From the Sept 2007 Boating Dept. newsletter:

quote:

America’s Boating Course
As I hope all readers are aware by now, the partnership between us and the US Power Squadrons, which produced America’s Boating Course, is being dissolved. It was decided that it was time for an exclusively US Coast Guard Auxiliary boating course, and we’ve been hard at work to provide just that. Our newly named 6-8 hour short course is, “About Boating Safely” and will be almost identical in content to ABC, so don’t worry about changing lesson plans or training aids. This course will be NASBLA approved through 2008, as will ABC, and flotillas will be able to use either one or mix and match. About Boating Safely will have a web site and will direct
any on-line readers to both flotillas near them for a classroom course or to an Internet, state-specific course, just as www.americasboatingcourse.com does now.

Most long-time readers will recall that while the ABC course is currently approved by NASBLA, it has only actually received state approval in one state - Virginia. I still don't understand how in the world the Aux keeps promoting and teaching this course across the country when it actually doesn't count in 49 states.

By the way, has anyone caught this statement on the ABC web page (address above):

quote:

In addition, the course has been approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, and is accepted by most states to meet boating license or safety certification requirements.

You are hitting on one of CurA's and my pet peeves - state acceptance.

I'll be give you the official party line and then tell you what is wrong with it. The official party line is that the Aux doesn't need state acceptance since it has MOUs with the states to accept the course.

Problems with party line:

1. The Aux does have a MOU with NASBLA which commits the Aux to supporting NASBLA standards in full. No where in the NASBLA standards are 'private' deals - aka MOUs - allowed to substitute for formal state acceptance. Therefore the party line vis-a-vie the states puts the Aux in violation of its MOU with NASBLA.

2. Even if the MOUs were legit under NASBLA standards, the Aux does not in fact have MOUs with every state. A report of "B", who controls these things to OpCom stated that the Aux had MOUs with less then half the states. Those MOUs used to be shown on the ChDirAux site but they appear to have been lost in the update. So at best the Aux is only in compliance in half the states. But wait - there's more ...

3. Of the less then half the states that the Aux has MOUs with, all the MOUs pre-date the new course and most predate ABC. Since the purpose of state acceptance is for the state to certify that it has reviewed the course and it meets state requirements - then an agreement that predates the course cannot possibly be legit as an approval device.

So - the Aux cannot show it has any legit state acceptance or approval for any state except VA. And no amount of flashing ancient MOUs can cover the Aux's non-compliance with the NASBLA standards it signed on to uphold.

And that non-compliance puts it at odds with the Core Values - those poor Core Values have really taken a beating lately.

All we have to do is have our instructors become recognized by the state, add some state specific questions to the ABC stuff, and then do some state paperwork for them to get their state boating safety card. Not really a big deal.

Exactly, its not a big deal, but we've been failing to do it for at least the last few years.

Oh... I meant that's what we already do in Louisiana to have them get their state boating safety cards...

Sorry, ABC isn't state approved in Louisiana either...

No... it's not... I didn't say it was.

I said that if you teach the ABC course, teach the state requirements, add the test questions to the test, and fill out the state paperwork... then you're fine...

ABC by itself doesn't work... you have to have a state recognized instructor as well as state specific material has to be taught.

I guess I'm missing the problem. These courses are written for a national audience with generally approved standards. As with any course we should always make a point of adding in state specific information. What's the alternative? Have a special chapter at the end of the book with the state specific info which would stay hopelessly outdated as regs change in 50 state legisltures?

OOPS! I meant legislatures. Should have used spellcheck! lol

I guess I'm missing the problem.

The problem is multi-folded but starts and really ends with the Coast Guard Core Values, which the Auxiliary is supposed to also endorse and support.

Take only the first Core Value, Honor:

quote:

Integrity is our standard. We demonstrate uncompromising ethical conduct and moral behavior in all of our personal actions. We are loyal and accountable to the public trust.

Keep that word, Integiry in mind as you read the following.

Now let us look at the MOU between NASBLA and the Aux.

I bring your attention to Section II which states:

quote:

The parties will work cooperatively to identify opportunities to strengthen both national and local collaborative efforts including fostering mutual support for the NASBLA National Education Standards ...

Having signed that agreement and supposedly upholding the CG Core Value of Honor which subsumes Integrity, does the Auxiliary in fact uphold the MOU?

The answer is NO.

Take a look at the NASBLA Terms and Conditions of NASBLA Course Approval

Point 3 under Administrative states:

quote:

3. The Course Provider shall list, provide links, and issue certificates of Course completion for those States which have indicated that the Course has met the content requirements for Standard 8 and has been recognized, accepted, or endorsed by their particular State. However, due to additional state laws, regulations and policies that may be in place, it is possible that the Course may not meet the state’s boating education requirements nor be accepted for use in the state.

The Auxiliary teaches its courses in all 50 states and most, if not all US possessions. But how many have affirmatively stated the course meets their requirements?

According to the NASBLA Approved Course List:

No state has accepted BS&S or SS&S nor has any state accepted ABC under its nom de plume About Boating Safely. One state, Delaware, had been listed for ABC before it got its new name.

Given that the above, Aux lacks both integrity and honor when it comes to the MOU with NASBLA - no Aux course is listed as being state accepted but the Aux claims all its courses are. There isn't really a reason for me to even attempt to be fair to the Aux - but I will.

The Aux will try and explain that it has MOUs with the states and that those MOUs are what gives it the privilege or right to teach its boating courses. The first objection to that defense is that private MOUs are not stated as an alternative approval mechanism in the NASBLA standards. The Aux is pleged to uphold the standards as written - it is not pleged or allowed by the agreement to attempt to use backdoor bypasses to the standards.

The second objection is that even if given the benefit of the doubt on its dubious backdoor approach to state acceptance - the Aux fails the test and therefore still lacks integrity and honor.

Go to the ChDirAux MOU page. Most states DO NOT HAVE a MOU with the Aux. It has been posted here several times, but "B" has admitted in the past that the Aux doesn't have MOUs with more then half the states. Of the few it does have, most pre-date the current courses. So in fact, the Aux does not have MOUs to justify its claim to back door approval. Of the few it does have, most are older then the courses the Aux claims the MOUs 'accept'.

Therefore the Aux lacks both integrity and honor in its relationship with both NASBLA, by failing to uphold NASBLA standards and the MOU, and the boating public, with whom it falsely claims to be teaching both NASBLA approved and state accepted courses.

Have a special chapter at the end of the book with the state specific info

That is exactly what the NASBLA standard, which the Aux is sworn to uphold, requires. As noted above - the Aux doesn't. Further, the exam has to be customized to state standards - if state law requires it. I know of many places in D7 where the test used is the default test - although FLorida law requires something else. I also am aware of a scandal in my old AOR involving this very issue. The Aux is doing its best to sweep this under the rug. However, since someone submitted false reports to the state - every single name on each report is its own misdemeanor violation of state law. Add up enough violations and toss in that money was exchanged for the course and the false filings may add up to the Aux may be facing a RICO violation. As noted the Aux and the CG is doing their best to sweep this under the rug. Needless to say - it also involves elements of the Gang of 3.

And we all know the outcome of these "official investigations". The GOB's are here to stay.

quote:

Originally posted by dittysmitty:
And we all know the outcome of these "official investigations". The GOB's are here to stay.

Yeah, we do. FL was thrown out for being a complete flake, the PTB continue being PTB, (for better or worse), and FL continues whining about being on the losing end.