parachute flare or a hand flare showing a red light;
• A smoke signal giving off orange-colored smoke;
• Slowly and repeatedly raising and lowering arms outstretched to each side;
• The radiotelegraph alarm signal;
• The radiotelephone alarm signal;
• Signals transmitted by emergency position indicating radio beacons;
• Approved signals transmitted by radio communication systems, including survival craft radar transponders.
A diagram showing the steps taken after an
emergency beacon is activated. Photo
credit: ACR Electronics, Inc. and reprinted with
permission of the National Safe Boating Council
Coast Guard Seventh District watchstanders
received a PLB alert at approximately 2:30 am.
Coast Guard Air Station Miami launched an MH-65
Dolphin helicopter crew, who located the disabled
50-foot sailing vessel, White Pearl, and requested a
nearby Good Samaritan aboard the sailing vessel,
Mystic, to monitor the situation until a Station Key
West small boat crew arrived on the scene. The
Station Key West crew took the vessel in tow and
transferred the tow over to commercial salvage.
They brought the disabled vessel to Fleming Key
with no injuries. "This case is a perfect example of
proper boater preparation, inter-agency partners, and
the boating public coming together to save lives,"
said Petty Officer 3rd Class Tom Gargiulo, a Station
engineer. All Coast Guard Auxiliary boat crew
members are issued a PLB that they must have
attached to their PFDs when on patrol. All boaters
would do well to equip themselves and their boats
with such a device. It could save their lives.
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www.cgaux.org

18. Auxiliary Culinary Assistance:
Mission Support
If you are qualified, current, and physically fit, you are invited to join
USCG AUXCA for an exciting adventure!
By Anne Wright, DSO-FS
Auxiliary Culinary Assistance (AUXCA) is a
program managed by the Coast Guard and serves
both stations and cutters. Short-term assistance is
daily and usually in-port, and long-term is
weeklong or longer and usually underway. These
assignments are available to anyone qualified and
willing to work them. Depending upon the size of
the cutter, you may be working solo or with one or
more CSs (Active-duty Culinary Specialists). Cutter
duty at sea is a challenge due to the dips and rolls of
the boat and the close quarters. Galleys are smaller
than those at stations, and equipment is limited.
To serve underway, you must be current in all
AUX and CA requirements and be physically and
mentally able to work long hours in sometimes
rough seas. Strength, balance, and an ability to
navigate steep ladders are essential to a successful
cruise. Of the 36 AUXCA currently active in
D9CR, around five have gotten underway.
This story is but one of many. From 30 November
to 18 December 2019, I was underway on the
USCGC ALDER (homeport Duluth MN, nickname
“King of the Waters”). The ALDER is 225' long
and is both a buoy tender and an icebreaker, with a
crew of 50.
A
L: CGC ALDER tending to a
buoy. R: Anne Wright in
the galley. Photos by Anne
Wright.
SEMPER PARATUS - ALWAYS READY
Navigator Express
18 3rd Quarter 2021

19. Starting in Duluth, MN, we sailed to the Keweenaw
Peninsula in northern Michigan to pick up two
historic boats to deliver to a maritime museum in
Traverse City, City, MI, then continued across Lake
Superior and through the Soo Locks. Much of the
transit time was through the night, so a gentle rock
kept me comfortably asleep.
All along the way, the crew was removing summer
buoys and replacing them with winter buoys. My
job was to help cook warm, filling meals for some
very cold and tired deckhands. We continued to
Traverse City to drop off the historic boats and
spent an evening in town. Unfortunately, rough
weather canceled the next day's leave as we left port
in the late evening and anchored out; our
consolation was a trivia night and ice cream on the
mess deck.
We backtracked under Big Mac, worked buoys in
northern Lake Huron, went back up the cut to the
Soo, and finally returned to Duluth where we broke
the ice in the harbor.
In all, this trip transited three of the five Great
Lakes in 17 days, passing through the Soo Locks
twice and under the Mackinac Bridge twice. I had
three great CSs to work with me in the galley, was
invited to come up to the bridge for observation,
and was privileged to cook for a very friendly
crew.
Culinary Specialists in the galley
aboard CGC ALDER. Photo by
Anne Wright.
19
www.cgaux.org

