King Air Pilot Arriving!

LT Colleen Conley was commissioned into the NOAA Corps at the Aircraft Operations Center in Lakeland, Florida on October 28, 2019. LT Conley joins our ranks as our newest King Air pilot. Welcome aboard Lieutenant Conley!

End of Rating Period (O-3 and O-4)

November 30, 2019, marks the end of the annual rating period for all officers in the grades of O-3 and O-4. All officers who have not or will not receive an OER for other approved reasons within 6 months are required to complete and submit their accomplishments to their supervisors by November 09, 2019 (21 days before the end of the rating period per OES standards). OERs are important not only for promotion purposes, but also as a means to provide valuable feedback for performance improvement. Please work with your rating chains to complete these reports.

PCS Travel for FY 2020 (1^st Quarter)

We've completed the year-end budget closeout cycle for FY 2019 and we're well into FY 2020. A tight budget and Continuing Resolution will affect PCS orders for officers traveling in the first quarter of FY 2020 and CPC is only obligating on an as needed basis.

CPC recognizes the difficulties which can develop because of this situation and request officers communicate early and be patient with their HR Specialist while CPC executes the first quarter budget.

Officer Assignment Board - O-4/O-5 Shore Assignments

An Officer Assignment Board (OAB) for O-4/O-5 shore assignments will be held on Wednesday, December 4, 2019. The OAB will be prepared to look at potential O-4/O-5 officers and assignments up to 18 months from now. If you are due to rotate to a shore assignment in the next 18 months, please ensure your assignment preferences are up to date, discuss potential assignments with the appropriate liaison officer, and contact the assignment coordinator, CDR Stephen Kuzirian, with any questions at 301-713-7694 or assignmentbranch.cpc@noaa.gov.

From the Assignments Desk: Billet # 7273: Hydrographic Training and Doctrine Coordinator

The Office of Coast Survey's Hydrographic Surveys Division (HSD) is seeking an O-2/O-3 NOAA Corps officer to serve as the Hydrographic Training and Doctrine Coordinator in Silver Spring, MD.

The primary duty for this billet is the development, management, and implementation of training projects, to ensure NOAA's continued excellence in the field of hydrography. Foremost among these is the coordination of HSD's annual Basic and Advanced Hydrographic Trainings. Other responsibilities may include facilitating training for specific hardware/software systems or emerging technologies (i.e. unmanned systems), developing new online curriculum and training modules, or collaborating with other hydrographic organizations (i.e. U.S. Navy) on cross-training opportunities. Additional tasks for this billet include managing a large number of important contracts/procurements and staffing various program initiatives.

This billet represents a good opportunity for a junior NOAA Corps officer interested in working in hydrography to gain experience in the subject and become well-positioned for future hydro-related assignments. Additional opportunities include exposure to high-level management, organizational knowledge, and experience in purchasing, management, and administration. One can expect to leave the assignment with a COR I or COR II certification.

To coordinate successful training requires knowledge of the important concepts, and the ability to teach some of the classes as necessary. Therefore, the ideal candidate should have a good foundation in hydrography and completed at least one sea assignment on a NOAA hydrographic vessel. Additionally, this billet requires strong collaboration, management, and leadership skills.

Interested candidates should contact the incumbent, LT Matthew Forrest, at 240-847-8820 or matthew.r.forrest@noaa.gov, or CAPT Rick Brennan, Chief of HSD, at richard.t.brennan@noaa.gov.