New civilian personnel system brings sweeping changes

  • Published
  • By Matthew R. Weir
  • 1st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (AFPN) --  The new human resource system known as the National Security Personnel System is scheduled to start for an initial 100,000 Department of Defense employees in the summer of 2005, Roger M. Blanchard said here Oct 25. He is the Air Force assistant deputy chief of staff for personnel

Air Force personnel specialists are traveling base to base to explain and answer questions about the system, which is currently under development and will eventually manage all 650,000 DOD employees, he said.

The base visits on NSPS are playing a key role in explaining the most significant changes to the civil service system since the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978. Officials are developing the new system after deciding the current system is inadequate at managing DOD civilians in today’s national security environment, Mr. Blanchard said.

Inadequacies include a slow hiring process that is adversely affecting recruiting; outstanding performers being paid the same as poor performers; limited flexibility to hire, reassign and reward employees; and limited accountability of poor performers or managers.

Significant changes from the current system to the NSPS include compensating employees and supervisors based on performance and contribution to the mission, and creating a work force that can be easily sized, shaped and deployed to meet changing mission requirements.

NSPS is one element of the secretary of defense’s overall transformation initiative to improve the way the department fights and manages in today’s national security environment.