Auxiliary QE Currency and Reappointment

1. Auxiliary QE Currency and Reappointment Qualification Examiners 1st District Northern Region March 2008

2. QE & Coxswain Underway • Difficult to measure QE underway time, no consistent recording of QE mission time over the years • In past, CHDIRAUX has recommended 20 hours as lead plus QE mission time for each QE each year USCG Auxiliary 1st District Northern Region

3. From the ABCTM “QEs must maintain coxswain currency and the expected levels of QE activity, as defined by the OTO, to remain qualified as a QE.” USCG Auxiliary 1st District Northern Region

4. D1NR Coxswains(underway as lead) 49% have 20 hours or less USCG Auxiliary 1st District Northern Region

5. D1NR QEs(underway as lead or reported as QE mission) 47% have 20 hours or less USCG Auxiliary 1st District Northern Region

6. D1NR QEs USCG Auxiliary 1st District Northern Region

7. Average Hours for 2007 USCG Auxiliary 1st District Northern Region

8. QE Annual Underway Time? • We don’t want “evaluation only”, no actual coxswain mission time QEs • We don’t want “all coxswain mission time”, no evaluation time QEs • Somewhere there is a desireable middle ground for expectation for skill maintenance for volunteers USCG Auxiliary 1st District Northern Region

9. Encouragement • Plan to perform SOME mission lead time (e.g. acting as coxswain and not as a QE) every year • Proportion of time spent during the year as QE, as a crewmember, as coxswain is up to each individual, but remember we want QEs to be “top notch” performers • Time not reflected in AUXDATA: Active harbormasters, USCG Reserve coxswains USCG Auxiliary 1st District Northern Region

10. Auxiliary QE Reappointment • Auxiliary QE appointments are finite term (3 years here) • A mechanism for evaluation of QEs is important to give information to DIRAUX for reappointment decision • Some evaluation can be measured from records • Some evaluation must be done in the field USCG Auxiliary 1st District Northern Region

11. Why Reappointment? • The goal is to insure we have the highest quality, highest performing QE corps, yet with enough QEs for appropriate coverage and service • Members’ activity level changes over time as private lives and circumstances change. Past high performers might not be future high performers for a variety of reasons. USCG Auxiliary 1st District Northern Region

12. Term Limits? • Some districts (notably D7) have a term limit on QE appointment • This administratively helps some hard decisions, and helps avoid self-driven QE burnout • This can limit the pool from which to select capable QEs • Appointment after time off is handled just as any potential new QE appointment is handled USCG Auxiliary 1st District Northern Region

13. Examples of Measurement • Attendance at Annual QE Workshops • Underway hours • QE missions performed • Maintenance history of coxswain and instructor certifications (e.g. any REYR?) • All of the above are not absolute go/no go measurements USCG Auxiliary 1st District Northern Region

14. Field Measurement • Difficult to insure availability of checkrides to provide underway evaluation of a QE performing the checkride • Each QE has their own coxswain currency checkride, though…just not on the QE appointment interval, but on their 3-year BCQP currency schedule USCG Auxiliary 1st District Northern Region

15. From the ABCTM “All QEs must go through an evaluation by the OTO or his/her designee every three years. This evaluation is usually done by the OTO but may be delegated, if necessary to the Chief QE Coordinator (CQEC) or an AQEC. The evaluation will require the OTO or his/her designee observing the QE performing a dockside oral exam and an underway check ride of a crew or coxswain candidate. The QE must complete these tasks to the satisfaction of the observer to remain certified as a QE.” USCG Auxiliary 1st District Northern Region

16. Field Measurement • The OTO (or a designate if absolutely necessary) will plan on being aboard for Auxiliary QEs own currency checkrides • Auxiliary QEs need to report plans to the OTO for their own currency checkrides 2 weeks or more prior to the checkride so the OTO can schedule his presence USCG Auxiliary 1st District Northern Region

17. Schedule of QE Coxswain Currency • 2008 QE personal currency checkridesQuinn, Cotter, Anderson, Levangie • 2009 QE personal currency checkrides Bloomquist, Bornstein, Farren, Gaugh, Griffith, Kroeker, Lambert, Larkin, Leibovitz, Lipouskey, MacIsaac, Milone, Potter, Rivest, Roderick, Snowman, Spofford • 2010 QE personal currency checkridesArmstrong, Audette, Bernstein, Eggleston, Gianni, Haig, Pearce, Pendergast, Pendergast USCG Auxiliary 1st District Northern Region

18. Discussion • What should we have for measurement and evaluation of an Auxiliary QE for review when reappointment time comes? • What is done/evaluated over the duration of the previous appointment vs done/evaluated just prior to reappointment? (DON’T FORGET: 2008 has a MANDATORY Instructor workshop!) USCG Auxiliary 1st District Northern Region