Message from the Director

Good afternoon, NOAA Corps,

I had the honor earlier this week of presenting at a long-envisioned and finally scheduled/completed NOAA Corps Captains Call event, where nearly all of our captains and (at one point) all four flag officers gathered in the same room to discuss a variety of executive-level NOAA Corps topics; truly a positive and forward-thinking time to reflect and talk about the NOAA Corps and OMAO of the future. Part of the presentation was on my leadership philosophy or ethos as it applied to professional development, and more specifically, to the path that led me to my current position. I’ve given variations of this talk over the years, and I’ve made minor adjustments along the way; but one common underlying theme has been Three C’s: Core Values, Communication, and Curiosity.

While I won’t go into extreme detail, I’ll note that by living through and perpetually reminding myself of my Core values (including NOAA Corps and personal); a continued pursuit of open, proactive, and transparent Communication; and maintaining a healthy Curiosity to better learn, know, and do more; I’ve been able to promote respectful environments and lead myself and others through times of success, challenge, change, and uncertainty alike. Conversely, when I’ve deviated from the 3 C’s for any reason, things have gotten a bit dicey at times. When encountering moments that deviate from what I consider “normal,” I know that my brain shifts into a feeling mode (e.g. excitement, fear, joy, sadness, etc.), and my ability to make sound decisions begins to degrade; very much in line with our baked-in “fight or flight” human response. In those moments and when I’ve been most successful, I practice and try to take a pause, breathe, and/or otherwise allow the feelings to happen. I acknowledge them and then can return to a more thinking mode where I’m able to more properly consider information, provide the right guidance, say the right thing, and/or proceed down the best right path for and with those around me.

I encourage all of us to reflect on our respective leadership philosophies and what can help return us to a thinking mode during “feeling” times, in order to help us lead and best serve NOAA and the Nation. Be well, and as always, please take care of yourselves and each other.

All the Best,

Captain Chris van Westendorp, NOAA
Director, Commissioned Personnel Center

BOTC 145: Officer Candidate Update

BOTC 145 during indoctrination week. PC: LT Alex Hughes, USCG

BOTC 145 began to learn about Basic Safety and Personal Survival Techniques. The class attended Survival at Sea (SAS) alongside OCS 2-25 where tactics for creating flotation devices from trousers and other practical skills were taught. The class participated in Ship Abandonment and Egress training at Survival Systems USA in Groton, CT. After a classroom portion, 5 hours of practical exercises were held in the pool, which included Helicopter Underwater Escape Training, (HUET), liferaft boarding, rescue basket entry training, and immersion suit training.

Early-Grade Leadership Seminar

The OMAO Training Division successfully hosted the second session of the Early-Grade Leadership Seminar (EGLS) in Silver Spring, MD, bringing together a group of junior officers for a four-day immersive leadership experience. EGLS focused on developing key professional skills, including public speaking, decision making, and the MBTI personality assessment. They also had the opportunity to learn more about OERs, promotions, and the assignment selection process. Participants were able to engage with senior officers, including VADM Hann, and representatives from each line office in interactive workshops and group discussions.

Thank you to all who participated and supported this initiative!

Call for Interviewers - BOTC 147

The Commissioned Personnel Center is looking for motivated Officers (O2-O5) with at least three years of NOAA Corps service (as of today) willing to complete interviews for BOTC 147 applicants. We request each interviewer commit to conducting at least four interviews, which can be credited towards obtaining the NOAA Corps Recruiting Achievement Ribbon (see NCD 12705(E)).

All interviews will take place via Google Meet and must be completed in the Mid-February to Mid-March timeframe. The BOTC 146 interview process was the first opportunity to have two interviewers per applicant and was very successful. We will continue that effort moving forward and therefore need as many interviewers as possible. This is an incredible opportunity to have a direct hand in shaping the future of the NOAA Corps.

We have a new method for indicating your interest; please use the NOAA Corps Interviews Google Form and be sure to indicate any time you may not be available during the interview window.

For any questions, please reach out to the Recruiting Branch via apply.noaacorps@noaa.gov.

Call for Applications - 2025/2026 ACO Scholarship

The National ACO Scholarship committee is issuing its annual call for high school seniors and college undergraduates to apply for scholarship awards for the 2025/2026 academic year. The application form is available here, with instructions here. These links will also be available on the “News” page of the DC ACO website. Applications are due no later than 5 pm EDT on April 15, 2025.

For questions about or issues with the application form, or for more information, please contact the Executive Committee of National ACO Scholarships at NationalACOScholarships@gmail.com.

Note: Active duty NOAA Corps officers who choose to contact an advocacy organization, do so in their personal capacity, and although they may use their rank/affiliation in such communications, they must clarify that they are speaking in their personal capacity. This information is provided for awareness and does not endorse any particular advocacy organization or convey a position on any particular legislative effort.

Official Personnel Folder - Designations, Insignia, Training

An officer's Official Personnel Folder (OPF) is intended to be a repository for all necessary documentation, in accordance with the NOAA Corps Directives Chapter 1, for the proper administration of our human resource management system.

