HQ AETC reduces manning by 20 percent

by Maj CK Keegan
Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs

8/12/2014 - JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO - RANDOLPH, Texas -- Supervisors at Headquarters Air Education and Training Command here have started informing personnel of positions cuts in accordance with a mandatory Department of Defense 20-percent staff reduction across all management headquarters.

At Headquarters AETC, the reduction equates to a savings of $42.3 million from 395 positions -- 194 military and 201 civilian. Supervisors have until Aug. 16 to notify people affected by the reduction.

This reduction is part of a larger directive from Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel to implement efficiencies across DoD, which are designed to result in a savings of $1.6 billion for the Air Force over the next five years.

For active-duty Air Force personnel, the Air Force Personnel Center assignment teams are working on placement, with moves occurring as funding becomes available over the next 12-36 months. For civilians, timing of placement or moves depends on retirements, vacancies and voluntary separations.

"We are using all available tools to minimize involuntary impacts on civilian employees," said Col. Kimberly Toney, AETC Director of Manpower, Personnel and Services. "Once supervisors notify employees of the reductions, the local Civilian Personnel Sections will begin actively reviewing and identifying vacant Air Force positions within the appropriate servicing area for possible reassignment opportunities."

Toney said AETC first looked at vacant positions before cutting any positions currently filled, lessening the impact by 72 positions. For the remaining civilian positions, potential job-matching within JBSA could occur within the next month to a year.

Of the 395 authorizations being reduced, 133 were reallocated to the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center. The AFIMSC is a new center that will centralize Air Force installation support management functions such as security forces, civil engineering, and support services. Air Force officials announced activation of the AFIMSC (Provisional) at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, with a permanent location still undecided.

Headquarters AETC is also using programs like the Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment and Voluntary Early Retirement Authority to minimize impact on civilians affected. VSIP is an incentive payment of up to $25,000 for eligible employees to separate from service voluntarily, avoiding or minimizing the need for involuntary separations. VERA allows employees to retire early to reduce the adverse impact of a reduction in force.

However, if the volunteer measures are not sufficient, a Reduction in Force, or RIF, may be required.

"Our hope is that, between the movement to vacant positions, VERA/VSIP, and retirements, we are able to meet the 20-percent reduction without having to initiate a RIF," said Toney. "If a RIF is required, we anticipate it may be in effect around this time next year."

Eligible employees who are impacted by a RIF will be registered into the DoD Priority Placement Program, which increases the potential for placement at other DoD installations,

For additional questions on reductions, contact the JBSA-Randolph CPS at 210-652-2223.