Can anyone explain to me how the SO-Op goes about getting patrols approved and assigned as missions. Once its a mission the perks like gas and lunch and whatever come in to play. Regards Bruce C
Your order-issuing authority (a small boat station for us) cuts the orders. In our case, the OIC has delegated the duty to one of our Flotilla members.
You'll probably encounter many practices across the Auxiliary. But, all orders are issued through POMS.
For example, AIRSTA NOLA is my order-issuing authority for my AUXAIR missions. The AUXLO (a gold-side officer) at the AIRSTA approves/schedules the orders in POMS. I fly the mission and upon completion, go into POMS (I have access on my PC) and fill out the electronic 5132 form. I print a copy of the 5132, attach my fuel receipts, sign as both claimant and operator -- and mail a hard copy to the AUXLO.
Once he recieves the hard-copy 5132 with receipts, he pushes the magic "pay" button in POMS. In 10-15 days, the reimbursement is automatically deposited into my account by the FINCEN.
I've heard horror stories from boat folks trying to get reimbursed at times in different areas, but the process used by the AIRSTA has never caused me any difficulty. As long as I do my part with POMS, I'm reimbursed in a timely manner. I assume the process for the surface missions should work the same way.
Originally posted by flyandscuba: Your order-issuing authority (a small boat station for us) cuts the orders. In our case, the OIC has delegated the duty to one of our Flotilla members. .
So fly an Auxiliarist has the authority to schedule the patrols and cut the orders? Does the OIC sign off on them before orders are cut
The OIC is ultimately responsible -- but this task has been delegated to the Auxiliarist in an effort to streamline things for the Flotilla as well as alleviate a collateral duty for station personnel.
So what I am getting is that its the Aux that says how many patrols will be scheduled That means the gas is controlled by the aux and not the CG. Its in the CG budget
Originally posted by CervantesFan: Can anyone explain to me how the SO-Op goes about getting patrols approved and assigned as missions. Once its a mission the perks like gas and lunch and whatever come in to play. Regards Bruce C
Go to your District website. They should have the local procedures laid out pretty clearly. Never heard of anyone getting paid meals while on a normal patrol. Reimbursing Auxies for the gas they buy to support the CG is not a "perk".
Originally posted by CervantesFan: First time you heard what? Ok so its an entitlement for using yoyr facility based on size engines etc.
Sorry...first I've heard of an SO-OPS managing the patrol process. Not that it can't happen that way I suppose. As River says, your District should have the procedures laid out. For us, the patrols happen at the pleasure and need of the USCG. Everything happens through POMS. Reimbursements are fixed based upon the facility. It by no means is an entitlement, we are welcome to patrol 100% under Non-Reimbursable orders--depends on the facility owner. If you are trying to imply that getting reimbursed is a net-gain for the facility owner, you'd be wrong.
I'd encourage you to ask your SO-OPS directly if you have questions, they should be capable of answering.
Never heard of anyone getting paid meals while on a normal patrol.
If you eat at a CG facility then there is no reimbursement for meals. However, if you do not eat at a CG facility then either the coxswain or facility owner (depending who gets reimbursed per the POMS form) gets a fixed amount of money per crew member. It really is a pittance. However, it is supposed to be given to the crew if the coxswain and/or owner did not supply any meal or nourishment.
**** Warning Warning Danger Will Robinson Danger ***
The failure of coxswain/owners to reimburse the crew was (maybe still is) a pet peeve of FW. On ethical grounds she is correct - if the coxswain and/or owner supplied nothing in the way of nourishment then it is fraud to pocket the money and give nothing to the crew.
OTOH - many crews just appreciate the opportunity to be on someone else's boat for free and don't care about the pittance reimbursement.
It really wasn't a problem for me as crew or coxswain since we almost always ate the the CG station. When we didn't there was only the owner and me as coxswain and he took me out to lunch - so I had no personal ethical dilemna to contend with.
