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WASHINGTON — Air Force officials announced several adjustments to the civilian workforce. In response to direction from the Secretary of Defense for the Department of Defense to stop civilian growth above fiscal year 2010 levels and the need to add 5,900 positions against the Air Force’s top priorities, the Air Force eliminated approximately 9,000 positions.
These adjustments reflect several initiatives designed to align limited resources based on Air Forces priorities. This process is an ongoing effort to increase efficiencies, reduce overhead and eliminate redundancy.
“We can’t be successful without our talented and experienced civilian workforce,” said Michael B. Donley, Secretary of the Air Force. “We are making difficult choices about how to deliberately restructure and posture the force and will continue to look for new ways of accomplishing the mission,” said Donley. “We can’t afford business as usual.”
Upon receiving the secretary of defense’s 2010 memo directing that civilian manpower costs stay within fiscal year 2010 levels, the Air Force began a comprehensive strategic review of the entire AF civilian workforce to determine whether or not civilian authorizations were in the right places to meet mission priorities.
The strategic review revealed several imbalances. Some high priority areas needed to grow, while some management and overhead functions needed streamlining.
These imbalances led to a variety of initiatives focused on realigning scarce manpower resources with the most critical missions.
In particular, the Air Force will grow by approximately 5,900 positions in acquisition, the nuclear enterprise, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and other key areas while reducing approximately 9,000 positions in management, staff, and support areas.
Beginning in May, the Air Force implemented a series of hiring controls and voluntary separation programs designed to reduce overall manpower costs, but these hiring controls did not provide the results required to operate within our fiscal constraints.
As details become final, Air Force officials will release information on the next set of initiatives.
Local leaders will be sharing the results of the civilian manpower adjustments with their workforces over the next several days. A reduction of civilian positions does not directly equate to the involuntary loss of people. Some of the positions designated to be cut are currently empty or will be reallocated.
“We will continue to improve our processes and seek opportunities to streamline operations so we remain the world’s dominant Air Force,” said Brig. Gen. C.K. Hyde, 86th Airlift Wing commander. “As we shape the force of the future, we will continue to provide the essential support our civilian Airmen need and minimize the impact on our people.”
At the local level, Ramstein’s civilian personnel office remains a focal point for support.
“We’re working within the parameters set by the Air Force to lessen the impact on the work force,” said Christine Murray, Civilian Personnel Human Resources flight chief. “We will continue to share information as it becomes
available.”
The Ramstein civilian personnel office can be reached at 480-4208.
(Information for this article was compiled by 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs)
