Reservist Magazine is the award-winning official publication of the United States Coast Guard Reserve. Bi-monthly issues include news and feature articles about the men and women who comprise America's premier national maritime safety and security
Issue link: https://uscgreservist.epubxp.com/i/140140
Sector San Francisco RFRS Staff: Implementation at ground level Story by Lt. Andrew Taylor, Sector San Francisco, Reserve Force Readiness System Staff F our years ago, the Coast Guard rolled out the Reserve Force Readiness System (RFRS) as part of former Commandant Adm. Thad Allen's vision of revamping the administration, management and training of the Coast Guard Reserve. The purpose of RFRS is to be the full time voice for our part-time Coast Guardsmen through the strategic realignment of full-time support (FTS) billets from the headquarters level to the deck plate. The value of RFRS has been seen across the organization, but nowhere is that value more evident than at the sector level. My first tour as a Reserve Program Administrator (RPA) was at 17th District (dxr) as part of the initial roll out of RFRS. My mentor, Lt. Cmdr. Troy Fryar said at the time, "You'll love it in Alaska and you can really make a difference." Responsible for the largest geographical area with the smallest Reserve population, I had to learn very quickly and adapt to an evolving RFRS concept. A staff of two, SK1 Caryl Seris and I focused on implementing RFRS at the district level to ensure our reservists received the administrative and readiness support they required. Coming from the 17th District to Sector San Francisco for a follow-on RFRS tour has been a terrific opportunity. The Sector San Francisco RFRS staff is part of the Logistics Department and consists of three FTS billets: a lieutenant, yeoman and storekeeper who manage nearly 200 reservists. My predecessor, like many early Sector RFRS, had limited experience in Reserve management, but did a great job implementing RFRS and establishing a foundation upon which to build. Our goal is to ensure that the Reserve program runs smoothly at the sector level. We focus on solving readiness and administrative issues to ensure our reservists are prepared for mobilization. That's where YN1 Trisha Pfaff and SK2 Cortez Davis come in. YN1 Pfaff resolves pay issues and drafts requirements for short-term active duty operational support orders (ADOS) for entry into the Mobilization Readiness Tracking Tool (MRTT). SK2 Cortez Davis coordinates berthing for our members who live over 50 miles from their drilling site/location. This year, Sector San Francisco is working with Pacific Area and the 11th District to execute a mobilization exercise (MOBEX) in conjunction with America's Cup 34 during the months of July, August and September. This is an excellent opportunity for Reserve boat force personnel coming from all districts to get training and be involved in a significant maritime event. YN1 Pfaff entered 48 requests into MRTT and worked with the Surge Staffing Branch (PSC-SSB) to source all personnel requirements YN1 Trisha Pfaff, Sector San Francisco RFRS Staff SK2 Cortez Davis, Sector San Francisco RFRS Staff for the MOBEX within one month. SK2 Davis arranged berthing for all of the reservists who will be attending the MOBEX at the sector as well as making arrangements with the galley to ensure meals will be available for members. While I am a relative newbie to the RPA specialty, I feel extremely fortunate to have been able to get in on the ground floor of the RFRS implementation. It has been most gratifying to witness the difference a cadre of RPAs and full-time support personnel can make to the quality of readiness and training our dedicated Reserve personnel receive. � Issue 2 • 2013 � RESERVIST 35