The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 91 will mark a significant milestone this month as it celebrates 20 years of service alongside Coast Guard Station Fort Myers Beach during its annual Change of Watch Ceremony. The event is Saturday, January 17 at the Whiskey Creek Country Club at 5pm.
The event, steeped in Coast Guard tradition, formally transfers leadership between outgoing and incoming officers while honoring past achievements and reaffirming the Auxiliary’s enduring commitment to mission support.
This year’s ceremony carries special significance. In 2006, then–Officer in Charge, Chief Warrant Officer Pete Louzao, recognized the value the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary could bring to a small boat station. He was instrumental in the chartering of Flotilla 91 to Station Fort Myers Beach. The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary was chartered by Congress in 1939. The Auxiliary exists to assist the Coast Guard in carrying out authorized missions. What followed over the next two decades far exceeded expectations.
Since its establishment at Station Fort Myers Beach, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 91 has provided extraordinary and sustained operational support. Volunteers have contributed more than 125,300 sustained service hours, plus:
- Over 10,000 hours of surface operations
- More than 9,000 hours of radio watchstanding
- Over 7,500 hours of direct administrative support
- More than 4,000 program visits to marinas and facilities
- Over 2,400 free recreational vessel safety examinations
Auxiliary members routinely augmented station personnel, backfilled operational roles during holidays and surge periods, supported patrols, and even provided culinary services—answering the call whenever and wherever needed.
Operational crews from Flotilla 91 maintained critical safety zones during the intentional sinking of the USCGC Mohawk. This 165-foot, World War II-era vessel now serves as Florida’s first military-ship artificial reef, established as a permanent tribute to the veteran community.
Beyond local waters, Flotilla 91’s impact reached the international stage. Public Education instructors participated in the Department of Defense–led Enduring Friendship Initiative, delivering classroom instruction on crew responsibilities, basic seamanship, marlinspike, basic navigation, and charting to maritime forces of Honduras, Nicaragua, Belize, Jamaica, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, and Panama. This multi-year effort enhanced partner nations’ abilities to respond to maritime threats and emergencies throughout the Caribbean.
Operational excellence extended to international competition, with Flotilla 91 sending members to compete in the International Search and Rescue Competition alongside the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Public outreach remained a cornerstone of service. Flotilla 91’s Public Affairs team appeared on ABC7, Fox 4, ESPN Radio, Beach Talk Radio, and other media outlets promoting boating safety and the Waterway Watch Program, encouraging vigilance against maritime threats. Members delivered paddle sports safety demonstrations at community pools, supported the “Fit to Float” initiative, and worked with local governments to secure proclamations recognizing National Safe Boating Week. Our outreach programs successfully brought the safe boating mess