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Show TjlnlT wiM id Lim Lvawi LinilT.it J vtiy wry 'LI Hill AFB, "l. r 7 L Utah 84056-582- 4 Vol. 54 No. 41 , October 21 , 1 999 graphic squadron in the nation. We cover parts or all of nine states. We have some recruiters, particularly in Montana, who have to go TDY to visit schools that they're responsible for recruiting from. So, trying to maintain a constant and regular Air'Force presence in a lot of the small towns is the real challenging part." Getting the word out that the Air Force is still hiring and has great opportunities is another challenge and the primary message SMSgt. D.J. Martin, superintendent of the 368th Recruiting Squadron, encourages recruiters to relay when discussing a military career with young K INSIDE: o people. "With the inclining populations of veterans and the downsizing and shrinking of Air Force bases and military bases in general across the nation, the military presence and the Air Force presence isn't as great as it was 10 years ago," said Martin. "So trying to get that awareness out there is a big challenge letting people Avoid the fiu, get a shot Page 3 know that we still have an Air Force that "sr.:.;..;- needs them." Moms become school crossing guards Page 5 Local young adults, awaiting their departure to Air Force Basic Military Training, receive words of encouragement from Lt. Col. Brian Bishop, commander and leader of the Air Force Thunderbirds. The Air Force aerial demonstration team was on hand for the base's open house June 12. world-famo- Shelly Brown, day care expert Page 7 368th recruiting squadron covers 550,000 square miles by Mary Galbraith staff n Covering over a square miles of territory hasn't stopped Hill's recruiting squadron Hilltop Times half-millio- AF testing new eyeglass frames Page 8 i Nine days of Halloween events Page 12 from successfully trooping through several western states in their search for enlistees. Although the Air Force missed recruiting goals by about 1,700 this year, the 368th Air Force Recruiting Squadron exceeded its goals in the accessions and new contracts quota areas. According to the squadron, the 368th recruits within a area that encompasses Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Montana and Eastern Washington, Oregon and California as well as Western Wyoming the largest area of 550,000-square-mi-le responsibility among the 28 recruiting squadrons. The fact they cover such an extensive region ' has added to the excitement of exceeding goals. "This is the firsttime in sixyears this squadron has met both of its goals for shipping young HeadsUp Pages A-- C Page B1 EOD experts return from Kosovo Page B2 Hilltop Times online www.hilltoptimes.com "If we're not, as a corporate body, doing enough to retain the folks that we have recruited and invested training dollars on, then is the Air Force ready to do its job?," said Bowles. To boost recruiting efforts, the Air Force will add up to 0 new recruiters who will share the Air men and young women to basic military train- Force story with potential recruits and the pubing as well as building a pool of individuals we lic. These flagship airmen are the cream of can draw from for the next fiscal year," said Maj., the Air Force crop and Bowles said it is encourJeffrey Bowles, 368th Recruiting Squadron aging to receive strong support from Air Force commander. Bowles said both goals are unique leadership. and separate, so to meet both for the first time "Recruiters come through an application in several years is helping boost morale and process that screens them to make sure we have recruiting efforts. "Both goals have to be met the absolute best people representing the blue for the squadron to be successful. We're on a suit to the American people," said MSgt. Tom high right now because we have Graydon, first sergeant of the 368th Recruiting in both categories. Then, add to that our very Squadron. 'Then, once they meet that selecstrong success in recruiting officers for Offition, they have the opportunity to choose the cers' Training School." assignment and they get special duty assignWhile the results haven't come in yet, Bowles ment pay as an incentive to be out there. Recruitis confident the squadron will be the most ing duty is a real opportunity for someone who improved in the nation this year and among the wants to be a individual with a chaltop five in recruiting. Meeting and exceeding lenge." goals however, wasn't without challenges for attitude is particularly imporThe the squadron. tant for 368th members who may be as far as "The greatest challenge is the size of the squadron," said Bowles. "It's the largest geo- Q See Recruiting, page 2. over-produc- 300-50- ed self-startin- g self-starti- ng Window of opportunity open kill codes can be adde Reservist helps recruiters us Bowles said there are three closely tied elements the 368th contributes to the Air Force so it's ready to do its job when national leadership requires it recruiting, readiness and retention. Bowles said the combination of recruiting and retention helps the Air Force maintain its readiness capabilities. As a result of an arbitration deci-sio- n, Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) has been directed to code to employee records any "significant" lower grade work performed by American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) bargaining unit memAS PART OF THEIR ASSIGNED POSITION (S) during the period of Jan. 13, 1996 to bers the present. Bargaining unit employees will be notified by individual letter as negotiated with AFGE. These letters will be distributed through organizational resource offices within the next week. In an effort to afford the same opportunity to non-bargaini- ng unit employees, we are also request- ing their input to identify any "significant" lower-grad- e work they may have performed AS PART OF THEIR ASSIGNED POSITION (S) which is not documented, but for which they wish to receive skills coding credit. Air Force guidance, AFR "Skills Coding," Nov. 1 1985, requires that the most significant skill requirements of a position 40-23- 0, be coded, and it defines "significant skill" as one that is " REG- ULAR, RECURRING, ESSENTIAL FOR SATISFACTORY PERFORMANCE AND COMPRISES AT LEAST 10 PERCENTOFTHE POSITION." Air Force further states the duty must be identified as an essential recruiting factor, with a related knowledge, skill, or ability (KSA) in the promotion evaluation pattern (PEP) . It should also be identified in the performance plan as o position descriptions an essential element for appraisal purposes. In assessing whether you wish to provide any information, we suggest that you review the position description (s) (PDs) you were assigned during the period Jan. 13, 1996 to the present. If you have performed lower grade work on a federal position TO WHICH YOU WERE OFFICIALLY ASSIGNED at any time from Jan. 13, 1996 to date which meets the criteria described above and you wish for this experience to be coded in your records, please submit a Standard Form 172, an or equivalent describing the nature of the work, the time period in which the work was accomplished, and the number of hours per month the duty was performed. OF-61- 2 In skills coding any position, it should be recognized that each skill code is designated as being performed for a specific percentage of time. The percentage of all skills codes assigned to a position must total 100 percent There-fore- , addition of a skill code necessitates reducing the per- centage of time credited to one or more skills codes already assigned to the position. Please sign and date the form, have it endorsed as accurate by a supervisor knowledgeable of the work performed and return it to the Civilian Personnel Office, Classification Branch, Bldg. 1244, south end, no later than Nov. 19,1999. If you have questions regarding this issuje, please contact your organizational resource office. |