NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps

The NOAA Corps is the smallest{{Cite news |last=Rensberger |first=Boyce |date=1986-09-09 |title=The Few, the Proud -- the NOAA? |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1986/09/10/the-few-the-proud-the-noaa/deb89a01-efee-4f0a-bc43-dc9031e90947/ |access-date=2024-08-17 |work=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}} of the eight uniformed services of the United States government. It has over 300 commissioned officers, but no enlisted or warrant officer personnel. The NOAA Corps today employs professionals trained in engineering, earth sciences, oceanography, meteorology, fisheries science, and other related disciplines. NOAA Corps officers operate NOAA ships, fly NOAA aircraft, manage research projects, conduct diving operations, and serve in staff positions throughout NOAA, as well as in positions in the United States Merchant Marine, the United States Department of Defense, the United States Coast Guard, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the United States Department of State. Like its predecessors, the Coast and Geodetic Survey Corps and the ESSA Corps, the NOAA Corps provides a source of technically skilled officers which can be incorporated into the United States Armed Forces in times of war, and in peacetime supports defense requirements in addition to its non-military scientific projects. Should it be called into active duty, it would be a department of one of the six branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.{{Cite web |url=https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF10550 |title=Defense Primer: The Military Departments |date=2023-01-09 |accessdate=2024-07-04 |language=en-US |publisher=Congressional Research Service |first=Alan |last=Ott}}

The NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps traces its roots to the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, the oldest scientific agency of the federal government. The Coast and Geodetic Survey was founded as the United States Survey of the Coast under President Thomas Jefferson in 1807 and renamed the United States Coast Survey in 1836. Until the American Civil War (1861–1865), the Coast Survey was staffed by civilian personnel working with United States Army and United States Navy officers. During the American Civil War, Army officers were withdrawn from Coast Survey duty, never to return, while all but two Navy officers also were withdrawn from Coast Survey service for the duration of the war. Since most men of the Survey had Union sympathies, most stayed on with the Survey rather than resigning to serve the Confederate States of America; their work shifted in emphasis to support of the United States Navy and Union Army, and these Coast Surveyors are the professional ancestors of today's NOAA Corps. Those Coast Surveyors supporting the Union Army were given assimilated military rank while attached to a specific command, but those supporting the U.S. Navy operated as civilians and ran the risk of being executed as spies if captured by the Confederates while working in support of Union forces. After the war, U.S. Navy officers returned to duty with the Coast Survey, which was given authority over geodetic activities in the interior of the United States in 1871 and was subsequently renamed the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1878.{{cite web|url=http://www.history.noaa.gov/legacy/corps.html|title=NOAA History /NOAA Legacy/NOAA Corps and the Coast and Geodetic Survey}}{{cite web|url=http://www.history.noaa.gov/legacy/time1800.html|title=NOAA History - NOAA Legacy Timeline - 1800s}}

With the outbreak of the Spanish–American War in April 1898, the U.S. Navy again withdrew all of its officers from Coast and Geodetic Survey assignments. They returned after the war ended in August 1898, but the system of U.S. Navy officers and men crewing the Survey{{'}}s ships that had prevailed for most of the 19th century came to an end when the appropriation law approved on June 6, 1900, provided for "all necessary employees to man and equip the vessels," instead of U.S. Navy personnel. The law took effect on July 1, 1900; at that point, all U.S. Navy personnel assigned to the Survey{{'}}s ships remained aboard until the first call at each ship{{'}}s home port, where they transferred off, with the Survey reimbursing the Navy for their pay accrued after July 1, 1900.{{cite book |title=Report Of The Superintendent of the Coast And Geodetic Survey Showing The Progress Of Work From July 1, 1900 To June 30, 1901 |last=U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey |year=1901 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |location=Washington, D.C. |pages=15, 17, 109}} From July 1900, the Coast and Geodetic Survey continued as an entirely civilian-run organization until after the United States entered World War I in April 1917.

File:U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey emblem.jpg, in which the NOAA Corps originated as the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey Corps in 1917]]

To avoid the dangers that Coast Survey personnel had faced during the Civil War of being executed as spies if captured by the enemy, the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey Corps was established on 22 May 1917, giving Coast and Geodetic Survey officers a commissioned status so that under the laws of war, they could not be executed as spies if they were captured while serving as surveyors on a battlefield during World War I. The creation of the Coast and Geodetic Survey Corps also ensured that in wartime a set of officers with technical skills in surveying could be assimilated rapidly into the United States Armed Forces so that their skills could be employed in military and naval work essential to the war effort. Before World War I ended in November 1918, over half of all Coast and Geodetic Survey Corps officers had served in the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, or United States Marine Corps, performing duty as artillery orienteering officers, as minelaying officers in the North Sea (where they were involved in the laying of the North Sea Mine Barrage), as navigators aboard troop transports, as intelligence officers, and as officers on the staff of American Expeditionary Force commanding officer General John "Black Jack" Pershing.

