Good afternoon, fellow NOAA Corps officers,
I recently had the honor and privilege of traveling over to New London, CT, this past weekend to swear in our eleven new members of BOTC 138. I couldn't be more impressed with the richness and diversity of these officers and know that they will bring fresh energy and enthusiasm to the NOAA Corps. The next seventeen weeks will certainly test their dedication and resolve while increasing their stamina and leadership; the future of the NOAA Corps looks bright! Please continue reading and see below for some pictures as well as more detailed information from BOTC 138 and NCOTC.
Additionally, I am excited to report that the Director, NOAA Corps, has recently approved proposed changes to the NOAA Corps Directives, Chapter 12 - Uniform and Awards, Part 3 - Special Circumstances. These mirror the changes to female grooming standards recently implemented by the United States Navy and the United States Air Force, which were developed in response to the request of thousands of service women nationwide. In addition to addressing issues associated with personal health and hair loss, the proposed changes support ongoing efforts to promote cultural diversity and inclusion in our service. Furthermore, the ability to wear hairstyles appropriate to the required PPE will enhance our officers' ability to be safe and effective leaders at sea and in the air. Specific changes to female grooming standards have been incorporated within the overall Officer Bearing and Grooming Standards part of the NOAA Corps Directives.
These changes will be fully broadcast next week and be posted under the announcements section of the CPC homepage. I commend the Uniform and Awards Board for continuing to improve the quality of life for our officers and thank them for their efforts. These, as well as all other approved proposed changes, will be captured in the forthcoming update to Chapter 12. Yet again I stress, the future looks bright for the NOAA Corps!
Stay healthy,
CAPT Douglas MacIntyre, NOAA
Director, Commissioned Personnel Center
| 04 Aug 2021 | Officer Assignment Board |
| Early Sep 2021 | Command Advisory Board |
| Early Nov 2021 | Aviation Advisory Board |
| LT Michael Silagi | 01 Aug 2021 |
| LTJG Sarah Donohoe | 31 Aug 2021 |
| LT Danial Palance | 20 Sep 2021 |
| CAPT Anne Lynch | 01 Dec 2021 |
| CAPT Catherine Martin | 01 Dec 2021 |
 BOTC 138 with Captain Douglas MacIntyre after taking the Oath of Office on Sunday, 11 July 2021. Photo credit: LT Dustin Picard. |
On July 14, 2021, BOTC 138 arrived at the NOAA Corps Officer Training Center at the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT. This class is made up of 11 new officers. BOTC 138 and their Coast Guard shipmates in OCS 1-22, along with 7 international students from Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Jamaica, and the Philippines have begun the administrative check-in phase of the program and have 17 weeks of training ahead of them before the scheduled graduation date of November 8th. Highly anticipated dates for this class are the underway trip on the USCGC Eagle from September 13-24, Billet Night on September 29th, and the Leadership Philosophy Panels on November 2nd.
|
Members of BOTC 138 stand-by until they are called into Chase Hall. Photo credit: LT Michael Ball. stand-by until they are called into Chase Hall. Photo credit: LT Michael Ball. |
| Name | Hometown |
| Carrington S. Conerly | Washington, D.C. |
| Michael S. Doneghey | Weymouth, MA |
| Forrest M. Foxen | Lakeland, FL |
| Anna O. Gaskill | Natick, MA |
| Heather L. Gaughan | Scituate, MA |
| Mikal J. Montgomery | Stafford, VA |
| Desda J. Sisson | Granite Bay, CA |
| Daniel E. Stofka | Waterloo, NY |
| Gemma L. Venuti | New York, NY |
| Bonna A. Vierra | Carmel, NY |
| Justin I. Weeks | Roswell, GA |
Effective immediately, and in accordance with her authority, as authorized by the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps Amendments Act of 2020, RDML Hann has authorized payment of an initial uniform allowance of $400 as reimbursement for the purchase of uniforms and equipment for all officers first reporting for active duty following completion of initial training! This only applies to officers who have reported for active duty on or after enactment of the Act on December 23, 2020 - which includes BOTC-137 and all future BOTC classes. This payment occurs 90 days after reporting to your first duty station so BOTC-137 officers should see it soon.
 |
 |
 |
On May 18, 2021, the NOAA Ship Fairweather completed its first-ever all-female boat launch operation. All ten members of the launch evolution were female NOAA Corps Officers and civilian employees. Twenty years ago, it would have been hard to imagine an all-female boat deployment. This progression occurred over the years, thanks to hard work, steady progress, and the constant cross-training of Fairweather's crew. Watch the team in action here!
A special acknowledgment goes to RDML Brennan, who frequently championed the visibility of women in hydrography and made it his mission to help elevate women in the NOAA Corps. He would have been so proud! Fairweather had females staff the following roles:
 |
Did you know that your oral health is connected to your overall health? It’s true. The links between chronic oral health complications and heart disease, diabetes, respiratory disease, stroke, and other issues can be surprising. Maintaining one’s oral health is also essential for pregnant women and their unborn children, whose overall wellness may depend on it.
United Concordia’s TRICARE Dental Program (TDP) website has 12 quick-reference fact sheets that provide information for beneficiaries who may have questions about the connections between their oral health and overall wellness.
The fact sheets also provide tips on how to properly care for your teeth.
You can access these sheets, as well as additional oral health information, in the TDP Dental Health Center.
OMAO’s Marine Operations - Engineering (MO-E) is seeking a motivated and organized CDR or senior LCDR to assume the role of Executive Officer (XO). The assigned officer reports directly to the Chief of Engineering in the oversight and execution of planned and unplanned repair projects for NOAA’s fleet of fifteen research vessels. This billet is highly dynamic, responsible for the strategic execution of more annual funding (>$70M) than any other single group in OMAO, helps to lead a diverse workforce of over 80 personnel, and is interconnected across all of OMAO (FIT, RMB, Fleet Working Group, MO, OMAO, PIAD).
The XO, MO-E is essential to OMAO’s ability to provide safe and reliable research platforms operating in waters around the world and provides the officer with the ability to make a significant and observable impact to the nation. The assigned officer works closely with the Fleet Working Group and each of the program line offices to strategically plan annual repairs in effort to maximize fleet readiness and minimize downtime. There will be opportunities for growth in areas of leadership, management, learning, developing processes, collaboration, and communication. Officer’s will be exposed to and be directly engaged in process improvement as it relates to MO’s engineering practices, maintenance planning, budgeting, and procurement.
MO-E is interested in filling the Newport, OR based billet as soon as possible but not later than the end of calendar year 2021. Because of the high level of interest and responsibility associated with this assignment, MO will be conducting interviews in order to select the best candidate based on skill sets and proficiency. Interested officers should contact CDR Colin Little (colin.little@noaa.gov) for more information.