FSO-CS report

I have set up pages for each of the staff officers. To date, only CC, CS, IS, MS/EP and SR have any information posted. The more filled out our site looks, the better we will fair, I believe, in the Best of Web competition for 2004. Entries will be judged sometime in June or thereafter, and the wonners announced at NACON. I believe we have a very strong entry, but the stronger we make it, the better.

Also, if you find any loose ends, missing links, etc, please advise me so that it can be corrected ASAP.

These pages get updates whenever new events are scheduled or a call for help is sent out. With the boating season fast approaching, I would like to advise all the staff to send me dates and calls for assistance as early as possible, so they can get the most exposure.

I have accepted an ADSO position wrking with Gregg Trask, the DSO-CS, helping with the various District web pages.

Website Updates

Web pages have been set up for all officers now. All you need to do is SEND ME STUFF to put up on the page. It can be nearly anything appropriate to your office. Links to resources at other levels of the Auxiliary, requests for members to help out, monthly reports, or just a few paragraphs about what your department does.

Check out your page by clicking on the appropriate link at: http://www.uscgaux.org/~0141020/members/officers.html

If you have interesting photos of Auxiliary activities, I'm interested in putting them on the website. Digital photos are preferred, on CD if possible, but I can also scan "regular" photos (bring them to a Flotilla meeting in a self-addressed padded or stiff envelope & I'll scan them & return them right away). A story to accompany them would be great too.

Also, please check out your "official portrait" on the officer's page above. I bring my digital camera to every meeting, and if you'd like to have yours re-shot, let me know. Also, I still need to "capture" two of you...

For consistency on the site, I prefer the Tropical Blue uniform, but any uniform - including a flight suit - will do in a pinch.

I've attended the last two Division 10 meetings, and I must say, it is a great opportunity to "network" with the other staff officers and elected officers. For those of us new to the FSO position, it is a chance to meet with your SO, and maybe get some help or suggestions.

Once again, I'm including a plug for the Auxiliary Electronic Directory (http://www.auxedirectory.org). This can be a great resource to everyone. E-mail addresses for all Auxiliarists (if they have one, of course) are here, as well as their qualifications. But it's only as good as the information contained in it! If your e-mail address is wrong, or old, or you don't have an entry, fill out and submit a FORM 7028 to our VFC and FSO-IS, Rob Silano. That will get your updated email address into AUXDATA, and the next time the directory 'pulls' from AUXDATA, your e-mail will be current.

Even if your info is current, you should log on to verify your e-mail address. This is an easy process. Also, you can set a 'nickname' for yourself in the directory. So, if your name in AUXDATA is "Samuel", but you go by "Sam", you can set that, so people can find you by either name (this does *not* go back into AUXDATA).

If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or corrections for the site, please contact me so I can address it.

			
February 2004
12 February 2004
TO: Robert Silano, VFC
FROM: Lawrence West FSO-CS
SUBJ: Monthly Report

The new Flotilla 10-20 website has been up for a month now, and is being 
kept up to date. Updates are added two or more times per week. New pages 
are added as the need warrants.

Three of the “Departments” have web pages, and one committee. I’m eagerly 
awaiting more input in the form of reports, schedules, press releases, 
etc. from the FC, VFC, FSOs, committee chairs and task leaders.

I will be working with the FSO-PA to flesh out the public side of the site 
over the next few months.

The deadline for submission of the website to the DSO for consideration in 
the 2004 “Best of Web” competition is June 1.  The website will be ready to 
go, but the more complete it is, the better our chances.

I have informed the DCP and SO-CS that we have a “Help Wanted” page, 
and that they can send me any postings they have until the District 10 
site gets running.

I attended the January District 10 meeting, and plan to attend the February 
meeting.

Next month, I will have in this report, results of research into obtaining 
our own domain name, and hosting options beyond the Auxiliary’s AIRS system.

Respectfully submitted,

Lawrence West
FSO-CS

January 2004
The new website went online the evening of 10 January. It's been a long road, 
and there is still a bit to come. Below, I have posted the contents of an 
e-mail I sent to the officers about what I hope to have up on the site in 
the near future.

But before I get to that, I wanted to let everyone know that the new site is
to be submitted for consideration for the 2004 “Best of Web” contest held
by the DC-I staff. 

In order to get the best chance for consideration, we need to submit the
site to the SO-CS and DSO-CS very soon. The judging takes place in July.
Everyone can help with 'Quality Control'. Feel free to send me a message
describing any errors or problems you have browsing this site.
	 
e-mail of January 10
	 
There is PLENTY of room for 'mini-sites' for each and every elected 
and staff officer. Rob touched on putting the monthly reports up
there, and we can certainly do that.

Also, any staff officer that wants to advertise what they have available,
solicit for members to join in their specialty, or tell the Flotilla about
your recent accomplishments, I encourage any and all range of submissions.
The more you can do with text and photos, the faster it can be added to
the site. If you're a one-person 'department', and putting up a page gets
you one more member to assist, you've nearly cut your work in half, or
doubled what you can accomplish!

Committee chairs and task leaders are also encouraged to submit something
to be added to the site. I know not all committees or tasks lend
themselves to a "column" so to speak, but the resource is there for
you to use.

Please check out the 'Public' side as well. That side is a lot
thinner at this point, but I think we can get that rolling very,
very soon.

There is more to come, even this weekend. Some of the links to boating and
aviation sites are not up yet, but they will be very soon.

And send in pictures! Photos of our operations, meetings, etc. will
greatly enhance the site. I've already posted a few from our last meeting.

Dates: We need to fill up the calendar! Send me what you have as far in
advance of the date as you get the info.

Bios: I again ask for brief biographies from the officers. The key word is
brief. Check out mine and Jim Roe's (click on the 'bio' link from the
Officer's page). List as much or as little as you like, though at the
least your Auxiliary career should get a mention.

e-mail: Please check out the officers page, and let me know that I have
put up the proper e-mail address for members to contact you. If you prefer
using another, I can make the adjustment. If you are concerned with having
your e-mail listed in a public place (I am too!), you can go to services
like Yahoo!, Hotmail and others and get a free account to use for your
Auxiliary e-mail. Some members have already done this.

Also, all officers should go to the Auxiliary e-directory and activate
your account there [if you have not already]. If you have an e-mail address
listed in AUXDATA, and it is current, the activation process is very fast
and painless. If you do not have an e-mail listed in AUXDATA, or it is not
correct, you will not be able to activate your
account. You must submit a form 7028, Change of Member Information to the 
FSO-IS, Rob Silano.

Activating your account here will allow National department heads and staff
to reach the staff officers when there is important information to pass.