AFPC analysts support force development vision

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RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) --  In-depth scrutiny of personnel issues keeps analysts busy at the Air Force Personnel Center here as they provide data to further the force development vision.

These analysts serve the needs of more than 45 career field management teams that oversee the development of more than 200,000 Air Force officers and civilians. In addition, the two work centers, which consist of 12 analysts, regularly provide detailed information to Air Staff and major command decision makers.

Their studies and analyses here span the entire personnel life cycle, including accessions, compensation, benefits, separations and retirements. Personnel analysts also provide career field health assessment briefs for all development teams to give them an understanding of their career field conditions.

"Our analysts present development teams in-depth information on the number of people in a given career field, how this number is distributed across the ranks and how many people are needed to sustain the career field," said Dr. Jerry Ball, senior operations research analyst for the force management and analysis division, the military side of personnel analysis. "With this information, development teams can best determine and chart career vectors for officers in the career field."

Having created personnel database tools, both military and civilian analysts enable development teams to maintain optimal tracking of the officers and civilians they manage.

"Our tool has improved all aspects of the development team process, from compiling personnel data on officers to determining best candidates for career-broadening opportunities," said Maj. Rob Ramos, force development deputy branch chief. "Best of all, the tool gives development teams more time for in-depth discussion to deliberately develop officers within their career field."

Career field management teams oversee the health of the civilian workforce. The new civilian database tool improves their work process too, said Steven Heitkamp, civilian force management analysis division chief.

"We provide our teams a value-added tool with built-in calculations they cannot get in commercial software," he said. "Because the civilian force doesn't follow specific career milestones, such as a 20-year military retirement, this tool helps the career force management teams better manage their diverse career fields."

Having only been in place about a year, limited reference materials add to the challenges analysts face daily. But Mr. Heitkamp said that aspect makes the job more interesting and forces civilian analysts to be creative.

It is all part of the analyst's job to provide possible meanings to various statistics, or as one person called it, "solving Air Force word problems at the Ph.D level."

For Dr. Albert Perry, a Navy veteran and former college professor, his position as an operations research analyst gave him an opportunity to serve his country following the tumultuous events of 9/11. Dr. Perry said he found a home for his human factors engineering skills at AFPC.

"I wanted to, somehow, serve my country again and not just teach school. At age 60, with limited physical mobility, I had to get creative about how to make a contribution. I knew how to do research and crunch numbers, and applied for a job on the AFPC Web site. I came to work in March of 2003 and am very happy here," Dr. Perry said.

As force development progresses, AFPC analysts will continue to provide their behind-the-scenes data and insight to help grow the total force.

"Air Force leaders depend on AFPC analysts for the in-depth information they need to manage the total force," said Capt. Jeremy Sherette, a personnel analyst. "It's good to know the work we do contributes to the development of Air Force officers and civilians." (Courtesy of AFPC News Service)