LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the United
States Coast Guard Auxiliary and honoring Flotilla 12-08 of Fort Totten,
New York

WHEREAS, Organizations which serve the interests of the people of the
great Empire State merit the commendation of this Legislative Body; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is moved with great respect and rever-
ent esteem to pay tribute to the men and women who so courageously serve
and have served in the Armed Forces of the United States, and its civil-
ian components; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to celebrate
the 70th Anniversary of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary and to
honor Flotilla 12-08 of Fort Totten, New York; and
WHEREAS, In 1939, Congress established a United States Coast Guard
Reserve, administered by the Commandant of the Coast Guard and composed
of unpaid volunteer citizens who owned motorboats or yachts; in 1941,
Congress created a military reserve and renamed the original volunteer
reserve as the Coast Guard Auxiliary; and
WHEREAS, The purpose of the Auxiliary is to assist the Coast Guard to
promote safety and to effect rescues on and over the high seas and on
navigable waters; to promote efficiency in the operation of motor boats
and yachts; to foster a wider knowledge of, and better compliance with,
the laws, rules and regulations governing the operation of motorboats
and yachts; and to facilitate other operations of the Coast Guard; and
WHEREAS, Since its creation by Congress, the United States Coast Guard
Auxiliary has served as the civilian, non-military component of the
Coast Guard; at present there are over 30,000 volunteer men and women of
the Auxiliary active on the waterways and classrooms in over 2,000
cities and towns across the nation; and
WHEREAS, Referred to as the "Force Multipliers" of the Coast Guard,
the Auxiliary is an integral part of the Coast Guard team; each year
Auxiliarists save hundreds of lives, assist thousands of boaters in
distress, conduct more than 100,000 vessel safety checks on recreational
vessels ensuring that vessels on the waterways are seaworthy, and teach
over 5,000 students in boating and water safety courses; and
WHEREAS, Coast Guard Auxiliarists expand the capability of the United
States Coast Guard by back filling for active and reserve forces in
surge operations, often related to disaster relief, extended search and
rescue operations, significant port security activities and environ-
mental responses; they also support the Coast Guard with special skills
such as foreign language capabilities; and
WHEREAS, In addition to assisting the Coast Guard accomplish its
mission, the Auxiliary has as its primary mission the prevention of the
loss of life and property on the waters of the United States, partic-
ularly in recreational boating safety activities; it provides both a
public education and a vessel safety check program, designed to influ-
ence proper boater behavior to prevent accidents, property damage,
personal injury and loss of life; and
WHEREAS, Established in 1971, Coast Guard Auxiliary Fort Totten
Flotilla 12-08 has been stationed for many years at the U.S. Coast Guard
Station, Fort Totten, New York; it is a family oriented and diverse
flotilla with members ranging from 18 to 70 years of age; and
WHEREAS, In recent years, the major focus of Fort Totten Flotilla
12-08 has been boating education; its public education classes have
helped train the NYPD Harbor Unit; NYS Department of Corrections, Marine

Unit; the NYPD Auxiliary Units; the NYC Parks Department; and the NYC
OEM CERT Teams; and
WHEREAS, Fort Totten Flotilla 12-08 has been extremely active in the
Queens community by contributing countless volunteer hours to many good
causes in the public affairs field and by making special events a top
priority; its mission statement is "Teamwork is the ability to work
together toward a common vision; it is the fuel that allows common
people to attain uncommon results"; and
WHEREAS, This auspicious occasion presents a unique opportunity for
this Legislative Body to recognize and pay tribute to America's Volun-
teer Lifesavers, the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, and to honor
Flotilla 12-08 of Fort Totten, New York; for over 70 years, the highly
motivated and patriotic members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary have worked
with and served under the direction of the United States Coast Guard,
saving lives and safeguarding our shores and waterways; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when organiza-
tions of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our atten-
tion, they should be recognized by all the citizens of this great Empire
State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the United States Coast Guard Auxilia-
ry and to honor Flotilla 12-08 of Fort Totten, New York; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 12-08, Fort Totten, New York.