Happy [calendar] New Year, NOAA Corps,
I hope everyone was able to get some R&R and recharge a bit during the holiday period. As we look forward to the newly started 2025, I am filled with excitement and anticipation of all of the opportunities that lay before us.
To start, I had the distinct privilege of swearing in Basic Officer Training Class (BOTC) 145 earlier this week, and 21 new officer candidates are now added to our ranks, the first of three (!) planned BOTC classes in FY25. They will be checking in to NCOTC and beginning their official indoctrination period early next week, so please join me in welcoming them aboard (soliciting Brown Bag presenters here)!
We also have a whole host of other ongoing efforts in progress at CPC. We continue to build out the new CPC Intranet and look forward to launching our new external facing website sometime later this year, along with numerous other business process and system improvements to our Human Resource Management System and other behind-the-scenes systems and workflows. We’re in the process of procuring the final set of equipment needed for our physical fitness and body composition program roll-out, as well as continuing to work with the OMAO Policy team on updates and overhauls of the NOAA Corps Directives. CPC is also conducting a comprehensive billet review in cooperation with the line office liaisons and land/mobile duty NOAA Corps officers, ensuring that their work done every day to best serve NOAA and the Nation is accurately documented in billet descriptions, supports career development requirements, and ensures maximum effectiveness for the various programs we serve and lead.
This is of course a non-exhaustive list of 2025 CPC plans, as there is never a shortage of work to accomplish within our hallowed halls, but everything is done with the best possible support in mind for the NOAA Corps and our customers and stakeholders. Keep sending your kudos and constructive feedback our way as we begin this year of continued progress and growth, and as always, please take care of yourselves and each other.
Best Regards,
Captain Chris van Westendorp, NOAA
Director, Commissioned Personnel Center
P.S. CPC’s and the NOAA Corps’ own Workforce Planner, Michael McCarthy, began his well-deserved retirement on December 31, 2024, after a long and illustrious career of uniformed and civil service. Please be sure to read his parting remarks. Thank you for your service and outstanding support, Michael, and we all wish you Fair Winds and Following Seas in your next life chapter!
| 13 Jan 2025 | BOTC 145/OCS 2-25 Begins |
| 05 Feb 2025 | Officer Assignment Board |
| 03 Mar 2025 | Command Advisory Board |
| LCDR Steven Solari | 01 Feb 2025 Terminal leave: 01 Dec 2024 |
| CDR Stephen Kuzirian | 01 Mar 2025 |
| LCDR Bryan Brasher | 19 Mar 2025 |
| LT Matthew Sharr | 31 Mar 2025 Terminal leave: 16 Jan 2025 |
| LT Karl Wagner | 01 May 2025 |
| LT Brianna Evancoe | 31 May 2025 |
[By newly-retired CPC Workforce Planner, Michael McCarthy]
It’s been quite the journey – a journey unlike piloting ships and aircraft where you chart the courses through seas and air, but a journey to estimate the human resource needs of the NOAA Corps. This privilege in using experiences from my military service with the U.S. Army as a personnel specialist, combined with federal service with functions in administrative management; shore manpower requirements determination studies with the U.S. Navy; and Information Technology Health Assessments with the Internal Revenue Service, Information Technology Applications Development Directorate; meshed perfectly in building tools and providing advice in helping to manage the NOAA Corps Workforce.
An indicator, which I consider as a true assessment of doing our best, is by not hearing from the personnel we support. It means that we are paying attention to the details that affect your pay, your personnel records, and your families so that you can perform your duties without worry. Positive feedback is of course welcomed, but the bigger picture is allowing you to focus on your journey and care for those you are responsible for in obtaining the science that impacts the nation and the world.
The front row seat may at times feel like an oubliette. Many a day I have felt the same while patiently waiting for the next task, study, or opportunity. The payoff is a list of accomplishments and experiences that I can only hope add to a legacy for someone else to pick up where I’ve left off just as I picked up 70 years of my predecessors’ knowledge and experiences to build useful tools as technology progresses. I remind myself that, in spite of my uniqueness, there are reasons why things are done a certain way. Either they are the best of tried and true methods, or tradition. It is up to me to appreciate the travails of others of diverse talents in building a foundation for me to work from.
