| Comment Number: | OL-10507600 |
| Received: | 3/14/2005 12:58:28 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'm surprised to hear that a reason for the change is that managers are assigning work to military members and contractors that would be better performed by the civilian workforce. I have experienced and witnessed frustration of civilians whose military managers assigned work to other military members and ex-military contractors, reducing opportunities for seasoned and experienced civilians in DOD. How does this solution fix that problem? Personnel rules already provide loopholds for managers to avoid hiring and promoting on merit principles; principles designed to fairly hire and promote the best and the brightest - also contributing to the possible perception that managers need to go around these non-qualified employees to military members and contractors to get work done. Broadening the power of managers: giving managers even more personal power will take us away from the rule of law that Americans have come to treasure by the very organization tasked to uphold it around the world... and away from the hope of working for fair promotions based on merit. If the goal is to redirect military members to military jobs, I can't imagine why the civilian personnel system is the focus. I think no-nonsense enforcing the rules we have - to promote, reward and fire, fairly - will attract and retain the best and the brightest - and allow those smart civilians to overcome a mediocre managerial workforce created by favoritism, i.e. not have to leave civil service for the opportunty to do something innovative and leading edge. Since when did America start blaming employees for failure of managers to guide, motivate and inspire great performance to achieve the goals set by our government? That's what real leadership is about.