The latest issue of "M"s newsletter, Safety Lines is on the street. And it contains what might be the death knell for the Trident Program.
On page 1 is the article "An Open Letter from Greg Kester, DC-M". This extends to page 2. On that page you will find the following (bolded italics added, bolded only in original):
quote:
This brings me to our next item of discussion which is our TRIDENT training and education process. Coast Guard headquarters as been working on new PQSs for the Gold side “M” Pro device and have almost completed that process. There will be some significant changes coming to our PQSs. One of the major changes that Headquarters made was that the Auxiliary can now only qualify on the active/reserve Commercial Fishing Vessel Examiner PQS. All other Active Duty/Reserve qualifications have been specifically placed off limits to us.
quote:
The first thing I want everyone to know is that any PQS qualifications that you have earned, you will be able to retain. It will still count toward earning the TRIDENT. Any PQS qualifications that you are working toward now will have a date, to be determined, by which it will have to be completed or you will have to start over with the new PQS.
quote:
We are still reviewing the Auxiliary PQSs to determine which ones will be kept, which ones will be added, which ones that will be updated or modified and which ones that will become obsolete and deleted. This is actually a great opportunity for us as our Gold-side counterparts have opened the door for us to participate in more areas thereby creating a greater win/win situation all around.
And how is this for typical Aux 'management'. Having declared all Trident PQSs off-limits but one (CFVE), on page 4 they run a artilce on the now off-limits "PQS: Auxiliary Assistant Pollution Investigator".
What you have to know is that the Gold Side has been pressuring the Aux to do more in the CFVE realm. And given the Aux lots of money to do so. However, the Aux proliferated all sorts of other PQSs and 'opportunities to serve' while pretty much ignoring what the Gold Side wanted as the Numero Uno mission of "M". I think the chickens just came home to roost.
I'm not sure I buy the idea that the gold side only really wanted Auxies to do fishing boat exams and that somehow we talked them into all the other stuff. There are only certain areas where that is really an option anyway, so they can't expect the Aux to "focus" on it exclusively. Aux national could spend thousands of dollars trying to talk my flotilla members into doing these exams but since we don't have any commercial fishing vessels, it wouldn't do much good, while theorhetically there are other PQS positions we could do in our AOR.
That being said, I've posted on here numerous times about the apparent general lack of interest in the Aux in doing this sort of work as revealed by the tiny number of people qualified in most of them. However, that does not mean that in areas where you've got Auxies that want to do it and a actual need for our help, that it isn't worthwhile.
This actually bodes unfavorably for the entire augmentation program if you ask me.
You might be surprised at how many you have. When this first came up in my old AOR we were told that there were only 4 or 5 CFVs. Since there already was 2 or 3 CFVEs in the AOR, it didn't make sense to make more.
Then 2 or 3 years later, after yet another push to get CFVEs, we were told there really were several dozen. In the earlier go 'round, only shrimpers and long liners made it into somebodies count. On the later go 'round, they counted all the bait boats (usually in the mid-20' range) as CFVEs - which they really are.
This actually bodes unfavorably for the entire augmentation program if you ask me.
I think you are correct. One key is how long it takes to revise the PQSs and if they ever do revise them. I wouldn't hold my breath waiting.
I remember circa 1999 when I joined that "M" was the Next Big Thing and The Savior of the Aux.
You know, now I'm thinking that we're reading this wrong. They're saying that Auxies won't be able to earn the Active/Reserve qualification, but that wasn't what the Trident program was about anyway. All those PQS qualifications were Aux-specific "Assistant XXX" positions.
It sounds like they're going to change the gold sides stuff which may result in some changes to the relevant Aux PQS, but thats about it.
I had the same idea when I first read the announcement. But very few of the PQSs are "Aux only". Most of them involve an AD/Reserve component.
And the following statement doesn't restrict itself to AD/Reserve PQSs:
quote:
Any PQS qualifications that you are working toward now will have a date, to be determined, by which it will have to be completed or you will have to start over with the new PQS.
every single PQS on the trident page has an "Aux" prefix before it except for the commercial fishing vessel examiner. The gold side has no need for "assistants", which is what all the rest are.
I think what they may be referring to are Auxiliarists who have AD quals such as Pollution and Facility and that these will no longer be available to Auxiliarists.
Which will lead to the clarification of the clarification which will lead to ....
Unless they meant what they wrote "all, except" - wouldn't it have been easier just to write - "you can no longer work on the following PQSs ..., ..., ... until further notice."
I'm told that David Hand put the Auxie Trident program together? He's in my Flotilla -- and I expect him to be at our upcoming COW -- so I'll ask for an update at the Flotilla meeting. We have several members working on obtaining the designation -- with a few who have completed everything but a couple of PQSs and the time requirements.
I expect I'll get bombarded with questions from these "in-process" members -- so, please post any updates or clarification you may encounter.
I know David has been around since the creation of the Trident, but the first DC-M, Helmut Hertle, is generally credited as being the Father of Trident as well as "M" itself. I remember the first public mention of Trident came out of the 1999 NACON. "M" had only been created a year or two earlier. I think David served as DC-Md for several years under Helmut. When Helmut moved up to NADCO-OMS, David became DC-M. When Helmut retired from Nat Staff service, David took over as NADCO-OMS.
