NJAC Liaisons to the Commissioned Personnel Center

The NOAA Corps Junior Officer Advisory Committee (NJAC) Executive Board is looking for one junior officer (O1-O3) to serve as one of two NJAC Liaisons to CPC. All eligible officers are encouraged to apply regardless of duty station. The two NJAC Liaisons will meet virtually once a month with the CPC Director to discuss NJAC business. The NJAC CPC Liaison position is a 2.5-hour commitment per month (1.5 hour NJAC meeting, 30 minute CPC Director meeting, and 30 minutes of meeting preparation) and will need supervisory approval. This opportunity will allow you to show your dedication to the Service, engage in important conversations with Senior Leadership, and be the change you want to see in the NOAA Corps! Please email the NJAC Executive Board at njac.execboard@noaa.gov by October 15, 2021 if interested or for more information. A short paragraph statement of interest may also be included.

Potential Temporary BAH Increase

The linked article below is from the Navy Times regarding a potential increase in a sailor's Basic Allowance for Housing in areas impacted by reduced rental availability. CPC is engaged with the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Personnel Readiness and is representing the interest of the NOAA Corps. There should be more official information released from OSD in the coming days/weeks.

Temporary hike in BAH imminent for some troops, families caught in housing crunch.

Aviation Advisory Board – December 09, 2021

Friendly reminder, October 1, 2021 is the deadline to notify CDR Waddington (aoc.Chiefadmin@noaa.gov) and the Assignment Branch (assignmentbranch.cpc@noaa.gov) of your intention to apply for initial flight training. This notice of intent is used to schedule your interview. A complete application package, including the interview evaluation, are due by November 1, 2021. Refer to the July 30th Cyberflash for additional details. Based on the needs of the service and for planning purposes, AOC has been working with CPC to hold at least one aviation advisory board per year during late November to early December. The intent is to provide officers attached to operational units the time to complete all the requirements ahead of an anticipated Board. Officers interested in transitioning to flight are encouraged to complete their flight physicals and to take the TBAS and AFOQT tests well in advance of the Board. Please note, the flight physical is good for a full year. Additionally, the tests can only be taken twice in an officer’s career but can be used in multiple application cycles.

From the Assignments Desk: Billet #0802 – Executive Officer, Marine Operations Center – Pacific

NOAA’s Marine Operations Center – Pacific (MOC-P) is looking for a motivated and knowledgeable commander to serve as its Executive Officer. MOC-P is comprised of five facilities and port offices that provide safety, administrative, operational, logistical, engineering, and maintenance support for NOAA’s Pacific Fleet. The Center supports five NOAA ships that collect data essential to protecting marine mammals, coral reefs and historic shipwrecks, management of commercial marine fish stocks, understanding climate processes, and producing nautical charts that ensure safe navigation. Two of these NOAA Ships are homeported in Newport, OR, and others are homeported in California and Alaska.

Serving as the Executive Officer (XO) for MOC-P is a great opportunity to further critical leadership skills, learn, and take on initiatives to improve Marine Operations and business practices, and understand the operations and challenges of the fleet. The incumbent will further develop competencies and skills necessary to perform at the next level. Responsibilities include:

• Managing the Center’s approximately $3.7 million budget;
• Oversee management of five MOC-P facilities and port offices in in Oregon, California and Alaska, including base, pier, and shore-side facility operations;
• Supervise a team of 7-8 NOAA Corps officers, CAPS and Wage Grade employees;
• Serve as a liaison to the XO’s for the Pacific Fleet, including providing guidance on OMAO policies and Collective Bargaining Agreements with Unions;
• Develop, document and improve MOC-P business processes; and,
• Ensure compliance with safety, health, environmental, and labor requirements and policies.

Post Commanding Officer preferred; budget and purchasing experience will ensure success in this role. An understanding of Collective Bargaining Agreements with Unions is highly desirable but not required.

Officers interested in the billet should contact CAPT Jeffrey Taylor at co.moc.pacific@noaa.gov.

From the Assignments Desk: Billet #0831– Prospective Executive Officer, NOAA Ship Oceanographer

Marine Operations is looking for a self-reliant and driven officer with either a successful operations officer or executive officer tour aboard a ship to be the prospective executive officer (PXO) aboard NOAA Ship Oceanographer during construction at the Thoma-Sea shipyard in Houma, LA and the following transition to operations. This assignment is a unique opportunity that affords the officer the challenge to work with the prospective commanding officer (PCO) in hiring all the crew, establishing the baseline process for personnel management/oversight and formulating the operational model for OMAO’s newest research vessel class.

New-build ship Oceanographer will be delivered to NOAA in 2024; the target start for this billet is October 2022 and will be a three year assignment. Effective integration into fleet operations and availability for mission operations is critical for meeting NOAA’s short and long term at-sea observation requirements. NOAA Ship Oceanographer will support a wide range of activities: oceanographic monitoring, research, exploration, and modeling, with secondary missions of charting, surveying, and assessment and management of living marine resources.

This billet will be located in Gulfport, MS. Officers interested in the billet should contact CAPT Marc Moser at co.moc.piac@noaa.gov.