Hello. I am new to the Aux. I have received my emplid and awaiting security background check, etc.. before ID card is issued. I plan to be active in op's working toward crewmember then cox. I have done alot of looking around on the various websites but haven't found what I am looking for. Can you please advise what I should do first>> Take some online courses? Study auxop courses ? which one first? Any advice would be appreciated.
Ideally, you should be meeting with the member training officer of the flotilla you plan to join. After learning about your expertise, interests, and time availability, then he or she can steer you appropriately, also taking into account the opportunities and needs of your particular AOR. If for some reason you don't have rapport with that person (or the vice flotilla commander or even the commander), then you should seriously consider looking around for another flotilla within commuting distance, one with a good track record of recruiting, training, and keeping new members. Hope everything works out great for you.
Thanks. Yes I realize I should just wait and talk to him about what to do first. My first meeting is not for a few weeks still and I just wanted to get a headstart.
Make sure you make a copy of ANY training certificates that you take, are given, etc. Records are your responsibility as many DIRAUXs are understaffed. (my 2 cents)
Welcome aboard - You can qualify as a vessel examiner by successfully challenging the on-line examinaion and working with a qualified VE from your flotilla to complete 5 examinations. This qualification will be useful and allow you to hit the ground running as a contributing member of your unit. Thanks for taking the time to volunteer.
Some flotillas incorporate these into the BCQP, others do not. Either way, the 2 that are most immediately useful for a crew candidate are AuxSea and AuxCom. They would be worth taking as part of your crew training, formal or otherwise.
Hold off on AuxPat, AuxSAR/AuxSCE and AuxNav/AuxACN until you are ready to go for coxswain.
AuxWea can be taken anytime. That was my favorite of all of them. I ended up teaching it. I now teach its equivalent and the 3 hour Weather seminar for the USPS.
If you have federal navigation aids in your AOR, then pursuing your Aids Verifier (AV) qual could be useful. The knowledge gained applies directly to crew and coxswain quals and it gives you something else to do on patrol. You can also do some AV work from land.
Originally posted by oneusa: Thanks to all... good info.
Are there any courses that a new member MUST take w/in a certain time period?
What are these FEMA courses? Are they a must?
You will have to have a boating safety course if you don't already (The ABC course will do). The FEMA courses are for their incident command system, a system of managing large groups and communicating within them). The ICS courses are required for the boat crew and coxswain programs.
