CHIEF DIRECTOR FINAL ACTION ON NATIONAL BOARD RECOMMENDATIONS -
Recommendation: That new members be required to take a boating safety course as part of their new member recruiting process (this can be extended to the first three months of membership).

National Board vote: Opposed.


I Don't Get This At All!

We are trying to reduce the entrance requirements for new members.

You're still required to take a boating safety course to become BQ.

Thought the boating class was only required if you went into the Boat crew program.

Can understand that if the member is just watch stander Air crew or Marine Safety boating class would not be of much value

I think this was a push to force them to take the class during the recruiting process or within the first 3 months of membership (essentially AP status) or else they would be dis-enrolled.

Seems like a fairly pointless waste of time to me for someone to send this up to be voted on.

quote:

Originally posted by bbeckerusa:
Thought the boating class was only required if you went into the Boat crew program.

Can understand that if the member is just watch stander Air crew or Marine Safety boating class would not be of much value

Oh. come on. Stop and think about it. Who are we trying to serve, parking valets?

When I joined the Auxiliary 21 years ago, the flotilla was required to have one boat for every three members. Now that we are so far removed from that premise, I see no reason new members should go through a boating class.

Maybe they should just learn to twitter

Is twittering the same as dithering? The Auxiliary has too much of that as it is, especially amongst the upper echelon.

I have some notion that twittering is something twits do to amuse themselves when they're not just being stupid. Then again...

quote:

When I joined the Auxiliary 21 years ago, the flotilla was required to have one boat for every three members.

I thought each member had to own a boat, or be a part owner.

I thought each member had to own a boat, or be a part owner.

As the only rule for memberhsip that was never true. Going back to the founding, the rules were:

1. Own a boat or part thereof. The original rule was up to 4 owners to a boat. It was later changed to 3 owners to a boat; or

2. Own an airplane but you didn't have to be a pilot. The original aviator wings (there are not pilot wings) were given to aircraft owners whether they were a pilot or not; or

3. Own a radio. This harkens back to the pre-VHF/FM radio days. The radio was assumed to be AM/SSB. The original rule restricted radio owners to one in every 50 members. That was eventually dropped; or

4. Own scuba gear. For a very brief and shining moment scuba gear was considered a special purpose facility. It didnt' last long; or

5. Own a special purpose facility. This was usually some special type of watercraft that did not fit any standard definition. Originally PWCs and their owners fell into this category; or

6. Have a special skill. This was whatever the DirAux decided it was. The old AuxMan's specifcialy listed: Red Cross and USPS members, instructors etc. By 1999, anyone who did not meet 1-5 was let in under 6. The special skill was the ability to write a check and fog a mirror.

The current eligibility rules do not require facility ownership or special skills.

AuxMan 3.A.Introduction

quote:

The Auxiliary is an organization of civilian volunteers. Membership is open to any citizen of the U.S. and its territories and possessions, who is seventeen years of age or older, subject to a favorable (FAV) PSI in accordance with the Personnel Security Program Manual, COMDTINST M5520.12 (series), and paragraph C.3 of this chapter. Facility (radio station, vessel, or aircraft) ownership and special skills are desirable, but not mandatory.

Which might explain why we are awash in mirror foggers.