Message from the Director

Good afternoon, NOAA Corps,

I just wanted to take a quick moment this afternoon to (re-)express the genuine appreciation that leadership and I are receiving for the great work you all are accomplishing alongside our civilian colleagues, partners, and stakeholders. You’re participating in and completing essential training to ensure we safely and knowledgeably complete the 2025 field season and beyond. You’ve been finishing up arduous shipyard and dockside repair periods; reconstituting our wardrooms and crews; and getting our ships underway to resume critical fisheries, hydrographic, and oceanographic missions. You’re flying challenging atmospheric, topographic, and sea life monitoring data collection surveys. NOAA is on the leading edge of uncrewed platform scientific applications due to leveraging NOAA Corps officers’ operational and technical expertise. And, all of the headquarters, program office, and administrative support functions of our agency are carrying forth in support of these operational NOAA and NOAA Corps functions as a direct result of your leadership, innovation, and collaborative spirit.

When I hear these accolades (amongst many others) for our service, I simultaneously connect to the moment I raised my right hand for the first time and swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. The honor and feelings of pride, joy, and anticipation from that moment and connection to today remind me that I’m doing exactly what I need to be doing, and this is exactly what the country needs from us. I hope that you take a moment to reflect on and acknowledge your part in the essential success of our service today and onward, as we continue our outstanding work together in support of NOAA and the Nation.

Be well, and as always, please continue to take care of yourselves and each other.

Best Regards,

Captain Chris van Westendorp, NOAA
Director, Commissioned Personnel Center

P.S. Don’t forget to work on and submit your National ACO award nominations!

BOTC 145 Update

Part of BOTC 145 aboard T/V Respect. PC: OC Dahl

Throwing lines while docking T/V Respect. PC: OC Peck

BOTC 145 has been busy learning about shiphandling and docking procedures in the classroom and applying those concepts aboard the Coast Guard T-Boat Respect. They also practiced man overboard drills while taking turns on the helm and conning. They continued their bridge instruction with Project O, which included helm and conn practice, setting up on buoys, and making radio calls to the Thames River Lift Bridge, as well as first looks at radar and ECDIS in use at sea. Throughout the program, 145 has also been diligently working with mentors and peers to help develop their Leadership Philosophy. All 96 Officer Candidates from OCS 2-25/BOTC 145 were able to present their Leadership Philosophy Speeches to their peers in the second ever Leadership Philosophy Competition. This competition gave 145 the opportunity to take an introspective look at their experiences with leadership in the past and how it will formulate their leadership styles in the future, in addition to developing their public speaking skills.

BOTC 145 USMRC Capstone Simulation Support

Due to the lack of availability from Senior Watch Officers, NCOTC requests two experienced OODs to support BOTC 145's post-graduation bridge simulator training and Capstone Simulation Exercises at USMRC from 24APR to 02MAY. This request is due to the 2-week overlap of BOTC 145 and 146, at which time NCOTC staff will be managing the administration and indoctrination of 146, while at the same time supporting 146 in their post-graduation training. There are two discrete portions of the training.

Routine Bridge Simulations: OODs will provide bridge mentorship, coaching, and feedback to BOTC 145.

Capstone Simulations: During these simulations, each ensign creates a voyage plan for their ship's home port, develops and presents a navigation brief, and executes the plan in a simulator while filling the role of OOD. During these exercises, selected OODs will fill the role of SWOs; allowing the in-training OOD to do their job while providing practical advice and stepping in to maintain safety of the ship.

Chosen officers will ideally have familiarity with multiple NOAA home ports and enjoy coaching and mentoring junior officers. Travel will be covered by CPC (pending clearance and approval in compliance with any existing travel restrictions). Interested officers should reach out to LCDR Dylan Kosten (deputychief.ncotc@noaa.gov).

DC ACO Dining In - 31 May 2025

The DC Association of Commissioned Officers (ACO) will host a Dining In on the evening of Saturday, May 31, 2025, in Washington D.C. The DC ACO planning committee has been hard at work to ensure this will be a memorable event, so please mark your calendars! Check your email and/or contact NOAACorpsDCACO@gmail.com for more information.

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.

REMINDER - 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.

Call for Nominations: National ACO Annual Junior Officer of the Year, Science, and Engineering awards

The National Association of Commissioned Officers (ACO) administers the annual Junior Officer of the Year (ACOJ), Science (ACOS), and Engineering (ACOE) awards. Through these awards, the ACO recognizes the wide range of accomplishments and contributions of NOAA's uniformed personnel, and encourages all commands to consider nominating officers for these honors.

