Commandant’s Auxiliary Letter of Commendation: Peter T. Kirschner

At the Division meeting on Monday our shipmate from FL73, Peter T. Kirschner, was awarded the Commandant’s Auxiliary Letter of Commendation. Peter tirelessly provided support to hundreds of Auxiliarists individually, the Auxiliary as a whole, and our Active Duty commands and partners. Without this kind of work we simply could not operate. We would have no qualifications, no awards, no way of contacting our members, no ability to accept facilities for use or cut orders.

Personally I'm honored to have Peter as a friend and mentor. Peter personifies Respect, Honor and Devotion to Duty.

Bravo Zulu Peter!

17 September 2009

From: Commandant

To: Peter T. Kirschner, USCG Auxiliary

Subj: AUXILIARY LETTER OF COMMENDATION

I note with pride and am pleased to commend you for your performance of duty while assigned as District Staff Officer Information Systems, Thirteenth Coast Guard District from January 1999 to January 2009. This time period was one of exceptional significance to the Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Auxiliary as the country responded to the post September 11th tragedy with its significant increase in volunteerism. With so many new members, the Auxiliary recognized that it needed to transition from its basic Auxiliary Management Information System (AUXMIS) to more sophisticated packages for member tracking and reporting called Auxiliary Data and Auxiliary Info. These new programs accommodate both the sharp increase in membership volume but offered an affiliated upgrade in capability tracking. During this period of technological and philosophical change you demonstrated savvy professionalism and competence in quickly mastering and implementing these new data and member management systems. In this enhanced role, you provided accurate record keeping of member’s performance and qualifications as needed. Further, you trained hundreds of other Auxiliarists on the new systems while still providing services for several Auxiliary Directors, multiple Commodores and thousands of Auxiliarists over the years. While you were the regional Information Systems Officer, you simultaneously held another position on the Auxiliary National Staff thereby ensuring that the Thirteenth District’s technological needs were on the forefront of the nationwide technological evolution. Your reputation, skill, patience and your enthusiastic “can-do” attitude helped insure the accuracy, relevance and importance of Coast Guard Auxiliary personnel records. These records, typically the only measure to account for the Auxiliary’s Herculean efforts, today identify, account and segment nearly $100 million in annual professional volunteer hours.

You are commended for your outstanding performance of duty. By your meritorious service you have upheld the highest traditions of the United States Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Auxiliary.

You are hereby authorized to wear the Commandant’s Auxiliary Letter of Commendation Ribbon Bar.

For the Commandant,

M. A. BILLEAUDEAUX

Commander, U. S. Coast Guard

DIRAUX, Thirteenth Coast Guard District