Comment Number: OL-10508961
Received: 3/15/2005 11:41:14 AM
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 not addressing a specific section. I am making general comments regarding the entire proposal. We (DoD) will not attain the proposed "transformation" via this vehicle (NSPS), and certainly not per the stated intentions. Again, the fire alarm has been unnecessarily rung, and inadequate and improper solutions have been developed and proposed. The hype supporting this action is unfounded, and the propaganda supporting this initiative has again run amok. There is now an entire bureaucracy functioning to ensure that these actions are implemented. Don't believe everything you've read and been told by the "powers that be" within the DoD. I have been in the General Service (Title 5), the DoD Acquisition Demonstration Project, and the NAFI Project Expo. Like all things in life, each has its flaws. Having served in these three systems, my experience is that the General Service (GS-system) is by far the best. More to the point, the other two were horrible and did not meet the ultimate goals and objectives that were intended. The great propaganda machines which grew up around them, however, have reported otherwise and would lead you to believe they are great successes. You are now modeling this NSPS system after its predecessors, which I would submit were grand failures (despite all that has been reported to you). We are approaching a critical junction in the civil service (especially within DoD), and this NSPS will only hasten ultimate disaster. Please do not be a part of this (future) grand failure. Do we have challenges that need to be addressed - Yes. Do we need to take corrective actions in many areas (to include the personnel system) - Yes. Is this NSPS the answer to either - absolutely NOT. Do I have the answers or solutions for you right now - of course not, but I do know right from wrong - and the NSPS is WRONG. I realize that I'm only one lone voice crying out against something that has already been pre-determined to be enacted into Law (and that we're just "going through the motions" to satisfy some established process). That said, I ask you to consider taking a stand of 180-degrees against this NSPS on the grounds that there may only be one grain of truth in what I've said or that there is only a small percentage of reality to what I've communicated - but if either is true or accurate then that demands your action against this proposal. Sincerely, Paul Petrella Navy Civilian Employee (former) Civilian Marine (former) DA Civilian (current) ELP Graduate (Class of 2002)