As a young, married father I'm hoping I can put in one or two Saturdays a month as an Auxiliary volunteer. Looking at the requirements for the Trident device Coxswain, it doesn't sound like either is really doable with that kind of availability. Am I reading that right?

Don't focus on a qualification badge. That's a marathon. Work on a qualification. Vessel Examiner or Program Visitor for example. If you're interested in Coxswain, you need to be crew first. Learn that and get good at it. THEN...work on Coxswain. Or if you're interested in Marine Safety, find a qualification your sector needs, then find a mentor. If you can bang off 5 MS qualifications, and log 96 MS hours per year for four years, you can get the Trident.

It takes time for active duty to earn their qual badges. We are held to similarly high standards. It's going to take time, moreso since we are volunteers and do this when we can. One step at a time, if you're aiming for the Trident or Coxswain, it'll come. Just don't make that the end-all.

Good Luck.

Once my paperwork is sent off, I'm hoping to attend a training weekend if they do one locally. I really want to be involved, but my time is pretty limited. Coxswain is a goal for me since I was unable to earn my enlisted surface warfare device while I was in the Navy. It's a personal goal.

Yes, scouts takes up a fair chunk of my time as well. I have two sons in the program. One's an Eagle, the other just made 1st class. It takes up a lot of time, and it's worth it, but you need your "me" time.
Cutterman? You're ambitious. Good Luck!

Agree with Scoutdad. (I'm one too.)

Can't speak for the Trident but I've heard it's a significant commitment that has to square with an active duty need. I've heard horror stories on both sides: gold side puts all sorts of mentoring into Auxie for the qual, then Auxie doesn't use it to help. Silver side gets the qual but gold side regime changes and Auxie falls off radar and loses qual.

Even if you are an experienced boater, be prepared for crew (and then coxswain) to take a while. I thought 30 years of boating experience was going to breeze me through it and it just took forever--mostly because of me. Study that BCSM and know the Coast Guard Way of naming and doing things.