The Coast and Geodetic Survey Corps returned to peacetime scientific pursuits after the war. Its first flag officer was Rear Admiral Raymond S. Patton, who was promoted from captain to rear admiral in 1936.

When the United States entered World War II in December 1941, the Coast and Geodetic Survey Corps again suspended its peacetime activities to support the war effort, often seeing front-line service. Over half of all Coast and Geodetic Survey officers were transferred to the U.S. Army, the United States Army Air Forces, the U.S. Navy, or the U.S. Marine Corps, and deployed in North Africa, Europe, the Pacific, and the defense of North America as artillery surveyors, hydrographers, amphibious engineers, beachmasters (i.e., directors of disembarkation), instructors at service schools, and in a wide variety of technical positions. They also served as reconnaissance surveyors for a worldwide aeronautical charting effort, and a Coast and Geodetic Survey officer was the first commanding officer of the Army Air Forces Aeronautical Chart Plant at St. Louis, Missouri. Three officers who remained in Coast and Geodetic Survey service were killed during the war, as were eleven other Survey personnel.

After the war ended in August 1945, the Coast and Geodetic Survey again returned to peacetime scientific duties, although a significant amount of its work in the succeeding years was related to support of military and naval requirements during the Cold War.

File:ESSA Corps seal.jpg

File:Environmental Science Services Administration Corps Basic Officer Training Class 21.PNG

When the Coast and Geodetic Survey was transferred to the newly established Environmental Science Services Administration on July 13, 1965,{{cite web|url=http://www.history.noaa.gov/legacy/act5.html|title=NOAA History - NOAA Legacy/Historic Documents - Reorg Plan Establishing ESSA Under Dept. of Commerce}} control of the corps was transferred from the Coast and Geodetic Survey to ESSA itself, and accordingly, the corps was redesignated the Environmental Science Services Administration Corps, known informally as the ESSA Corps. The ESSA Corps retained the responsibility of providing commissioned officers to operate Coast and Geodetic Survey ships and of providing a set of officers with technical skills in surveying for incorporation into the U.S. armed forces during wartime.

Following the establishment of the ESSA, Rear Admiral H. Arnold Karo was promoted to vice admiral to help lead the agency. He served as the first Deputy Administrator of ESSA and was the first vice admiral, and at the time the highest-ranking officer, in the combined history of the Coast and Geodetic Survey Corps and ESSA Corps. Rear Admiral James C. Tison Jr. was the first director of the ESSA Corps.

The ESSA was replaced by the new National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on October 3, 1970.[http://www.history.noaa.gov/legacy/act6.html Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1970, reprinted with amendments in 5 U.S.C. app. at 1557–61]. Section 3(d) states: "The Commissioned Officer Corps of the Environmental Science Services Administration shall become the Commissioned Officer Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration." As a result, the ESSA Corps was redesignated the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps, known informally as the NOAA Corps. Rear Admiral Harley D. Nygren was appointed as the first director of the new NOAA Corps.

In 1972, the NOAA Corps became the first uniformed service of the United States to recruit women on the same basis as men,{{cite web|url=http://www.history.noaa.gov/legacy/time1900_2.html|title=NOAA History - NOAA Legacy Timeline - 1970-2000}} and in that year it commissioned Ensign Pamela Chelgren, making her the first female commissioned officer.{{cite book |title=NOAA |date=1972 |publisher=U.S. Department of Commerce |pages=26–28 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nycmAQAAIAAJ}}{{cite news |title=A Woman First |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/18436673/ |accessdate=May 15, 2020 |work=Cumberland News |date=July 7, 1972|via=newspapers.com}}{{subscription required}}{{cite news |title=Women in the NOAA Corps |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tz96XwAyiucC |accessdate=May 15, 2020 |work=Women in Action |publisher=U.S. Civil Service Commission |date=1977}} In 1977, Chelgren became operations officer aboard the NOAA research ship {{ship|NOAAS|Peirce}}, making her third-in-command and giving her the highest shipboard posting ever achieved by a woman in the Uniformed Services of the United States up to that time. On 1 June 2012, the NOAA research vessel RV Gloria Michelle, a boat crewed by two NOAA Corps personnel, became the first vessel in the history of NOAA or its ancestor organizations to have an all-female crew.{{cite web|url=http://www.capecodtimes.com/article//20120602/NEWS/206020315|title=NOAA ship leaves Woods Hole with first all-female crew|first=sean|last=teehan}}{{cite web|url=http://www.mvtimes.com/2012/06/06/lt-anna-liza-villard-howe-takes-command-noaa-research-vessel-10944/|title=Lt. Anna-Liza Villard-Howe takes command of NOAA research vessel|first=Janet|last=Hefler|date=June 6, 2012}}

