Message from the Director

Good afternoon, NOAA Corps,

We’re now into the month of May, and I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the period of change and transition we are in. As the coolness of March and April give way to the heat of May and June, CPC is now getting into the thick of processing and routing of correspondence in support of last month’s promotion board results, looking ahead at the needs of the service regarding summer officer assignment changes & associated PCS moves, and preparing for accession of a fall Basic Officer Training Class.

All this “normal” change is accompanied by the retirements of several highly valued members of the CPC team, including CPC’s long-tenured NOAA Corps Payroll technicians, as shared with the workforce earlier this week. The CPC team has made structural adjustments to ensure our critical functions continue on as required, but at a human level these changes may have brought up a broad scope of feelings. We may feel anxious over uncertainty that lies ahead; happiness for those who have successfully completed their federal journey; and/or various stages of grief due to the departure of a valued professional team member, among a whole host of other emotions.

In that vein and as we approach Mother’s Day next weekend, I’m reminded of my mom. She always encouraged me to acknowledge all of my feelings whenever they came, reflect on why I felt them, and then use that reflection in moving forward. For example, I had to learn to do this whenever I was angry about something as a kid, hearing my mom’s voice in my head saying things like, “If you don’t have something nice to say, it’s not worth saying at all,” among many other mom-isms. I’ve done my best to evolve those lessons in my personal and professional journeys, and I try to apply the “Feel, Reflect, Forward” approach whenever I’m in the midst of change, including now.

I’m sad at the departure of our team members, happy for their well-deserved retirements, and grateful for the time I’ve had working with them. However, I know that their work has made a lasting positive impact on CPC and generations of officers, and I along with the rest of the CPC team will take that mantle and carry it forward with a continuing eye to improving our service to NOAA and the nation.

In periods of change, I wish us all the space to feel whatever we need to feel and take away whatever we need to continue moving forward successfully.

Best Regards,

Captain Chris van Westendorp, NOAA
Director, Commissioned Personnel Center

P.S. Don’t forget to call your mom!

BOTC 146 Underway

BOTC 146 during indoctrination week. PC: LT Hughes, USCG

BOTC 146 is officially underway. The class, along with their Coast Guard shipmates in OCS 3-25, have commenced Indoctrination week. BOTC 146 has learned military customs and courtesies, marching formations and important NOAA policy. They will begin their maritime training with Basic Safety, CPR, Firefighting and survival at sea training.

Thank you to RDML Evans, BOTC 146’s class sponsor, for taking the time to visit and meet with both OCS and BOTC to discuss core values, the future of the NOAA Corps, and the importance of inter-agency partnerships, as well as for providing candid advice and sea stories from his own career.

Upcoming important dates include Billet Night June 8th, Graduation July 10th, and BOTC post-graduation training July 14th - August 8th.

BOTC 145 Complete

BOTC 145 on board NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson. PC: LCDR Kosten

Basic Officer Training Class (BOTC) 145 has officially completed BOTC training! They’ve spent the last week completing their capstone navigation plans with Captains Casanova and Greenaway acting as the Senior Watch Officers in their simulations. They’ve also had opportunities to visit three NOAA vessels: R/V Gloria Michelle, NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson, and NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow. BOTC 145 would like to offer our thanks to the crews of these respective vessels for allowing us to come aboard and give us a glimpse into life on board NOAA vessels. 145 is looking forward to officially joining the fleet!

BOTC 145 in front of USMRC on the final day

New: Billet Description Form (NF-56-28A) and Intranet Page

This week, CPC published a new Billet Description page on the CPC Intranet site. The page features a new and simplified Billet Description Form (NF-56-28A) and a comprehensive index of all NOAA Corps billets along with their descriptions.

Both the new form and the billet index incorporate the forthcoming Maritime and Aviation binning system, designed to better categorize assignments by career progression. Additional details on the new binning structure will be shared during a CPC webinar at the end of May.

The revised Billet Description Form (NF-56-28A) has been streamlined for clarity and efficiency– reducing it from seven pages to four! The new form will be the only accepted version for submitting changes or updates to billet descriptions. For more information on major changes to the form, see the accompanying guidance in NF-56-28A Instructions.

If your current billet is not listed in the billet index on the CPC intranet site, please reach out to LCDR Melissa Trede (assignmentbranch.cpc@noaa.gov) to confirm that an up-to-date billet description has been submitted for your assignment.

From the Assignment Desk: Billet# 0047: Project Manager [MO Crew Management]

• Officer Grade: Post OPS Level
• Rotation Date: August 2026

Marine Operations Crew Management Branch is looking for a motivated post-OPS officer to become the CMB Project Manager. The officer will work directly with senior Marine Operations leadership to drive critical organizational initiatives. You'll be at the forefront of planning and executing major fleet staffing projects and initiatives, developing key documentation, managing resources, and ensuring smooth communication across all stakeholders within MO and OMAO.

Billet duties also include providing operational expertise across a wide range of CMB functions, from mariner credentialing and officer training to staffing, recruitment, and fleet coordination. You'll analyze program performance, identify risks, and serve as the system administrator for the MO Management System (MOMS), directly liaising with the MOMS vendor, MO stakeholders, and the OMAO Marine and Aviation Cyber Center (MACC). This billet will provide countless opportunities for a well organized and detail oriented officer who thrives in a collaborative environment.

Interested officers should reach out to the incumbent officer, LCDR Keith Hanson (keith.d.hanson@noaa.gov) or the CMB Chief (lindsey.p.averill@noaa.gov) for more information.