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Show 10 HILLTOP TIMES Friday, August 22, 1986 Programm By Chris Baierschmidt Ogden ALC Public Affairs helps womroeDD ffighi m programs designed to stress the elimination of sex- - Office Sexual Harassment: Monitor and assist in educational programs to inform the work force of sexual harassment issues and to monitor complaints based on sexual harassment. The result here is a women's program which is becoming less social and more results oriented. "Strides have been made," said Ms. Padgett. "We still have a long way to go but we are headed in the Women from the military and civilian ranks aren't alone in their fight for equality in the work place thanks to the Federal Women's Program which seeks to open doors for hiring, training and promotion. At the installation level, the F WP provides actual management and implementation of these goals according to local needs. At Ogden Air Logistics Center, FWP Manager committee have Marie Padgett and her developed a simple program philosophy incorporating all federal objectives. "We want to increase the number of women in the work force and increase the average grade," she said. These two goals support other objectives established by the Department of Defense and Air Force. These, in which the local FWP is involved, include: Recruitment: Ensure FWP involvement in development and implementation of the Affirmative Employment Plan and recruiting activities and stress recruitment of women from 26-memb- er non-tradition- Sarah Keffer USAF Hospital, Hill Sarah Keffer got involved in the Federal Women's Program after it had helped her win a grade promotion. Mrs. Keffer, charge emergency room nurse at the USAF Hospital at Hill AFB, had the qualifications and education to advance from a GS-- to 10 grade but didn't know whom to consult for the change. "The FWP knew what to do and how to get things done," she said. "It took us a year and half but they were there all the time pushing for me." Since her promotion almost five years ago, Mrs. Keffer has regularly attended FWP meetings, bringing back information to other women at the hospital and helping them, when she can, to improve their work sit9 occupations. Inclusive Program: Ensure the FWP addresses the employment concerns of all women in the work force and that it is sensitive to the special mid needs of minorities, handicapped, wage-gradand senior and older women. Career Counseling: Assist in development of a continuous program to provide women career counseling and assistance in career planning. Work Place: Provide educational e, Non-Sexi- al Civilians gqwMy st right direction." A statistical overview of Ogden ALC shows women employees totaling 4,451, which is about 28 percent of the work force. Although average grades for females have increased over the past decade, average grades for males also have increased in proportion. The number of women as well as the percentage has risen from 24 to 28 percent since 1982. Hill now has 21 women above the GS-1- 2 level compared with 10 years ago. The highest graded woman Wage Grade supervisor in the Air Force works here as well as 11 other women Wage Grade supervisors. Five years ago, there were six. Stories by Chn Bolerwhroidt, Ogden AtC foblk Affair Office transfer one year later brought them to Hill. She has been here since and plans to stay for a 307year retirement. Mrs. Keffer tries to help those in similar situations but finds there are few young nurses at her level willing to stay and fight for the grades. "All women in higher positions should act as mentors to women who have the same goals, " she said. Kathy DeGroot Directorate of Maintenance Kathy DeGroot spent almost 16 years as a secretary in federal civil service before making the switch into a management track. "I really loved my secretarial work but found that it had no future," the management analyst in the Direc- - Many, she said, have turned to the FWP if they need extra help. Directorate of Materiel Management "One of my goals is to set an example for other women in my career field," said 1st Lt. Linda Galvin, materials and process engineer for the Directorate of Material Management. "I'd like to make it easier for those who follow in my footsteps, "?the lieutenant continued. One of the ways she says she could make it easier is to change the way people look at women. "I want to. show them that most of us have good attitudes and we are capable." Periodically, Lieutenant Galvin visits local high schools as part of the Teachers in Blue program and talks to students. One of the messages she tries to convey to the women is to "go for it!" "Most of the girls didn't think they could make it," she added. After graduating from high school in 1979, Lieutenant Galvin attended Northeastern University, Boston, Mass., and graduated as an honor graduate with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering in 1984. In her graduating class of engineers there were only two or three other women and she was the only Reserve Officers' Training Corps graduate. "We are still breaking the ice," explained the lieutenant. "Women have to fight for some positions, but it's getting better. . . slowly but surely." take her much higher on the grade scale. She enjoys the new work and even finds the pressure less than her days as a secretary in the directorate office. past week. Mrs. Keffer said that kind of help was hard to find 20 years ago at the start of her federal civilian career when her husband, a retired Air Force security serviceman, was stationed in Germany. Her job at the 97th General Army Hospital in Frankfurt lasted until a 1st Lt. Linda Galvin maintenance, later accepting a management assistant slot realizing that her secreterial skills would not "People don't understand the pressures secretaries feel," she said. "But they're the ones who act as a buffer to make sure the office is running smoothly at all times." The Federal Women's Program came with the new territory. Although she is new to FWP, enthusiasm is running deep after a training program last month and her first meeting at Hill with the group this uation. Military torate of Maintenance said. "A lot of women want to leave because there's little opportunity for them." Ms. DeGroot started at Hill AFB as a GS-- 2 clerk typist. She was eventually promoted to a GS-- 7 secretary in Vvbmeris EquatityDay Stories by Amn, Jay Joersz, Ogden AtC PubJiC Affairs Office SrA. Marika Barnes 1st Lt. Phyllis T. Mannion Detachment 4, 40th Aerospace Consolidated Base Personnel Office Rescue and Recovery Squadron What does equality mean to the new Hill AFB queen? Plain and simple, "Being treated equal," said Marika Barnes, Administrative Specialist for Detachment 4 of the 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron here. The senior airman enlisted in the Air Force mainly because she wanted a good paying e job and it was the way to go for better opportunities. "The Air Force treats everyone equal; I've seen ld full-tim- no problems," commented Airman Barnes. "The Air Force is such a big organization, fair treatment is expected." As a former secretary, Ms. DeGroot hopes she can help other women with their career goals. "I'm not sure if grades will increase for women in secretarial roles. If they can't get the grades, though, I hope FWP helps them develop their potential to get into higher doors," she said. . Advice she has for other women entering the Air Force is basically that you get out of it what you put into it. "It's different for every woman. It's what you make of it." The San Diego, Calif., native explained that women need to go after what they want, instead of at a position they think women should be. "Women shouldn't be intimidated if you want something. . . go for it!" "Equality means equal pay for equal work for men and women," said 1st Lt. Phyllis T. Mannion, personnel officer and chief of Customer Assistance in the Consolidated Base Personnel Office at Hill AFB. The lieutenant was appointed one of the military liaisons for the Federal Women's Program at Hill AFB last May and is glad to have the opportunity. "I feel privileged and glad I was chosen," beamed the lieutenant. The FWP is a benefit to women, says Lieutenant Mannion. "It helps women become more knowledgeable about opportunities available to them within the work force. "Women need to strive for better positions and get into the higher management work force," she said. "A lot of people still think it's a man's world." As military liaison for the FWP, Lieutenant Mannion attends FWP meetings and takes any information that may benefit military women and passes it on to them. The lieutenant chose her career for one reason "I wanted to serve my country as everyone should in some way and I chose to become an officer in the Air Force," she said. ld |