It has been my honor to serve the NOAA Corps by providing advice, recommendations, and striving to do my best in the hopes of bringing valuable products and services that better serve others. As I close my book on a federal career, I’ll look back on my accomplishments with a chest full of medals, friendships gained, adventures that I never dreamed of, and mostly smiles and laughter amongst many coworkers. If I have helped you in any way, but especially by putting a smile on your face, laughter in your heart and courage to continue to accomplish more, my job here has been fulfilling. I am extremely grateful that I have been a part of something bigger and grander than myself because someone recognized my potential and gave me the chance to use it.
For all you do and in all that you’ll continue to do, my wish is that you feel extraordinary on the day when it is your time to take down your shingle on an amazing career.
NCOTC is once again looking for volunteers from all ranks and career paths to hold 30-60 minute professional development sessions with the upcoming BOTC class. Topics covered will range from operational opportunities and experiences to managing personal aspects of life as a NOAA Corps officer. BOTC students will have a block of time from 1200-1330 EDT set aside several days each week for professional development and engagement. This is typically accomplished through meetings and activities with NCOTC staff, and we would like to expand their exposure to other NOAA Corps Officers and professional civilian mariners so the BOTC students can meet and learn from as many people in the fleet as possible.
Please use this Google form to view the list of topics and sign up for a session.
https://forms.gle/KM6nye8sXJgPxd9T9
While not guaranteed, CPC may have funding to support travel for those interested in an in-person visit and presentation. Due to the dynamic nature of the BOTC program, these dates are the best estimate we have in advance for when the students will be available, but they may be subject to change. We appreciate your understanding and flexibility.
Please email ops.ncotc@noaa.gov or deputychief.ncotc@noaa.gov with any questions.
Service members are always expected to uphold the highest standards of conduct, ethics, and decorum. But even when they do their best to follow these standards, they could be held personally responsible for allegations made against them. Federal Employee Professional Liability Insurance, often referred to as “FEPLI”, “PLI”, or occasionally “E&O” is a private insurance policy that can help protect federal employees from allegations of misconduct or wrongdoing in their job by providing both legal defense and financial liability coverage. PLI can help with legal advice and representation, as well as financial coverage for liabilities which can help one protect their career from the impact of charges made against them.
Why would a service member need PLI?
There are instances where employees may be held personally responsible for allegations made against them, such as in cases of alleged willful misconduct or violations outside their official duties. In such cases, PLI can help protect an employee’s personal assets and may help cover legal costs. PLI may help with a variety of situations, including:
Coverage for Federal Employees
All current federal employees, including NOAA Corps officers, are eligible for PLI. Policies vary but PLI is typically designed to protect federal employees from legal liabilities only arising from their professional duties and it does not cover allegations you wish to make against someone else.
While any federal employee can benefit from having PLI, some positions such as supervisors, financial managers, and law enforcement officers are more likely to use PLI. By law, NOAA will reimburse up to half the cost of PLI for eligible employees, not to exceed $150.00, per calendar year. Within DoC, “eligible employees” include supervisors and law enforcement officers. NOAA Corps billets designated as “supervisor” are eligible for reimbursement. Officers in some non-supervisory billets may be eligible for reimbursement and should work with CPC to determine eligibility.
Reimbursement of PLI premiums is made in one lump sum payment after the entire premium is paid and all required documentation is provided to CPC, and is also tax exempt since it meets the definition of an "accountable plan”.
PLI Considerations
Officers must make personal judgments concerning their potential liability and individual need for coverage, and decide on their own whether to purchase PLI. CPC does not require any officer to carry PLI, but many eligible officers do choose to carry it. No Department of Commerce official is permitted to endorse any PLI carrier. Additionally, some PLI carriers and/or policies may not cover commissioned officers, so officers are encouraged to check with their prospective PLI carrier.
More information can be found on the OHRM website for Professional Liability Insurance.
After a great 2024 of advocacy, engagement, and events, the DC Association of Commissioned Officers (ACO) will be turning over duties and responsibilities this month to the newly elected 2025 board. Congratulations to the following elected officers:
Thank you and Bravo Zulu to CAPT Rebecca Waddington, LCDR Michael Doig, and LT Sony Vang for serving on the 2024 board, and to LCDR Kevin Doremus, LCDR Casey Marwine, and LCDR Melissa Trede for staying on for a second consecutive year! We anticipate a quick spin up period, so for any questions, suggestions, or comments for the DC ACO, please email noaacorpsdcaco@gmail.com. More to come!
Do you know someone who has made outstanding contributions to engineering and science? Show your appreciation and nominate a co-worker for the Colbert Medal or Karo Field Unit Award!
