Guardians,
I am reposting this blog from MK1 Bryan Carpenter onboard the CGC RESOLUTE. MK1 Carpenter highlights modernization's benefits for the cutter community but also notes some of the IT challenges facing our current fleet. We addressed those issues in the link at the bottom of this post.
Guest post from MK1 Carpenter:
I am the A-gang (Auxiliary Division) MK1 on CGC RESOLUTE and I am starting to see the effects of modernization. The implementation of boatforces.com has greatly improved a cooperative effort to standardize 210' WMEC small boats from the boat builder all the way down to the end user. We have utilized the "plug and play" method with other cutter units. We have both sent our small boat to other units while we are in charlie status as well as receiving other unit's small boats while underway. Both situations had immediate response times with boat crews able to deploy without incident because of standardization.
We had a faulty part on our small boat and submitted a failure report at boatforces.com. We had a quick response from the manufacturer which outpaced the old CASREP system. The CASREP system has its place, but not here. Other "plug and play" systems like the Welin-Lambie davit system being changed out every five years is another good example of modernization efforts.
That being said, now for the bad news, to put it in MK terms we have an overspeed situation here. The modernization efforts are a great step forward, but we are experiencing growing pains in the IT field. More and more actions are being placed on computer submissions (i.e. CM plus, T-pax, Direct Access, etc. which by the way are very user unfriendly) with no increase to computer terminal points at the deck plate level. On my boat we have the entire deck force and engineering force scrambling for two computers. Internet connectivity is marginal at best when underway which is why I had to give up my college studies until I get to a land unit. It is ironic that I received an e-mail from Secretary Napolitano precluding a "streaming town hall discussion" which I will not see until I return to home port weeks from now.
Overall I am not complaining, I know these things take time and the only thing constant is change. As long as we are all plotting the same course we should see some positive results in the future.
v/r
MK1 Bryan "Pappy" Carpenter
Note: MK1 Carpenter raises critical IT issues for our existing cutter fleet. Here are some answers
(/CG-6%20and%207%20Response.pdf).
