Message from the Director

In the spirit of lessening stress (at least mine!) during the holiday season, I am recycling an article I wrote for the MWR newsletter a couple years ago when I was CO, MOC-A. I thought it was appropriate to share again, with a different audience, as the season is upon us and it's always important to celebrate and remember.

I was in my local coffee store last week getting a chai tea (really!) and was talking with the barista. As I left she said, "Make good memories." I don't know if this is her normal signature or was special for the holidays but it really struck me and almost brought tears to my eyes. So simple. That's what this time of year is about – recreating your old memories and creating new ones for your loved ones. I was recently lamenting about my children not having traditions because every year we've done something different – moved over Christmas multiple times, lived in 4 different states, made a couple trips to Florida for the holiday, etc. But the thing is – there are memories in inconsistencies too! And it's surprising what the kids do remember ("Mom, are you going to put out the advent tree that we open a door each day and there is candy? Are we going to make cookies? Where's the ornament I made when I was 3?"). The lesson for me was that it's not really about the events, or the presents, or the location, or the cookies (well, maybe the cookies), it's about the atmosphere. What keeps us wanting to celebrate is how it makes us feel and what it makes us remember. And that's what we want to share and perpetuate. And so we should. Go out and make good memories – with those around you and wherever you are!

Best wishes to all for a healthy, productive and peaceful 2018!


CAPT Anne K. Lynch, NOAA
Director, CPC

On the Horizon

08 - 12 Jan 2018 Mid Grade Week One

Approved Resignations, Separations and Retirements

ENS Kaitlyn Seberger 15 Dec 2017
LT Alexander Johnston 29 Dec 2017
CDR Donald Beaucage 31 Dec 2017
CAPT William Odell 01 Jan 2018
LCDR Jonathan French 01 Feb 2018
LCDR Madeleine Adler 01 Mar 2018
RDML Anita Lopez 01 Mar 2018
LT Anna-Elizabeth Villard-Howe 01 Mar 2018
LCDR Jennifer Pralgo 01 Mar 2018
CDR Nathan Hancock 01 Jun 2018

NOAA Corps Promotions

It is with great pleasure that CPC announces the promotions of the following officers which are effective
December 15, 2017:

TO BE LIEUTENANT COMMANDER

  • Lyndsey E. Davis

TO BE LIEUTENANT

  • David Wang
  • Felicia M. Drummond

TO BE LIEUTENANT (JUNIOR GRADE)

  • Caroline A. Wilkinson
  • Kathryn L. Carria

Congratulations on your well-deserved advancement!

2 BRS or not 2 BRS???

Days
Hours
Min
Sec

2 weeks until BRS goes live.

For those who are going to opt in, you will be able to opt in January 1, 2018 at 0001 CST on Direct Access. This video walks you through the process of how to opt-in. The sooner you opt in, the sooner the TSP matching will take effect; but remember, once you opt-in, there is no going back.

Visit us at https://www.corpscpc.noaa.gov/brs/brs.html to get those last minute questions answered.

Yellow Ribbon Program

The Post-9/11 GI Bill will pay you:

  • all resident tuition & fees for a public school
  • the lower of the actual tuition & fees or the national maximum per academic year for a private school

Your actual tuition & fees costs may exceed these amounts if you are attending a private school or are attending a public school as a nonresident student.

Institutions of Higher Learning (Degree Granting Institutions) may elect to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program to make additional funds available for your education program without an additional charge to your GI Bill entitlement.

Degree-granting institutions of higher learning participating in the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon Program agree to make additional funds available for your education program without an additional charge to your GI Bill entitlement. These institutions voluntarily enter into a Yellow Ribbon Agreement with VA and choose the amount of tuition and fees that will be contributed. VA matches that amount and issues payments directly to the institution.

Available Benefits and Eligibility

Only Veterans entitled to the maximum benefit rate, as determined by service requirements, or their designated transferees may receive this funding. Active duty Servicemembers and their spouses are not eligible for this program. Child transferees of active duty Servicemembers may be eligible if the Servicemember is qualified at the 100 percent rate.

To receive benefits under the Yellow Ribbon Program:

  • You must be eligible for the maximum benefit rate under the Post-9/11 GI Bill
  • You must not be on active duty or a spouse using transferred entitlement
  • Your school must agree to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program
  • Your school must have not offered Yellow Ribbon to more than the maximum number of individuals, as stated in their participation agreement
  • Your school must certify your enrollment to VA and provide Yellow Ribbon Program information

You may be eligible if you fit the following circumstances:

  • You served an aggregate period of 36 months in active duty after Sept. 10, 2001
  • You were honorably discharged from active duty for a service-connected disability and you served 30 continuous days after Sept. 10, 2001.
  • You are a dependent eligible for Transfer of Entitlement under the Post-9/11 GI Bill based on the service eligibility criteria listed above.

