Director's Message

Shipmates,

A few things for the good of the order:

Next Friday, August 26th, I highly encourage all of our shipmates to join the NOAA National Ocean Service and the Office of Coast Survey in celebrating the career and accomplishments of RDML Gerd F. Glang at his retirement ceremony. The ceremony takes place at 1030 in the NOAA Auditorium in building SSMC4 located at 1301 East-West Highway in Silver Spring, Maryland. UOD for the official party and ceremony participants is Full Dress White. UOD for guests is Summer White.

Please come help us wish fair winds and following seas to RDML Glang has he begins this new phase of his career. As an added bonus, RDML (sel) Shepherd M. Smith's promotion and the Office of Coast Survey Change of Command will occur at the same "bat-time" and the same "bat-channel." As a stickler for nautical tradition, I'm happy to report that RDML (sel) Smith has made proper arrangements to observe a wetting down for his newest (and pretty darn wide!) stripe. I look forward to seeing you at both venues. Contact LT Matt Forney (matthew.forney@noaa.gov) for questions or to RSVP. RSVP ASAP!!

On another celebratory (albeit belated) note, it gives me great pleasure to announce the promotions of the following officers to the rank of Lieutenant (junior grade) effective August 1, 2016:

LTJG Christopher M. Wood
LTJG Conor M. Maginn
LTJG Michael J. Ball
LTJG Dustin R. Picard
LTJG Diane M. Perry
LTJG Joseph L. Brinkley
LTJG Jacob H. Blaauboer
LTJG Nathaniel E. Gilman
LTJG Alisha M. Friel
LTJG Jacob G. Barbaro

My sincerest apologies for the accidental omission of your promotion in the last installment of the Cyberflash and congratulations on your well-deserved advancement!

Due to the delay in effecting promotions for 68 officers on September 1st, CPC has been able to add two more officers to the promotion package to be effective September 15th. The 69th and 70th officers to be promoted 27 days from today are:

ENS Melissa D. Mathes
ENS Patrick J. Debroisse

Congratulations on your promotion to Ms. Mathes and Mr. Debroisse! Now would be a good time to start planning your wetting down.

Lastly, on June 30, 2016, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter announced the end of the ban on transgender people serving openly in the armed forces. Following this announcement, I released an OMAO-wide message to discuss the significance and relevance of this announcement to the founding principles of our Nation, the culture of the NOAA Corps, our core values of honor, respect, and commitment, and transgender service members past and present. I also used this announcement as a personal opportunity to come out to my OMAO shipmates as a transgender service member. I am coming out again in this edition of the Cyberflash to a much wider audience of shipmates because you will notice that my digital signature has changed to reflect my true gender. Over the next few months the cues of my true gender will be emerging and the old façade will fade.

Gender transition is not a quick or an easy process, and it's certainly not a process that is done in a vacuum or without effect on others. For my shipmates who were already aware of this news, thank you for embracing the principles of diversity and inclusion and for your continued support and kindness. For my shipmates to whom this comes as a surprise, I look forward to your support and kindness and appreciate your commitment to the principles of diversity and inclusion. Carry on!

Semper serviens,

CAPT Amilynn E. Adams, NOAA
Director, CPC

On the Horizon

26 August 2016 RDML Gerd Glang Retirement Ceremony
RDML(Select) Shepard Smith Promotion Ceremony
Office of Coast Survey Change of Command
29 August 2016 NOAA Ship Gorden Gunter Change of Command
30-31 August 2016 OMAO Leadership Meeting
08 September 2016 NOAA Ship Nancy Foster Change of Command
2017 NOAA Corps Centennial Events
20 May 2017 NOAA Corps "Century of Service" Gala Ball

Approved Resignations, Separations and Retirements

LTJG Jason Wilson 01 Sep 2016
RDML Gerd Glang 01 Sep 2016
CAPT Wade Blake 01 Sep 2016
LT Charlene Felkley 01 Sep 2016
LTJG Eileen Pye 02 Sep 2016
CAPT Eric Berkowitz 01 Oct 2016
CAPT Adam Dunbar 01 Oct 2016
CAPT John Caskey 01 Oct 2016
LTJG Shannon Hefferan 14 Oct 2016
LT Lindsay Morrison 30 Nov 2016
LTJG Kasey Sims 30 Nov 2016

History: Wild Encounters

On October 17, 1925, LT J. A. Bond was standing on the after deck of a small survey launch as it entered a small bay in the southern Philippine Islands. He was leaning on the canopy, scrutinizing the shore, when suddenly a huge crocodile hurled itself out of the water and grabbed his leg. All that saved Bond was the fact that the crocodile had grabbed the awning stanchion along with his leg. The weight of the beast began to capsize the launch, when one of the Philippine constabulary guards accompanying the party stuck his rifle in the crocodile's mouth and fired. With this the crocodile relaxed his grip and slid into the water. While Lieutenant Bond's leg was badly fractured and lacerated, modern (for the time) surgery saved it.

