Basic Meteorology >> How to read Surface Maps

Coast Guard Qualifications
	-- A consolidation of Coast Guard weather qualification & WX competencies

Coast Guard Weather


	As is the case with any learning, there is ALWAYS a level of knowledge Level 1 - Coast Guard Weather Briefer (CGWXB) - Click \| .doc ***This is a CG core competency – Entry level wx briefer (available for All Coast Guardsman) Not a required qualification; as this is an informational instruction established to assist with basic weather knowledge in putting a viable and informative weather brief together for decision making process which normally will be used to brief each command. a. Incident Response b. Situational awareness (ORM) c. SAR d. Can be used for planning a hunting trip in the mountains! Level 2 - Coast Guard Aviation Weather Briefer (CGAWXB - MST04) - click \| .doc *This is a CG core competency - CG Aviation Weather Briefer (available only to MST’s; attendance to Air Force Weather school is highly encouraged.) from this point onward, each member will be required to earn a local unit qual based on needs of their unit. This qualification or secondary core competency is based on the COMDTINST M3710.1F which states that all aviation assets with a destination other that their departure point is required to have weather brief from a qualified weather source. Certain units have MST’s already propositioned to prepare and present weather to departing aircraft. Furthermore, by this being a core competency, MST’s at these aviation unit will be interchangably “plug and play” as having both core quaificationsl. Level 3- Aviation Weather Unit Local Qualifications *Local Unit Requirements" Local units with unit level quals. a. Air Station Kodiak (Aviation Operational Weather Briefer) AOWB – Kodiak Official Website - Air Station Kodiak AOWB PQS- Click / AOWB Guidebook - Click b. International Ice Patrol (ice observing) Official Website IIP qualification - Click c. Ice breakers (aviation and ice observing) – when operational Breakers local qualification - not linked Level 4 - Aviation Weather Forecaster (CGAWXF) - click *This is a "just for education"** CG Weather Forecaster. This is equivalent to what the NWS observers has to learn and pass for their advanced weather training. This is not a required qual, but if an individual seeks a higher understanding of meteorology, then this qual will provide links and curriculum to further their understanding of weather

       The purpose of this collection of weather instruction and qualifications from each unit across the Coast Guard is to provide a consolidated area for weather support. Currently in the Coast Guard there is not a Program Manager (PM) for weather. The MSTCM-RM (Marine Safety Technician Master Chief –Rating Manager) is currently the one person keeping tabs on the weather program in the Guard - at least on the MST side. The problem is that comparatively only a very small percentage of MST’s perform official weather duties at any one time. As a result weather duties, for several years running, have been less important to the Guard as a whole. Another issue is the availability of the internet; there is so much weather information available at the touch of your finger tip, that a false sense of knowledge exists.

      The funny thing is, this extends to all D.o.D. (Department of Defense) services, even the National Weather Service. The internet also makes forecasting easier with remote sensing – satellites, radar, ASOS observation, RA-OB sounding – all available to everyone around the world! Keeping this in mind, weather practices as ‘art’ and ‘science is slowly being replace by a total reliance on models alone!

      A true forecaster realizes the importance of know where the source data comes from – how to read (interpolate) satellite images, radar data, RA-OB sounding and other point source information. Besides that how often have you noticed a ‘busted’ forecast? One of the main reasons for a ‘busted’ forecast is because the forecaster put too much weight on what the model forecast. The models should be like a guide, with the forecaster looking at all the other point source information and make their own ‘gut’ feeling or educated guess. Education and experience is key!

    As a person who wants to truly be able brief the weather, or rather interpret what is made available on the internet, we should be more informed. Hence the secondary reason for this site. There is SO many meteorological ‘learning sites’ for education (including this one), I want to make learning Coast Guard weather easier by aligning the learning with the missions.

- Jeff