Message from the Director

Good afternoon, NOAA Corps,

Today is National POW/MIA Recognition Day, and the NOAA Corps was well-represented by RADM Cary at this year’s U.S. Navy official ceremony in Washington D.C., helping pay tribute to unsung heroes of the U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey (USCGS) who were captured and imprisoned by the Japanese Imperial armed forces in the Philippines during World War II. As we mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the war, we remember those brave Americans who served in the NOAA Corps’ ancestor service, and commemorate not only their sacrifice (the ultimate for some), but also the release of those who survived captivity and were reunited with their families.

We in the NOAA Corps have been fortunate over the last many decades to have served on the front lines of oceanic and atmospheric data collection and research, and therefore contributed to protecting the safety of commerce, life and property at home with environmental intelligence. Also, the data that we collect may be valuable in warfare applications, and I would be remiss if I didn’t recognize that swearing or affirming our oath also includes our commitment to serving, whether under Commerce or Defense, during times of war or national emergency. NOAA Corps Directives Chapter 14, one of the older chapters that governs our service, reminds us of this obligation.

Our USCGS POW/MIA predecessors, along with their families, knew all too well the importance of their oaths, expertise, and roles in the grander scheme of serving the Nation and indeed the world. In part, their work, stories and experiences provided a basis for who we are today as a service, and exemplified our modern day core values of Honor, Respect, and Commitment. I encourage us all to take a moment on this National POW/MIA Recognition Day, remember those who went before us and were taken captive or are still missing, and express gratitude for their service and sacrifice. Thank you all for your continued commitment, and please remember to take care of yourselves and each other.

Best Regards,

Directors signature
Captain Chris van Westendorp, NOAA
Director, Commissioned Personnel Center

RADM Chad Cary (left) with RDML David Faehnle, USN (Commandant, Naval District Washington, right), at a National POW/MIA Recognition Day wreath laying ceremony, United States Navy Memorial, Washington D.C. (9/19/2025) [Credit: David Hall]
RADM Cary laying a wreath at the Lone Sailor statue, United States Navy Memorial, Washington D.C. (9/19/2025) [Credit: David Hall]

On the Horizon

10 Sep 2025 Command Advisory Board
1 Oct 2025 Officer Assignment Board

Approved Resignations, Separations and Retirements

LCDR Bryan Brasher 22 Sep 2025
ENS Pierce Giamportone 15 Dec 2025
CAPT David Gothan 01 Jan 2026

In Memoriam: Mr. John Oliver (1950-2025)

We are saddened to share that on September 5, 2025, the NOAA Corps lost a longtime friend and avid supporter, Mr. John Oliver.

Spanning a nearly 40-year career with NOAA, Mr. Oliver started as a payroll clerk in 1973 and retired from the senior executive service as Deputy Assistant Administrator for the National Marine Fisheries Service in 2011. Having served in the U.S. Army Reserves from 1971 to 1977, Mr. Oliver greatly appreciated and deeply understood the importance of service. He was a strong champion of the NOAA Corps and fleet throughout his career and into retirement. Examples include his close work with the author of A Good Catch, to ensure that NOAA’s fleet was represented throughout the book; as well as his attendance at the NOAA Corps 100th anniversary celebration in 2017, and the recent keel laying ceremony for Surveyor in Houma, Louisiana.

While many current officers may not have had the opportunity to work with Mr. Oliver, the NOAA Corps service is built in part on the shoulders and advocacy of those who came before us, including civil servants like him. As NOAA Corps officers likely well know, the support received from working with NOAA’s line and staff office partners is critical to success for the agency and the Nation. We therefore invite you to please take a moment, remember and honor Mr. Oliver and his family in your thoughts, as well as reflect on the advocates we have in each other, our colleagues, and our partners that support us every day.

Mr. John Oliver with his wife and fellow NOAA retiree & NOAA Corps supporter, Mrs. Cheryl Oliver, at the NOAA Corps 100th Birthday celebration in Washington D.C. (May 2017). Mr. and Mrs. Oliver with RADM Chad Cary at the keel laying for Surveyor in Houma, LA (August 2025).

