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INSIDE THIS ISSUE PG. 2

Word from the Flotilla Commander

PG. 3 - 5

A soul-searching nation

PG. 6 - 8

Law enforcement agencies are in a

desperate struggle

PG. 9 - 11

What should unite us all

PG. 12 - 13

How government surprised me

JUNE 2020 NEWSLETTER To date, June has suddenly turned into the most trying month in recent memory. After the

brutal killing of a man under law enforcement custody shocked the world, it immediately led

to calls for police reform. But what transpired next created deep ideological divisions. We can

do better. But we must also respect our laws and institutions as we forge a new path ahead.

MESSAGE FROM THE COMMANDER

ROBERT YSLAS, FLOTILLA COMMANDER

STAND DOWN REMINDER LIMITED ACCESS POSTURE DUE TO COVID-19

As you know, the Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted virtually every facet

of our lives, including the ability to participate in face-to-face Auxiliary

operations. Unfortunately, this has meant being unable to access Sector

San Diego; hence, our virtual Flotilla meetings.

Though most states have now begun relaxing their restrictions,

according to our Director of Auxiliary, only personnel who work on Coast

Guard installations are allowed inside. Currently, there are no approved

waivers for Auxiliarists which would require them access to such

facilities.

If at some point access is granted, this will be communicated from the

chain of leadership.

Shipmates,

As we continue to work from home, we must strive to look for the positive

outcomes this opportunity has presented. It is easy to fall into depression,

loneliness, or stagnation due to the loss of social interaction, fellowship,

or the opportunity to frequent our favorite gastro or social hangouts.

However, for some or most, this opportunity has parceled out time for

self-improvement, reflection, and reconnection with family and friends

despite the limitations posed by social distancing. We are presented with

an opportunity to change our environment and outlook based on our

limitations, yet we have found ways to adapt, improvise and overcome

adversity. I am not saying that everyone's situation is perfect; we are far

from that, but we are in a position where we can affect change on a

personal level.

Early this month, our communities were fraught with fear and concern as

a result of recent social events. The community of La Mesa saw

devastation that I would have never imagined, and it pains me to see a

community that has been a part of my life fall victim to rioting and looting.

I was called up on Emergency State Active Duty orders in response to

these incidents of civil unrest. It was the first time since World War 2 that

the California State Guard was completely activated. Partway through my

service, I was redirected to El Centro to help with the food banks and, I

have to say, it was a rewarding experience to be a part of the solution.

Since my return, I am more focused on wanting to improve my abilities to

serve, not only in the Auxiliary, but in my community. Take this time to

reflect on how we can make our own communities better and how we, as

Auxiliary members, can be a part of the solution. I look forward to your

ideas and hope to see you all soon. Stay well and Semper Paratus!

BATTLING FOR OUR NATION’S SOUL BALANCING CALLS FOR REFORM WITH A COMMON-SENSE APPROACH

Undoubtedly, this is the most difficult article I’ve ever had to write. Not only am I referring to the gut-wrenching scenes of

violence that sparked with one act of horror rippling throughout the nation, but also that this is perhaps the most trying time

in post-World War II history.

Please allow me to explain the context. There is no doubt in my mind that the first responders who rushed into the Twin

Towers to save their fellow man on that fateful eleventh day of September 2001, ranks as among the highest acts of gallantry

ever known. As well, the men and women who lost their lives fighting the ensuing wars deserve our utmost respect and

gratitude.

But if I may be perfectly honest, the disasters – both of acts of evil and Acts of God – that we suffered in modern times have

an element of plausible deniability. That is, because the tragedies occur in focalized regions or institutions (i.e. New York City

during 9/11 or the military serving abroad), most Americans can go about their daily lives without much, if any interference.

And that’s what makes this broader crisis distinct from all other trials we have faced in the last seven decades. Everyone, from

rich to poor, from black to white, to every color and creed in between, we have all suffered. First, the novel coronavirus

imposed a deadly pandemic, which then catalyzed an economic fallout. Now, nationwide protests calling for social equity

and justice have again ground much of society to a standstill.

Like all rational Americans, I was horrified at the death of George Floyd. Although I don’t want to rush to judgment, the

footage that we’re all too familiar with appears to demonstrate that the law enforcement officer in question used excessive

force. Frankly, it’s hard to look at that incident and not see it as an act of torture and murder.

Of course, I understand that this terrible incident caused outrage within the Black community. Sadly, this video clip harkens

back to the dark days of the pre-Civil Rights Movement, when not every American enjoyed the rights and privileges of being

citizens of this great nation. Inevitably, protests sprouted, if only to deny plausible deniability to mainstream White America.

