NAVEX 1st Quarter 2017 Edition First Edition | Page 7

Commodores (DCO) as a unit for the rest of the
week. During the week they attended the National
Staff Operations Committee (OPCOM) meeting
to hear staff reports and joined with the National
staff for the rest of the week’s activities. These
included a round robin where their district’s
Operations Plan was reviewed and where they
met with the National Directorate leadership and
were briefed on program management. They also
met with their area Deputy National Commodores
for discussions of area concerns and attended a
day of National Board meetings. Saturday was
a full day of facilitated workshops based on the
Coast Guard’s core competencies and the week
was polished off Sunday morning when they met
with their DCOS and DCO and staff met in their
directorates to discuss the week’s events and the
course ahead.
NAVEX: In one or two sentences, what was the
“take home message” for the Auxiliary from
N-Train?
COMO Gates: There were three take home
messages: One is that they all are a part of something
more than just their districts, divisions and flotillas.
The second is that their District’s Operations Plans
needed to mesh with the Auxiliary’s Strategic Plan
as well as the Sector Commander’s plan, which
identifies areas of need through the GAP analysis.
The third and perhaps the most important is that
leadership is something to aspire to and needs as
much or more work than other qualifications.
Academy AIM program and recruiting for the
active duty. Two new areas of inclusion to be
stood up are a clergy support program and a
docent program for the Coast Guard museum.
NAVEX: What can we concentrate on as
individuals in our training this year to best
support Team Coast Guard?
COMO Gates: The Auxiliary Strategic Plan (http://
cgaux.org/leadership/) outlines the way ahead.
While the plan deals in broad concepts, the one
page executive summary on Page 7 provides
the guidelines to what each of us as a member
can do to help further the Auxiliary mission:
“To promote and improve Recreational Boating
Safety; to provide a dive rse array of specialized
skills, trained crews, and capable facilities to
augment the Coast Guard and enhance safety
and security of our ports, waterways and coastal
regions; and to support Coast Guard operations,
administrative and logistical requirements”.
In short, there’s something for everyone and
everyone needs to be Semper Paratus.
USCG Aux Photo
NAVEX: What are the changes coming this year
that may impact the Auxiliary the most?
COMO Gates: Answering the Commandant’s
call for Human Capital resources, inclusion of
the Auxiliary in Coast Guard activities is key.
Recreational Boating Safety is still job one and
the addition of the paddle craft program for on-
water safety is just getting underway. The Coast
Guard is seeking further Auxiliary assistance
in areas that include support and expansion of
existing programs such as food service, the active
duty ombudsman program, health services, the
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