Order is requested in POMS. SO-OP activates the order under authority granted by the OIC. Coxswain and owner complete the 5132 after the patrol and mail a signed copy to DIRAUX.
POMS has 'standard rates' for meals and SAMA. maintenace payments. Fuel, oil, ice and launching fees are paid.
Purse strings are under control of DIRAUX so, it could be consider Auxiliary control of the $$$
In my flotilla, and others in the division, the meal payment goes to the boat owner since SAMA cannot really get too close to paying what the oprating costs of a vessel are. If the crew stops at a marina for a meal, everyone is resposabile for their check and the boat owner keeps the meal reimbursement. This is discussed and agreed upon every year before the boating season begins so the newer crew members are aware of the situation. Should the patrol be thru a meal period and no facilities available, the coxswain/owner is to provide the meal. This usually applies to regatta work/patrols.
So in your case the SO-OP decides when patrols are needed and cuts the orders accordingly. In our case with a station being here I am not sure how much control the OIC has over requesting of specific patrols for a given w/e. So if John Doe Coxswain requests that he perform a patrol on a given day and has the crew the SO-OP may very well cut an order. Is that how it maty go?
The CG can always ask the Aux to patrol specific times and places, and I'm sure that if there are crews and boats available, it would be done. However, they don't really do that for the most part unless there is a specific threat or event that would prompt it. They don't really have much need to micromanage otherwise.
All patrols are issued by the appropriate Station OIC. The CG Station Auxlo is designated by the Station OIC to manage Auxliary Operations. The Station Auxlo can designate any Auxiliarist to assist him/her in managing to operations program. This is usually given to the SO-OP although there are and can be exceptions. The Station Auxlo ALWAYS approves the final payment. Some Stations gave this authority to some Auxiliarists several years ago and it was stopped when things started getting "sneaky". The Coxswain requests the patrol through POMS and the SO-OP approves it and the Station Auxlo concurs (or doesn't) and forwards it to the FINCEN for reimbursement. I can assure you that the CG monitors the system a lot closer than most people think. I spend at least one hour per shift in POMS.
Originally posted by CervantesFan: So in your case the SO-OP decides when patrols are needed and cuts the orders accordingly. In our case with a station being here I am not sure how much control the OIC has over requesting of specific patrols for a given w/e. So if John Doe Coxswain requests that he perform a patrol on a given day and has the crew the SO-OP may very well cut an order. Is that how it maty go?
You are reading more into my statement than I made. The SO-OP DOES NOT schedule patrols. The coxswain/crew can request as well as the OIC. The SO-OP is simply part of the process.
Well put Gimpy...The whole POMS system works as a process. There are several key players (COXSWAIN...FSO-OP...SO-OP...AUXLO...FINCEN) involved in the process but no one person does everything. In most cases the Coxswain and FSO-OP jointly create the flotilla schedule. The SO-OP and/or AUXLO activate the orders after the request is posted in POMS.
Where is the part that the OIC reviews and approves the patrols for every timeslot? Sounds like the Aux schedules everything without "our customer's" awareness or approval. I don't think our OIC could care less if we were out or not. Perhaps he doesn't understand that if we don't go he doesn't have to supply the fuel
Originally posted by CervantesFan: Where is the part that the OIC reviews and approves the patrols for every timeslot? Sounds like the Aux schedules everything without "our customer's" awareness or approval. I don't think our OIC could care less if we were out or not. Perhaps he doesn't understand that if we don't go he doesn't have to supply the fuel
Part of the patrol process is contacting Sector prior to the start of the patrol. Sector has the patrol schedule from POMS. If you aren't on the schedule that has been reviewed, you are not authorized to patrol.
We are now a long way from your original question. What are you looking for????
The OIC designates an AD AUXLO for that duty. The Auxlo or his Auxiliary designate activates the orders. There is a major difference between approval and activation. The most important function in the system is reserved for the AD AUXLO when he clicks the "APPROVED" and "SEND TO FINCEN" button.
