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November 6, 2026

Message from the Director

Good afternoon, NOAA Corps,

With Election Day behind us this week, our nation has once again exercised a core democratic process. Last May I went to my kids’ elementary school for career day to talk about the NOAA Corps and our mission.  Another parent there was a political science professor at Georgetown. Curious about how one presents political science to 6-8 year olds, I asked him how he covered the topic with kids. He said that he usually has them vote on what they would like to have for lunch. Some kids vote for pizza, some for burgers, and some for pancakes. He tallies the votes, and tells them that since the majority of votes were for pizza, that is what the whole class will be having for lunch. He said that inevitably, some of the kids who chose burgers or pancakes would say something to the effect of “But I really wanted burgers!” While this serves as a vastly oversimplified explanation of democracy, I thought it was a clever way to introduce the concept to young children and it reinforces why casting a vote for what you do want is so important in the first place.

Our apolitical focus as Commissioned Officers remains steadfast and clear. We wear our uniforms with pride, we serve the nation, and our scientific missions remain vitally important. The critical work you perform every day directly protects lives, property, and natural resources across the country, and that mandate remains as essential as ever.

As we move into November, many of our ships and aircraft are wrapping up demanding field seasons and transitioning into winter repair periods, and, in some cases, winter projects and deployments. I want to extend my sincere appreciation to every officer who served at sea and in the air this past season. Operating in challenging operational environments requires relentless focus, technical skill, and resilience, and your dedication has ensured safe and successful execution across all of our missions.

While winter maintenance and dockside or drydock work brings its own operational demands, I urge each of you to take intentional time over the coming months to rest and recharge with your families and support networks. Sustaining operational readiness requires striking that balance so that we remain prepared to execute safely through the winter and hit the ground running for next year’s field season.

Thank you for your professionalism, your hard work, and your continued service to NOAA and the Nation.

All the Best,

Captain Ryan Wattam, NOAA
Director, Commissioned Personnel Center

BOTC 148 Continues Training 

BOTC 148 is continuing their training and is now two and a half weeks from graduation. Over the past couple weeks, the class has gained hands-on experience through Coast Guard T-Boat training, putting our seamanship skills into practice while learning more about operating on the water. The class also recently completed Advanced Firefighting, further developing our ability to respond to emergencies and work together as a team. As we approach the final weeks of training, BOTC 148 continues to build knowledge, skills, and experience needed to serve as future NOAA Corps officers. In the next few weeks, BOTC 148 will be doing Survival at Sea, Project Oceanography, and Mariner Capstone Presentations. 

Written by BOTC 148 Officer Candidates

BOTC 148 post completion of getting hands on experience for Advanced Firefighting

BOTC 148 post completion of getting hands on experience on T-Boat

2027 Important NCOTC Dates (BOTC & REFTRA) 

The NOAA Corps Officer Training Center (NCOTC) is pleased to report we have completed scheduling for CY 2027. Below are the critical dates for BOTC and REFTRA. Note that all dates are subject to change, though adjustments are unlikely. We will communicate any changes as quickly as possible. Course attendance timing and adjustments (including MPI) are managed through the Assignment Coordinator.

BOTC 149

Report: 11 January, 2027

Billet Night: 25 February, 2027

Graduation: 01 April, 2027

Post Graduation: 05 April to 30 April, 2027

BOTC 150

Report: 30 August, 2027

Billet Night: 14 October, 2027

Graduation: 18 November, 2027

Post Graduation: 22 November to 17 December, 2027

REFTRA 104

USMRC, RI: 01 March to 12 March, 2027 (Report 28 Feb & Travel 14 March)

MPI: 15 March to 19 March, 2027 (Depart 20 March)

REFTRA 105 (Split Groups for MPI)

Group 1 MPI, LA: 17 May to 21 May, 2027 (Report 16 May)

Joint USMRC, RI: 24 May to 04 June, 2027

     (Group 1: Travel LA to USMRC 22 May; Depart June 05)

     (Group 2: Report 23 May; Travel USMRC to MPI 06 June)

Group 2 MPI, LA: 07 June to 11 June, 2027 (Depart 12 June)

REFTRA 106

USMRC, RI: 13 September to 24 September, 2027 (Report 12 Sep & Travel 26 Sep)

MPI, LA: 27 September to 01 October, 2027 (Depart 02 Oct)

Direct Access Limited Access Period for End-of-Year Legislative Pay Change (LPC) 

PurposeThis Cyberflash provides critical information regarding the upcoming Direct Access (DA) limited access period scheduled for the end-of-year Legislative Pay Change (LPC) processing cycle.

Limited Access ScheduleDirect Access will have limited access from 0600 on December 21, 2026, until 0600 on January 5, 2027.

Impact on HR SpecialistsDuring this timeframe, standard system transactions will be severely restricted to allow for the implementation of new pay tables, and system-wide updates.

• Data-Entry Blackout: HR specialists, and personnel administrators will be unable to enter, approve, or process manual pay actions.
• Transaction Pause: All pending transactions must be finalized prior to the cutoff or held until the system resumes full operations.

Impact on NOAA Corps Officers

• Self-Service Restrictions: Officers may experience limited availability for self-service actions, including updating personal information or viewing updated Leave and Earnings Statements (LES).
• Pay Action Delays: Any administrative or discretionary pay changes submitted right before or during this window will not reflect in the system until the LPC period concludes on January 5, 2027.

Please plan pay actions accordingly to avoid processing delays.

Approved Resignations, Separations and Retirements

On the Horizon 

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