Comment Number: OL-10500508
Received: 2/17/2005 1:57:07 PM
Subject: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Request for Comment
Title: National Security Personnel System
CFR Citation: 5 CFR Chapter XCIX and Part 9901
No Attachments

Comments:

I am a Air Force Civilian working as a Budget Technician at the grade of GS-7. I was told when interviewed for this job that it was a way to get my foot in the door which would lead to the opportunity for me to enter the "Financial Specialist Trainee Program" which in Non-Competitive to GS-12. I accepted my current job based on that promise! I started working for the government on June 1st, 2004. As a new government employee I have noticed some very frustrating issues concerning the Human Resource Department and job promotion opportunities. One they are very slow and two they DO NOT recognize higher education or past work experience. I honestly believe this new system will delete much of the red tape involved in the hiring and the promotion system. To explain my background, I have a Masters Degree in Finance from a very good Graduate School in Boston, MA. I have 8 years of military experience working on multi-million dollar satellite communications equipment as a technician and supervisor. I have three years of management experience working in the banking industry and consumer finance. YET with all of this experience I could only get my foot in the door as a GS-7 making $34,888.00 per year. I work with GS-12's and 13's who are less qualified than I when it comes to understanding the theory and mechanics of finance and accounting, yet they make twice my salary if not more. So in the mean time I must wait for the opportunity to get into the Financial Specialist Training Program so I can get my career moving in the direction I dreamed while burning the midnight oil in graduate school. I am a young, honest, hardworking, intelligent man waiting for the opportunity to contribute my expertise to the world of government finance. If anything I pray this new system will expedite the process for myself and others to follow, once we get our foot in the door. We simply want to be recognized and used to our fullest potential...we are "chomping at the bit" and waiting in earnest for challenges and opportunity in the government. Please look at the individual and all they bring to the table before someone in the private sector does. To many good men and women have been lost to the likes of Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, SAIC just to name a few. Respectfully, Dennis Urlaub