First Air Force completes hiring transformation

Published June 3, 2009
By Carol Carpenter
AFNORTH PA

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla -- After weeks of close coordination, months of detailed paperwork and more than a year since concept inception, First Air Force (Air Forces Northern) completed its hiring transformation from contractor positions to civil service employees.

The personnel hiring process normally takes a minimum of six months, but was accomplished in just over four months by the 1st Air Force's Manpower, Personnel and Services Directorate.

The ambitious endeavor, authorized by the federal Office of Personnel Management's Title 5 Transformation program, saved the Air Force thousands of dollars and allowed for a smooth transition of employees from contractor to civil service status.

At the end of the shortened four-phase hiring period, which began in October 2008 and ended in February 2009, 124 of 220 contractor positions at 1st Air Force were converted to general schedule or general government civil service positions. The remaining 96 contract positions were not converted since funding was not provided for every position.

Some contract employees were re-hired as civil service employees doing the same work they had been responsible for as contractors. In other cases, the newly-designated civil service positions were filled by internal or outside applicants.

Jobs affected by the conversion applied to every directorate in the organization and included various command section staff, administrative personnel, operations planners, mission systems managers, public affairs specialists and others.

Curtis Seeman, 1st Air Force Chief of Personnel Policy and Programs, said the transformation effort was accomplished successfully and efficiently because of thorough planning and excellent teamwork. "It was quite an undertaking, and if even one piece of the cog had been missing, this wouldn't have worked," Mr. Seeman said. "But it did work because we had a great team effort where everyone came together as needed."

The full transformation team included staff from 1st Air Force Manpower, Personnel and Service Directorate, the Air Force Personnel Center Civilian Integration Directorate, the Selfridge (Mich.) Air National Guard Civilian Personnel Office and the 1st Air Force Contracting Office.

Preliminary work on the transformation began about 18 months ago, which helped move the actual hiring process along, Mr. Seeman said.

Much of the preparation work included writing new position descriptions for every position, preparing and giving regular update briefings to all affected parties, and working closely with both the AFPC Civilian Integration Directorate and the Selfridge Civilian Personnel Office.

Because the project went smoothly and efficiently from start to finish, 1st Air Force did not have to endure serious manpower gaps between contract end dates and civil service start dates, Mr. Seeman noted.

One 1st Air Force Manpower, Personnel and Services Directorate staff member, Susan Norman, spent 10 months on temporary duty at the AFPC Civilian Integration Directorate, working closely with the Randolph AFB, Texas staff to ensure proper coordination and continuity of the transformation project.

"Ms. Norman was able to facilitate the progress of this project," Mr. Seeman said. "She helped ensure that the AFPC Civilian Integration Staff was receptive to our needs, that they understood our homeland defense mission and that this was a major command priority."

Another important element in the successful outcome of the project, Mr. Seeman emphasized, was the willingness of 1st Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Hank Morrow to take an early and active role in making it happen. "General Morrow personally went to AFPC to enlist their help and to find out how this could work better," Mr. Seeman said. "His involvement was crucial to the success of the project."

As a gesture of appreciation, General Morrow traveled to AFPC in San Antonio to meet with the transformation team to express his thanks and present a token of his esteem to the team.

"Our organization's future success will be a direct result of all the hard work and dedication each and every one of you put forth to make this critical transformation happen," said General Morrow. "I am keenly aware of how much time and effort goes into an undertaking as large as this, and not only did you accomplish the transformation in record time, but you did so with the professionalism and expertise that makes AFPC the jewel of the military's personnel system. My hat's off to you for a job extremely well done."