Director's Message:

The President has approved the promotion package. CPC is routing the package for the Secretary's signature and anticipates commissions to be effective 01 October 2014. The officers will be notified separately and CPC will announce the promotions once they are effected.


CAPT Lawrence T. Krepp, NOAA
Director, CPC

On the Horizon

19 October - 08 November 2014 REFTRA
01-05 December 2014 Mid-Grade Leadership Week 1
02-06 February 2015 Mid-Grade Leadership Week 2

Approved Resignations, Separations and Retirements

LTJG Alice E. Drury 10 September 2014
CAPT William B. Kearse 01 October 2014
CAPT Todd C. Stiles 01 November 2014
LCDR Brent J. Pounds 01 November 2014
LT Christopher W. Daniels 30 November 2014

Awards

Awards Received in the Months of July and August:

NOAA Corps Commendation Medal:

LCDR Christopher M. Kerns For sustained superior performance as Chief, Safety Section and Aircraft Commander
LT Paul S. Hemmick For service to NOAA and the Nation as Chief, NWS National Operational Hydrographic Remote Sensing Center Flight Program and Jetprop AC-695A Aircraft and Mission Commander
LT Matthew J. Jaskoski For meritorious service and sustained outstanding leadership while Staff, Atlantic Hydrographic Branch

NOAA Corps Achievement Medal:

LCDR Keith A. Golden For immediate, substantive, and lasting changes on the management effectiveness of [NOAA] Corporate Services
LT John F. Rossi For exceptional effort in maintaining and improving an Aviation Safety Management System for NOAA's Aircraft Operations Center
LT Kyle W. Ryan For exemplary creativity, resourcefulness, and initiative in the execution of duties as Office of Coast Survey's Pacific Islands Navigation Manager
LT Rebecca J. Waddington For service to NOAA and the Nation as Chief, NGS Remote Sensing Division Flight Program and King 350 Aircraft and Mission Commander
LTJG Zachery P. Cress For sustained superior performance as Right Whale Maritime Liaison with National Marine Fisheries Service Southeast Regional Office, Protected Resources Division

LTJG Michael N. Hirsch For exceptional effort in maintaining and improving an Aviation Safety Management System for NOAA's Aircraft Operations Center
LTJG Steven T. Loy For sustained superior performance while serving as Officer-in-Charge, Navigation Response Team 5
LTJG Michael S. Silagi For sustained superior performance as Twin Otter Aircraft Commander, Maintenance Staff Officer, and Training Staff Officer
ENS William J. Carrier For exemplary service as Junior Officer aboard the NOAA Ship Rainier
ENS Jason C. Clark For exemplary service as Junior Officer aboard the NOAA Ship Rainier

NOAA Corps Director’s Ribbon:

LTJG Damian C. Manda For consistently going above and beyond the call of duty during his Joint Hydrographic Center Training Billet
LTJG Jared R. Halonen For exemplary efforts in support of Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary's 2014 Research Expedition aboard the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster and the 2014 Research Area Monitoring
ENS Erick Estela-Gomez For the development of a Junior Officer Billet Description Template which has been utilized throughout the NOAA fleet

In Memoriam - Captain Carl William Hayes, NOAA (ret)

NOAA Commissioned Personnel Center regrets to report the passing of Captain Carl William Hayes, NOAA (ret). In 1961 CAPT Hayes was appointed to the NOAA Corps’ predecessor, USC&GS Commissioned Officer Corps, as part of the 6th BOTC, and retired from the NOAA Corps in 1985 after 24 years of service. CAPT Hayes served over six years aboard four NOAA ships throughout his career and was instrumental in construction of NOAA Ship Davidson. He also served at NOAA Headquarters as the first NOAA Corps Recruiter, Chief of Staff for the Director of NOS, and Nautical Charting Division Chief. He passed away peacefully at the age of 77 on 17 August 2014. He was preceded in death by his wife, and is survived by his son, daughter, and three brothers. Memorial services were held on August 30, 2014 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Martinsburg, WV.

