Coast Guard auxiliary hold Change of Watch ceremony on Island

U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 7-2 (8th Coastal District) held its annual Change of Watch ceremony On Saturday in South Padre Island.

New Flotilla Commander Ernest Aliseda and Vice Flotilla Commander James Ryan were installed along with flotilla staff officers at the ceremony, which was attended by members of the flotilla, local and regional USCG officers, their families and invited guests.

Aliseda said the Change of Watch is a formal tradition for ceremonially passing leadership to newly elected officers, allowing for a smooth transition to maintain continuity in the flotilla’s mission of supporting the USCG. Flotilla 7-2 serves the Rio Grande Region, focusing primarily on boating safety through public safety courses, inspecting vessels to help boaters meet safety requirements, and supporting environmental efforts such as the Sea Partners Campaign, he said.

The auxiliaries, which also provide support for USCG patrols and during emergencies, have more than 20,000 members nationally.

Established 75 years ago, Flotilla 7-2 is the oldest USCG auxiliary flotilla in Division 7, which covers Central Texas to the Gulf of Mexico.

“We’re an all volunteer organization,” Aliseda said. “We are in essence a force multiplier, in the sense we try to support the active Coast Guard in doing different things and fulfilling their needs. For example there’s a lot of auxiliarists that get certified as culinary specialists. In fact, we have some people in our unit that support the Coast Guard during the week and during the weekends, cooking in the cafeteria there.

“In addition, we do a lot of inspections of boats. We will certify boats. We have vessel inspectors, and usually when the Coast Guard is out patrolling and they see a boat with one of our stickers on it, they’re a lot more lenient because they know that that particular boat has gotten certified that year by one of the Coast Guard auxiliaries.”

“Basically we’re there to support the Coast Guard,” Aliseda said. “We can do everything with the exception of law enforcement duties.”

All of it requires that auxiliarists undergo training to obtain certification. The Sea Partners Campaign the flotilla is helping promote, meanwhile, is “all about raising awareness about marine pollution and protecting the coastal ecosystems,” he said.

“We’ve got some partners, Shallow Stalker Boats and Suzuki Marine,” Aliseda said. “They’ve actually agreed to not only help promote it but also they’re going to be participating in a beach cleanup program on South Padre Island in February.”

After retiring from the Army in 2019 as a lieutenant colonel, he still wanted to serve, and joined the auxiliary in 2021, Aliseda said, adding that volunteering for Flotilla 7-2 is personally gratifying as well as a source of pride. He’s also general counsel for DHR Health and a municipal judge in McAllen.

“It’s a way to give back, not only to your community but also to your country,” Aliseda said.

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