Back to the Northeast for the Newest Port Meteorological Officer.

Jim Luciani

We would like to welcome Jim Luciani as the Newark/New York City Port Meteorological Officer (PMO). Who says that you cannot go home again? Jim was born and raised in Owego NY (near Binghamton) and his wife is from Rochester NY. “Relocating closer to our roots, was a big factor in applying for the Newark position,” said Jim. “I am not looking forward to the cold winters again, but being much closer to family and experiencing the change of seasons again are great!”

Jim enlisted in the US Navy at the ripe age of 24. “I was working in a very boring job when I decided to join the Navy. It was all about a challenge; or as the recruiting posters said, ‘It's not just a job, it's an Adventure.’ "I was looking for a job that would not be boring; weather certainly fit that bill,” said Jim. Following boot camp at Great Lakes, in the fall/winter of 1981, Jim reported to Navy Basic school at Chanute AFB, Rantoul IL. Jim’s first assignment was the Mobile Environmental Team in San Diego.

His experiences aboard ships of all sizes and types, including the Battleship New Jersey (BB-62) convinced him that a Naval career was well suited to him. Follow on tours included NAS Willow Grove, PA (1985-1988), Forecasting school back at Chanute (1988), Pearl Harbor HI (1988-1991), USS George Washington (CVN-73) (1991-1995), Naples, Italy (1997-2000) and a twilight tour as an Weather Instructor at Keesler AFB MS. He was also selected for EEAP, a Naval program that gave him two years free from his normal duties to earn an Associates Degree in Computer Art.

After a 22 year career Chief Luciani retired from military service in September of 2003. He briefly held a position as a data analyst at the National Data Buoy Center in MS, before accepting the position as the Newark PMO. “I look forward to meeting face to face with the sailors and helping them, help us,” reported Jim.

Jim’s wife of 15 years is Susan Bradshaw. He has a daughter, Jacquelyn (13), a son, Nickolas (6), and 2 beagles (Wiley and Oliver).

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