Editor's Note: Milestones

With this issue NOAA's NWS Focus begins a new feature marking employee milestones. We're going to start with a manageable approach and recognize employee retirements and selections of new Meteorologists In Charge, Hydrologists in Charge, and members of the Senior Executive Service. Once a month we will compile reports from NWS Headquarters Offices, Regional Headquarters, and Centers and feature them in NOAA's NWS Focus.

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NWS and FAA Agree on ASOS Augmentation/Backup

The Memorandum of Agreement between the FAA and the NWS for the Joint Transition Plan for Augmentation/Backup of ASOS was signed by the FAA on July 20, 2001. This agreement documents that NWS will no longer be providing the FAA with assistance in the form of observers for surface weather observation augmentation and backup at Service Level A, B, and C ASOS locations within the continental United States. This will eliminate a $2.5 million NWS contract liability to continue augmentation and backup under the former agreement. In addition, the new agreement will allow NWS ASOS sites to be connected to the FAA's Automated Lightning Data and Reporting System through the FAA's communications network. This will simplify the process of getting this data to the NWS. The FAA will save $4.2 million dollars in FY 02 based on these modifications.

For more information on ASOS, see the ASOS Program Office homepage at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/asos/index.html.

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Once a month, a United Parcel Service (UPS) meteorologist spends half a day working at the local NWS Office in Louisville, KY, while a meteorologist from the NWS spends half a day at UPS. The exchange program began several months ago and has benefitted both groups in different ways, according to Mike Matthews, MIC WFO Louisville. He said the purpose of the program is to help the local NWS office better define their users and identify ways they can improve their products and services for customers like UPS. UPS featured the exchange in a story for its employee newsletter recently.

UPS meteorologist Randy Baker, who has been involved in a Federal Aviation Administration fog study, has shared the fog forecasting process developed by UPS's five meteorologists. The NWS office plans to incorporate UPS's fog forecasting methods into its terminal forecasting. "We look at 80 terminals every night, while the local NWS office forecasts for three terminals," said Baker. That's why UPS meteorologists developed their own fog forecasting process and have shared it with the NWS. "This type of information sharing helps the NWS office improve its services," said NWS meteorologist Joe Ammerman. "And the better we are, the more money it could save you guys," he added. Baker said the exchange program has given him some ideas on how to make better use of UPS's weather workstation.

Photos of the UPS/NWS team in action can be viewed by following this link.

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On July 20, 2001, three NWS employees were honored at the "Women of Color Government and Defense Technology Award Conference" in Washington, DC. These first-ever "Technology All-Star" awards honor distinguished scientists, experienced executives, and exemplary government officers who have demonstrated that they are innovative, goal-oriented, disciplined, and dedicated. This year's award winners are Brenda Taylor, Ruth Aiken, and Angela Downing. Their valuable contributions to technology within government agencies, combined with their demonstrated excellence, earned them the prestigious recognition and the respect of their peers. The awards were sponsored by the publications: U.S. Black Engineer & Information Technology and Hispanic Engineer & Information Technology. Read more about the awards ceremony and their numerous contributions to the NWS at http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/releases2001/jul01/noaa01r272.html.

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Seven Earn NOAA Financial Management Awards

Recently at the annual NOAA Financial Management Conference, NOAA initiated a new award for achievement in financial management.

Individuals nominated by NWS for outstanding achievement in Financial Management:

• Vickie Alexander Central Region
• Karen St. Clair -- Western Region
• Janice Carmiecke -- CFO
• Violet Foster -- CFO

Individuals nominated by NOAA for specific projects:

• For Budget Restructuring -- Steve Gallagher and John Potts
• For Commerce Administrative Management System (CAMS) Pilot -- Violet Foster and Agnes Brown

Congratualtions to all NWS awardees!

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NWS Announces Selections for 2002 Federal Executive Institute

NOAA has selected two NWS nominees to attend Federal Executive Institute training in Fiscal Year 2002: Steve Gallagher, Director of Budget Planning for the NWS, and Lans Rothfusz, MIC, WFO Peachtree City, GA.

The FEI training is four weeks in length, candidates may be placed in a consecutive four-week program, or a split session (two weeks initially, then they come back to complete the last two weeks, three months later).

Information on FEI and course offerings is available at: http://www.leadership.opm.gov/.

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Milestones

NEW APPOINTMENTS
NAME	OFFICE	TITLE	EFFECTIVE DATE	NOTE
Bunting, William F. "Bill"	WFO Fort Worth/Dallas, TX	MIC	7/30/01	Former WCM at WFO Pleasant Hill, MO
Sullivan, Joseph B.	WFO Riverton, WY	MIC	8/12/01	From Central Region Headquarters - Meteorologist (Regional WCM)
RETIREMENTS
NAME	OFFICE	TITLE	EFFECTIVE DATE	NOTE
Asper, Richard	WFO Salt Lake City	HMT	7/28/01	42 years service
Cathey, Ernest	WFO Fort Worth/Dallas, TX	MIC	7/29/01	34 years service
Collins, William	NCEP Environmental Modeling Center	Meteorologist	6/30/01	36 years service
Racer, Ira R "Randy"	W/OST	Program Manager	7/1/01	32 years service
Waters, Mark	NCEP Marine Prediction Center	Deputy Director	6/3/01	38 years service

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Also On the Web...

• Funding in the FY 02 Treasury-Postal Appropriations bill passed by the House July 25, 2001, includes money to begin the site design to replace the existing NCEP World Weather Building in Camp Springs, MD, and directs the General Services Administration to work with NOAA and the University of Oklahoma for facilities for the Storm Prediction Center and National Severe Storms Lab. For more information visit http://www.legislative.noaa.gov/noaaportionofgsafy02housefundingbill.html and the NOAA Legislative Affairs website at http://www.legislative.noaa.gov/.
• President Bush signed an executive order July 31, 2001, which will require federal agencies to buy energy efficient appliances in an effort to make government more energy efficient. Read more about it at http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/07/20010731-8.html.

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