The National ACO will review all calendar year 2024 nominations and select the awardees. The ACOJ award winner's name will be submitted to the Reserve Officers Association as the ACO selection, and the individual will be honored at this year's NOAA Corps Dining Out. Nominations for all ACO awards are due by May 1, 2025.

• Who is Eligible?
  • Officers in the ranks of Ensign through Lieutenant (O-1 to O-3) are eligible for nomination for the ACOJ award.
  • Any officer may be nominated for ACOS and ACOE awards.
• Who can nominate an officer?
  • For ACOJ, any supervisor (not limited to immediate supervisor) under whom the nominee is serving, or any NOAA Corps officer senior in rank to the nominee.
  • For ACOS and ACOE, any commissioned officer, or any supervisor under whom the officer is serving.
  • More than one nomination may be made by each supervisor or senior officer.
• How do I nominate someone?
  • Each nomination must be at least two pages.
  • First page: Cover memo addressed to the National ACO containing the nominees:
    • Officer's name;
    • Officer's grade;
    • Officer's duty title; and
    • Job description of the nominated officer.
  • The second and any following page(s) shall be the personal comments of the nominating supervisor or officer, which reflect the basis for the nomination.
  • Nominations must be submitted to NOAACorpsDCACO@gmail.com, by COB Thursday, 1 May 2025.
    • In the nomination email please ensure supporting files are attached in .PDF format.
    • Email Subject line should be "Junior Officer of the Year Nomination," "Science Award," or "Engineering Award," as appropriate.

Junior officers with civilian supervisors are encouraged to forward them this information. For more information on the awards, please refer to the NOAA Corps Directives: Chapter 12, Part 7 - Awards, 12704 - Unit Awards and Non-Military Decorations.

Medical Readiness

The NOAA Corps Medical Affairs Branch has been reaching out to officers regarding their medical readiness items. Thank you to those who have responded and completed any outstanding medical requirements.

We’d like to remind everyone to notify us via email noaacorps.medical@noaa.gov or through MHS GENESIS messaging when you visit a Military Treatment Facility (MTF). Please note that MHS GENESIS does not automatically notify the NOAA Corps Medical Affairs Branch when you are seen. If you complete a medical readiness item, such as your physical or dental exam, or if there is any change in your health status, please inform us that you have been evaluated.

For those who see a civilian provider, please remember to request your medical records and upload them to us via MHS GENESIS.

Advance Preparations for Upcoming Limited Availability to Direct Access

Please be advised that from 0600 EDT on Monday, March 31, 2025, through 0600 EDT on Thursday, April 3, 2025, Direct Access availability will be limited to users performing tasks associated with these ongoing changes. This limited availability period is necessary to prevent submission of self-service and servicing personnel office (i.e. NOAA Corps Payroll) transactions that could potentially conflict with basic pay rate updates; and will impact all active duty, reservists, retirees, annuitants, and civilian supervisors of uniformed service members. During this timeframe, no login access will be granted.

As always, please contact CPC with any questions or concerns, and continue to submit compensation and benefits related updates/queries via HR Action request in OPFOnline.

From the Assignments Desk: Billet#: 3152: Expedition Operations Leader

NOAA Ocean Exploration is looking for a motivated officer to serve as the Expedition Operations Leader. Billet #3152 is located in Durham, New Hampshire, and the report date is flexible (~between May 2025 - May 2026) due to an anticipated billet gap.

This billet provides the opportunity to gain valuable experience as part of an operational team that plans and executes ocean exploration expeditions aboard Okeanos Explorer (and in the future on Discoverer). As a team lead of three contractors, the officer will develop important leadership skills that will translate to a successful Operations Officer tour. Additionally, the officer in this billet will gain the knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with deep ocean exploration and project management including: cruise planning, budget management, hydrographic operations, ROV operations, training of interns, outreach and engagement, and data management, among others. The officer will also have the opportunity to sail as a member of the scientific party on ocean exploration expeditions, with the potential to become trained to sail in the chief scientist role.

Hydrographic survey experience and/or experience on Okeanos Explorer is preferred, but not required. For more information on this billet, please contact the incumbent LT Abby Letts at abby.letts@noaa.gov.