Vice commander Rudy Lopez Jr. has been elected Division 6’s commander for 2025, succeeding DCDR Garry Nelson. Rudy will be assisted by the newly elected vice commander, Rick Latronico.
In January, Garry will move into the immediate past commander’s seat, which is currently held by Mark Forster of Flotilla 6-2. Among other duties, the IPCDR fills in if the division commander and vice commander are absent.
Rudy, a member of Flotilla 6-2, will succeed Garry on January 1, with a change of watch luncheon to be held in February. Rudy has been Division 6’s acting vice commander since the death of VCDR Steve Sherman in September.
In addition to serving as acting Division 6 vice commander since September, Rudy holds many other offices at the flotilla, district and national levels: DSO-PA, BC-ATP, FSO-PE, DDC-P, FSO-PA, FSO-CS and FSO-IS. He joined the Auxiliary in 2018.
Division 6 flotilla commanders and division leaders elected Rudy at the regular division meeting on October 28.
Rick Latronico of Flotilla 6-1 was elected VCDR at a special division meeting on Nov. 7.
Rick is also a busy Auxiliarist; a member since 2002, he is immediate past flotilla commander of Flotilla 6-1 and is FSO-PV and SO-PA. He is also certified boat crew and a marine dealer visitor for program visitation.
Only Flotilla commanders and elected division officers can nominate and elect division leadership; appointed division staff do not vote, and the district captain votes only to break ties.
Division 6 covers all six of the flotillas in Orange County, with more than 200 members. It is one of nine divisions in Coast Guard Auxiliary District 11SR, which covers the southern portions of California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona, including the Southern California coast, the desert southwest and the western Colorado River watershed.