The NOAA Corps received authorization to use and issue the DD-214 (Certificate of Uniformed Service), and CPC must ensure that NOAA Corps DD-214s meet the criteria and intent of the governing Department of Defense Instruction. Additionally, the Director, NOAA Corps signed a memorandum on June 17, 2024, authorizing the establishment of three occupational specialties: Aviator (Pilot/Navigator), Deck Officer, and Diver.

In direct support of these initiatives, CPC created a "Designations" area within the OPF. The "Designations" section is for documents associated with, supporting progress towards, or certificates of attainment of an officer's career milestones. Examples of relevant documentation include OOD, Co-Pilot, Pilot, HIC, SWO, USCG Credentials, Flight Navigator, Instructor Pilot, etc.

As a result of this alignment, you may see changes in the category of a document, removal of categories altogether, removal of documents altogether, or other changes by CPC staff. The OPF "Add New Document (Document Map)" feature, found on the homepage of your OPF in the "Action" section, is used to identify where documents should be uploaded. If a document title is not visible, then it is not needed in your OPF. Any document currently needed by CPC can be added using the Add New Document feature (vice the Action Request ticket feature) in OPFOnline. CPC staff are standing by to assist and guide officers in the proper location to add documents. For any general questions, please contact the appropriate CPC staff member, or for specific concerns or requests please submit an Action Request ticket.

Special Enrollment Period for DCFSA/HCFSA

A Special Enrollment Period for Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts (HCFSA)* and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (DCFSA) for service members including NOAA Corps and U.S. Public Health Service officers will be open from March 3-31, 2025.

• Enrollment:
  • Members can enroll online at FSAFEDS.gov.
  • Enrollment may also occur outside of open season if a member experiences a qualifying life event (QLE).
• Eligibility:
  • Members can enroll in both an HCFSA and a DCFSA if they meet the eligibility requirements for both benefits.
  • Contributions are subject to IRS limits, which can vary by tax year.
• Benefits:
  • Members can use HCFSA funds to pay for eligible expenses that TRICARE doesn't cover.*
  • DCFSA funds may be used to pay for eligible dependent care services, such as preschool, summer day camp, and child or adult daycare.
• Benefits of enrolling in both accounts:
  • Members can set aside pre-tax earnings in two separate accounts.
  • Members can lower taxable income and reduce their tax liability

* As a reminder, all active duty NOAA Corps officers are required to engage with the Office of Health Services, NOAA Corps Medical Affairs Branch (noaacorps.medical@noaa.gov) on all medical, dental, and vision related items for which they are directed to or seek treatment, including for all prescription medications.

OPFOnline Improvement Questionnaire (Closes 2/21/2025)

As we pursue continuous improvement, the NOAA Corps Commissioned Personnel Center (CPC) respectfully requests active duty officers’ constructive feedback on the OPFOnline application. Input will help shape our software development plans and ensure the application better serves the needs of all officers.

The current version of OPFOnline has been live since 2023. In order to ensure that future improvements are as impactful as possible, we would like to hear about officer experience, specifically:

• What features or functionalities you find helpful.
• Any challenges or pain points you’ve encountered while using OPFOnline.
• Suggestions for new features or enhancements to improve usability and efficiency.

We kindly ask you to complete the questionnaire linked here (should take no more than 15 minutes to complete) and provide as much detail as possible. The more specific the feedback, the better we can tailor improvements to meet officer needs, and we greatly appreciate any time devoted to this effort. Together, we can make OPFOnline a better tool for everyone.

The questionnaire will remain open until Close of Business on Friday, February 21, 2025. Thank you in advance!

TRICARE Webinar

On February 19, 2025, Darcie Galbreath, Tricare Community Liaison at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, will participate in our CPC Webinar series to provide an overview of various aspects of TRICARE. The presentation will cover eligibility, various plans, the nurse advice line, and what to do if a member is having difficulty making a medical appointment. All NOAA Corps officers are invited and welcome to attend as well as participate in a question and answer session following the presentation.

The announcement and calendar invite will be coming out soon. Please add your questions to the linked Google Doc.

Looking for New SAME Service Liaison Officer

OMAO is searching for officers interested in fulfilling the role of NOAA Corps Service Liaison Officer (SLO) to the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME). Each of the active-duty services has one SLO who attends one meeting a month and discusses how their service can interact with the SAME. NOAA historically maintained a close relationship with the SAME since the 1940s. Recently, the NOAA Corps has re-established a modern relationship and today the SLO solicits for NOAA participation in SAME conferences and serves as a point of contact to connect SAME members with relevant NOAA professionals and offices. The SLO will also coordinate solicitations for the annual NOAA SAME Karo and Colbert awards. The NOAA Corps is focused on strengthening our relationship with the SAME community as their priorities align with NOAA missions in providing expertise, knowledge, and resources on issues affecting our nation's built and natural environments. Topics include emergency response data, hydrographic survey, geographic environmental and mapping data, and inter-agency partnerships on missions, infrastructure, and assets. The position provides an excellent opportunity to network with other services and represent the NOAA Corps. Please reach out to the current SLO, LT Alice Beittel (alice.beittel@noaa.gov) if you are interested in being the next SAME Service Liaison. We are looking for the next SLO to start in the next couple months.