20. Auxiliary Culinary Assistance:
USCGC PIKE CoC
By Roger Bazeley, AUXPA1
Auxiliary Culinary
Assistants Tommy
Holtzman, Linda Haynes
and Nancy Holtzman
serving meals at USCGC
PIKE Change of Command
reception. Photos by
Roger Bazeley.
GUARDIANS OF CUISINE - AUXCA
SAN FRANSISCO, CA — The USCG Auxiliary
Culinary Assistance Team supported the June 21,
2021’s USCGC PIKE Change of Command,
preparing and serving the reception cuisine and
ceremonial cakes. These were prepared by the
Auxiliary Culinary Assistance team under the
supervision of USCG Culinary Specialist CS2
Andrina Healy, trained at USCG Training Center,
Petaluma CA.
Auxiliary members support the USCG in many
areas, from the Auxiliary Cutterman program
requiring extensive qualifications, to other support
areas. Auxiliarists are qualified Auxiliary Public
Affairs photographers and photojournalists, Public
Affairs Specialists, who document and report on
these events, augmenting the USCG District Public
Affairs Team.
Auxiliary Public Affairs musicians from the pipe
band USCG and trumpeters have played at change
of command ceremonies and memorials, anything
from the National Anthem and Amazing Grace to
TAPS.
Auxiliarists, whether serving as Cuttermen,
Musicians, Auxiliary PA photographers, Auxiliary
Culinary Assistants or representing leadership at
important USCG change of command events, are
dedicated volunteers, a vital part of Team Coast
Guard. The bonding and memories supported and
captured for our USCG Officers are an important
part of fellowship bonding between the Auxiliary
and the United States Coast Guard.
S
Navigator Express
20 3rd Quarter 2021

21. 21
www.cgaux.org
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. – USCGC PIKE Change of Command Ceremony, U. S. Coast Guard Sector San Francisco on June 21. Transfer of command
from Lieutenant Alexander LaBelle to Lieutenant Junior Grade John Loewenstein. Photos by USCG Auxiliary Public Affairs.

22. The Auxiliary Culinary Assistance (AUXCA) program enhances Coast
Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary mission readiness, effectiveness,
and execution by:
• Promoting and providing culinary assistance to Coast Guard units
(on land and at sea) and to Auxiliary units.
• Supporting the Coast Guard National Strategic Plan.
• Training and maintaining a high degree of proficiency to support
the CG and the Auxiliary.
AUXCA Specialists are trained by certified AUXCA Instructors or
USCG Active-Duty Culinary Specialists II and above, using Coast
Guard Approved AUXCA Program guides. Hands-on learning follows
classroom training and a Personnel Qualification Standard is
completed within one year of training. Additional requirements may
be necessary based on the competency desired.
Auxiliary Culinary Assistance
Navigator Express
22 3rd Quarter 2021

