BOTC 143 Updates (Student written entry)

The fifth week of BOTC 143 has come to a close! As the Officer Candidates reach the midpoint of their 12 week program there are many things to look back on: USS BUTTERCUP training, advanced firefighting, and practical ATON training at Avery Point in Goton, CT.

The class ventured to Navy Base Newport, RI, to complete damage control training aboard the USS BUTTERCUP: a vessel designed to be partially sunk and mimic several different emergencies ranging from a burst water pipe to a torpedo getting too friendly with the hull.

Rounding out their firefighting training, the OCs returned to Rhode Island Fire Training Academy to complete a class in advanced/marine based firefighting. This program focused heavily on close quarters fire fighting, liquid fuel fire control, and restricted visibility communication.

The class is beginning Rules of the Road (ROTR) and Navigation in the coming weeks. They traveled to Avery Point in Groton, CT to learn more about ATONS and how vessels navigate in channels. Visiting at both midday and in the evening allowed for a better understanding of light patterns and night navigation.

BOTC 143 voted OC Valle Shipmate of the Week. A US Army veteran, he demonstrates selfless service through his leadership and support of his shipmates; both Coast Guard and NOAA Corps. He’s even penned his own NOAA specific marching cadence, which calls out NOAAS Hassler and USC&GS Matchless.

On the horizon the class is looking forward to starting their small boat and ROTR training!

Annual Call for ACO Scholarship Applications

The Executive Committee of National ACO Scholarships, Inc. has issued its annual call to high school seniors and college undergraduates for scholarship award applications for the 2024/2025 academic year. The application form is available as an online-fillable version located here, and will be advertised/available on the DC ACO website soon. Application forms may also be obtained by contacting either Secretary/Treasurer Captain Dave Peterson, NOAA (Ret), by phone (301-233-8090) or email (kmpdhp@comcast.net), or Assistant Treasurer Captain Anne Lynch, NOAA (Ret) by phone (401-626-2648) or email (anneknlynch@gmail.com). Complete application packages not submitted via the online-fillable version should be sent to the corporation’s post office address (on the application form) with a postmark no later than Monday, April 15, 2024.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS) Voucher Update

CPC has received an increasing number of queries from officers who recently completed a PCS move and have not received voucher reimbursement, including some whose moves concluded in September 2023. Although many of the issues with E2-related travel reimbursement have now been addressed, PCS vouchers are processed outside of E2 and require separate handling. From communications with personnel in NOAA Finance and the Department of Commerce, PCS vouchers are still unable to be processed due to lingering effects of the recent financial management system transition. To those impacted, know that CPC and OMAO leadership have escalated the urgency of these concerns to NOAA and DOC leadership, and we will provide updates as they become available. In the meantime, any officer who has not received their PCS voucher reimbursement , please email unreimbursed voucher information (including PCS number [e.g. YAN1Pxxxx], amount owed, PCS dates, and from/to locations) to Director.CPC@noaa.gov, so we may be able to collect and elevate individual unpaid vouchers.

How Promotions and Time in Service Affect OER Rating Periods

We've received a few requests to clarify how promotions and service time impact rating cycles for OERs when an officer transitions from semi-annual to annual. An officer instantly assumes the rating cycle of their new rank upon promotion. Similarly, an officer instantly assumes the annual cycle after reaching three years of service. However, an officer on an annual cycle cannot go more than 18 months without an OER. Therefore, some math needs to be done when an officer is promoted and/or reaches three years and assumes a new reporting cycle. If waiting to the end of the new reporting cycle will cause a rating period to extend longer than 18 months, then an OER should be done at the prior rank (or prior semi-annual) end of rating cycle and then assume the new rating cycle. If an officer can reach the end of the new annual rating cycle (or another OER cause for occasion occurs, such as detachment or change in reporting officer) before 18 months, then the new end of reporting period is used.

Officer Evaluation Report Viewable Dashboard

Continuing the theme of making information within CPC accessible to the greater NOAA Corps, the Officer Career Management Division has developed a Viewable Dashboard that shows the status of all OERs received within the past year. This dashboard updates in real time as CPC moves the OER through the approval process and allows officers to know exactly where their OER is. If an OER is missing that should be here, please reach out to Chief, Officer Career Management Division at chief.careermgmt.cpc@noaa.gov. The viewable dashboard link and the form link for submitting OERs to CPC has been updated on CPC's OER webpage.

Viewable Dashboard: https://app.smartsheetgov.com/b/publish?EQBCT=8eeabf3b14d04f00bf30bec8a25eeb41

CPC's OER webpage: https://www.corpscpc.noaa.gov/careermgmt/evaluation.html

From the Assignment Desk: Billet# 2471 Junior Officer in Charge (JOIC), Research Vessel Gloria Michelle

The R/V Gloria Michelle is seeking a Junior Officer entering their first shore assignment on or about July 2025. Homeported in Woods Hole, MA at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, the vessel spends roughly 60 days at sea each year with five day per-cruise endurance. The crew includes two NOAA Corps Officers, two deckhands, and up to six scientists. Projects include three-week spring and fall bottom trawl surveys, plankton surveys to investigate food sources for North Atlantic Right Whales, and UxS support missions. In addition to standing watches while underway, the JOIC is responsible for learning and maintaining all engineering systems aboard the vessel. The officer will complete routine maintenance such as oil/filter changes and will have the opportunity to tackle more complex piping, electrical, painting, or welding projects. After a year and a half, the officer is expected to fleet up to Officer In Charge (Billet #2470). Officers will come away from the assignment with a variety of practical skills including ship handling, trawling, and vessel maintenance. Additionally, the officer will earn a COR level 1, write and execute multiple contracts, manage property, the vessel budget, and a purchase card.

Please contact LTJG Trevor Grams for more details at trevor.grams@noaa.gov.

From the Assignment Desk: Billet# 0506 - Commanding Officer, NOAA Corps Officer Training Center

CPC is announcing a selection process for the next Commanding Officer of the NOAA Corps Officer Training Center. This position is critical to the success of growing the NOAA Corps into the future and is an exciting opportunity for Command on land. The current and future responsibilities, influence, and visibility of this position require a high op-tempo, highly successful senior NOAA Corps Officer.

CPC Billet #0506 – Commanding Officer, NOAA Corps Officer Training Center (CO NCOTC); New London, CT is an O-5 billet at the U. S. Coast Guard Academy. This position oversees all operations and partnership relations on behalf of NOAA at the United States Coast Guard Academy. The officer will be responsible for instilling the NOAA Corps core values of HONOR, RESPECT and COMMITMENT into new NOAA Corps accessions. CO NCOTC will drive the entry-level growth of the NOAA Corps through expanding the BOTC Program and managing the USCG/NOAA Inter-Agency Agreement into the future. The officer will also direct, coach, and mentor an expanding NOAA Corps staff to position the school for success in managing some of the largest BOTC classes in history. CO NCOTC has direct oversight and guidance for budget, BOTC planning, REFTRA planning, curriculum review, and new proposals . This is a challenging and highly visible billet and the incumbent will be acting as ambassador for the NOAA Corps at the Coast Guard’s premier commissioning source.

The billet is currently scheduled to be available in the Summer of 2025. Any interested O5s (or O4s that are on track to potentially select/promote to O5 by that time) should reach out to the Chief, Officer Career Management Division at chief.careermgmt.cpc@noaa.gov no later than March 15, 2024. Interviews will be conducted in the weeks following.