Ninth Central Region, Division 14
 Flotilla 14-08 New Baltimore, Michigan

Training

The overarching mission of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is to contribute to the safety and security of our citizens, ports, waterways and coastal regions.  We balance our missions of Recreational Boating Safety and Coast Guard Support with Maritime Homeland Security and other challenges that emerge as a result of our growing understanding of changes required in the post 9/11 era. That is the mission of the Auxiliary. To accomplish that mission to the fullest extent our members must be trained. The Coast Guard Auxiliary has an in-depth training program.

Training is available in many areas of Coast Guard Auxiliary Operations, including Surface operations, Air operations, Telecommunications, Aids to Navigation, and Incident Command.

Training begins with the qualification of crewman.  The Auxiliary Boat Crew Training and Qualification Guide specifies the standards required to become certified as a Crewman on an operational Coast Guard Auxiliary facility (boat, or vessel). The next level up is the qualification as a coxswain, whose qualification standards are found in the Coxswain Qualification Guide.  Trainees are assigned mentors to guide and train him or her through the training program, which consists of classroom and underway learning.  While training never truly ends, certification in these areas is obtained after a successful review with a Coast Guard Auxiliary Qualified Examiner (QE).

To be successful, boat crew training includes significant amounts of underway time in boat operations. Most of the training requirements in this program can be accomplished coincidental with multi-mission operations. When additional opportunities are required, our flotilla schedules training patrols in addition to classroom or on-the-dock training.

Crew members may take additional Operations courses, such as Auxiliary Seamanship, Auxiliary Patrols, Auxiliary Communications, Auxiliary Weather, Auxiliary Search & Rescue and Auxiliary Basic & Advanced Navigation.  Training is also available for Vessel Exams, Public Education and other leadership areas.  Training may be delivered online, with a mentor, or in a classroom.  Bi-yearly District training sessions are scheduled to provide training and opportunity to meet other auxiliarists.  Please email our Member Training (MT) officer for more information.