Continuity of Pay Looking Into FY2026

CPC continues to engage with OMAO and NOAA leadership regarding NOAA Corps funding as we conclude fiscal year (FY) 2025 and begin FY2026. As a reminder, NOAA Corps active duty, retired, and annuitant pay require an appropriation to be passed and enacted into law. Accordingly, if appropriations lapse on October 1, 2025, all NOAA Corps members will receive their end-of-month pay for September 2025, but no additional payroll actions will be completed on or after October 1, 2025, until a FY2026 appropriation goes into effect. CPC will continue to provide updates as they become available. Members are encouraged to contact noaacorps.payrollunit@noaa.gov. or the U.S. Coast Guard Retiree & Annuitant Services Branch as appropriate with any questions.

Historically, financial institutions have been willing to provide assistance in the event of a lapse in appropriations and lack of pay. Members are also encouraged to reach out to their personal financial institution(s) to inquire about any potential assistance options in the event that payroll actions are paused.

Promotion Update

We wanted to provide the workforce with a quick status update on FY25 promotion Officer Personnel Board (OPB) recommendations. Per normal headquarters controlled correspondence process, the promotion package is currently in routing for review and approval by the President. At the moment, CPC staff are standing by to receive the package back from the approval chain in order to begin effecting promotions from the FY25 OPB. Please know that CPC, OMAO, and NOAA leadership are all actively engaged in tracking the package and ensuring it continues routing as expeditiously as possible. We will provide regular updates to prospective selectees and as new information can be shared. Prospective promotion selectees are encouraged to contact chief.personnelmgmt.cpc@noaa.gov and/or chief.careermgmt.cpc@noaa.gov with any questions regarding the promotion process and any required preparatory steps.

PCS Reminders: Lodging, Pets, Etc

This is a friendly reminder from your Officer Personnel Management Division regarding some recurring Permanent Change of Station (PCS) issues.

  • For lodging expenses incurred during PCS moves to be reimbursable, the chosen accommodation must comply with the Hotel and Motel Fire Safety Act of 1990, as mandated by the Joint Travel Regulations(JTR), Appendix A. Bed and Breakfast (B&B), VRBO, and AirBnb establishments are not authorized for PCS reimbursement, no exceptions. Before booking, all officers should verify their selected hotel or motel appears on the U.S. Fire Administration's searchable National Master List of Approved Accommodations. This official list is available at https://apps.usfa.fema.gov/hotel/.
  • All PCS travel requests must be fully filled out and signed by your supervisor prior to submitting through the HR ticketing system, as a complete request will help ensure a smooth transition:
    • Pet expense requests must be included on the travel request form to add funding for PCS travel.
    • All travel details must be included, such as mode of travel for the officer and their dependents, one or two POVS, and articulating accompanied and/or unaccompanied travel.
    • PCS travel requests must be authorized prior to the execution and commencement of PCS travel.
  • During PCS travel, keep all receipts. When submitting travel vouchers via the HR ticketing system, endorsed orders, a signed travel voucher (DD form 1351-2) and all receipts must be included in the submitted HR ticket which must be all in ONE pdf file.
    • Note for TLE/TLA, only itemized daily receipts are authorized from Motels/Hotels.
      Days authorized for TLEDays authorized for TLA
      CONUS to CONUS up to 21 days either PCS locationCONUS to OCONUS up to 60 days at OCONUS location (Must have approval in increments of 15 days)
      OCONUS to CONUS 7 days at CONUS locationOCONUS to CONUS 10 days at OCONUS location
  • Endorsed orders must be submitted TWICE, one for the PCS travel voucher and again to the Assignment Coordinator.
  • Information on Pet Expenses
    • Eligibility. A Service member on a PCS order with an effective date of January 1, 2024 or later, as defined in Appendix A, may be authorized reimbursement for the costs related to the relocation of one household pet that arises from a permanent change of station. A household pet is a cat or a dog, owned for personal companionship. A Service member is responsible for following rules for importing and exporting a pet to and from the United States in order to be eligible for reimbursement. Denial of entry could result in denial of reimbursement.
    • CONUS. A Service member may be authorized the reasonable and substantiated cost of mandatory microchipping, boarding fees, hotel service charges, licensing fees at the new PDS, and pet shipping fees if the member flies rather than drives, or the pet is shipped separately from the member. Reimbursement for the actual cost of all expenses is limited to $550 per PCS move.
    • OCONUS. A Service member may be authorized the reasonable and substantiated cost of mandatory microchipping, quarantine fees, boarding fees, hotel service charges, licensing fees at the new PDS, testing titer levels for entry, and pet shipping fees if the member flies rather than drives, or the pet is shipped separately from the member. For transoceanic travel, use of Government or Government-procured transportation must be used if available or reimbursement for transportation costs is not authorized. Reimbursement for the actual cost of all necessary expenses described above in connection with the movement of a pet is limited to $2,000 per PCS move.
    • Pet expense information and TLE information can be found in the JTR. https://media.defense.gov/2022/Jan/04/2002917147/-1/-1/0/JTR.PDF