23. On Sept. 11, 2021, the twentieth anniversary, most of us remembered the deadliest foreign attack on American soil. The nation
watched as unthinkable destruction unfolded on television, with hundreds of thousands experiencing or witnessing the
attacks and fallout in person. The images of New York, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania are still nearly as clear as if they
were photographed yesterday.
Auxiliarist David Elliot (now COMO Elliot) was the District Directorate Officer for Operations and Marine Safety in District 1
South. The morning of Sept. 11, before the attack, he was on a flight from New Jersey to D.C., working as an Engineering
Supervisor for ABC news. After takeoff, he observed Manhattan and the intact World Trade Center fade from view as they
traveled south. As his flight landed, the pilot informed passengers of the World Trade Center attack, and televisions inside
the terminal confirmed the news. According to Elliot, while waiting on the Metro train platform at the Airport in D.C., they
"heard and felt a huge explosion. It was an aircraft hitting the Pentagon, just two miles north of where we were! As we
watched the smoke boil into the sky, a Metro train came into the station with the conductor shouting that service was closed."
The U.S. Coast Guard immediately responded, taking action to initiate the maritime evacuation. By Wednesday, the U.S. Coast
Guard Auxiliary responded to requests from Coast Guard Station/Sector New York. On Thursday, Sept. 13, Elliot responded as
Coxswain aboard his 37-foot trawler Auxiliary OPS Facility, Pied a Mer, normally moored in New Jersey across from the
Manhattan skyline, where Elliot, a member of Flotilla Wyckoff often conducted routine surface patrols in the New York
harbor. Upon arriving at CG Station, New York, Elliot helped coordinate the local Auxiliary response, joining other Auxiliarists
and mobilized facilities.
Coast Guard to CG Auxiliary communications was impossible due to the destruction of local communication infrastructure, so
Elliot and the Auxiliary team initially contacted District 1SR Flotillas, from Long Island to Albany to New Jersey, and linked
them to CG Station New York. A communications network was established utilizing VHF radio with repeater relays from
Auxiliary radio stations in Yonkers, Brooklyn and New Jersey. From their makeshift comm center, they collected requests
from Station New York and passed them to Flotilla and Division OPS officers, organizing response of Auxiliary facilities to the
scene. It took several weeks for regular communications to be re-established.
As many as ten to fifteen facilities responded daily over the next six weeks or so. Auxiliary communicators initially worked
eight-hour rotating shifts, available 24/7. Some vessels remained overnight at CG Station, New York. Since the bridges were
closed, the response was via the waterways, and coxswains had to stop at security points before approaching the harbor
area and the station. Auxiliarists performed many support functions, including ferrying personnel and supplies to moored
cutters and supplies and meals to Manhattan for personnel at Ground Zero. They also performed Public Affairs and VIP
missions, carrying news reporters and camera operators near the scene. Auxiliary coordinators included David Elliot, Bill
Tooker, Pat Ermilio, Bob Swartz and Bob Kingsley. Auxiliarists also augmented at CG Station Sandy Hook and filled in at
Stations in Long Island and Connecticut as active-duty was reassigned to the New York harbor.
Volunteer Team Coast Guard members who were assigned to duty during the 9/11 tragedy exemplified the Coast Guard
motto, “Semper Paratus (always ready).”
PHOTO ABOVE: COMO David Elliot as Coxswain with COMO Bill Huling, who was apparently the sitting District 1S COMO at the
time, aboard an Auxiliary Facility in New York harbor on September 7th, 2001, four days before the attack.
Auxiliary Response
NAVIGATOR'S CORNER - SAVING LIVES
By Deborah Cordone, AUXPA1
To 9/11
23
www.cgaux.org

24. Reach out to your public affairs officer in your chain of leadership to develop a social media plan,
Be active in your Flotilla, Division, and District web pages, but also encourage the development of social media
web pages on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter,
Keep in mind, social media may also be an important means for recruiting and retention. There has been a steady
stream of individuals who have never heard of the Coast Guard Auxiliary but have become interested in the
Auxiliary from what has been posted on social media,
Be active with RBS and Public Affairs in your local area and document it with pictures and articles. If you have great
ideas, photographs, infographics, or articles, send us a message and we may share it and,
Follow and like us and other U.S. Coast Guard and Auxiliary pages on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
The Recreational Boating Safety (RBS) Directorate is known for providing boating safety information through public
education courses, vessel exams, and program visitors, but what happens when RBS events and opportunities are no
longer available due to the COVID-19 pandemic?
Meet Auxiliarist Anthony F. King from District 11, who runs the RBS Directorate’s social media accounts as the Branch
Chief of Social Media, a position he's held since the end of 2020. King shows how social media can contribute and is
even necessary to expand the Auxiliary’s message.
“Social media plays a large role today—from apps like Facebook, Tiktok, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, Reddit to
Discord. These social media platforms influence and inform a lot of people throughout the entire world. Whether we
share videos, news articles, images, or infographics, social media is spreading the message of recreational boating
safety,” said King. Previous to his assignment as Branch Chief, at the start of the pandemic in March 2020 King
recognized that social media would be an asset to the Auxiliary and RBS Director. “While COVID-19 halted all in-person
activities, social media became a way to engage with the public, and other virtual platforms, such as GoToMeeting and
Zoom, became the way Auxiliarists engaged with each other. The same information given out in person was now given
out virtually. Social media usage increased throughout various directorates and districts. In addition, flotillas and
divisions began to use social media platforms.”
He believes social media should not be left behind as we transition back to in-person missions;
“I cannot stress enough how much social media is a tool for the Auxiliary to share a variety of material and information.
The Coast Guard has seen the importance of maintaining social media platforms… with great content and information
shared on their pages”. Continuing the work he started during the pandemic, King said, “My biggest goal is to continue
to grow all the social media pages the RBS Outreach Directorate has and, continue to inform the public and Auxiliarists
about our primary job and mission - recreational boating safety and how Auxiliarists across the country are promoting
it.”
For Auxiliary members looking to get involved in RBS and social media King recommends to;
RBS Goes Digital
During Pandemic
NAVIGATOR'S CORNER - TECH SAAVY
By Christopher Orlando, AUXPA2
Navigator Express
24 3rd Quarter 2021

