U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 13, District 8, Shell Point Station:  September 2007 "Lucky 13" Newsletter

Lucky 13

FROM THE HELM

Ron Piasecki

Angret and I have just returned from a major land cruise. New Orleans, Ft. Worth, Ogden, Yellowstone, Bemidji, MN (see Paul Bunyan picture below), Canada and back through Michigan, then stopping by Mammoth Cave in Kentucky.  Saw some wonderful country but it was sure nice to get back home after a 6,000 mile driving tour.

We are nearing the ending of our boating year and it is now time for all of us to check and make sure we have the required training, and operational hours to remain qualified.  If you are unsure of your training status, check with Jim McGill.  If you need to know how many hours you have in operations you can log into AUXDATA.  I will try to bring the status reports to our meeting on September 8th.

On September 29th, from 4:00 — 6:00 PM, we will hold a Pig Roast Fund Raiser for the Shell Point Station that we and the chapel use for our  meetings.  Help is needed to work this event.  Tickets are $8 per person.  Please join us and help raise some much needed funds.

As we are winding down the year, it is also a very good time for us to recruit new members.  I am very pleased that we have added Mark Plymale and George Achens.  George is a retired Coastie and has served at the Panama City Station.  I know both Mark and George will be great assets to Flotilla 13.  However, we have lost another member.  Charles Schrader will no longer be able to work with us.  Health issues and time constraints has forced him to step down.

By recruiting new members this fall, we have all winter and early spring to complete the necessary background and training requirements so that by operations in the spring we have additional resources available.  Talk with friends, neighbors and fellow workers and explain the fun of being on the water with the Auxiliary or the rewards of teaching boating safety or performing Vessel Safety Examinations.

VICE COMMANDER

I would like to thank Ron Piasecki and his crew, Bob Morgan and his crew, for the many hours they have served this year.  One last area that I would like to address is the lack of follow up our volunteers to turn in the 7029 Activity log and turn it in to Angret for data entry.  I know that many of our members spent large amounts of time doing USCGAUX activities and never report them.  These activities are how we as a flotilla are measured in many areas.  All functions (excluding Patrols) or any activity reported on a mission report may be included.  PLEASE fill out the attached activity report and bring it to the meeting each month.

I am looking for a crew for Saturday 9/8 or Sunday 9/9 if anyone is interested please let me know.

P.S.:  In case you haven’t heard, we were recently advised by John Clark that the ANSC 7030 Activity Report must now also list the patrol order  number. 

One of our own is serving in the Middle East.  Whenever he gets a chance, he will let us know what it’s like being over there.

AN E-MAIL NOTE FROM GLENN:

R&R - 96 Hours Of Fun

Some people write about their summer vacations, so I thought I would write about mine.  It started out at 0500 hours, on Thursday morning.  Time to get up.  I slip on my deck shoes, grab my shower kit and head out of the berthing area towards the showers around the perimeter of the berthing areas. I’m one of the lucky ones as it’s less than a quarter mile walk for me.

After dressing and packing, I head off for one of our morning meetings.  Around 0600 hours, I ran into a buddy of mine who said he was heading up to Camp Ali Al Salem around 0800 hours.  That was where I needed to go so I ask if I could catch a ride.  Between a couple of the morning meetings we head for breakfast where there is the normal chatter about what everyone is doing for the day.  I got the standard envious jeers about going on R&R that I’ve heard and given to others. I smiled and took it all in because I knew that I was going on R&R and they weren’t, at least not yet, and some had already been.

0745 hours, we meet over at the armory where the vehicle crew draws their weapons and plans the trip.  Call signs were established; the road routes were verified and checked clear by dispatcher and the vehicle was tripped.  We check the engine compartment, fluids, tires and undercarriage for any potential trouble. 

Finally, we were all set and headed for the gate.  The gate guards always check for proper paperwork, ID cards and required items.  I didn’t have my weapon with me because I was traveling on orders and proud to show it.  I still felt safe because the vehicle crew was loaded for bear.  The shooter  carried an M16A3 model and he had three times the required minimum amount of 5.56 ammo, just in case.  The driver carried the M9 (9mm) pistol because it’s easier to handle while you are driving.

We cleared the exit gate at Camp Arifjan and headed North.  The shooter notified dispatch of our departure.  We used our call signs so no one  monitoring our comms would know who was moving.  We also established and used code names for the bases so that no one could tell where we are leaving from or going too.  The dispatcher logs our departure time and knows how long the route should take so they can check on us if we don’t check in on time.

We headed North on 40 towards the 7 ring road.  Traffic was light as Thursday’s are the weekend for the locals.  About 30 kilometers up the road we  pass a huge crash in the southbound lane, traffic was backed up for miles on that side.  I think I enjoyed the drive the most out of the crew because I was able to relax, kick back and read the paper (Stars and Stripes) on the way up.

We arrived at Camp Ali Al Salem at 1000 hours and report to dispatch that we were safe.  I check in at tent 1 to make sure I was on schedule for my flight.  Everything was in order; my next show time was 1300 hours so we were free to leave.  My friend, Corey had work to do so we headed to the Customs compound and worked for a couple of hours.  It gave me time to check in on the armors to see how things were going.

Corey and I headed for lunch at 1210 hours.  The chiefs had recommended a Chinese restaurant on the base so we gave it a try.  Lots of rice, I still haven’t identified that meat they use, but I survived.  Corey drops me off at 1300 hours and headed back to Camp Arifjan and back to work.  I checked back in, my flight was on time so I settled in to watch a movie that was playing in the waiting area.  My next show time was set for 1800 hours so I  figured I’d watch the movie then catch chow before the next show time.

