Welcome to the Department of Training

We in the Department of Training are committed to provide you, the member, with the best training available. We have recently reorganized the Department into a sleek, dynamic, highly professional community of professionals dedicated to you and the Auxiliary’s missions.

We provide quality services by our commitment and forward thinking in the world of education, closely examining new methods of delivery, and teaching techniques that involve all facets of media from PowerPoints to video production. Further, we are committed to present these educational opportunities to you in the most economical method possible and as a result, more instructional material will be arriving to you or your Flotilla as DVDs or CDs.

An exciting new instructional delivery method pioneered by Dr. Juan Hernandez is the eLearning or Distance Learning technique powered by eBlackboard hosted by Southern New Hampshire University where the Auxiliary and the university have an MOU to provide this tool to you, the member. At present, we have the Flotilla Leadership Course and AUXCOM. Shortly, we plan to have all the AUXOP courses on line.

We have stood up the Instructional Services Division headed by Steve Putnoki that is dedicated to supporting our course writers by ensuring that we have the best media we can incorporate, examinations that are written and regularly improved upon by professional in the testing field. Also, we have professional Copy Editors so that all our publications are standardized in look and feel, meet proper form and style, and most importantly are grammatically correct.

Our Advanced Learning Division is committed to re-writing all AUXOP courses to ensure that they are appropriate, discuss the latest in policy, procedure, and methods of application. In addition, we are ensuring that the latest technology is presented. For more scientific courses, it is hard to divorce oneself from all theory; however, we are committed to present information on a "Need to Know" basis. This means if you want to know how a barometer works, you really don’t care how they are built. Our course writers (Branch Chiefs) are subject matter specialists and are available to answer questions from the field on their particular discipline.

The Leadership Division is headed by Ken Renner who is responsible to bring to you the very latest in leadership techniques, strategy, and methodology. The Division is staffed by experienced personnel with years of experience in leadership. The Division is currently involved in developing the LGT/LDC leadership continuum as an exciting new vehicle for leadership development.

Our Distance Learning division is headed by Matt Hammonds where MOODLE courses reside. These courses emphasize Value Added continuing education presented as dynamic short courses of information or skill development only. For example, a course such as "Care and Maintenance of Outboard Lower End Units" can be offered. We rely upon you the member and the expertise you posses and your willingness to share that information with other members via Value Added Training---Members helping members, so to speak. Also, the division maintains a support staff that looks into software and systems issues.

Our Administrative Support division headed by Jason Cyphers handles all the administrative tasks and other unassigned division tasks such as "Front End Analysis" for new courses, Staff Development where we provide development opportunities for our staff so they can always stay on top of the game. Finally, everyone wants to know how they are performing and that is where Jason and his staff come in. By constantly monitoring Department performance we are able to determine if we are being effective and efficient in what we do by providing valuable feedback that helps us to improve what we do; and that is educate.

We encourage you to browse our site, offer suggestions, and be a member of our Team. Please keep in mind that we can only provide the resources, it is you who must take the first step and participate as a learner. I firmly believe in this

Chinese proverb addressing education:

"If you are planning for a year, sow rice; if you are planning for a decade plant trees; if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people."