25. CHARLESTON, S.C. — A U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Charleston MH-65 Dolphin aircrew was assigned to medevac a 25-
year-old man 58 miles east of Charleston, South Carolina on March 16, 2021. Coast Guard Sector Charleston
watchstanders often include USCG Auxiliary volunteer personnel such as Dr. Mark Perni, the “Flight Surgeon On-Call”,
who received a medevac request from the fishing vessel Golden Retriever, reporting that a crewmember was suffering
from seizures and needed medical care. The Golden Retriever was anchored 58 miles off Charleston due to seven to
nine-foot high seas and winds of 20 to 25 knots. The aircrew transferred the critically ill crewman to Medical University
of South Carolina Hospital at 13:49 to receive further treatment.
PHOTO ABOVE: A Coast Guard Air Station Charleston MH-65 Dolphin at Charleston, S.C., Mar. 16, 2021, prepared for
pre-flight. Photo by USCG Public Affairs, Sector Charleston.
Auxiliary Medical Services
Responds To Medevac
NAVIGATOR'S CORNER - MISSION READINESS
By U.S. Coast Guard Sector Charleston Public Affairs
25
www.cgaux.org

26. Always wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket while underway. 80% of boating deaths are due to drowning,
and 86% of those victims were not wearing properly fitting life jackets.
Don’t drink and boat. People operating vessels under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or impairing medication
pose a serious threat to you and anyone else aboard.
Make a VHF radio your go-to means of communicating in an emergency. Cell phones may go out of range or lose
battery power when needed most.
Take a boating safety course. The Coast Guard Auxiliary offers boating safety courses ranging from electronic
navigation to boat handling.
Get a free Vessel Safety Check from the Coast Guard Auxiliary to ensure you have all the gear and safety
equipment required by your state and federal laws.
Look at the weather and tides before you head out. Squalls and shifting tides can change suddenly.
File a float plan. Planned route and time of return with someone.to help find you if something happens.
Avoid Hypothermia. Dress for water temperature and not just for the weather.
Know your navigation rules. Know how to properly navigate waterways and maintain lookouts to keep yourself and
everyone else around you safe. No your waterway navigation and boating rules.
Locator beacons can help the USCG find you faster. Locator Beacons are attached to your boat and your life jacket
and should be registered with the owner's information and emergency contacts.
Check out the Coast Guard Boating Safety app. Where you can file a float plan, request assistance, request a
vessel safety check, and report pollution and hazards to navigation.
Team Coast Guard members urge mariners and beachgoers to be safe during the summer and fall recreational boating
season.
“The USCG reports that the 2020 recreational boating season during the months of June, July and August saw
the highest on-water deaths from recreational boating in 23 years. The increase in boating accidents and
deaths Nationwide exceeded 2019 by 24%. As boaters take to the water, there is an increased likelihood for
search and rescue situations, due to mechanical failures and accidents. If you know someone that is a new
boat or paddle craft owner, please point them toward boating safety courses and equipment that could help
save their life."
New for 2021 is the focus on educating mariners on the use of engine cut-off switches, stemming from new legislation
that went into effect on April 1. Engine cut-off switches are either lanyards or electronic fobs that are attached to the
driver of a boat, which are designed to shut off the engine if the driver moves out of or is thrown from the cockpit of a
boat, preventing a runaway boat. This legislation is aimed toward recreational owners of boats less than 26 feet with an
engine rated at three horsepower or more. Information on this topic can be found here.
The Coast Guard recommends mariners heed the following safety tips below to help ensure their safety while on the
water:
NAVIGATOR'S CORNER - VESSEL SAFETY
U.S. Coast Guard Urges
SAFE BOATING
By U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area
Navigator Express
26 3rd Quarter 2021

