Good afternoon, fellow NOAA Corps officers,
I hope everyone is doing well this afternoon. The holiday season is upon us and is, in reality, bittersweet. Many of us are still trying to come to terms with the recent loss of one of our own, LT Matthew Forrest, and I hope that you were able to participate in one of the recent Coming Together sessions to provide some level of comfort and solace. CDR Pat Didier, our designated CACO, continues to support the family at their home and is providing critical guidance during this heartbreaking time. Funeral and memorial services are still being planned as the family is awaiting the arrival of the newest member of the Forrest family; details will be shared through appropriate channels when available. Please also continue to share your thoughts, reflections, and condolences on the “Memories of LT Forrest” kudoboard set-up here.
It is hard to transition from this however I know that Matt would have wanted us, his NOAA Corps family, to continue to serve with pride and honor and move forward with purpose. With that said, we do have reason to celebrate this week as Rear Admiral (lower half) Ben Evans has assumed the position of Director, Office of Coast Survey. There was a small ceremony yesterday in Silver Spring, MD, that was broadcast to all hands, including opening remarks by NOAA Administrator Dr. Rick Spinrad. I hope everyone had a chance to view this time honored ceremony and welcome RDML Evans into his new position!
I'd also like to applaud both Marine Operations and the Aircraft Operations Center for jobs well done last week. MOLS and the Annual Safety Seminar were both run efficiently and effectively and it was great to catch up with many of you in-person for the first time in quite a while. A lot of behind the scenes planning and coordination goes into these meetings, and everyone involved is to be commended for hosting such professional, informative, and enjoyable events. BZ!
Finally, from all of us at CPC, we'd like to wish everyone a very Happy Festivus, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Merry Christmas, and/or any other holiday greeting you feel appropriate as we approach the Winter Solstice and close out 2021. In light of the holidays, CPC will be foregoing a Cyberflash on Friday, 30 December, so Happy New Year as well. Thank you for all you have done in 2021 and I am excited to see what we will accomplish in 2022!
Stay healthy,
CAPT Douglas MacIntyre, NOAA
Director, Commissioned Personnel Center
| 19 Jan 2021 | Ops Working Group |
| ENS Danielle Koushel | 30 Dec 2021 |
| LT Lauren Jarlenski | 12 Feb 2022 |
| CDR Bradley Fritzler | 01 Mar 2022 |
| CDR Ronald Moyers | 01 Mar 2022 |
| LCDR Justin Keesee | 01 Mar 2022 |
The Executive Committee of National ACO Scholarships, Inc. has issued its annual call to high school seniors and college undergrads for applications for scholarship awards for the 2022/2023 academic year. The two-page application form is available on the “Resources” page of the NOAA Officer Family Association website (www.nofaweb.org), under the heading “National ACO Scholarships, Inc.” Application forms may also be obtained by contacting Secretary/Treasurer Captain Dave Peterson, NOAA (Ret), by phone (301-233-8090) or email at kmpdhp@comcast.net. Complete application packages should be sent to the corporation’s post office address (on the application form) and should be postmarked this year no later than Thursday, April 15, 2022.
The Uniform and Awards Board (UAB), in coordination with CPC, is pleased to announce the release of the updated NOAA Form 56-63 for award nominations! The new form streamlines the nomination process, provides a space for context, and allows for a more freeform justification for an award nomination. Additionally, the routing section has been completely overhauled and should provide additional efficiencies in the process.