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Officials notify civilians of future employment at Sheppard AFB

  • Published
  • By John Ingle
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  About 90 Sheppard AFB civilian employees learned the future of their employment with the base April 20-22 when civilian personnel officials handed out Reduction-in-Force notifications. 

Pat Leard, 82nd Training Wing's Civilian Personnel Flight chief, said the notifications are a result of the A-76 Competitive Sourcing Study. Results of the study were released Aug. 28. 

Mrs. Leard said her office and Air Force Personnel Center officials worked hard to make sure as many civil service employees were retained at Sheppard as possible. About 200 civilian positions were affected by the A-76 study, but only 34 will be separated. 

"The (Department of Defense) really does try to take care of its employees," she said. "It's very traumatic for the employee and it's very traumatic for us. This is very tough for those being separated, and we don't want to minimize that. But, we're also glad we were able to keep the number from being larger." 

Early numbers showed that 26 civilians will be re-assigned, Mrs. Leard said, while another 34 will be offered jobs at lower pay grades. Thirty-four civilians will be involuntarily separated. 

"Sheppard has a great history of trying to keep people employed," she said. "This is the first time we've had to separate anyone involuntarily." 

Mrs. Leard said those offered positions at lower pay grades have five work days to accept or decline the offer. 

A DOD-wide program is in place to assist those involuntarily separated from their job. The Priority Placement Program assists employees adversely affected by reductions in force. The program helps civilians find jobs elsewhere within DOD. In addition, separated employees have the right of first refusal for jobs with the new contractor for which they qualify. 

Pam Fosdick of Air Education and Training Command's Personnel Programs Directorate said during a visit in October, that since 1989 40 percent of DOD employees have been affected by RIFs, Base Realignment and Closure and other actions. But, only 10 percent were separated from government service. 

Under PPP, employees who qualify for openings elsewhere in DOD must be considered first for positions they qualify for and relocation expenses are paid. 

Mrs. Leard said employees receiving severance pay must register in PPP. 

The number of affected employees would have been higher, Mrs. Leard said, but some qualified civilians accepted Voluntary Early Retirement Authority and Voluntary Separation Incentive Pay offers. She said 67 employees accepted the early-out options.