As a person of color, I’m familiar with some (certainly not all) of the prejudices that Blacks encounter in this country. Where

I differ with the views of the protesters – some of whom are not protestors but are often violent, destructive agitators – is

that I’m in no hurry to have government attempt to legislate away all prejudices.

The primary role of the federal and state governments is to protect the people under their charge. That’s it. Government

cannot be the driving force for personal growth, financial success, spiritual persuasion or any number of what I would term

“heart issues.” Indeed, history is replete with failed nations and regimes that attempted to forge a specific mindset on their

citizenry.

As it relates to the present discourse, the government will never be able to address personal prejudice and internal racism.

Though it may seem a startling statement coming from a person of color who has experienced racism to some degree,

people have a right to their views, whether disagreeable to mainstream society or not.

If we are to enjoy the privileges of being an American, we must accept responsibility of being one as well. And that means

granting First Amendment rights to all citizens.

As such, the federal government has already done its job by eliminating discrimination based on race, gender, religion, sexual

orientation and other personal or immutable characteristics for employment consideration. Of course, I’m not naïve – there

are many incidents that fall through the cracks. But is this a systemic problem or a matter of infrequent, imperfect execution

which can be addressed through currently available legal channels?

This is an important question for which to honestly seek an answer because it speaks to the heart of our present troubles. Is

the recent failure of a specific law enforcement agency’s duty to serve and protect all Americans emblematic of a wholesale

breakdown or part of a series of isolated incidents?

If the former, then it’s incumbent that we overhaul the entire policing network. Obviously, we cannot have roving bands of

racists patrolling our streets, deliberately targeting communities of color for violence. But if the latter, we must consider the

wisdom and effectiveness of extreme reformation, such as “defunding the police,” or in one organizer’s opinion, abolishing

law enforcement altogether.

Just like you wouldn’t bulldoze your home because you found a few bugs or pests living there, we must deploy economically

sensible solutions not just for police departments but also for other purposes. No matter how great we are as a nation, we

only have so many resources.

However, as our country grows in terms of population, the only viable solution is to increase funding for police. Additionally,

I hope that our elected officials will consider bolstering the Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security. With the

influx of narcotics, contraband and people with nefarious agendas, this is not the time to let our guard down or bend the

knee.

The future success and stability of the United States of America depends not just on our laws, but our capacity and our

willingness to enforce them. That is something that we all can agree on.

A RISING, DESPERATE CRISIS WHY WE CANNOT TURN OUR BACKS ON LAW ENFORCEMENT

Amid the cries for social justice, there’s a name that you probably won’t hear too much about -- Patrick Underwood.

An officer of the Federal Protective Service, which is an arm of the Department of Homeland Security, Mr. Underwood was

standing guard, watching over a protest that sprang up on Friday, May 29 in Oakland. Out of nowhere, a cowardly assassin

rained gunfire on him and a second FPS officer, critically wounding him.

Unfortunately, Mr. Underwood would succumb to his injuries.

Acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Ken Cuccinelli was quick to condemn this murderous act. “Let me be clear,

when someone targets a police officer or a police station with the intention to do harm and intimidate, that is an act of

domestic terrorism,” he stated.

Sadly, many people in this country fail to recognize the tremendous difficulties that law enforcement officers must endure.

With very, very few exceptions, every police officer enters the profession ultimately to help his or her community. No one

enters this arena looking to start trouble.

How do I know this? Because police officers are first and foremost human beings. In this rage against the killing of George

Floyd, we’re forgetting that those charged with protecting their communities are increasingly being placed into untenable

situations. Depending on who a criminal suspect is, an officer must realize that they risk severe consequences if any force is

utilized.

Not surprisingly, many in law enforcement are turning in their badges. According to an Associated Press report and

republished by Time:

At least seven Minneapolis police officers have quit and another seven are in the process of resigning, citing a lack

of support from department and city leaders as protests over George Floyd’s death escalated.

Current and former officers told The Minneapolis Star Tribune that officers are upset with Mayor Jacob Frey’s decision

to abandon the Third Precinct station during the protests. Demonstrators set the building on fire after officers left.

Protesters also hurled bricks and insults at officers. Numerous officers and protesters have been injured.

Retired Minneapolis officer and use-of-force expert Mylan Masson succinctly summarized this crisis in law enforcement,

stating that “(Officers) don’t feel appreciated…Everybody hates the police right now. I mean everybody.”

To be fair, seven officers leaving their jobs may not be the most statistically significant event, especially in a big city like

Minneapolis. That’s according to Minneapolis Police spokesman John Elder, who stated, “There’s nothing that leads us to

believe that at this point the numbers are so great that it’s going to be problematic…People seek to leave employment for a

myriad reasons — the MPD is no exception.”