More Information

  • Read FAQs about the Yellow Ribbon Program
  • Get more information in the Yellow Ribbon Program pamphlet

From the Assignment Desk: Billet #7211 – Project & Action Officer – US IOOS Program

NOAA's United States Integrated Ocean Observing Systems (IOOS) Program is looking for a dedicated and motivated Lieutenant Commander to assume the responsibilities of the Project & Action Officer in Silver Spring, MD.

IOOS' mission is to lead the integration of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes observing capabilities, in collaboration with Federal and non-Federal partners, to maximize access to data and generation of information products, inform decision making, and promote economic, environmental, and social benefits to our Nation and the world. It accomplishes this through supporting a wide array of environmental sensors, ranging from water level and meteorological stations and buoys, data from oceanographic vessels and gliders, to animal telemetry records. It also supports and funds partner operations from governmental, NGO, educational, and private sector organizations.

As Project and Action Officer, the incumbent is responsible for a wide array of tasks, including:

  • Management of projects spanning IOOS' full mission
  • Project tracking in support of the Deputy Director and Division Chiefs and with IOOS' Project Management personnel
  • Support and execution of a variety of outreach projects with IOOS' partners
  • Staff support at events ranging from media engagements to professional conferences
  • Serving as advisor to IOOS Division Chiefs on governmental policy, including Federal law, NOAA guidelines, AOs, and internal IOOS policies

The incumbent would develop significant management skills, gain considerable experience in working across NOAA, the federal government, and with external partners, and would become proficient in NOAA administrative processes.

A full billet description is available on the CPC website. Officers interested in the billet should contact the Assignment Coordinator at (301) 713-7694, and the NOS Liaison Officer, CAPT James Crocker, at james.m.crocker@noaa.gov or (240) 533-0095.

From the Assignment Desk: Billet #7720 – Atlantic Field Ops – Hydro Support Officer

NOAA's United States Integrated Ocean Observing Systems (IOOS) Program is looking for a dedicated and motivated Lieutenant Commander to assume the responsibilities of the Project & Action Officer in Silver Spring, MD. NOAA's Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) is seeking a dedicated and motivated ENS or LTJG to take up the duties of the Atlantic Field Operations Hydro Support Officer at the Atlantic Operations Branch, Field Operations Division, in Chesapeake, VA.

CO-OPS' mission is to provide the national infrastructure, science, and technical expertise to monitor, assess, and distribute tide, current, water level, and other coastal oceanographic products and services that support NOAA's mission of science, service, and stewardship. The Atlantic Operations Branch performs system design, installation, data analysis, system and sensor performance review and diagnosis of problems, and maintenance of CO-OPS observing systems. AOB personnel develop requirements and plans, prepare cost estimates, review and accept deliverables for CO-OPS contracts, participate in cross-divisional CO-OPS teams, and serves as CO-OPS liaison to external partners, stakeholders, and the public.

This billet supports NOAA's hydrographic, coastal mapping, and operational modeling efforts through the installation and maintenance of short-term water level gauges, as well as maintenance of long-term National Water Level Observation Network (NWLON) gauges over an AO spanning the East and Gulf coasts, as well as the Great Lakes and Caribbean. The billet's main work will focus on hydrographic and remote sensing operational support through the installation of water level control gauges in hydro and remote sensing project areas. The billet requires a balance of technical, leadership, and management skills, and affords significant opportunity to further develop all three. Significant on the job training is provided.

Billet 7720 is a mobile assignment, and requires up to 50% travel. Travel is typically on 2-4 week trips. Owing to dive requirements for station servicing, a qualified working diver, or an officer that is capable of dive qualification in a short period of time is required. Experience with land surveying methods, including geodetic leveling and GPS occupation, is preferred, but not required. The incumbent is eligible for the NOAA Mobile Duty Ribbon, as well as Chief of Party insignia upon completion of qualification requirements.

This is a high-priority billet and will need to be filled as soon as possible. A full billet description is available on the CPC website. Officers interested in the billet should contact the Assignment Coordinator at (301) 713-7694 or assignmentbranch.cpc@noaa.gov, the billet supervisor David Lane at (757) 842-4444 or david.lane@noaa.gov.

Want to add the NOAA Corps Centennial Graphic to your email signature block?

  • Go to https://www.omao.noaa.gov/find/media/images/noaa-corps-centennial-graphic
  • Right-click on image and select "copy" (no need to click on the "Download Image" button)
  • Open Gmail and go to "settings"
  • Under "general" scroll down to "signature"
  • Place cursor under name, address and such and right click to "paste" image
  • Click on image again and select "medium" to scale
  • Scroll to bottom of page and click on "save changes"

Enjoy and congratulations on "celebrating a century of service"!