The NOAA Corps has recently re-engaged with the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME), a multi-disciplined organization representing all U.S. uniformed services and diverse technical and socio-demographic backgrounds that works to address engineering-related challenges the nation faces. Medals will be presented in person at the SAME Joint Engineering Training Conference (JETC) Awards Dinner Gala May 13-15, 2025 in Louisville, KY.
The Colbert Medal recognizes a NOAA individual’s outstanding contribution to engineering through achievement in design, construction, administration, research, or development. The Colbert Medal is named in honor of RADM Leo Otis Colbert who was the third director of the US Coast and Geodetic Survey (USCGS), predecessor of the NOAA Corps, and oversaw its operations during World War II.
The Karo Award recognizes a NOAA field unit for outstanding contribution in an engineering or scientific field. The Karo Award is named in honor of RADM Henry Arnold Karo who was the fifth director of the US Coast and Geodetic Survey and oversaw the expansion of USCGS as it joined the Environmental Science Services Administration, predecessor of NOAA.
Nominations must be for an employee of NOAA, officer or civilian, active or retired. The nomination shall consist of at least two pages, beginning with a concise sentence stating the reason for the award and followed by a more detailed description of the contributions or achievements and their significance to engineering and science. For the Karo Award, a list of all individuals in the unit shall be included with the nomination. Submit nominations via email to the nominee’s supervisor, program director, and the SAME NOAA Corps Service Principal, CAPT Sam Greenaway, at samuel.greenaway@noaa.gov. Deadline for all nominations is Monday, February 3, 2025. For more information about the awards, SAME, or JETC, email the NOAA Corps SAME Service Liaison, LTJG Alice Beittel, at alice.beittel@noaa.gov.
Directives Note: Currently in NCD Ch. 12, Part 7, Subparts 4.F & 4.G, eligibility for these awards is limited to the National Ocean Service, as the NOAA Corps and all ship and aircraft operations were housed within the National Ocean Service when those sections of the directives were written. While we bring the directives up to date, and to follow the spirit of the original application of these awards, we are opening submissions to all line offices throughout the agency.
[By CAPT Samuel F. Greenaway, Uniform & Awards Board Co-Chair]
Because the NOAA Corps Meritorious Team Commendation Ribbon (NCMT) is one of the newest awards in the NOAA Corps Directives (NCD), we thought some perspective from the Uniform and Awards Board might be helpful in constructing successful award nominations. The board has now seen quite a few of these and we’d like to highlight a few things.
Unlike most of the other awards, the NCMT is open to “individuals associated with NOAA and/or other Federal services.” This is much more open than other awards. For example, eligibility for the NOAA Corps Director’s Ribbon is limited to a “NOAA Corps officer, or member of another uniformed service detailed, assigned, or attached to NOAA.” For the NCMT, the nominated individual does not have to be a member of a uniformed service or even working for NOAA. Coast Guard folks, shoreside support civilians, a local partner in a port? All fair game for the NCMT! The individual just needs to be “associated”.
The NCD also states that for the NCMT, the “[t]eams or groups shall not be recognizable standard NOAA units such as ships or offices.” Successful NCMT nominations have typically highlighted a cross-functional group of people, across officers and civilians, inside and outside of NOAA, who have achieved great things as a team. In particular, award nominations for the entire wardroom of a ship for achievements by that ship are looked at skeptically. While the wardrooms are indeed examples of “small teams with specific tasking working within larger NOAA units,” the noted achievements usually relied on the ship's crew as well (and thus perhaps pointing to a NOAA Unit Citation being more appropriate) or left out external partners or team members who contributed to the achievement. In short, diverse teams make for a more powerful award nomination.
For questions on awards, please email the UAB at noaacorps.uab@noaa.gov.
The Recruiting Branch is seeking its next cadre of Recruiting Officers to shape the future of the NOAA Corps. The NOAA Corps Recruiting Branch orchestrates outreach and awareness activities, converts interest into applications, prepares the selection process, and ushers selected applicants through the administrative tasks required to kick off their careers as commissioned NOAA Corps Officers. With the inception of the three-class-per-year format for 2025, there is a unique opportunity to implement exciting and positive change as we grow the organization. Assignments in the Recruiting Branch also provide valuable insight into the inner-workings of CPC as influential members of the leadership team.
If you are interested in these positions or about joining the recruiting team in general, please contact the Chief Recruiting Officer, LCDR Reynaga, at chief.noaacorps.recruiting@noaa.gov or the Assignment Coordinator, LCDR Trede, at assignmentbranch.cpc@noaa.gov. We can work with officers on their rotation dates to fill these critical billets.