Hello Folks! Prior to joining the Navy Reserve, I was in the USCG Auxiliary. I know a couple of years ago, there were some flotillas with dive teams. I think a memo was put out in 2006, that the USCG would re-evaluate, due to the accident that happend up in the arctic with the death of two USCG divers. <www.auxnaco.org/documents/On_Course_9_DiveTeam.pdf>
Has any of you heard if a USCG Aux SCUBA diver team still exists??
Thanks all!
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This message has been edited. Last edited by: LetsGoRedSox,
Kefe--Don't know if FL51 has any updated information, but his post from June (cut and pasted below) is relevant to your question: =====
We have met the enemy and he is us. Pogo Picture of FL51D7
Posted Tue 24 June 2008 04:45 AM Hide Post 1. The addition of scuba as a possible mission for either marine cleanup or recovery
Seriously - cross your fingers and hope for the best on this one. There is a prototype scuba program going on in Puerto Rico at this moment. Prototype programs usually are given 3 years to 'make it or break it' and this one should be nearing the end of that cycle. I did some historical research for the movers and shakers of the program at its incepton - scuba diving was an approved mission back in the 1970s. I'm not sure exactly what missions the divers takes on now. I know there was some talk of expanding the program to main land D7 and using Auxie divers to inspect ATON structures, including lighthouses built in the water.
Posts: 9562 | Registered: Fri 12 October 2001 Reply With Quote
Thank you for your responses Gentlemen. Ward2up, that looks like promising info! I'm in a Reserve Navy Diving and Salvage unit and was looking to see if I can put my skills to good use for the Aux. From the info I have managed to pull up, it looks as though the Active MSST dive lockers would be in charge of an Aux dive unit. I've got the program manager's name and number for LANTAREA MSST. Hopefully he maybe able to shed some light on this. I will give him a buzz on Monday. I will post and let you all know what I find out. Please do let me know if you uncover anymore info!
It would probably be wise to go through the Aux chain of leadership in finding out about local opportunities in this program rather than contacting CG units yourself.
RiverAux, Usually that is my SOP to go through the chain of command. When I was still in the Aux, I inquired but I was scoffed at due to the demographics of the flotilla. I am out of the Aux right now and may get more info going the Active USCG route.
I sent you a PM that gives you a backchannel to the original sponsor of the program in D7. He has a different position now but might have some info on the current status of the program.
Had a post on a CAP member from a dual CAP-CG Aux member who says that there are still Aux dive programs around. Took a look around the national site and couldn't find anything more recent than the document mentioned earlier in this thread. That said there was a national dive chief, but I didn't see anyone with that title on the current organization charts.
I found an interesting reference to a non-diving dive team in the (official linkee) <www.auxnaco.org/documents/2008.02.28_Feb08_Repport_to_COMDT.pdf]Feb 2007 NACO Report to CMDDT>
District Eleven, Southern Region
quote:
3. Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach Investigations divisions, Sector San Diego Investigations divisions, and the Coast Guard Auxiliary have teamed up to initiate the Auxiliary Underwater Dive Investigation Team (AUDIT). The Coast Guard is responsible for investigating commercial diving accidents and recreational diving accidents from commercial passenger vessels, however many of the Coast Guard active duty investigating officers do not have practical diving experience to make knowledgeable determinations. To bridge the gap, Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach solicited the assistance of approximately 20 Auxiliarists, many of who have Master Diver and Dive Instructor certifications and have collectively approximately 300 years scuba diving experience.
quote:
4. Sector LA-LB and the Auxiliary held its first coordination meeting with 15 Auxiliarists in attendance. Since August 2007, the AUDIT has assisted with four diving accident investigations by co-interviewing the witnesses, examining the divers’ equipment and dive computer data, and helping formulate conclusions of the causal factors. Auxiliarist Dennis Burdo attended a District 11 workshop that consisted of Coast Guard and industry personnel to advise the District 11 Commander, RADM Bone, to gain an understanding of the issues relative to a recent rash of diving accidents. Other goals of AUDIT are to conduct analysis of diving accidents in Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach and Sector San Diego’s area of responsibility to identify trends and develop action plans to prevent reoccurrence these incidents in the future. AUDIT is also well connected with the diving community and plans capitalize on those connections by conducting outreach to the dive shops and dive vessels to explain best practices of diving safety. Even though AUDIT is new, it is proving to be an invaluable resource to promote maritime safety. It is stressed that AUDIT does not dive, but provides technical assistance as a tool that can be accepted or not by the Coast Guard investigator.
(official linkee) <www.auxmdept.org/safetyline_pdfs/2005/Safety_Lines_OCT_2005.pdf]The Oct 05 "M" Newsletter Safety Lines> stated:
quote:
Of final note is the approval of a Pilot Dive program for the Auxiliary in Puerto Rico. The success of this program may pave the way for creation of additional such units as needed in other areas.
From info posted on the old Member Forum, pilot programs are generally given a 3 year run. The PR pilot should either have run its course or is about to (depending on the unknown official start date of the program). The pilot is then given either a go or no-go for national. Maybe some word will come out of NACON in Aug/Sep.
A google search failed to turn up any more info.
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This message has been edited. Last edited by: LetsGoRedSox,
Glad to see interest in other parts of the world. I am Dennis Burdo, Co-Founder and developer of AUDIT (the name has now been changed to DCI Team. Dive Casuality Investigation.LCDR Ray Lechner, USCG, Jim Pearson, USCG Aux and I developed this program at the request of Admiral Bone and LCDR Lechner just over two years ago. Beside the investigation we do outreach and PR with the dive shops and diving community.I will soon be moving to Florida and plan on starting this projest there with the approval if the District Commander. Hawaiii has also request trainging information for this program. Although there is no credit yet toward the Trident Device, we expect that it will be eventually added to that program.
The AUDIT / DCI has proven it's value in CA. Good luck in your endeavor to stand it up in FL as well.
One of the issues that hindered the development of the AUX Dive teams was the "grey area" they were surfung in WRT operations. As auxiliary members they arent covered under the "military exemption" of the OSHA dive regulations outlined in 29CFR so must meet the manning and sefety requirements of the Commercial Diving Requirements in the CFR. So ultimately what we had was a mix of former military divers and civilian PADI/NAUI certified divers performing ships husbandry in direct violation of the CFR's. A recipie for disaster anyone? To my knowledge the aux team in PR was given the wave off for this very reason.
