TIMES Octobers, 2006 AFMC vice commander speaks about new personnel system Paint Your Heart Out Continued from 1 "I guess (the weatherization agency) put my name in to get this house painted," Ms. Ryujin said. "It was like a shock to me. I didn't ask for it, and it was like, Wow!" More than 250 volunteers, representing 28 teams, 10 of which are from Hill, spent September painting not only Ms. Ryujin's home but other inner-city Ogden homes of senior citizens, people with disabilities and other single moms. "We find that many of our most distressed, owner-occupied homes are owned, by very low-income senior citizens, people with disabilities and single moms struggling with the everyday costs of food, medical care, prescriptions and child care," said Karen Thurber. "Paint Your Heart Out, Ogden" chairperson. "Most try hard to maintain their homes, but major repairs are often far beyond their financial ability, especially those on fixed incomes." All the materials for this program, including more than 300 gallons of paint, were donated by local and national foundations and financial institutions. All the work was done by volunteers from Hill and several local businesses, a church group and a school. Three of the large homes were assigned to Hill teams. Lt. Col. Jim Weissmann, 75th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, and Tech. Sgt. LaRae Chapman, 75th Dental Squadron, lead a team of 25 volunteers Saturday who primed and painted one of the larger homes on 30th Street. Another Hill team had used wire brushes and scrappers :voji the home earlier to get U ready for paint. "This is a way to give back to the community," Colonel Weissmann said. "The (75th Medical Group) is all about helping people, and my experience with the Med Group folks BYKATHLEENAX LOPEZ Air Force Materiel Command Public Affairs Airman Jonathan Sparks, 388th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, applies a coat of paint to a home on Lincoln Avenue In Ogden. is they're always willing to do things and help folks out in any way they can." Many of the volunteers brought their t families along. Colonel Weissmann brought his son, Zachary, and daughter, Hannah, to help. Dianne Ingle, a nurse at the family practice clinic, brought her 16year-old son Derek; and Peggy Hobbs, a medical technician with the family practice clinic, brought her 15-ycar-old daughter Brandi to help paint. "We just wanted to do something good to help somebody," Ms. Ingle said. Terry Morris, with the Ogden Air Logistics Center Plans and Programs Directorate, lead a team of 10 who painted the home of a family on Lincoln Avenue. His team included not only people from his directorate but from the 388th lighter Wing and the 75th Air Base Wing. "This is a great program," he said. "People like this family need help. Any time I can help out like this, if I can do it and do the work, I'm happy to do it. I'm sure (everyone on this team) feels the same way." Senior Master Sgt. Anthony Turner, 388th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron first sergeant, helped out with the Lincoln Avenue home while his wife and daughter worked on another home. He said he became involved in the program when he volunteered in response to an e-mail asking for help. Sergeant Turner said he has enjoyed participating in the program because his family just moved here last year from Malmstrom AFB, Mont. "I like doing this because you get to meet new people," he said. "It gets us out there one-on-one with the community." Staff Sgt. Brian Williams, 75th Civil Engineer Squadron, served as the team leader in charge of painting Ms. Ryujin's house. He said he got involved with the project because of the outcome. "(It's all about) the look on Lisa's face when we showed up," the Air Force plumber said. "Givingback to the community gives so much back to us." Ms. Ryujin also gave back to the team who worked on her home. She took several hours one day after attending classes at Weber State University to make batches of cookies to bake later to give to the volunteers painting her home. "Sometimes you get in a rut and you think you have bad luck," she said. "But then something really' lovely happens and you're touched by the generosity of people who are being so kind. It does give you a boost. "I think it's wonderful!" WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, Ohio (AFMCNS) - Lt. Gen. Terry Gabreski, Air Force Materiel Command vice commander, spoke before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Sept. 20, addressing the recent implementation of the National Security Personnel System Spiral 1.1, at Tinker AFB, Okla. It was the third hearing examining the design and implementation of NSPS, a revised pay-for-performance system, which is the most radical change in general schedule pay for government employees since its inception in 1949. Specifically, NSPS provides the Defense Department a more flexible and responsive civilian personnel system for its non-bargaining unit employees. The system rewards high-performing employees, links performance objectives to organizational goals and increases individual accountability. Prior to her current assignment, General Gabreski was commander of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center at Tinker, which was the first Air Force installation to implement NSPS. General Gabreski shared in her testimony the tools used by Tinker for successful conversion of more than 2,400 nonbargainingunit employees in April 2006, and the command's on-going efforts to prepare their remaining installations for conversion in October 2006 and January 2007. "We worked extremely hard during the planning phases of NSPS to be sure we emphasized training, as well as communication," she told members of the panel, which included U.S. Senator George V. Voinovich, R-Ohio, and Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairwoman Susan Collins, RMaine. "We continue to work these two specific areas, and we think those investments are paying off." Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England also addressed the panel as a witness. The general equated NSPS training for civilian and military personnel to that of an operational mission, stressing successful execution of the mission must be equaled by preparation. Education of both employees and management is vital, she said. Tinker's communication strategy established information flow by developing an NSPS Web site, conducting town hall meetings and commanders'calls, usingmarquees and publishing (base) newspaper articles. "By quickly and efficiently disseminating information, we equipped our work force with the tools necessary for transition to NSPS, engaged their participation and encouraged feedback on their questions and concerns," she said. The base placed a strong emphasis on training employees and managers, both civilian and military. "All employees who were deploying into NSPS received approximate- ' ly eight hours of soft skills training covering : change-management, as well as eight hours of NSPS specifics," she said. Housing 34 percent of the Air Force's civil- ) ian population, the general stressed to the 7 panel AFMC's commitment to the NSPS transition. "Such a large civilian population warrants • our best effort in implementing NSPS, and that is exactly what we have endeavored to do in AFMC. "The key message is that NSPS is much • more than a new personnel system," she said. "It is a commander's responsibility and ! must be led from the top. Our four-star com- ! mander has relayed the importance of NSPS to installation commanders and individual "• employees." She explained how general officers from each Air Force major command traveled to installations in their commands, giving "spread-the-worcT briefings, which underscored the importance of NSPS. Although the first performance cycle for > Tinker's first NSPS employees won't close ' out until Oct. 31, with payout results from the cycle occurring in January 2007, Gener- •. al Gabreski said the base is already realizing the benefits from the NSPS. "I have visited Tinker and have spoken -1 . with both employees and managers," she said. "They have told me they feel a stronger ^. link to the mission." The general said NSPS deployment hasn't been without its challenges, which include comparison to the "old way" of doing . things. "Despite these challenges, the Tinker implementation has shown the tremendous potential and benefits of NSPS, which ; strengthens our commitment to successfully implement across the command," she said. Between October 2006 and January 2007, , AFMC's other nine bases will deploy NSPS to more than 10,000 non-bargaining unit employees. WOW! tb the Standard-Examiner Neighborhood — /Wore than ft] ,000 households across the Top oi Ulah start their day with local news. sports and information from the pages or web site of the Standard-Examiner. P155/80R13 • P165/80R13 • P175/80R13 Along with all the local news watch for: 1 Money-saving coupons in ;••.-. 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