Comment Number: OL-10509080
Received: 3/15/2005 12:38:19 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 have held off judgment and comment of the proposed NSPS civilian workforce changes thinking that given time to read the federal register I might be better equipped to make specific and thoughtful comments. Unfortunately I have run out of time and upon reading as much of the 53 Adobe pages as time permitted I found myself utterly confused and very disappointed that such vague terms and concepts could be presented to fulfill requirements for public comment. The civil service system DOD proposes to change is far from perfect but has been tried and tested providing an incredibly diverse, talented and motivated workforce of public servants that never ceases to amaze me for its ability to embrace changing goals and working environments often being asked to do more with fewer resources as new challenges are met and solved. DOD either through design or intent has written what appears to be a very loose proposal or blank check that they must flesh out considerably before any but the most blind could support. I have worked for the federal government under three departments and each has its own and often peculiar methods of accomplishing its goals. I can appreciate the desire and intent to attract, reward and retain the best performers. I have seen many talented and motivated employees rewarded through promotion without regard to their ability to supervise. There are many good supervisors who readily adjust to overseeing rather than doing but far too many are incapable of making the transition and hold subordinates at fault. Giving this same element such wide authority to abuse power through the performance rating system is not in the best interests of the overall workforce and in my opinion will diminish rather than improve the abilities of our multi talented group. Having worked for DOD over the past 25 years I can honestly say that the bulk of problems I have witnessed regarding civilian personnel wont be fixed by placing more emphasis on performance unless a much better tool for making performance yardsticks uniform, reporting and measuring them less prejudicial and outside the direct influence of the ubiquitous under qualified supervisor. I have sat on both sides of these issues as supervisor attempting to utilize the performance evaluation as a motivational tool and as the employee frustrated by a supervisors apparent lack of interest in completing anything but an evaluation that fulfills an obligation of a paper exercise. Many loyal, highly qualified and motivated employees have been disenchanted and lost through mis management and poor evaluation practices. I urge those who would exercise the power to render a decision on implementation of a far reaching program of this magnitude to require DOD to work the problem, provide a complete proposal for review and lay all the cards on the table prior to embracing what appears to be a flawed, smoke and mirrors, program that will inevitably further erode our civilian workforce. Go back to the drawing board DOD, come ask for comment when you can tell your people what you want to do and how it will be done in a fair and impartial manner that protects the interests of the organization, its uniformed and civilian workforce and this great nation.