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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Commissioned Corps
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Commissioned Corps
	; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Commissioned Corps
Active	1807 - today
Country	United States of America
Branch	Commissioned Corps
Type	Uniformed service
Size	299 personnel; 19 ships, 14 aircraft
Part of	Department of Commerce
Headquarters	Silver Spring, MD
Colors	Blue & Gold
March	Forward with NOAA
Engagements	American Civil War; World War I; World War II
Commanders
Director, NOAA Commissioned Corps	RADM Jonathan W. Bailey
Director, Marine and Aviation Operations Centers	RDML Philip M. Kenul
Director, Commissioned Personnel Center	CAPT Raymond C. Slagle
Notable; commanders	RADM Evelyn J. Fields; RADM Samuel P. De Bow, Jr.
Aircraft flown
Reconnaissance	WP-3D, AC-500S, AC-695A, G-IV, CE-550, DHC-6

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps (NOAA Corps) is a federal uniformed service operating under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which is a scientific agency under the United States Department of Commerce. The NOAA Corps is one of the seven uniformed services of the United States, having approximately 317 commissioned officers and no enlisted or warrant officer ranks.

Flag of the NOAA Commissioned Corps

[edit] 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. 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.

[edit] Commissioned officers

The NOAA Corps uses the same commissioned officer ranks as the United States Navy and Coast Guard. While the rank of admiral has been authorized for use by the NOAA Corps, no officer in its history has held that rank.^[4] The rank of vice admiral exists but requires congressional approval for re-activation; the only officer to hold that rank was H. Arnold Karo in 1965. Current NOAA Corps ranks rise from ensign to rear admiral, pay grades O-1 through O-8 respectively. NOAA Corps officers are appointed via direct commission and receive the same pay as other members of the uniformed services. They can not hold a dual commission with another service but inter-service transfers are permitted.

Commissioned Officer Ranks and Abbreviations of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps
Vice Admiral (inactive grade)	Rear Admiral	Rear Admiral (lower half)	Captain
O-9	O-8	O-7	O-6

VADM	RADM	RDML	CAPT

Commander	Lieutenant Commander	Lieutenant	Lieutenant (junior grade)	Ensign
O-5	O-4	O-3	O-2	O-1

CDR	LCDR	LT	LTJG	ENS

[edit] Uniforms

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

Officers wearing the Service Dress Blues

Officer wearing the Operational Dress Uniform

An ODU uniform ball cap, with LCDR rank insignia

[edit] See also

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b About NOAA Corps
^ New Commander to Direct NOAA’s Aircraft Operations
^ ^a ^b ^c History of the NOAA Commissioned Corps
^ [1] 10 USC 201. Pay grades: assignment to; general rules

[edit] External links

This article incorporates material taken from the public domain website of the NOAA Corps.

[About_NOAA_Corps-0] About NOAA Corps

[1] New Commander to Direct NOAA’s Aircraft Operations

[NOAA_Corps_History-2] History of the NOAA Commissioned Corps

[3] [1] 10 USC 201. Pay grades: assignment to; general rules

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