Greetings, NOAA Corps,
Happy Fiscal New Year on this first Cyberflash of Fall 2024! You may recall around this time last year that I shared my “fall” story in the spirit of reminding us all to pay attention to our surroundings and safety as the field season begins to wind down, daylight gets shorter, and we start to let our guard down a bit. It’s that time of year again, and this time, it also coincides with the newly rolled out Physical Fitness and Body Composition policy revision, announced earlier this week in a Director’s Message.
I’ve mentioned previously how nutrition and exercise can be valuable tools in a work-life balance tool kit. One of the reasons it can be so valuable, aside from helping us feel better, is that a properly fueled and trained body can help us resist, withstand, and ultimately recover more quickly from sickness and injury. Now, does that mean that we can’t also enjoy the things that may not be viewed as part of a “healthy” dietary regimen, nor take time to relax? Absolutely not. As our new registered dietician and nutritionist has suggested to folks who may be bashful about consuming a piece of candy or sugary baked good or two (present company included), it is absolutely necessary that we reward ourselves in a healthy way, which may include some “guilty pleasures.” I suspect she would also say that there is no need to feel guilty about enjoying these things in moderation, because they also help us support our life balance. The bottom line is that we can all have healthier, fitter, and more content lives by increasing our awareness of nutrition and exercise choices, and then setting goals and executing plans to put that awareness into action. Progress, not perfection!
Through this fitness and nutrition approach, I am excited to see how we all individually and collectively think about our health and wellness, and then work toward and see results. I am confident that our service will ultimately be more effective, productive, safe, and desirable through it.
Be well – I wish you all a satisfying and balanced fall season!
Best Regards,
Captain Chris van Westendorp, NOAA
Director, Commissioned Personnel Center
| 11 Oct 2024 | BOTC 144 graduation |
| 23 Oct 2024 | Heavy Aviation Advisory Board (AAB) |
| 18-21 Nov 2024 | Biennial Review (O1-O5) |
| 04 Dec 2024 | Officer Assignment Board (OAB) |
| 11 Dec 2024 | Fleet Aviation Advisory Board (AAB) |
| CAPT Jason Mansour | 01 Nov 2024 Terminal leave: 04 Aug 2024 |
| LTJG Emma Strong | 13 Nov 2024 Terminal leave: 03 Sep 2024 |
| CAPT Daniel Simon | 01 Jan 2025 Terminal leave: 25 Oct 2024 |
| LTJG Kyle Vincent | 02 Jan 2025 |
| LCDR Steven Solari | 01 Feb 2025 |
We are looking for active duty officers in the grades of O2 and O3 to serve as mentors paired with a BOTC 144 mentee to share your experience and organizational knowledge. If you have served on one of the below NOAA ships and are interested in volunteering, please complete the following google form by next Friday, October 11th.
BOTC 144 Mentor Volunteer Form
The BOTC Mentorship Program is separate from wider OMAO/NOAA Mentorship Programs in that it focuses on the common questions, preparations, and challenges faced during first assignments.
If you have any questions about the program please contact LT Ryan Musick at apply.noaacorps@noaa.gov
Forget your Direct Access (DA) password? The best way to regain access to your DA account is to submit a PPC Customer Care email ticket for a password reset. Below is the template for a password reset. You will need to email your request to PPC-DG-CustomerCare@uscg.mil
Template for Password Reset:
SUBJECT: DIRECT ACCESS PASSWORD RESET
To request assistance in resetting your password, PPC must have the following information:
1. Full legal name:
2. Rank:
3. EMPLID (or Last 4 of SSN):
4. Current/Last duty station:
***NEW - Having password problems, please verify your email address and change or set up forgotten password help: SS - Temp Password and set up Security Question.pdf (uscg.mil)
On Thursday, September 27th, 2024, the CPC Marine & Aviation Cyber Center IT Team released an update to the Official Personnel Folder (OPF) Online system that allows CPC to process Officer Evaluation Reports (OERs) directly into officer OPFs. CPC Officer Career Management Division has already started working to resolve the backlog and should be able to complete processing within the next few weeks. Following clearing the backlog, CPC will provide guidance to officers ahead of the end-of-year reporting periods on how to submit OERs through their OPF. CPC seeks continuous improvements to the OER process that makes the submission and review processes more efficient, while increasing personal accountability within the rating chain. Please stand by for specific instructions on the next steps that will be released in the coming weeks.
The National Geodetic Survey (NGS) is looking for a motivated Junior Officer entering their first shore assignment to become the next Remote Sensing Technology Specialist (Billet #7192). Assigned to the Remote Sensing Division (RSD), this officer will be a member of a 3-person crew on the NOAA King Air, NOAA65 and NOAA68. Duties primarily focus on operating aerial camera equipment for coastal mapping and Emergency Response data collection. This is a mobile assignment, with approximately 40% of time spent in the field. While in the office, duties include data processing and other project completion/packaging tasks. The officer is eligible to receive the Mobile Duty Service Ribbon, a Chief of Party designation earn the qualification of Mission Commander.
While the billet is based in Silver Spring, MD, RSD's field operations are nationwide. There is a seasonal tempo to RSD's field operations, and the crew is flexible in where they choose to operate, based on water levels and weather conditions. For example, currently-planned projects are widely distributed geographically, from pre-storm imagery of Puerto Rico to Bangor, ME and coastal mapping imagery from San Diego, CA to Bremerton, WA.
Specifically, you will work with the MMB to develop policy, implement recovery and conservation plans, conduct public outreach, engage diverse sectors of mariner communities, administer budgets and procurements, partner with federal and state agencies, and provide oversight and management of contract staff. You will also apply your knowledge and experience as a mariner to address vessel strike risk to North Atlantic right whales and Rice’s whales. The officer serving in the billet will regularly engage with the USCG, Navy, USACE, other federal and state agencies, and the private sector.
Incumbent rotates out of this position in May, 2026. Interested officers are encouraged to contact the incumbent, LT Michael Fulton (Michael.Fulton@noaa.gov), LCDR Casey Marwine (Casey.s.marwine@noaa.gov), and the Assignment Coordinator at assignmentbranch.cpc@noaa.gov to learn more.