The movie wasn’t all that great so I ended up wandering around the tent seeing who was around.  Did I mention they are the size of a football field?  It’s a big tent, one of four in a row.  Around 1600 hours, I bump into GM1 Hall, my LPO who was returning from up North and we exchanged updates and pleasantries.

Back to chow at 1700 hours, I wasn’t that hungry but I had been up working for 12 hours and it was time to eat.  I also figured that since the out brief was set for 2015 hours, I wouldn’t have another chance to eat and it was going to be a long night as they usually are.  I made the 1800 hours show time and the flight was still on schedule.  The brief went well, they didn’t tell me anything I already didn’t already know.  What they didn’t even know, at the time of the out brief, was that the flight wasn’t coming.

At 2200 hours I was beat and feeling it.  The bad news finally made it to us and we were told that our next check in time was 0430 hours.  I headed off to find a rack.  I checked into the transient billeting office that assigned me a rack in a small tent.  There were about 15 racks and only 3 or 4 of them were occupied.  It was dark and difficult to see.  I laid down on the first one I came to that was empty and drifted off.  My watch alarm was set for 0400 hours to ensure I would make my flight.

As it turns out, I didn’t get to sleep past 0300 hours because more personnel entered the tent.  They were tying to be quite, but it never works.  I got up and went for coffee.  0430 hours, all personnel were accounted for and we were waiting on another flight.  0500 hours, now 24 hours later, still no flight.  It was another hour and a half before we left.

At 0630 hours we packed a pallet for the flight and headed for the flight line on the buses.  My goodness it felt good to finally relax.

P.S.: I made it to Qatar and my 96-hour R&R time  starts in the morning.

Note from your Editor:  Ron and I also received a hand-written letter from Glenn with the following message: 

“Wow—I have to wipe the tears from my eyes.  I’m very proud of the support everyone is providing.  John Clark sent a care  package,Tom and Marge sent calling cards, your calling cards, and Sherrie's articles … wow!  It’s no wonder America is number one in the world.  I will try to get a group photo to send soon.  Thank you for the letters and phone cards."

Glenn

Member Moves to Block E-20 Gasoline

BoatUS. Member Congressman John Shadeegg (R-AZ) has sponsored an amendment to the energy bill making its way through Congress that should help prevent boaters from unknowingly damaging their marine engines and fuel tanks with gas blended with concentrations of ethanol higher than 10%.  Shadegg learned firsthand of the destructive power of ethanol in marine fuels when he pumped E-10 gas into the fiberglass gas tank of his 1973, 28-foot Bertram, Invitable.  The tank degraded rapidly, resulting in thousands of dollars of damage to the boat and its engines.

The amendment, which adds new roadblocks to the permit process for states wishing to require gas blended with ethanol concentrations higher than 10%, was co-sponsored by Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-LA).  If passed as amended, the law will require the Environmental Protection Agency to hold public hearings and solicit comments before making any decision on granting a waiver to sell gas with higher concentrations of ethanol.

The state of Minnesota is taking steps to mandate E-20, or 20% ethanol gas, which would have detrimental effects on many different types of gas-powered tools and motors, including marine outboards, chainsaws, lawnmowers, snowmobiles and others.  Limited introduction of E-10 fuel has
damaged boats built with fiberglass fuel tanks.  The marine industry has expressed concerns that introducing higher levels of ethanol to gas could potentially expose more than 4 million additional boats to damage, particularly those with aluminum fuel tanks.

In addition, research conducted on small, hand-held gas-powered tools has shown that E-20 will damage these engines in as little as 25 hours of  light-duty use.  E-20 makes engines run lean, because it provides more oxygen during combustion than gas alone.  This increases exhaust  temperatures by as much as 100 degrees Fahrenheit, leading to burned head gaskets, burned exhaust vales, scored cylinders and loss of compression. Some engines tested lost 20% of their rated power.

Supporting the amendment with BoatU.S. was a broad coalition of industry and consumer advocates including the National Marine Manufacturers Association.

(Reprinted from September 2007 Issue of BoatU.S.)

Interesting Facts…

• The complexity of the organism has no bearing on the number of chromosomes it has:  humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes while a species of fern holds the record for the most, with 630 pairs.
• While known as a painter, sculptor, architect, and engineer, Leonardo da Vinci was the first to record that the number of rings in the cross  section of a tree trunk reveal its age.  He also discovered that the width between the rings indicates the annual moisture.
• The oldest living thing in existence is not a giant redwood, but a bristlecone pine in the White Mountains of California, dated to be aged 4,600 years old.
• The tip of a bullwhip moves so fast that it breaks the sound barrier.  The crack of the whip is actually a tiny sonic boom.
• Get rid of Ants:  Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants.  They eat it, take it “home,” and can’t digest it so it kills them.  It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works and you don’t have the worry about the pets or small children being harmed.
• Squirrel Away!  To keep squirrels from eating your plants, sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper.  The cayenne pepper doesn’t hurt the plant and the squirrels won’t come near it.
• No More Mosquitoes:  Place a dryer sheet in your pocket.  It will keep the mosquitoes away.

The next meeting will be held at the station on
Saturday, September 8, 2007, 7:00 pm.

Flotilla 13 Website:  home.earthlink.net/~flotilla13

This newsletter originally published on September 4, 2007.

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