On 2 January 2014, Michael S. Devany was promoted to vice admiral upon assuming duties as Deputy Under Secretary for Operations at NOAA, becoming only the second vice admiral in the combined history of the Coast and Geodetic Survey Corps, ESSA Corps, and NOAA Corps, and the first since the promotion of Vice Admiral Karo in 1965. On 15 July 2024, Nancy A. Hann assumed the position of Deputy Under Secretary for Operations, NOAA, and became the third person and first woman to achieve the rank of vice admiral in the combined history of the Coast and Geodetic Survey Corps, ESSA Corps, and NOAA Corps.{{Cite web |last=Blackwell |first=Jasmine |date=2024-06-07 |title=Nancy A. Hann to be promoted to vice admiral and named NOAA deputy under secretary |url=https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/nancy-hann-to-be-promoted-to-vice-admiral-and-named-noaa-deputy-under-secretary |access-date=2024-08-09 |website=www.noaa.gov |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Cooper |first=Naomi |date=2024-06-10 |title=Rear Adm. Nancy Hann Selected to Serve as NOAA Deputy Undersecretary of Operations |url=https://executivegov.com/2024/06/rear-adm-nancy-hann-selected-to-serve-as-noaa-deputy-undersecretary-of-operations/ |access-date=2024-08-09 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Hans |first=Teddy |date=2024-06-17 |title=Nancy Hann assumes NOAA deputy undersecretary role; Pesquera Diamante appoints Gustavo Delgado-Aparicio general manager |url=https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/business-finance/nancy-hann-assumes-noaa-deputy-undersecretary-role-pesquera-diamante-appoints-gustavo-delgado-aparicio-as-general-manager |access-date=2024-08-09 |website=www.seafoodsource.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Vice Admiral Nancy Hann {{!}} National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |url=https://www.noaa.gov/our-people/leadership/vice-admiral-nancy-hann |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=www.noaa.gov |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Vice Admiral Nancy Hann |url=https://www.commerce.gov/about/leadership/vice-admiral-nancy-hann |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=U.S. Department of Commerce |language=en}}

The NOAA Corps uses the same naval commissioned officer ranks as the United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, and United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. While the grade of admiral has been established as a rank in the NOAA Corps,[https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/37/201-] 10 USC 201. Pay grades: assignment to; general rules the rank has not been authorized for use by the United States Congress.[http://beta.congress.gov/bill/112th/senate-bill/2388/text] S.2388 – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps Amendments Act of 2012 Current NOAA Corps ranks rise from ensign to vice admiral,{{Cite web|url=https://www.omao.noaa.gov/learn/noaa-corps/about/heraldry|title=Heraldry | Office of Marine and Aviation Operations|website=www.omao.noaa.gov}} pay grades O-1 through O-9, respectively, although the rank of vice admiral has been used only rarely in the history of the NOAA Corps and its predecessors.

Unless already on active duty as a commissioned officer in any of the other U.S. uniformed services and transferring their commission from that service, new NOAA Corps officers are appointed via direct commission and must complete a 19-week basic officer training class (BOTC){{Cite web|url=https://www.omao.noaa.gov/learn/noaa-corps/join/basic-training|title=Basic Officer Training|website=www.omao.noaa.gov}} at the United States Coast Guard Officer Candidate School at the United States Coast Guard Academy before entering active duty.

NOAA Corps officers receive the same pay as other members of the U.S. uniformed services. They cannot hold a dual commission with another U.S. uniformed service, but inter-service transfers sometimes are permitted from other services via {{USC|10|716}}.

Unlike their United States Armed Forces counterparts, NOAA Corps officers do not require their rank appointments and promotions to be confirmed by the United States Senate, and only require approval from the president.{{Cite web|title=S.679 - Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act of 2011, 112th Congress (2011-2012)|url=https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/senate-bill/679?|access-date=2021-10-20|website=U.S. Congress|language=en}}

NOAA Corps flag officers are authorized the use of rank flags.