27. Lake Conroe, TX — Texas officials reported that a passenger tour boat capsized on Lake Conroe, a popular recreational lake
north of Houston, on a Saturday evening. Emergency teams and residents undertook a large rescue effort to retrieve the
passengers from the water. An 80-year-old man was pronounced dead at a hospital after being pulled from the water.
This incident brought back memories of a 2018 accident when a duck boat, operating on another lake, sank near Branson,
Missouri, killing 17 out of the 31 people on board and injuring seven. In July 2021, the vessel's Captain and two crew members
were charged with first-degree involuntary manslaughter. In that instance, the U.S. Coast Guard and National Transportation
Board were involved in lengthy investigations. The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary assisted rescue agencies in maintaining safety
and security zones.
The Montgomery County Fire Department reported receiving several emergency calls at 8:00 PM on August 14, 2021,
regarding a capsized vessel on Lake Conroe with multiple people in the water. Teams from the local fire departments, county
constables, Texas Game Wardens, the hospital district, and Lake Patrol responded to the incident scene.
Upon arrival, the rescuers reported that many passengers were still in the water with diesel fuel leaking from the vessel lying
on its side, partially submerged. Local neighbors had already responded and started rescuing people from their docks on
the lake. Residents also reportedly went into the water to help passengers to safety before rescue crews arrived. Rescue
crews reported rescuing a total of 53 passengers and the tour boat's crew. Two people were taken to the hospital, with one
reported to be in stable condition and one in critical condition, pronounced dead at the hospital. The remaining passengers
were all examined by medical personnel at the scene. Rescue teams used decontamination procedures to remove diesel fuel
from the passengers before they were released, and transportation arranged for them to return home.
News reports indicated heavy thunderstorms in the Lake Conroe area at the time of the tour boat capsize. Eyewitnesses told
the local media that they had seen rough water on the lake at that time. "While the weather is thought to be the cause of the
capsizing, the exact cause has not been determined and the entire incident is under investigation," reported the Montgomery
Fire Department.
The area at the lake remains cordoned off as recovery crews get the boat out of the water, and all of the debris is removed.
Located near Houston, Lake Conroe is a 22,000-acre lake with a total of 157 miles of shoreline. The Fire Department thanked
everyone for their bravery and teamwork during a difficult situation, "helping save so many from what could have been a
complete disaster and a mass rescue operation didn't turn into a mass casualty event."
PHOTO ABOVE: Rescue operations after the tour vessel keeled over with 53 passengers aboard. Kayla Mills photo courtesy of
the Montgomery Fire Department.
Life Jackets
NAVIGATOR'S CORNER - SAVING LIVES
Published By The Maritime Executive
Save Lives!
Texas Boat Capsizes – 53 Passengers Rescued
27
www.cgaux.org

29. BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP
COAST GUARD AUXILIARY ASSOCIATION
DISASTER & EMERGENCY
FAMILY ASSISTANCE
EDUCATION ASSISTANCE
• Disaster Grants & Loans
• Housing Assistance
• Emergency Travel
• Medical Assistance
• Quick Loan
• Adoption Grants & Loans
• House Closing Costs
• Pet Expenses
• Service Animals
• Welcome Baby Supplies
• Education Loans
• Stafford Loan
• Supplemental Education
Grant (SEG)
Use AmazonSmile when you shop on
Amazon and you automatically become
an instant donor, at no cost to you, by
requesting Amazon to make a
charitable contribution to the Coast
Guard Auxiliary Association, aka
“AuxA!”
For this program to kick into
high gear and have us all smile, all you
need to do is start your shopping at
https://smile.amazon.com/. On your
first visit to Amazon Smile, you will be
prompted to select from the Amazon
list of eligible organizations. Then
select the AuxA as your designated
charity.
So far, the AuxA has received over
$15,000 from AmazonSmile as a direct
result of Auxiliary members using
AmazonSmile.
NEXT TIME YOU SHOP...
www.cgauxa.org/member-benefits.html
PROVIDED BY JAMES LOSI, AUX PA
29
www.cgaux.org