Elder may have a point. However, I would note the context. Frankly, this is a moment where we need police the most. And

for honorable individuals – and that’s the perfect descriptor for the vast majority of police officers – there is no greater joy

than to be needed and to fulfill the role of protector in the hour of unprecedented desperation.

In addition, I’d also like to address the giant pink elephant in the room – we’re in the midst of a severe economic crisis. Yes,

the U.S. economy added 2.5 million jobs, but we also lost 20.5 million in April. If we were not in an election year, I doubt that

any politician would boast about being “20 million down, 2 million up.”

Thus, for anybody to quit their job in the worst jobs market is fundamentally significant if not statistically.

I know that this is not the most popular opinion right now. But in this chaos, I have become much more appreciative of law

enforcement and for anybody that wears a uniform in the service of their communities and our country. Ironically, I have

seen the humanity of police officers in a way that I’ve never appreciated nor recognized before.

In this age of social media and a 24/7 news cycle, we the viewing public have now become the judge, jury and executioner.

As well, we have a complicit mainstream media complex that actively foments anger and hostility at people who deserve it

the least.

This is not to say that institutions such as law enforcement can’t improve because they can. Police officers are professionals

– once they have a suspect under their control, they cannot apply lethal force. I believe in the George Floyd case, the arresting

officer let his emotions get the best of him. That’s unacceptable, especially if it costs a man his life.

However, the media has an obligation to balance the coverage of law enforcement of this country. For example, many police

departments practice “surprise Santa” events, where traffic ticket cops give Christmas presents instead of citations.

I encourage you to watch the video on the link above not just because it presents police officers in a positive light but that

this is really the heart of most people in this profession.

But my biggest fear is that our country is steadily falling for an incredibly biased and dangerous narrative. As we pour our

frustrations and anger on officers that had absolutely nothing to do with Floyd’s killing or abuse of power in general, it’s only

a matter of time before many quit en masse.

I mean, who would really want to grow up to be a police officer in this environment?

What our law enforcement communities need right now is a kind word from every day, hardworking Americans. As well, I

encourage everyone to support initiatives that are pro-law enforcement. Although I cannot make an overtly political

statement, I believe that it is fundamentally crucial to aid police officers and associated first responders in whatever way we

can.

They are here for us when the situation is at its worst. It’s time we support them with our best.

UNIFIED IN OUR STRUGGLE

THE DESTRUCTION OF THE MIDDLE CLASS IS WHAT WE SHOULD FOCUS ON Throughout the month of June, we’ve heard impassioned calls for equality. Again, I believe I speak for all rational Americans:

no one who truly believes in our values, principles and institutions will deny that equality is a noble cause.

But my main contention is that we’re seeking solutions from the wrong sources. For instance, attacking police officers does

nothing but further divide us. As well, government action can only go so far. At some point, people need to accept that not

every circumstance will be equal.

Unfortunately, life’s not fair. I wasn’t born the tallest, the most athletic nor the best looking – I’ve got to play the cards I’m

dealt, as does everyone else. But what we can’t do is demand the government change this dynamic. If I know anything at all,

it’s that unnecessary government action leads to multiple unintended consequences.

Yet there are issues where I believe federal oversight can be helpful, especially for the long term. Interestingly, it’s the

economic environment – the one that’s at the forefront of every American – that should unite us.

But I’m not naïve. When I see angry mobs aggressively push their political ideologies, it’s incredibly easy to fall into the first

temptation – view our fellow Americans in binary, “with us or against us” terms. If we are to have any hope of healing the

present divide, we must be willing to dialogue, even with those whose views may be completely foreign to us.

Easily one of the tragedies of this broader social unrest is that people are allowing largely manufactured conflicts to distract

them from the most pertinent issues. Chief among them is America’s raging wealth gap.

According to information from the Federal Reserve Economic Data, the gap between the share of total net worth held by

the top tenth wealth percentile versus the bottom 90% (i.e. everyone else) dropped to its most narrow in the third quarter of

2002 at 61% and 39%, respectively.

Granted, I don’t believe that an aristocratic few owning 61% of our nation’s wealth is sustainable long term. However, it was

much better than what we eventually received.

Heading into the Great Recession, the wealth gap widened to 67/33 in favor of the ultra-elite. It spread even more

dramatically until just recently, in Q1 2020, where it settled at 69/31. However, the nearer-term narrowing of the wealth gap

shouldn’t fool you – this is only because stock market valuations dipped sharply in Q1.

Once things pick back up on Wall Street, the gap will again widen, just like it did years after the Great Recession.

Contextually, this chasm between the rich and everyone else is near or at a tipping point. That’s because in 2000, the

population of the U.S. was 282.2 million. In 2019, the tally was 328.2 million. In other words, more people have less access

to this country’s economic productivity.

