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Show 2 Hilltop Times . May 1 3, 1 993 Furry swowoy survives by Jay Joersz Times staff Hilltop A lucky cat seems to be recovering after her brush with death during a harrowing trip to Utah. One can travel in reasonable comfort in any of the planes, trains or automobiles used to get to Utah, but how about riding for two weeks in the back of a dark moving van in a dresser drawer with nary a chance to order out for food or water. Stowie the cat, as she has become affectionately known to a Hill AFB family during the past week, seems to have survived the ordeal just fine, although a little thinner and a probably a little more choosy about where she decides to take a nap. SSgt. Chuck and Lisa Dealing have temporarily adopted the cute little stowaway until the people who are believed to be the owners arrive for their new assignment at Hill, When workers from a moving company were storing furniture from a household in Michigan, shipped April 23, they soon discovered the little stowaway. "They heard some strange sounds, almost like a baby," said SSgt. Becky Stevens, from the 649th Support Group Headquarters Squadron Section orderly room. "They soon realized trip fwo-wee- k she said. "I wasn't going to leave it there to die." Besides the startling fact that the little passenger even survived the ordeal, workers at the moving company were also shocked to discover that the cat had not messed even once during the long haul. The cat was brought to the orderly room that afternoon after Stevens vowed they would find a temporary home for the little victim. "She was a poor little skinny thing," Stevens said. "She was so scared, her eyes were as huge as Anytime somebody walked in, she would run to a dark area and hide." It didn't take long before Lisa Dear-ing- , who was a staff sergeant in the unit at the time, volunteered her and her husband's services to help the d feline. thin, "We have other, cats, so I didn't think it would be a problem," Dearing said. "She is doing real well and seems to be gaining a little weight. She has the run of the house along with the other cats while we are gone. She also receives all the TLC she can take." Things are really looking up for Stowie's sleeping arrangements as well. No more dresser drawers for this feline, Dearing said. Stowie sleeps on their bed at night with other cats. half-dollar- s. -- gray-stripe- Photo by Gregg Wixom cat Top-draw- er This cat, named Stowie by a Hill AFB family who is caring for it, survived cross-countra two-wee- k trip in a dresser drawer in a moving van. it was really a 'cat trapped in a Eventually, base housing contacted Stevens for authorization, since the dresser." Stevens said the workers wanted to 649th HSS is the incoming member's rescue the cat but felt they needed receiving unit. authorization from the base to go into Stevens gave the authorization. the personal property to get the cat. "There was no question in my mind," y Personnel office defines Save grade, pay defined realignment procedures The process for working a reduction employee is least senior in his competiin force skills realignment is the same tive leveL Management makes the de- as for a RIF separation. It is very com cision whether qualifications can plex and involves many steps, say Directorate of Personnel officials. First, management identifies the excess positions, not the people, which must be canceled. Personnel then begins Round 1 of the RIF process. During this stage, employees compete to remain in their own competitive levels or they are placed on vacancies at grade. Those with more retention rights displace those with fewer rights on the retention register. Finally, the emplojees who must be released from their competitive levels are identified. In Round 2 of a RIF, employees compete for vacancies or an assignment to a position in another competitive leveL This is done by bumping and retreating to positions held by employees with fewer retention rights. The federal qualification standards can only be waived for vacancies if an be waived. Qualifications cannot be waived in a bump or retreat situation. After the best possible offer has been determined for everyone involved, an official RIF notice is delivered to each employee affected. A y notice is given before the effective date of the RIF action. After the original RIF notices are sent, employees are counseled concerning their action. Occasionally, errors in an employee's veteran preference, tenure group, assignment rights, medical restrictions, or other factors are discovered. These errors are corrected, the RIF action is reworked and, if there is a change from the original RIF notice, an amended letter is issued. Some employees, because of corrections, may receive offers at lower representative rates of pay than before. In the case of a lower represen- 60-da- The rules for save grade and save pay during a realignment reduction in force are as follows: An employee who is placed on a flower grade through RIF procedures is eligible for grade retention if the employee has served for 52 consecutive weeks or more in position(s) under a covered pay schedule, GSGM, WS, VVL, WG, at grade(s) higher than the position in which the employee is being placed by the RIF. Those eligible will receive grade retention for two years. While on grade retention, the employee receives all pay entitlements of that grade step increases and 100 percent of any statutory increase for example. tative offer, a new notice period is given. Those currently on a temporary promotion, or those placed on one during the RIF, will stay on their temporary promotion while the realignment is being worked. However, employees will be affected based upon their 60-da- y perma Upon expiration of grade retention, or immediately if grade reten- tion was not authorized, the employee will be placed on pay retention. While on pay retention,' affected employees receive 50 percent of the amount of statutory increase in the maximum rate of basic pay payable for their grade. When the employee's pay equals or becomes less than that of the maximum rate of basic pay for that grade, then pay retention is terminated. Therefore, pay retention is not for a defined period of time. It is not unusual for downgraded employees to be on pay retention for five or six years. nent position. Those on a temporary promotion will have their temporary promotion terminated the day before the realignment actions become effective, whether they are affected by realignment or not. Employees not affected in the RIF will return to their permanent positions. BlDD Continued from Poge 1 ally improve our prases and maintain that have Mhieved 50 " com- - far" oTpdSu?ness also affects workload transfers such as the C-1- 30 work Hill is opposed to do for the Navy as as an interservice agreement. Hill Ktfk"T SZZvStS working F 4s ? "fff, vJZZZtZS- XuSet-Tm"?o th tive Hill is. Thompson said The anDearance of advertisements in- thin mikiiVoi ;.... I'UUIIVULIHII, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Department of the Air Force or MorMedia. I nc of the products or services advertised. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex. national origin, age. marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user or S '- ? effort"" TT" 1h - Global Power and Reach for America. " - mm Published by MorMedia. 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TO PLACE AN ADVERTISEMENT, CALL 394-965- 5 tl S wlt Air (OGDEN) OR I 532-777- Commander, OO-AL- C Director, Public Affoir Editor Staff writer DotHllUeai Iditoriol and "Around the Hill" rtomt, 3 p.m. Ttwtday, nln dart (port ortkU, a.m. Monday, wooki of publication;publication; ctottifWa . 2 p.m. of publication. For mrt Information, cod tht t, E.t. content is edited, prepared and provided by Air Unless otherwise indicated, all nhotos are Force photos. Staff: 4 (SALT LAKE CITY). Tu-aa- y, |