Month: August 2018

An Interview with John Guenther (Aerospace Engineer & Blacksmith)

Posted on by Betty Boyd

I would like to introduce John Guenther whom I have known for several years. He sings in our church choir and is an avid amateur blacksmith. While in the federal government he was an aerospace engineer (GS-0861) and upon retiring was a program manager (GS-0301). Here is John’s story:

  1. Why did you choose to work for the federal government?

When searching for a job after graduation in 1970, I had applied with the Department of the Army, Aviation Systems Command in St. Louis, MO near where I lived.  Three years later after working elsewhere, I was interviewed and offered a position with the Army Aviation Systems Command that had offered higher pay and benefits than I had at the time (50% higher). It also allowed me to use more of my education.

  1. What was your degree in Engineering, and what school did you attend? 

During high school, being good in math and science I became interested in aircraft, rockets, and the space program. I chose to go to Parks College/St. Louis University because it offered a degree in aerospace engineering, was close to home saving living expense costs, and offered a trimester program that allowed graduation in less than four years. I graduated in December of 1970 with a BS in aerospace engineering.

  1. What was your very first job as a federal employee and where did you work?

I was hired as an aerospace engineer in the Maintenance Engineering Directorate, in an office that examined spare parts and supporting data to determine if the parts could be manufactured by more than one source. The intent was to increase competition and thus reduce cost of spare parts. I later moved to a systems office providing engineering support of fielded systems, including oversight of modifications to improve the aircraft operations and capabilities.

  1. What year did you start in the federal government? 

After working for an IL county highway department for several years, I was contacted by the Department of the Army, Aviation Systems Command, and interviewed for several positions. I was hired and started in November 1973 (got married in May 1973) and started in the Aviation Maintenance Engineering Directorate supporting the armies rotary wing aircraft fleets.

Over the years, I supported a foreign military sales program, development of the Black hawk, and later the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior. I moved into program management in 1980 working in several programs. I eventually became the technical and business chief of the SAcout Attack Project Office. During the next several years, I served as acting project/program manager. In the late 1990’s I completed a MS in Engineering Management (Univ MO). During this time frame, Program offices were placed under a new management structure – Program Executive Office (PEO).

In 1997, as result of base realignment, the Aviation programs and supporting organizations in St Louis were relocated to Redstone Arsenal, AL, and were merged with the Missile organization to form a new Aviation Missile Command in 1997.  Not long after I was named the deputy project manager for Scout Attack programs (AH-1/OH-58 and eventually the UH-1 as well). This position included management of a variety of personnel including budget, contracting, logistics, and engineering. Over the next ten years, I again served as acting PM on several occasions.

  1. What was your last job in the federal government?

I ended my career as the deputy program manager for Scout Attack Aircraft, managing the AH-1 Cobra which we retired from service, UH-1 Hueys which were being retired as well, and the OH-58 Kiowa and Kiowa Warrior fleet which was deployed to support operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Additionally, I supported several foreign military sales cases. The position required overseeing the entire program, engineering, logistics, financial, and personnel, along with providing briefings to higher level organizations justifying budget requests and plans.

  1. What year did you retire from the federal government?

After 34 years of service, I retired in 2007. My decision to retire was based upon being eligible both in age, years of service, and feeling that the job was no longer rewarding.  This happens to everyone at some point and the causes are unique to everyone. When that time comes or is on the horizon, it’s time to plan to retire.

  1. What was the most rewarding part of being a federal employee?

As result of my organizations efforts, part of the Kiowa Warrior fleet was deployed in desert storm and maintained 100% readiness and availability while operating in combat in Iraq. No other fleet came close.

  1. As a retiree has it been what you expected?

Retirement has been much busier than I expected. Generally, I have been busy every day.

  1. Do you wish you were still working?

I do not miss going to work everyday, but I do miss my co-workers, some of whom I still stay in contact with.

  1. What do you like best about being retired?

Being retired, I enjoy the freedom to choose what I will be involved in. Since I was already an amateur Blacksmith, I have been in the shop doing projects that keep my mind active. Additionally, I’ve enjoyed singing and playing music, essentially, I am engaged with the artistic side of my capabilities which is relaxing.