30. COMMODORE VIGGO BARTELSEN
E n d o f W a t c h : S e p t e m b e r 3 r d , 2 0 2 1
W E R E M E M B E R :
C o m m o d o r e V i g g o C . B e r t e l s e n , J r . , a r e t i r e d N a v a l o f f i c e r a n d a c c o m p l i s h e d m a r i n e r ,
w a s e l e c t e d N a t i o n a l C o m m o d o r e i n S e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 0 , a n d s e r v e d i n t h a t c a p a c i t y f o r
2 0 0 1 a n d 2 0 0 2 . C o m m o d o r e B e r t e l s e n j o i n e d t h e A u x i l i a r y i n N o v e m b e r 1 9 7 5 , a n d h e
w a s i n o f f i c e r e p o r t i n g t o A d m i r a l J a m e s L o y , C o m m a n d a n t o f t h e U . S . C o a s t G u a r d , a s
t h e n a t i o n a l l e a d e r o f t h e A u x i l i a r y a t t h e t i m e o f t h e t e r r o r i s t a t t a c k s o f S e p t e m b e r 1 1 ,
2 0 0 1 . I n r e s p o n s e t o t h e c h a l l e n g e s r e s u l t i n g f r o m t h e 9 - 1 1 a t t a c k s , C o m m o d o r e
B e r t e l s e n i n i t i a t e d O p e r a t i o n P a t r i o t R e a d i n e s s , t h e f i r s t A u x i l i a r y O p e r a t i o n O r d e r t o
i n v e n t o r y , q u a n t i f y , q u a l i f y , a n d d o c u m e n t r e a d i n e s s o f a l l A u x i l i a r y p e r s o n n e l ,
f a c i l i t i e s a n d r e s o u r c e s f o r e m p l o y m e n t b y t h e C o m m a n d a n t , a s p l a n s f o r 9 - 1 1 r e s p o n s e
w e r e i m p l e m e n t e d . D u r i n g t h i s p e r i o d , C o m m o d o r e B e r t e l s e n p r e s i d e d o v e r t h e
e x p a n s i o n o f A u x i l i a r y m e m b e r s h i p t o o v e r 3 8 , 0 0 0 p e o p l e r e a d y , w i l l i n g , a b l e a n d
o r g a n i z e d t o s u p p o r t t h e C o a s t G u a r d a n d t h e c o u n t r y a s r e q u i r e d a n d r e q u e s t e d b y t h e
C o m m a n d a n t . H e l e a v e s h i s w i f e , S a n d r a J e a n n e S a g e r B a r t e l s e n , a g r o w n s o n a n d a
d a u g h t e r , a g r a n d d a u g h t e r a n d a g r a n d s o n w h o a l l r e s i d e i n t h e P u g e t S o u n d A r e a .
3rd Quarter 2021
Navigator Express
30

31. COMMODORE BRUCE MILLER
E n d o f W a t c h : S e p t e m b e r 4 t h , 2 0 2 1
W E R E M E M B E R :
W i t h d e e p s a d n e s s , t h e M i l l e r f a m i l y h a s s h a r e d t h e p a s s i n g o f P a s t D e p u t y N a t i o n a l
C o m m o d o r e B r u c e L e e M i l l e r , w h o l o s t h i s l o n g b a t t l e w i t h M y e l o d y s p l a s t i c S y n d r o m e s
( M D S ) o n S a t u r d a y , S e p t e m b e r 4 t h , 2 0 2 1 . C o m m o d o r e M i l l e r s e r v e d a s t h e D e p u t y
N a t i o n a l C o m m o d o r e o f I n f o r m a t i o n T e c h n o l o g y a n d P l a n n i n g a n d a s C h i e f I n f o r m a t i o n
O f f i c e r o f t h e A u x i l i a r y f r o m 2 0 1 2 - 2 0 1 3 . B r u c e l i v e d a f u l l l i f e , w o r t h e m u l a t i o n , a n d
w i l l b e m i s s e d b y a l l w h o k n e w h i m . C o m m o d o r e M i l l e r i s s u r v i v e d b y h i s w i f e C h e r y l ,
s o n B r i a n , d a u g h t e r H e a t h e r , s i s t e r s L i s a a n d L o u - A n n , a n d t h e i r c h i l d r e n . U n t i l B u r i a l
a t S e a a t a l a t e r d a t e , k n o w i n g t h a t h i s l o s s i s d e e p l y f e l t b y m a n y , t h e M i l l e r f a m i l y
a s k s t h a t y o u u s e t h i s t i m e t o r e f l e c t o n C o m m o d o r e M i l l e r ' s i n s p i r i n g l i f e , a n d t o
c o n s i d e r , i n l i e u o f f l o w e r s , d o n a t i n g t o t h e C o a s t G u a r d A u x i l i a r y , a n o r g a n i z a t i o n t o
w h i c h h e d e v o t e d s o m a n y y e a r s o f h i s l i f e . D o n a t i o n s c a n b e m a d e v i a t h i s p a g e t o :
h t t p s : / / w w w . c g a u x a . o r g / d o n a t e . h t m l .
31
www.cgaux.org

