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Show Hilltop Times November 3, 2005 Hill;s personnel team answers questions Field notes Q: How do you hope members of Team Hill Lt. Col. Sartori, 775th Civil Engiwill take to the change and what resources neer Squadron, deployed as part of are or will be available to them to help them Air and Space Expeditionary Forces 6 along? September. He provided the and 7 in A: We recognize that training will be critical to following to describe what the deploysuccessful implementation of NSPS. NSPS trainment has been like so far. ing will be designed to meet the different needs of Things that have surprised organizations and employees entering NSPS. him: One is how difficult it is to do Experience gained from many of the personthe simplest things. I can make a nel demonstration projects points to the need for long distance call to the United increased communication between supervisors and States with the phone employees in order to achieve successful perforon my desk because BY GA VOLB mance management results. As we begin to link it has a Houston OgdenALC Public Affairs individual performance to organization goals and to area code, but I increase performance accountability, it is important Q: In laymen's terms, what will implementing can't make a that we recognize the significant changes involved NSPS mean to the average civil service worker call across and address them. here? st; the ^^^^^kkO reet using A: NSPS will establish new rules for how civilians Q: For those who are dreading the change the ^^^^^^ desk phone and think they're entering into a nightmare, are hired, assigned, compensated, promoted and or cell ^^^^r - phone. To disciplined. NSPS will also have elements that ad- what can you tell them to alleviate their convisit a ^^ ^^L construcdress the Department of Defense's labor relations. cerns? This will all be within the framework of merit prin- A: NSPS will involve a complete cultural change tion site ciples, veteran's preference, and employees' right for our workforce, but our goal is to make it a posi- meeting at an oil company's to organize and bargain collectively. NSPS will tive change. NSPS will help DOD civilians better fice, I have to strengthen DOD civilian employees' ability to ac- understand how the work they do day in and day complish the mission in an ever-changing defense out impacts our overall mission. Within DOD, this go with a security environment. Specifically, this means a simplified is particularly important, as the civilian workforce team that needs to pay banding structure, allowing flexibility in asis critical to mission accomplishment - the military be scheduled 72 hours signing work; pay increases based on performance, cannot do it alone. NSPS facilitates a total force in advance. To make a rather than longevity; and a streamlined and more concept, enhances readiness and rewards success. flight reservation to go responsive hiring processes to name a few. Despite popular belief, employees will not lose pay anywhere, I have to go over to the Q: What are the major challenges or deficien- upon conversion to the NSPS pay system. All emcies inherent with the current civil service ployees, supervisors, managers (including military airport terminal, pick program that's made the change inevitable? supervisors) and human resources practitioners up a phone will be trained extensively prior to being affected A: The current civilian personnel system does not adequately enable our civilian workforce to be by NSPS. Supervisory training will include how to and wait upwards of an effective part of the total force. It also consists set and communicate clear performance expectatwo hours tions and provide effective, ongoing feedback to of some 50 different pay plans, conflicting managefor someone employees on performance. ment authorities, and a hodgepodge of varying personnel systems which tie down our managers. Employees will also have an avenue to challenge on the other end to pick up. The personnel system we are currently working performance ratings under the NSPS performance Then once I make under was built for a different era. management system. And employee representathe reservation on a tives will have the opportunity to provide input on Following 9/11, the need to change our personnel Royal Air Force C-130, the development of the detailed policies and prosystem was accelerated. DOD was forced to use I have to go to the termicedures for NSPS that will be issued within DOD, military and contractor personnel to react to the through a formal "continuing collaboration" process nal the day before to confirm crisis in place of our civilian workforce because that it's leaving and when. You provided for in the proposed regulations. of cumbersome regulations and policies, which can't call or e-mail anyone to find out prevented the quick response of our capable civilian Q: Will current civil service workers be when a flight is leaving or arriving. force. giving up job stability or the ability to decide Proudest accomplishments to NSPS will allow our managers to take a quick where they move? date: It's hard to describe accomand effective action with our civilian workforce. A: Currently, DOD has the authority to reasplishments when I spend 90 percent NSPS will reinforce the role of the civilians, not just sign employees and this authority is not affected of my time mediating between differamongst themselves, but to our military members by NSPS. One of the goals of NSPS, though, is to ent organizations. as well. In a competitive employment market we reduce its reliance on the military to perform jobs must be able to attract and retain a highly skilled Progress in the AOR he's seen: that could be performed by civilians in order to free workforce. The oil infrastructure is slowly beup the military to perform its war fighting duties. Editor's Note: The following discussion with Hill AFB's National Security Personnel System project team of Barbara Hanlin, Dan Robinett and Ruby Raccasi is designed to augment information currently available on the DOD NSPS web site at: www.cpms. osd.mil/nsps and the local site at: www.hill.af.mil/ nsps. Members of the Hill workforce affected by NSPS are encouraged to monitor each of these news sources for up-to-date information regarding the program as it comes on line. ing recovered. The equipment here was designed/built in the 70s, and the maintenance has been neglected since the early 90s. In many cases, we're replacing/repairing the equipment to the same 70s technology because that's what the Iraqi oil companies want. They don't necessarily want new technology, so we're trying to find parts for equipment that no longer exists. We've made some progress completing the cluster pumping stations, but there's a long way to go. What it's like to serve in a joint environment: Because I'm the only one in Basrah, my jointness is limited. I started off with an Army colonel as my boss and now have a Navy captain. I also work with a Navy commander and chief warrant officer, as well as an Army captain. Because they work in Baghdad and I'm here, most of my interaction is via e-mail and telephone. I do work with the U.S. Army Company E. The lead person on site is actually a deployed civilian from Atr Force Materiel Command. He's the deputy civil engineer from Robins AFB, Ga., so even working with him, I'm not really working with the Army. I work for the Department of State, not the Department of Defense. Things he misses most: Wife and kids - top of the list no doubt. Only other thing I miss is being able to just go for a drive anywhere. When you spend 12-hour days sitting in one camp that's one-fifth the size of Hill, you get cabin fever. i • '.v, .*:...\ r, -MW COMMUNITY MATTERS SERVE YOUR HOMETOWN AS A MEMBER OF THE AIR NATIONAL GUARD if As an active and integral part of our communities, the Air National Guard is always there - in the best of times and the worst of times. While you may be thinking of returning to civilian life, your experience and leadership qualities are still very much needed by your hometown Air Force - the Air National Guard. 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