  1. Regarding being an amateur black smith, please elaborate more your hobby, how and why you got started, how long you have been involved, and what are you currently working on. 

I became involved in Blacksmithing as a hobby not long after moving to Alabama. My youngest son, and I attended an event at the Burritt Museum on Monte Sano Mountain in Huntsville where a co-worker and older gentleman were demonstrating blacksmithing. This was on Saturday and they invited us to a meeting in Athens, AL where we lived. At that meeting, we joined the Alabama Forge Council. Since then I have taken classes and workshops learning blacksmithing. Having an artistic side, I’ve dabbled in many different artistic crafts as well as music, but none of the crafts has been as challenging and rewarding as blacksmithing. Since I have learned a lot, I’m now “passing along” to others, the blacksmiths craft. It’s always rewarding to take a piece of steel (Sometimes copper) and create useful and pleasing things.

  1. What advice would you give to someone that is ready to retire or is already retired?

If someone is considering retiring, they should look at several things. First, are you enjoying your job? Or does it look like the job is becoming un-enjoyable? Second, are you eligible to retire? Third, will your retirement income allow you to live without the need to go back to work? Bottom Line, If the job isn’t enjoyable, or is headed that way, and you are eligible to retire, and can afford it, Retire!  Consider a job after retiring if you need something to do or need added income. There are many activities including volunteering that can keep you busy after retirement!

Career Planning Tools

The information provided may not cover all aspects of unique or special circumstances, federal and postal regulations, and programs are subject to change. Our articles and replies are time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic human resource guidance and factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation and this service is not affiliated with OPM, the postal service or any federal entity. You should consult with school counselors, hiring agency personnel offices, and human resource professionals where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

The Federal Government Workforce is Shrinking

Posted on by Donna Day

If you are a current employee looking for a change, or perhaps interested in federal employment, don’t let politics impact your decision. Even though total federal employment is expected to decrease in the near future, many opportunities still exist as agencies must recruit highly skilled workers to replace those who retire or move on to other jobs. Look for the facts; research what interests you, and what is best for you in that career field.  There are many opportunities in both contracting work and federal employment.  By doing a little bit of research, keeping up with the federal news, as well as networking with peers and colleagues, discovering opportunities can be easy.

Reductions in hiring are taking place across the federal workforce, and much of it is due to a requirement to reduce government spending. From December 2016 through March of 2018, federal employment has decreased minimally from 2,093,868 to 2,075,006. specifically, there are just 18,862 fewer workers today than what was on board in December of 2016.

“The Department of State is down 9.28 percent, Education is down 12.94 percent, Labor is down 8.25 percent, and Housing and Urban Development is down 5.97 percent.  Homeland Security up 3.72 percent (mostly disaster recovery workers in the Federal Emergency Management Agency) and Veterans Affairs is up 1.73 percent. The Small Business Administration is up by 54 percent, also due to temporary employees required for disaster recovery work​” (Neal, 2018).  The agencies that are hiring made up for most of the losses in other agencies. Congress can do very little since they do not make the rules when it comes to hiring and spending in the executive branch.

There have also been modest staffing decreases in: Labor, Energy, Justice, Education, Housing, Transportation, and the Treasury.  There have also been modest increases in Commerce, Agriculture, Interior, and the VA according to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Seek out opportunities at all agencies regardless of which ones have had staffing cuts over the past two year.  Agencies must fill critical vacancies and competed for the limited applicants available. The tight job market and low unemployment rate may prove to be an opportunity for those seeking federal jobs.  Agencies may have to offer hiring incentives such as reimbursement for college tuition, relocation allowances and higher starting pay.

Many politicians look at the federal workforce as an overall drag on the budget, making it burdensome for taxpayers.  Prior presidents struggled with just how to balance the federal workforce with attrition, hiring freezes, and more.  President Trump recently focused on efficiencies, and he made promises to reduce the federal workforce through hiring freezes and attrition as well, but he looked to spare the military, public safety officials, and employees in the health industry.