32. Eternal Father, strong to save,
Watch over those who guard our coasts, protect them from the raging seas and all
who navigate the mighty Oceans deep. Grant light to navigate, and life and peace
to those in peril on land, sea and fly above.
Lord, guard and guide those who fly and those who on the ocean ply. Be with our
troops land, sea, and in the air; And all who for their country stand; our Coast
Guard & Auxiliary brothers and sisters, be with these guardians day and night, And
may their trust be in thy might.
Lord, guard and guide our aviators who fly
through the great spaces in the sky,
Be with them always in the air,
in darkening storms or sunlight fair.
Guide those who navigate on high,
who through grave unknown perils fly
search and rescue missions for those in peril.
Lord, we pray that political chaos, dark and rude;
with its resulting angry global tumult cease,
and give, for wild confusion -- peace;
For our national and Coast Guard leaders who are
guided by you – with their loyalty and courage
supported through volunteering and duty.
.
Lord, we seek wisdom and guidance in
protecting the USCG, Auxiliary volunteers,
sailors and fisherman from storms of strife
and danger, And guiding them to a fulfilling
life as volunteers in doing public service for
our communities and nation in protecting
life and our environment.
.
O Trinity of Love and power!
Our brethren shield in danger's hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect the USCG and Auxiliary volunteers in
their critical missions; served with honor, duty
and their passion to serve those in peril. Thus
evermore shall rise to Thee Glad hymns of
praise from land, sea, and air.
LT Eric Neidler, USCG Chaplain - D11
Navigator Express
32 3rd Quarter 2021

33. The source of copied material should be
mentioned as U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Public
Affairs.
This statement should appear on all forms of
distribution.
The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary and the
respective Public Affairs (A) Directorate works
diligently to provide detailed, complete, and accurate
information and stories throughout Navigator
Express. Any use of content shall be approved by
national Auxiliary leadership.
If there is any approved use of content, the following
conditions should be followed:
NAVIGATOR
EXPRESS
EXPRESS
THE OFFICIAL E-MAGAZINE OF
THE U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY
DISTRIBUTION
• •••
Photos for use in NavEx must be 5MB-15MB, in
.JPEG or .PNG format. They must also include a
detailed caption.
Articles must be submitted as a Word document
in standard 12 point Times New Roman format.
Proper spelling and grammar are required for
publication use.
Send us your publications, articles, and photos! We'd
love to see the difference you're making and share it
with the Auxiliary nationwide!
Submission Guidelines:
Submit your ideas to Roger Bazeley & Andrew
Niquette (contact below).
IDEAS, SUBMISSIONS, OR FEEDBACK
• •••
Kayakers approach the dock.
Photo by USCG Auxiliary PA.
A row of kayaks on display.
Photo by USCG Auxiliary PA.
Auxiliarists inspect kayaks during a Vessel Safety Check. Photos
by USCG Auxiliary PA
During these unprecedented times, the
COVID-19 pandemic has fostered
change in how we conduct our everyday
lives. As we chart these waters together,
Navigator Express remains committed to
providing an outlet from the pandemic,
keeping you updated through our stories
to stay Semper Paratus.
Roger Bazeley, BC-AME
bazeley@gmail.com
Andrew Niquette, BA-AMEB
andrew.r.niquette@cgauxnet.us
© Copyright 2021 Coast Guard Auxiliary
Association, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
33
www.cgaux.org

34. NAVIGATOR
EXPRESS