Detachment Videos Showcased at First District Southern Region Conference

I learned yesterday Mark Dunmire and others from the First District Southern Region presented a workshop at their District Conference this past weekend that highlighted the use of Social Media use in the Coast Guard. Specifically, the "Public Affairs update at the D1SR Conference includes the use of social networking technologies to accomplish and promote our missions." This was a great vote of confidence from outside of our own District (D1SR is up in the New York-New England area).

We were happy to hear that some of the Detachment's YouTube work was showcased, specifically the video of David Kraemer, '10, discussing his experience and the opportunities available to William and Mary students that join the program. The video has been out for several months now, but I thought I would repost it for you to have a look at below.

Thanks for the publicity and the good words from D1SR!

Preparing for on-water; Todd Egnor aboard Eagle!

This weekend has brought to light a couple neat operational items. For those of you that do not know, "operations" refer to work the Coast Guard does actually delivering service and performing missions on the water, in the air, or on shore (as opposed to "support" work).

I am currently sitting in on a bit of our shore side Boat Crew training here on campus. Detachment Members Mike Piantedosi and Nick Zaremba are taking this class, and hope to be out on the water for the first time sometime in April. Tonight they are working on charts and coastal navigation, and making really good progress. I will be excited to see them out on the water next month.

One of the two instructors for this program, Todd Egnor, is out tonight as he is currently sailing with the Coast Guard Cutter Eagle, the 295-foot sailing ship on which Coast Guard Academy cadets and active duty Officer Candidates train. He is aboard to work with Officer Candidates, and has been sending us updates as they sail home to New London, CT. We hope that he will be safely home and working with our W&M Detachment Members again soon!

Pictured: Mike Piantedosi ('12) and Carl Pearson (instructor) discuss navigation techniques during tonight's class in Tucker Hall.

First specialty qualification completed by a Detachment Member!

This weekend was a big milestone for the William & Mary Detachment, and I am very proud of Nick Zaremba for being the person to achieve it. On Saturday, at Advanced Skills Weekend at Training Center Yorktown, Mr. Zaremba became the first W&M Detachment Member to successfully complete a specialty qualification.

His passing score on the Seamanship (AUXSEA) exam puts him on the way to achieving the Auxiliary Operational certification. This semester he is also working hard in the Boat Crew and Vessel Examination programs, all of which make him not only the first W&M Detachment Member to complete a specialty qualification, but the first student to every do so in a Coast Guard Auxiliary College Detachment. I am looking forward to seeing Mr. Zaremba, as well as Mike Piantedosi and Myles Busching, training for the first time out on the water now that the weather is warming up.

It was a very productive weekend all around, with good lectures and discussions on a number of topics. I was happy to complete my personal qualification in Marine Safety Administration and Management within the Marine Safety and Environmental Protection program. Check out the video on the whole event below.

Lunch with President Reveley

Shipmates,

This past Friday I was honored to be invited to a lunch hosted by W&M College President Reveley with the W&M Veteran's Society and Capt. Kemps from the Army ROTC program. The Detachment is unique among those organizations due to its non-military status, but it was nonetheless great to be included in the work that these uniformed (and former uniformed) organizations share.

We hit on a number of topics such as the availability of the W&M education and experience to military veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the challenges for students once they arrive. These folks, and the work they do to be successful students, are a real inspiration.

We also discussed the Coast Guard Auxiliary Detachment program. I explained to the President all of the good work that you Detachment Members have done to make this the first such program anywhere in the country, and was very encouraged by his response. We will build a more robust partnership between the Detachment and The College in the coming months and years. Your wonderful effots and involvement as "citizens of the campus community" are key to this goal, and I am eager and hopeful for what is to come. You are all, both junior and senior members, very highly regarded, and you should be proud of your hard work thus far.

ADW