If you want to know the single-biggest contributor to the present unrest, it’s this underlying despair. Intuitively, Americans

are beginning to understand that the old notion of “work hard and get a good job” is becomingly worryingly less relevant.

Truly, most Americans already work hard. But for many, it seems like the harder they work, the more they fall behind. Well,

this sentiment isn’t just a self-induced pity party. The fed’s own data confirms this frustration. And if we collectively fail to do

something about it, this exasperation will boil over into real turmoil.

This skewed ecosystem also explains why protesters hail from all backgrounds. While the issue of law enforcement reform

resonates most deeply with Black Americans, the economy is our shared concern. Honestly, I doubt that the upheaval would

have been this bad had we enjoyed a substantive jobs market for all Americans.

People with hope for a brighter future have little to no incentive to rock the boat.

But this is why I don’t think the nationwide protests will end until our entire political leadership work together to solve the

economic problems of the 21st century. Right now, we’re stuck applying solutions from an old paradigm to new challenges.

As we’re seeing, this antiquated thought process just isn’t working.

However, the source of optimism here is that in this heated moment, everyone can agree that we must have an economy

that works for all Americans, not just an elite few. By focusing on what unites us rather than what divides us, we can forge a

better path for tomorrow.

BENEFITING FROM COOPERATION HOW WORKING TOGETHER CAN UNLEASH IMPRESSIVE SYNERGIES

Fast. Efficient. Creative.

These are the core attributes of the federal government, said no one ever.

Of course, I’m exaggerating. Several components of the government respond with incredible swiftness and unwavering

commitment, especially our armed services. However, if you were to survey random people, chances are, they won’t have

the most positive attitude toward governmental procedures. Certainly, years of red tape bureaucracy at every level have

colored our collective opinion.

I’m going to be honest: most things government-branded are confusing to me. Therefore, it’s always a concern whenever

an organization proposes that government directly intervene on a social issue, or any issue for that matter. I don’t think I’ve

ever processed any official paperwork thinking – yeah, that was straightforward and intuitive.

So it was with immense anxiety that the coronavirus shuttered our nation’s commerce, because it also meant that immigrants

to the U.S. who were scheduled to take their Oath of Allegiance were denied this pivotal path to citizenship.

According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, over 700,000 people become naturalized citizens annually. My

wife Julia was among those who was on the cusp of naturalization, only to have state and federal shutdowns immediately

close the process until further notice.

Typically, when the government says, “until further notice,” it opens myriad possibilities. As the health crisis raged into an

economic crisis, which then catapulted into social unrest and an unprecedented political divide, our thoughts surely mimicked

the near-million strong who were likewise stuck in limbo: we are doomed.

As you might imagine, immigrant advocacy groups petitioned – really begged – the federal government to allow the

naturalization ceremony to take place online via teleconferencing platforms like Zoom. However, U.S. Code Section 1448 –

yes, I am a nerd! – instructs that a person applying for citizenship must “take in a public ceremony before the Attorney

General or a court with jurisdiction.”

By law, Congress has the authority to allow the USCIS to conduct ceremonies via non-traditional means for emergencies

and other extraordinary events. Not wanting to set precedent, the federal government rejected calls for remote naturalization

ceremonies. Again, law-abiding immigrants who played by the rules were left to wonder what will be.

But then, something beautiful and unexpected happened. Near the beginning of June, USCIS began rescheduling

naturalization ceremonies. Further, in California, USCIS offices initiated “drive-thru” ceremonies. Meeting the guidelines

specified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, applicants for citizenship pledge the Oath of Allegiance in their

cars, maintaining social distancing while fulfilling the requirements of federal law.

To demonstrate how quick this process was, we received a phone call on Monday, June 15, informing us that my wife was

scheduled for her naturalization ceremony on Friday. In no more than 20 minutes, she answered some questions, pledged

her allegiance to the United States, and received her Certificate of Naturalization.

I’m usually a hard person to impress but I was absolutely stunned with the creativity and efficiency of the USCIS team. That

this remarkable performance came from a government agency puts me at a loss for words.

But here’s the takeaway: if we put our minds together, there’s nothing that we can’t solve. As you can tell, I have a cynical

view of bureaucracies. But the decisive and concerted efforts of our government to serve the American people – at personal

risk to USCIS workers – has changed my outlook.

It has dawned on me that at the end of the day, we either choose failure or success. Though we cannot change the injustices

of the past, we can move past our differences and promote constructive, positive-sum-game solutions.

If government can be intuitive and effective, truly anything is possible!

Please send any written experiences about

your assignments (and of course any

photos!) to me, Josh Enomoto FSO-PB at

JYEfinancial@gmail.com.