Mandatory Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention Training Make-up Date

All NOAA Corps Officers stationed in the national capitol region are required to attend Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention training on September 19, 2016 if they have not already attended one of the mandatory training sessions offered within the last three months. This training is being conducted by the Department of Commerce Office of General Council (OGC), Employee Labor and Relations Division (ELRD.) This make-up training opportunity is being held from 0900 to 1200 for managers and 1300 to 1430 for employees. NOAA Corps officers are expected to attend the training for managers. The training will be held on the NOAA Silver Spring Campus, SSMC2 Room 2358.

Please email LT Richard Park richard.j.park@noaa.gov if you need to attend this make-up session.

Ethics Rules for Federal Employees

As Federal employees, we are all subject to rules regarding conflicts of interest and ethics, regardless of level of our position and regardless of where we work and regardless of the nature of our duties or type of appointment. A summary of the basic ethics rules that apply to all United States Government employees is provided here. Additional information, including an explanation of ethics rules that apply after leaving Federal service, can be found at the web site of the Ethics Law and Programs Division at www.commerce.gov/ethics.

If you have a question about any of these rules, or their application to a particular situation, please contact a Department of Commerce ethics official at ethicsdivision@doc.gov.

BOTC 128

BOTC 128 is now underway! On Monday, July 25th, 2016, CAPT Adams administered the commissioning oath to 15 new NOAA Corps Officers. These ensigns come from 13 different states and have various backgrounds including environmental science, oceanography, biology, chemistry, geography and aerospace engineering, just to name a few.

The students have successfully completed the indoctrination phase of the program and are currently studying Basic Seamanship and Navigation while simultaneously focusing on their professional development in areas such as time management, attention to detail, and proper wear of the uniform.

Dates to look forward to include Billet Night on October 20th and Graduation on November 22nd.

Welcome aboard BOTC 128!

Awards Update:

NOAA Corps Service Awards Authorization Worksheet Form Update

The NOAA Corps Service Awards Authorization Worksheet has been revised; the new form can be found here. This document is designed to accept digital signatures in an effort to streamline the awards process.

Seafaring & Airborne Officers

Did you know as long as you've met the requirements at sea or in the air there is no limit to how many service medals/ribbons you can receive? If you have sailed on the Atlantic or Pacific or flown the Arctic and meet the criteria within the Directives you are welcome to apply for subsequent award recognition. These ribbons are not limited to your first assignment!

Additionally, for our airborne officers please note you are also eligible for NOAA Corps International Service Ribbons! If you meet the requirements in the Directives, be sure to submit your NOAA Corps Service Awards Authorization Worksheet.

Awarding Process

In order to provide further insight into the award process, be advised that approved awards are being forwarded to the Line Office Liaison Officers, who have been instructed to send the awards out to their recipients. This ensures recipients are not waiting for supervisors, provides a line of tracking and accountability, and reduces the risk of awards lost  due to travel or PCS. Officers are encouraged to interact and get to know your 'LOLO' (Line Office Liaison Officer.)

From the Assignments Desk:

Potential New Temporary Billet in Development

CPC is seeking a self-driven officer who has an interest to serve in a possible temporary and one-time billet as NOAA's Regional Collaboration Coordinator for the North Atlantic. NOAA's regional collaboration network is tasked with identifying, communicating and responding to regional needs; catalyzing collaboration, and connecting people and capabilities to meet NOAA's mission. As NOAA's North Atlantic Regional Coordinator, the officer would work alongside the Senior Executive Service (SES) North Atlantic Regional Team Lead to administer and lead a team of 20 senior NOAA staff located throughout the region, representing all of NOAA's business lines and a variety of disciplines. The coordinator produces and disseminates regionally-specific information on NOAA's place-based impacts and priorities to inform decision-making, develops and extends NOAA's interdisciplinary capacity, and fosters interaction among NOAA activities and with partners to improve understanding of and respect for NOAA's mission and capabilities in the North Atlantic.

This billet would provide the incumbent with an opportunity to gain valuable experience leading and learning from senior NOAA managers across all of NOAA's business lines. Knowledge, skills and abilities developed include an increased understanding of NOAA capabilities and offices in the North Atlantic, project management, budget planning and execution, writing and oral communication, facilitation and coordination. This billet is being considered for activation in early FY17 and last for three years.

For more information please contact CDR Nicholas Chrobak at AssignmentBranch.CPC@noaa.gov.

FY2017 PCS PER DIEM RATES

Effective October 1, 2016, the standard CONUS per diem rate for PCS travel will increase to $142 for each authorized travel day. This is the rate applicable to officers who elect to use their privately owed vehicle (POV) for transportation during a PCS.

The standard CONUS per diem rate also applies to the rate used to calculate temporary lodging expense (TLE) for temporary lodging occupied in any CONUS locality. The maximum lodging rate will increase to $91. The meals and incidental expense (M&IE) reimbursement rate tiers were not revised for FY2017 and remain at $51.

Who to Contact Updates

The contact list for CPC has been updated. Click here .