{{gallery|mode=|whitebg=y|height=100

|File:NOAA Vice Admiral Flag.png|{{center|Flag of a NOAA Corps
vice admiral}}

|File:NOAA Rear Admiral (upper half) Flag.png|{{center|Flag of a NOAA Corps
rear admiral}}

|File:NOAA Rear Admiral (lower half) Flag.png|{{center|Flag of a NOAA Corps
rear admiral (lower half)}}

}}

{{Clear}}

NOAA Corps officers can be militarized by the President of the United States under the provisions of {{USC|33|3061}}, which states:

{{quote|The President may, whenever in the judgment of the President a sufficient national emergency exists, transfer to the service and jurisdiction of a military department such vessels, equipment, stations, and officers of the Administration as the President considers to be in the best interest of the country. An officer of the Administration transferred under this section, shall, while under the jurisdiction of a military department, have proper military status and shall be subject to the laws, regulations, and orders for the government of the Army, Navy, or Air Force, as the case may be, insofar as the same may be applicable to persons whose retention permanently in the military service of the United States is not contemplated by law.{{Cite web|title=33 U.S. Code § 3061 - Cooperation with and transfer to military departments|url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/33/3061|access-date=2022-01-03|website=LII / Legal Information Institute|language=en}}}}

For formal service uniforms, the NOAA Corps wears the same Service Dress Blues and Service Dress Whites as the U.S. Navy, but with NOAA Corps insignia in place of U.S. Navy insignia. For daily work uniforms, the NOAA Corps wears the same Operational Dress Uniform (ODU) as the U.S. Coast Guard, but with NOAA Corps insignia in place of U.S. Coast Guard insignia.

File:NOAA Corps Combination Cap device.png|NOAA Corps Combination Cap Device

File:NOAA Corps Device.png|NOAA Corps Device

File:ODU2.JPG|An ODU uniform ball cap, with lieutenant commander rank insignia

File:Botc112 group.jpg|NOAA Corps officers wearing service dress blues

{{main|Awards and decorations of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration}}

File:Flag of the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps.svg

Although the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey and ESSA had their own flags, neither the Coast and Geodetic Survey Corps nor the ESSA Corps did. The NOAA Corps adopted its flag on 7 March 2002, the last of the then-seven uniformed services of the United States to have its own distinctive flag.{{cite web |url=https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/us~noaa.html |title=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (U.S.) |access-date=8 November 2022 |date=2015-04-04 |website=Flags of the World }}

The flag has a navy blue background. Centered on the background is a white circle inscribed with "NOAA COMMISSIONED CORPS" and "1917", the latter referring to the year of the founding of the NOAA Corps's original predecessor, the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey Corps. A red triangle symbolizing the discipline of triangulation used in hydrographic surveying. A similar triangle was used by the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, ESSA flags. Triangles are flown in the commission pennants by Coast and Geodetic Survey and NOAA vessels, and for the NOAA Corps, their insignia is also set within the triangle. The flag is displayed in accordance with the customs and traditions of the uniformed services of the United States.{{Cite web |date=May 11, 2021 |orig-date=March 15, 2015 |title=NAO 201-6 A: Official Flags of NOAA |url=https://www.noaa.gov/organization/administration/nao-201-6-official-flags-of-noaa |access-date=8 November 2022 |website=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration}}

{{main|Music of the NOAA Corps}}

In 1988, the NOAA Corps adopted a march, "Forward with NOAA", as its first official service song.{{cite web |title=Forward With NOAA (NOAA Corps Song) |url=https://www.omao.noaa.gov/find/media/audio/forward-noaa-noaa-corps-song |date=June 12, 2019 |website=Office of Marine and Aviation Operations |publisher=NOAA |accessdate=July 25, 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190726065815/https://www.omao.noaa.gov/find/media/audio/forward-noaa-noaa-corps-song |archive-date= Jul 26, 2019 }}{{cite news |title='Post' Discovers U.S. Agencies' Marching Songs |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=14191429 |accessdate=July 25, 2019 |work=NPR |date=September 5, 2007}}{{cite web |title=NOAA: The Musical |url=https://www.govexec.com/federal-news/2007/09/noaa-the-musical/37795/ |website=govexec.com |date=September 5, 2007 |publisher=Government Executive Magazine |accessdate=July 26, 2019}} In 2017 it adopted a sea chanty, "Into the Oceans and the Air", as its new official service song.{{cite web |title=Message from the Deputy Director |url=https://www.corpscpc.noaa.gov/cyberflash/cyberflash2017/cyb20170616.html |website=noaa.gov |publisher=NOAA |accessdate=July 25, 2019}}{{cite news |title=U.S. Coast Guard Band Presents "In Storm and Sunshine" on Sunday |url=https://www.norwichbulletin.com/entertainmentlife/20170615/us-coast-guard-band-presents-in-storm-and-sunshine-on-sunday |accessdate=July 26, 2019 |work=Norwich Bulletin |date=June 15, 2017}}

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NOAA Corps

Category:1917 establishments in the United States