How to get your web site approved and linked on the national and district web sites  (Revised: Jan 06)

1.  If you do not yet have a host for your web site, you may request space on the AIRS (Auxiliary Internet Resource Site) server. The first consideration for any unit considering a web presence is to have a webmaster/CS person who has thetime and expertise to keep the site up to date. To request space, notify the DSO-CS and include the full name, mailing address, email, and phone number of both the webmaster and the "administrative" contact and a statement that the site has been approved by the sponsoring organization, which is the FC for flotillas or division board for divisions. Be aware that requesting server space and being assigned a URL, login, and password does not constitute official approval for your site as an authorized Auxiliary web site. You must fully comply with the national Internet Site Checklist and you should also check the reference How to Bring Up an Auxiliary Web Site , Section 2.6, which is also contained in the CS Guide for some helpful hints.

2.  No matter who is hosting your website, whether the national AIRS site, or another hosting service, you must be approved by national or your site is not an official Auxiliary web site.  To get your site approved and a link on the national and district web sites requires that your site be reviewed by district CS and also reviewed and approved by national using the checklist.  Site Notifications must be sent up for review by the DSO-CS, using an on-line form, and  will require the same information for the webmaster and administrative contact which is full name, mailing address, email address, and phone number.  Also, for review and approval, will need the URL, or web site address, to review the site and complete the review and notification form.

 3.  Before you request approval, please go through the checklist and check all your pages to make sure they comply.  And this includes everything on the checklist; every item is there for a reason.  Pay particular attention to the following items: 

a.  HTML title tag – clearly identify the sponsoring unit, including district and division, in your html title and don’t use abbreviations, for example <title>United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, District 11 South, Division 5, Flotilla 9, San Bernadino, CA</title> and not <title>CG Aux, Flot 5-9</title>

b.  All graphics require alternate text.  So the rule of thumb is for every <img >tag, you must use the alt=”  “ attribute to supply alternate text.  And make the alternate text a short description of the graphic, not just the file name of the graphic you are using.

c.  Links to other sites must include a standard link disclaimer and don’t link to someone else’s statement.  Same with Privacy Policy, it must be there and again don’t link to someone else’s.  If you need help with this, DSO-CS has generics of both available.

d.  Do not publish member info, other than email or phone number for contact information for those who need to have that published, i.e., VE contact, PE Class info, etc.  Before you publish contact info, get the person’s okay in writing (email is fine).  And do not publish any operations, patrol, or other schedules except class info open to the public.

 Once you are ready for review, notify the DSO-CS (that's me) by email including the necessary info, including URL.  The site will be reviewed by the CS staff and forwarded for review if all looks okay.  You will need to have all your pages loaded on the server before you request the web site review.