He should be 'in the know'. It is a separate issue as to how much he can tell you. The Aux tends to go way overboard regarding secrecy of what should be open programs.
NACO's Auxie Faux Flag Conference begins tomorrow and runs thru the 11th. You might not hear much about anything until that is over. OTOH - given how little came out of the last NACONs and N-Trains you might not hear much after the Faux Flags finish festing.
This is DEFINITELY not the end of Trident! It is actually a chance to expand the number of areas where the Auxiliary can assist the Active Duty.
The only PQSs which are now prohibited are the ones the Active Duty/Reserves use to qualify in various areas. VERY few Auxiliarists have obtained any of these qualifications. The only exception is that the NEW Commercial Fishing Vessel Examiner qualification allows Auxiliarists to obtain the same qualification as the Active Duty.
None of the current Auxiliary PQSs have been eliminated. They are, however, under revision to bring them into line with the new Active Duty qualifications. Some of the old Active Duty qualifications were eliminated, or merged into new quals. In those cases, the Auxiliary PQS may be discontinued. There will be plenty of notice so that anyone currently in the process of qualification will have time to complete their qualification before it becomes obsolete. Once someone has earned a qualification, they retain it. It still counts toward earning the Trident device.
The Auxiliary PQSs are under revision. I know -I'm the one doing the revisions. Once my job is complete, they must be approved by CG Headquarters. In the past, that has taken some time. We have been given the opportunity to develop Auxiliary versions of virtually all of the new PQSs. This will actually expand the number of PQSs available. That being said, the Marine Safety program is, and always has been, needs based. The only areas available to the Auxiliary are those where the Sector desires assistance. If they don't want the help, qualification in that area is not available. It's up to the Sector, not the Auxiliary.
By the way, Helmut was not the first DC-M. That distinction goes to Dave Sargent who became DC-M in 1997. Helmut took over in 2000. The current DC-M, Greg Kester, has been a member of the National M staff since 1999. He was instrumental in the development of the original training program which became the Trident program.
While discussion groups such as this can be useful in exchanging ideas, the best way to get accurate information reagarding this, or any, Auxiliary progam is to utilize the chain. If the person you ask doesn't know the answer to your question, have them forward it up the chain. That way not only you, but those involved in the chain, learn the correct informaiton. Speculation and misinformation does nothing to ease the normal distress that is created by change.
The new "Sector" PQS guides have been out for a few months now. Some of them are the same as the PQS guide that they are replacing, but some of them are alot different.
The CFVE PQS has alot more stuff in it compared to some of the District CFVE training programs that I've seen.
Most of the AD PQS's now have specific resident training course requirements that can't be waived which is probably why they're off limits to Auxies.
Originally posted by FL51D7: I've asked for a clarification. . .
Which will lead to the clarification of the clarification which will lead to ....
Unless they meant what they wrote "all, except" - wouldn't it have been easier just to write - "you can no longer work on the following PQSs ..., ..., ... until further notice."
Well, it only took a few hours, and you have the clarification from "M" itself.
Comments to the contrary notwithstanding, sometimes bypassing the chain works quite well.
...gjd
This message has been edited. Last edited by: geejaydee,
Comments to the contrary notwithstanding, sometimes bypassing the chain works quite well.
I appreciate the DVC's post but just about any Auxie will tell you that the Chain doesn't know "brown stuff" from Shineola about most of the "M" programs and couldn't care less. They don't forward messages up or down the chain. In the rare event they do - their "one over" isn't much better.
This "by-pass the chain" issue goes 'way back' in the Aux. From old Navigator's and Breeze's it goes back to at least the 1950s. Auxies have always (and will always) be willing to Chain Jump when they know their immediate 'link' is too old rusty or unreliable enough to not be trusted with providing a correct (or any) answer.
"V" used to have on their web site a report from the then Department Chief who did a 'round trip' test on the Chain and communications. The Aux as a whole failed miserably.
The old Member Forum and this one flourish because the Chain cannot be trusted. And ask yourself, if the Chain were accessible and provided accurate and timely information would the AuxKB exist?
And the subject of this thread is a classic example of Chain Non-communication. If the Safety Lines article doesn't cover all PQSs but CFVE, then where is the very simple list of PQSs that are effected by the Gold Side Change. If "M" had put that little simple list in their article, then the confusion wouldn't exist at all. But once again, the Bilge Mice are being blamed for a leadership failure to provide timely, accurate and understandable information.
The only PQSs which are now prohibited are the ones the Active Duty/Reserves use to qualify in various areas. VERY few Auxiliarists have obtained any of these qualifications.
I suppose that I have a question about why there is a need for Auxiliary versions of any qualifications unless there is a specific military or law enforcement component of the AD/RES PQS that Auxies could not perform. I hope it isn't just so that Auxies have an "easier" PQS.
I am all for Auxies augmenting CG units to the maximum extent possible, but if there is a specific job than Auxies should have to meet the exact same qualifications as the AD/Res folks unless prohibited by law.