For any additional questions regarding PCS regulations, please contact CPC’s HR Specialists via HR Action Request ticket in OPF Online.

Qualifying Events for NOAA Corps National Response Deployment Medal (NRDM)

The Uniform and Awards Board has received a number of NRDM nominations in recent months, highlighting commendable actions of NOAA Corps officers in response to national emergency events. Per NOAA Corps Directives Chapter 12 (Uniforms and Awards), Part 12705(C), the NRDM is awarded to NOAA Corps officers, and members of other uniformed services assigned, detailed, or attached to NOAA who distinguish themselves by significant participation in any national response operation, as designated by the Director. To promote transparency for eligible events, the UAB compiles eligible events and event criteria into a memorandum which is approved by the Director, NOAA Corps. This document will be updated on an annual basis and may be found on the UAB Intranet site.

Improved Ordering of Leather Nametags

A few updates have been added to the UAB website, including a newly identified vendor for NOAA Corps leather name tags, which are worn as part of NOAA Corps flight suits, float coats, and black V-neck pullover sweaters. In addition to nametags, luggage tags and decals are now also available. Please let the UAB know if you find any additional potential resources to share with the workforce.

Note: CPC and the UAB do not endorse any private companies, and any references are provided as resources commonly used by officers to obtain NOAA Corps uniform and insignia items.

Sunset of AFIT eInvite

As the old adage goes, all good things must come to an end. The chances are favorable that you have received an eInvite from afit.edu for a NOAA, Department of Defense, and/or U.S. Coast Guard event within the last 15 or so years. However, the Air Force Institute of Technology's (AFIT) digital invitation system, eInvitations, has now been discontinued as of August 19, 2025. This application has frequently been used for Changes of Command and other more formal events, and AFIT has developed no replacement application to-date. All NOAA Corps event organizers will need to use other forms of event coordination until further notice, and Google Forms is recommended as an option.

BMI/BCA Update

CPC and the NOAA Corps Dietician Nutritionist have received a few queries regarding entry of Body Mass Index (BMI) and Body Composition Assessment (BCA) numbers in the OPF Online application. As the Chapter 16 compliance window opens on October 1, 2025, officers will be able to update their BMI (and BCA if required) in their OPF starting on that date and until October 31st. Thank you for your attention to Chapter 16 requirements, and please reach out to rachel.saunders@noaa.gov with any questions.

Reminder for the Fleet to Flight Application

All officers interested in applying for initial flight training must inform the Assignment Coordinator of their intention to apply no later than October 1st, 2025. Officers providing their intent by October 1st will be forwarded for interviews, and a completed interview will be required for board consideration. Please refer to the July 11, 2025, Cyberflash announcement for more information regarding the flight application, including important dates, contacts, and required materials.

For any questions, please contact LCDR Melissa Trede at assignmentbranch.cpc@noaa.gov.

Reminder: Maximum Carryover of Earned Leave

On September 30, 2024, the Special Leave Accrual (SLA) authorization of 2020 officially ended for NOAA Corps and restored the maximum annual carryover limit of earned leave for officers to 60 Days. As a reminder, any accrued leave in excess of the authorized 60-day limit as of September 30, 2025, will not be carried over into fiscal year 2026, and will subsequently be lost.

Leave days taken prior to the start of the new fiscal year (October 1) will be processed after entry into Direct Access, with any days otherwise above the carryover limit subtracted from an officer’s FY25 “lost leave” balance, if applicable. Additionally, all officers are reminded that in accordance with NOAA Corps Directives Chapter 6 (Leave and Liberty), Part 06109(C), completed leave slips must be submitted within five days of the completion of the leave period.

Officers can view their leave balance on their Pay Slip in Direct Access.