81 Fall 2025 Proceedings delay a full-scale Coast Guard response. Empowering auxiliarists with specialized training narrows those gaps, preventing minor incidents from becoming major emergencies. Demonstrating the Auxiliary’s Impact Public Affairs Specialists as Force Multipliers One of the most visible ways the auxiliary has contrib- uted is through public affairs specialists who docu- ment Coast Guard missions and highlight them to local communities and the broader public. In Sitka, Alaska, Auxiliarist Don Kluting has been instrumental in cap- turing high-quality imagery of critical operations. His photos and videos showcase the breadth of the Coast Guard’s work, from aviation rescues to port security mis- sions. Effectively conveying these stories enhances pub- lic understanding of, and support for, the Coast Guard’s role in and around Alaskan waters. Leading Role in “Kids Don’t Float” District auxiliarists have long supported boating safety and education, including the Kids Don’t Float (KDF) Program. Former Arctic District Auxiliary Commodore Marion Parrish and, his wife, Jane Parrish—also an Auxiliarist—have taken a leading role by conducting multiple KDF classes in communities like Brevig Mission, Wales, and Shishmaref. They have also offered additional recreational boating safety training with tribal partners in Utqiagvik. These courses teach youth to use life jackets function as institutional memory, preserving best prac- tices, local contacts, and lessons learned long after active- duty personnel have moved on. This stability provides an enduring bridge between the Coast Guard’s chang- ing workforce and Alaska’s geographically dispersed residents. Recruiting for Specialized Skills The Incident Command System (ICS) is the common oper- ational language among federal, state, and tribal entities during emergencies. Finding volunteers who already possess ICS experience or relevant backgrounds— firefighting, law enforcement, emergency medical ser- vices—enables the auxiliary to integrate seamlessly into Coast Guard missions. Commercial fishermen adept at small-boat handling, or tribal police officers familiar with remote SAR, are also prime candidates. Their local knowledge and ICS expertise can be a force multiplier in crisis scenarios, whether it is a small oil spill or a life- threatening rescue in icy waters. Agency Representatives and Pollution Responders Qualified Coast Guard agency representatives or aux- iliary pollution responders living in remote locations have proven especially valuable. They can quickly inves- tigate reported spills or other incidents, gather precise information, and begin preliminary containment, if war- ranted. Prompt action is critical in Alaska where winter storms, ice-choked rivers, or dayslong cutter transits can Coast Guard crews partnered with several state, tribal, and local organizations in Sitka, Alaska, to conduct exercises to improve responses to oil spills in environmentally sensitive areas in April 2024. These organizations worked together to respond to simulated oil spills in Chíx’i Héen Creek and Mosquito Cove in Starrigavan Bay, and deployed boom to create a 500-foot exclusion area to simulate protection of sensitive maritime areas. Coast Guard photo by Auxiliarist Don Kluting
