NOAA Corps.html |
| | | ca | | | de | | | en | | | es | | | fr | | | it | | | nl | | | no | | | pl | | | pt | | | ru | | | ro | | | fi | | | sv | | | tr | | | vo | | |
| |  |
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps (NOAA Corps) is the uniformed service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which is a scientific agency under the United States Department of Commerce. It is one of the seven uniformed services of the United States, having approximately 300 commissioned officers.
Contents |
Brief history
The NOAA Commissioned Corps, established in 1917 as the Coast and Geodetic Survey Corps, and then as the Environmental Science Services Administration (ESSA) Corps from 1965-1970, traces its roots back to the former U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, which dates to 1807 under President Thomas Jefferson. The U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey officers were commissioned so that under the laws of war, they could not be executed as spies if they were serving as surveyors on a battlefield.
The NOAA Corps today provides a cadre of professionals trained in engineering, earth sciences, oceanography, meteorology, fisheries science, and other related disciplines. Officers operate ships, fly aircraft, manage research projects, conduct diving operations, and serve in staff positions throughout NOAA.
Uniforms
The NOAA Corps uses the same ranks as the United States Navy and the United States Coast Guard commissioned officers, from ensign to vice admiral. NOAA Corps now wears the Operational Dress Uniform (ODU), the same as the United States Coast Guard for all of its work uniforms, replacing the previously used USN working uniforms. NOAA Corps also wears the Service Dress Blues (SDBs) and Service Dress Whites of the US Navy but wear special corps insignia to identify them as a member of the NOAA Corps. The vice admiral rank however is no longer an active grade and the current highest ranking officer in the NOAA Corps is a two-star rear admiral. Corps officers also receive the same pay and grade (O-1 to O-10) as their military counterparts. Corps officers receive direct commissions into the service, much as the other Uniformed Services of the United States induct officers via direct commission officer programs.
 Here is an example of NOAA Corps Officers wearing the US Navy Service Dress Blues |
 A NOAA Corps Officer wearing the Operational Dress Uniform (ODU) |
 The uniform ball cap that is worn with the ODU |
Note: The only officer to hold the grade of vice admiral in the NOAA Corps was Vice Admiral H. Arnold Karo. While the four-star grade of admiral 1 has been authorized for use by the NOAA Corps, no officer in its history has ever held that grade.
Commissioned officer ranks
| Commissioned Officer Rank Structure of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vice Admiral (inactive grade) |
Rear Admiral (upper half) |
Rear Admiral (lower half) |
Captain | |||||||
| O-9 | O-8 | O-7 | O-6 | |||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
|||||||
| Commander | Lieutenant Commander | Lieutenant | Lieutenant, Junior Grade | Ensign |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| O-5 | O-4 | O-3 | O-2 | O-1 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Note: The star above the cuff stripes, and the anchor on the shoulder boards, in these illustrations are unique to U.S. Navy line officers, and are replaced by the NOAA insignia. |
|---|
Leadership
- RADM Jonathan W. Bailey -- Director, NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps and Director, Office of Marine and Aviation Operations
- RDML Philip M. Kenul -- Director, Marine and Aviation Operations Centers
- CAPT Brad B. Kearse [2] -- Director, NOAA Commissioned Personnel Center
Notes
- The illustrations above bear the star of naval officers rather than a triangle within a circle worn by NOAA officers.
- Officers are designated with the abbreviation NOAA, not USN.
- NOAA Corps officers cannot hold dual commissions with another uniformed service, though inter-service transfers are allowed.
See also
References
External links
This article incorporates material taken from the public domain website of the NOAA Corps.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