The military and federal civil service combined equals a total workforce of approximately 4 million. Additional challenges are introduced since many are in ‘required’ positions, are deployed, and located at sensitive operations posts. Also,  The overall federal workforce as it stands under President Trump has decreased minimally.

Trump’s plan for attrition may also lead to outsourcing, which is a critical factor surrounding federal employment.  Contractors actually exceed the number of official federal employees. With 1/3rd of federal workers in their mid-50’s, 13% are 60+, and only 6.5% are under 30; we can see how the millennials aren’t fans of federal employment. There are several websites that provide data, statistics, job vacancy listings, and recommendations on federal employment. Visit USA Jobs. This federal jobs website serves as a great one stop source for information and federal employment data. Also visit Federal Jobs Network. This site consolidates information from many federal sites including USA Jobs to streamline your job search.

References:

Career Planning Tools

The information provided may not cover all aspects of unique or special circumstances, federal and postal regulations, and programs are subject to change. Our articles and replies are time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic human resource guidance and factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation and this service is not affiliated with OPM, the postal service or any federal entity. You should consult with school counselors, hiring agency personnel offices, and human resource professionals where appropriate. Neither the publisher or author shall be liable for any loss or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages

New Bills for Federal Employees

Posted on by Donna Day

Federal employees will be able to see new changes surrounding the appeals process pertaining to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). The MSPB is an agency that is an independent part of the Executive Branch who governs the Federal merit system. It was established by the Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1978 and codified by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA), Public Law No. 95-454. The CSRA, effective in 1979, was a replacement for the Civil Service Commission. Three agencies surfaced as well as a result: Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA), and the MSPB. OPM focuses on the federal work force and the FLRA oversees federal labor-management relations. The MSPB took on the employee appeals process and acquired new responsibility when it came to merit systems studies and OPM action reviews. The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) was a part of the MSPB but now works in the Executive Branch as an independent prosecutor for cases that are presented to the MSPB.

Two new bills that are surfacing focus on labor management relationships and removal of employees. Signed in May by the President, the appeals process would now be shorter for federal employees.  Agency leadership are able to bring an adverse action against a particular employee and they can respond within 7-21 days with an appeal for firing, required within the first 7 days.  Additionally, decisions on appeals must be rendered within 30 days, otherwise the original decision is valid. This MERIT Act, as it is called, also offers a probationary period extension for new hires of the federal government. Additionally, a 2 year extension would be applicable to any new senior executive. The reason behind the extension is to ensure proficiency in roles are demonstrated to supervisors who are making decisions on whether employees can become permanent or not. Also, the legislation will have the following effects: 1) Reduction in Force (RIF) and Disciplinary Action appeals would not include the negotiated grievance process; 2) Notification procedures for furlough appeals would be changed; 3) Annuity reduction for a federal employee felony convictions or civil service firing, and 4) Recoupment of bonuses and awards from said employees and executives.

A Re-authorization act was also approved that would impact appeals heading to the MSPB. Fees would be approved for collection for those appealing but not exceeding 50% of the fee required for filing a civil U.S. district court action. Fees can be waived and/or adjusted based on hardship at the board’s discretion. MSPB’s adjudication structure would also impact the burden of proof required to be shown in a disciplinary appeal; mitigation of actions will also be limited for the MSPB. The VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act are housed in this bill, allowing those in Title 38 to appeal to the board directly, instead of a judge.

Hurdles for federal employees may be raised with these bills, and both bills would have a difficult time in the Senate. You can read more about both the MSPB and the Merit Act at the following links:

Reference:

Career Planning Tools

The information provided may not cover all aspects of unique or special circumstances, federal and postal regulations, and programs are subject to change. Our articles and replies are time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic human resource guidance and factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation and this service is not affiliated with OPM, the postal service or any federal entity. You should consult with school counselors, hiring agency personnel offices, and human resource professionals where appropriate. Neither the publisher or author shall be liable for any loss or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.