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May 22, 2026

Message from the Director

Good afternoon, NOAA Corps, I’m writing to you today from the Mighty NOAA Ship Pisces, approximately 60NM SSE of Bar Harbor, ME. It is currently 55°F and sunny with 10kt winds out of the west and atmospheric pressure clocking in at 1027.5 mb. It’s a beautiful day to be fishing in the name of science! Huge thanks to ACO LCDR Pestone, and his crew, for having me aboard.

It was amazing to see 170+ of you tune in to the NOAA Corps All Hands this past Monday! Not surprisingly, the one topic I’ve gotten a lot of follow-up questions about is the NOAA Corps Physical Readiness Test (PRT) program that we unveiled during the meeting. This program will not only increase our parity with the other branches of service, it is aimed at promoting a healthy and physically fit workforce, especially when combined with the Physical Fitness Plans and Body Composition Standards already in effect.

As I mentioned in the All Hands meeting, we have a draft version of the new section of the Directives (NCD 16005) that will govern this program. Once this section clears CPC review, it will need to be reviewed by the Office of General Council before it can go to RADM Cary for signature and implementation. We are requesting volunteers to help us demo this new policy while it is under development (see article below). Our Dietician Nutritionist Program Manager will also be providing each Officer with a physical fitness test preparation guide to help you prepare to meet the new PRT standards. Stay tuned for more information on this program in the coming weeks.

Finally, as we move into Memorial Day Weekend, I want to encourage everyone to take some time to honor the memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. Our freedoms are built upon their extraordinary bravery and selflessness.

Please take this time to rest, recharge, and enjoy the company of family and friends. Wishing you all a safe and meaningful Memorial Day weekend!

All the Best,

Captain Ryan Wattam, NOAA
Director, Commissioned Personnel Center

In Memoriam: Stephen Brezinski

Mr. Brzezinski was born in 1954, and raised in Stoneham, MA. He received a Bachelors in Science from Virginia Polytechnic Institute in 1982 and served for four years with the U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey. During his time with NOAA Corps’ predecessor, he surveyed to support nautical charts off Alaska and Southern California onboard NOAA Ship Fairweather, before switching coasts to collect data on the mid-Atlantic Ridge while based out of Miami. On NCEI, you can find the descriptive report on NCEI for a survey ENS Brezinski worked on of the Santa Barbara Channel here. After the Corps, he served the State of Maine for 32 yeast as an Oil and Hazardous Materials Responder with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. In his free time, his family notes his dry sense of humor, generosity, responsibility to others, and his pies. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Roberta, and their two children, Seth and Stacia Brezinski.

REFTRA 102 Complete

REFTRA 102 concluded three weeks of training today! The REFTRA curriculum provides essential training for officers preparing to transition back to sea duty. The training begins with a two-week session at the USMRC in Rhode Island, where officers review Electronic Navigation, Radar, Rules of the Road (ROTR), and current updates in marine operations. The curriculum also features mandatory certifications in Advanced Firefighting and Basic Safety Training. 

The third week, the officers report to MPI in Louisiana to participate in their manned models course. The officers learn about ship handling in a simulator, and hands on in a lake designed to safely replicate complex navigational challenges such as current, emergency operations, wind conditions, and restricted underkeel clearances.

Left to Right: CAPT Brinkley, LT Gearty, LT Huddleston, LCDR Helmricks, LCDR Trede, LT Jordan, LCDR Hanson, LT Gaughan, LTJG Logan, CDR Manda

After receiving an operational assignment, officers are tentatively placed in a REFTRA group based on their rotations. For questions regarding REFTRA attendance, contact LCDR Melissa Trede at assignmentbranch.cpc@noaa.gov.

PRT Volunteers Needed!

As we work to build out the new NOAA Corps Physical Readiness Test (PRT) program, we will need a number of officers in various types of assignments and locations to demo the program to ensure it will be successful across the wide range of assignment types and locations that exist in the NOAA Corps. 

Are you interested in volunteering to demo the PRT program that is under development? If so, please use this link to sign up. After you sign up, the Dietitian Nutritionist Program Manager will reach out to you.

Call for Interviewers - BOTC 149

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 149 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 occur via Google Meet and will be completed from June 15th - July 10th. The current interview format will pair two officers together to conduct joint interviews for BOTC applicants, to better capture a range of perspectives. This is an incredible opportunity to have a direct hand in shaping the future of the NOAA Corps.

Please use the NOAA Corps Interviews Google Form to indicate interest and times you are unavailable during the interview window. For any questions, please reach out to the Recruiting Branch via apply.noaacorps@noaa.gov.

2026 - Aviation Advisory Board: Initial Flight

An Aviation Advisory Board will convene on or around December 4, 2026 to recommend officers for initial flight training. Selection numbers and start dates for flight training will be determined based on the needs of the service. Previous flight experience is not required for this opportunity, however it is highly encouraged and will help applicants determine if aviation is a desirable career path. Time in Service will not be limited for the purpose of this candidate selection and selected applicants will incur an Active Duty Service Obligation (ADSO) of six years, if Initial Pilot Training is required to earn required FAA Certificates.

Requirements for the NOAA Corps Aviation Selection Process:

• Complete all sections of NOAA Form 56-43 (Application for NOAA Corps Aviation Program)
• Complete a USCG Class I flight physical *good for one year
• Complete the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT)
• Complete the Test of Basic Aviation Skills (TBAS). This test must be taken after the AFOQT. *tests can only be taken twice in an officer’s career
• Retrieve and include your Pilot Candidate Selection Method (PCSM) score. This is a combination of the two tests above and your flight experience. If the AFOQT and TBAS tests were completed previously, a retake is not necessary.
• A recommendation for aviation selection must be included in Section 10 (Potential) of the applicant's Officer Evaluation Report (NOAA form 56-6A), or provide a written endorsement from your current supervisor.
• Interview for flight

Letters of recommendation are not required but are highly recommended. Flight materials will be due COB November 23rd, 2026.

For questions about NOAA aviation careers and the application process, contact CDR JC Clark (aoc.chiefadmin@noaa.gov) or LCDR Melissa Trede (assignmentbranch.cpc@noaa.gov). For questions specific to medical requirements and USCG Class I flight physicals, contact LCDR Casie Parker, USPHS, (casie.parker@noaa.gov) or (863) 500-3991. You can also refer to the CPC website on the Fleet to Flight process.

Please let the assignment coordinator, LCDR Trede, know by July 13th, 2026 if you plan to apply for initial flight training so that you can be scheduled for an interview. Officers can not be considered for the board without a completed interview.

On the Horizon 

Approved Resignations, Separations and Retirements

Cyberflash is a NOAA Commissioned Personnel Center publication for active duty and retired members, families and supporters of the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps. Questions? Contact noaacorps.policy@noaa.gov