Over the Bow Spring 2024 | Page 7

Every day I am amazed at the heart and soul of our members , your hard work and selfless contributions .
DISTRICT COMMODORE ’ S MESSAGE
Every day I am amazed at the heart and soul of our members , your hard work and selfless contributions .
I feel lucky to be part of this great organization . I see it at the District level , and nationwide in real time as well , where shipmates pull together and bring momentous value to the Coast Guard and the boating public .
Presently , we are very relevant and I personally believe we are truly the force multiplier of the Coast Guard . We need to continue to remain relevant and offer our talents and hard-earned qualifications to support our mission of RBS , front and center .
Safe Boating Week , Fleet Week and many other signature events are now the beginning of our boating season . D-Train is featured in this issue , as we returned to the Mystic Marriott and enjoyed a spectacular event , a real weekend for the ages ! Our staff and instructors spent thousands of hours spanning more than six months in preparation and delivery and hit it out of the park ,
I know that Lynn Enny was surprised at being named Auxiliarist of the Year ( by the way she hates receiving awards and recognition ), so I hope she will recover from the shock of being on the cover , so that decision can be blamed on the editor of Over The Bow .
If you were not able to attend D-Train , please plan on attending the 2025 edition which is already in the works . This year our theme for the District meeting , awards and Fun Night was St Patricks Day , coinciding with the holiday . My staff made it a point that I dress as the biggest leprechaun on the Eastern Seaboard , I think I pulled that off !
In addition , Regional Based Training already occurred in Sector Long Island North , combined Sector NY North and South RBT is on tap for June 22 at SUNY Maritime . Lots of training ahead . Planning has started on our return of Leadership Development Academy to the Coast Guard Academy during January 2025 , so stay tuned .

Michael West

Michael West District Commodore First Southern District
4 OVER THE BOW USCGAUX FIRST DISTRICT SOUTHERN REGION - SPRING 2024