Restrictions on Political Acitivities Reminder

During this year's election season, please keep in mind the rules that apply to the political activities of Government employees. The most significant limitations restrict you from:

  • engaging in political activities during duty time;
  • engaging in political activities on Government property;
  • using any Government equipment or services for political activities (such as using your Government e-mail account for political purposes or your Government-provided computer or mobile device to access a private e-mail account or the web for political activity); or
  • fundraising for a political party or a partisan candidate (whether on duty or off duty).

Career SES employees and NOAA Corps officers cannot actively manage or assist a political campaign or hold office in a political party organization. More detailed information on the political activity rules is available on the web site of the Ethics Law and Programs Division of the Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Administration, at www.commerce.gov/ethics. Rules specific to NOAA Corps are outlined in the NOAA Corps Directives Chapter 9.

An ethics attorney will be on hand to answer questions regarding participation in political activities by Department employees. If you have questions about the political activity rules or how they apply to a specific activity, please contact a Department ethics attorney at 202-482-5384 or Ethicsdivision@doc.gov.

OMAO Mid-Grade Leadership Course 2015

The OMAO Mid-Grade Leadership Course is targeted at getting the right people to the right training at the right time. To accomplish this, Mid-Grade is being redesigned into two separate week long courses.

Mid-Grade Week 1 will focus on officers returning to sea as Operations Officers and aviation branch officers. Week 1 will be offered Dec 01-05, 2014. This course also targets new federal civilian supervisors and Chief Wage Mariners.

Mid Grade Week 2 targets officers returning to sea for their XO tour as well as Aviation Division Officers. Additionally, this second week will include civilian and Wage Mariners who have completed the first week. Week 2 will be offered Feb 02-06, 2015.

Candidates for these course, based on the above criteria, are listed below. The finalized rosters will be released in October but please plan for these dates. If you feel you are part of the target attendees but not on the tentative roster, please contact CDR Zegowitz.

Week 1 (Dec 01-05, 2014) Week 2 (Feb 02-06, 2015)
LT Michael C. Davidson LT Michael C. Davidson
LT Timothy M. Smith LT Timothy M. Smith
LT Gregory. R. Schweitzer LT Gregory. R. Schweitzer
LT Loren M. Evory LT Loren M. Evory
LT John. F. Rossi LT John. F. Rossi
LT Ryan A. Wartick LT Ryan A. Wartick
LT David B. Cowan LT David B. Cowan
LT Michael J. Marino LT Michael J. Marino
LT Charlene R. Felkley LCDR Colin D. Little
LT Rachel M. Kotkowski LCDR Samuel. F. Greenway
LT Nicholas C. Morgan LCDR Tony Perry
LT Timothy C. Sinquefield
LT Heather L. Moe
LT Lindsay H. Morrison
LT Jon D. Andvick
LT Erik S. Norris
LT Jasmine L. Cousins
LT Matthew H. O'Leary
LT Lyndsey E. Davis
LT Kyle R. Jellison
LT Laura L. Gibson

Line Office Liaison Officers List

The list of Line Office Liaison Officers has been updated and posted on the CPC website under the Career Management menu. All officers are encouraged to contact their Line Office Liaison for guidance on assignments specific to that Line Office. Officers should also ensure that they update their assignment preferences on-line at least once per year and as they approach 18 months from their scheduled rotation date .

Assignment Opportunity

NOAA Ship Ferdinand R. Hassler Navigation Officer / Full Time University Training

NOAA Ship Ferdinand Hassler is seeking a junior officer for a 1-year assignment as 4th Officer (Navigation Officer) starting summer 2015 to be followed by a 3-year Full-time University Training (FUT) billet with the Office of Coast Survey at University of New Hampshire Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping Joint Hydrographic Center (https://ccom.unh.edu/education).  The ideal candidate would be an OOD-qualified junior officer currently in their first sea tour, have the educational prerequisites for entry into UNH Ocean Mapping graduate program and experience in hydrography, GIS, ocean mapping, ocean exploration, physics, math, or engineering.  Hydrographer-in-Charge qualified, survey launch coxswain qualification, Navigation Officer experience, and NOAA working diver is preferred. Interested candidates should contact the NOS Line Office Liaison CAPT Girimonte, or Assignment Coordinator at 301-713-7694 or AssignmentBranch.cpc@noaa.gov.