For those who chose to stay DOD in post military employment, have you prepared for this eventuality?

Sgt Spencer Sikder — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 16:02:56 -0500

http://www.military.com/daily-news/2015/11/04/army-cutting-civilian-workforce-line-with-active-duty-drawdown.html

If you have, what suggestions do you have for those who may not have planned accordingly?

The U.S. Army began preliminary talks with Congress on cutting the size of its civilian workforce in tandem with the continuing downsizing of the active duty ranks.
Army officials were meeting with staffers on Capitol Hill on Tuesday to discuss the process and methodology for the civilian cuts suggested by the military.
The initial statement from the service didn't say how many civilians would be cut or which bases would be most affected, but said the reductions would be in line with "military end-strength reductions to meet legislative mandates and ongoing budget constraints."
"Reductions at specific locations and the total number of (civilian) reductions required across the force are difficult to predict," the Army said, but the reductions will be in line with the service's projected reduction of active-duty strength to about 450,000 in 2019.
"Ongoing budget reductions and other legislative mandates require the Army to reduce the size of its total force, to include civilians and contractors," said Lt. Col. Joe Buccino, an Army spokesman. "As a result, Department of the Army civilian manpower is being reduced along with active duty military end-strength reductions announced in July 2015."
The service said it would try to meet civilian workforce reduction goals primarily through attrition and voluntary incentives, but warned that some mandatory cuts would be necessary.
With more than 1.3 million men and women on active duty, and 742,000 civilian personnel, the Defense Department is the nation's largest employer.
"The numbers are still coming down" across the services despite the budget deal reached last week between Congress and the White House that avoided a default over raising the debt limit and put off the next round of debate over federal spending and debt until 2017, said retired Army Col. Mike Barron, deputy director of government relations for the Military Officers Association of America.
"It wasn't something that cures all ills," he said of the budget deal. "It doesn't preclude the Army from drawing down" among the uniformed ranks and the civilian workforce, he said.
"Our concern is that it be done in the best way possible," Barron said. "We want to make sure that there's every incentive to help those folks in transition."
The budget agreement sets federal spending through the 2016 and 2017 fiscal years while easing caps on spending by providing an additional $80 billion, split evenly between military and domestic programs. However, the House and senate Appropriations Committees must write legislation to reflect the spending and they face a Dec. 11 deadline to finish the work.
The main challenge for the committees will come in offsetting a $5 billion net reduction in spending authority for defense in the budget deal as opposed to the previously approved defense bill. The leaders of the congressional defense committees on Tuesday released a list of programs identified for the reductions, including a $263 million cut to Army civilian full-time equilvant positions.

Army Cutting Civilian Workforce in Line with Active-Duty Drawdown

The service began preliminary talks with Congress on cutting the size of its civilian workforce.

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made Nov 4 at 2015 4:10 PM

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 16:10:44 -0500

Sgt Spencer Sikder great post, I know of two GS employees who got furlough. It's reality due, to sequestration.

Response by MSgt Curtis Ellis made Nov 4 at 2015 6:22 PM

MSgt Curtis Ellis — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 18:22:29 -0500

Got all of my big bills paid off and good to go if it should come to that...

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Nov 5 at 2015 1:43 AM

CAPT Kevin B. — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 01:43:44 -0500

The reductions are implemented so differently, there's no comparison. I've administered both. On the military side, if you're under 20 and don't pass the continuation board, you're out. There's no provisions similar to Federal RIF procedures which have things like "bump and retreat", "stopper list", going to other agencies, etc. (almost endless) So for the civil service, it's a softer landing opportunity. Bottom line, a Mil mentality and urban myths attached to it don't fit at all with what goes on on the civilian side. Oh, if you're a CS on a downsizing base, make sure you come up to speed on the "Moc RIF" and what your options are if you're below the cut line. That happens some time before the real RIF. The process is much more worker friendly than commercial sector and the 2 week notice because someone doesn't like you.

Response by CWO4 Roberto Obong made Oct 7 at 2019 8:48 PM

CWO4 Roberto Obong — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 20:48:01 -0400

ALCON,

References to the possibility of Reduction In Force (RIF), the only thing can recommend is, " Why wait to be RIF'd if you can start shopping around for a new profession or something similar you already have. I would prepare for applying new jobs and tailor each of your resumes with built in KSA's applicable to the job positions you are willing to apply for. You might end up having some sort of priority for hiring for other jobs, but you still have to compete

Regards,

Rob