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Edsels, Hula Hoops and Internal Government Promotions

Finally, someone puts it in writing

Scientist
EPA
Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:26 AM

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Thank you for this article. What incentive is it to do more with less pay and no hope for advancement? My agency is bad about filling positions outside the merit system and from outside civil service. It seems to have gotten much worse in the past 5 or 6 years.

burrowing in

Engineer/Intel analyst/civilian retired
USAF
Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:48 AM

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This type of activity has been happening within the defense department for at least 20 years, but has become more prevalent with the advent of the "contracting out " of work-the belief that if a contractor performs the work it MUST be better. My impression from my work area was that a person would be hired by a friend at the GS-12 level (not high grade for engr/scientist/intel) with the understanding that he/she would have accelerated promotions to -13 and posibly -14/-15 levels.
Within the Defense Dept it is also not unusual for the higher ranking( Lt Col and above) to use the clearance status to come back as a contractor for two years, and then hire back as GS-14/Gs-15.

Military retirees

Inspector General Investigator
Navy
Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:49 AM

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It has become common practice in the Navy to fill all high level openings with Navy Officers who are ready to retire or have recently retired. Federal employees in the Navy can count on most of the GS-13 and above positions going to retired Commanders and Captains who may know very little about the job, but know a great deal about networking with the decision makers who are usually active duty Captains and Admirals with whom they have served.

This is ruining the morale of the senior civilian employees and creating organizations where everyone thinks they are the manager and noone actually understands any of the substantive work requirements.

Fililng Senior Civilian Positions

The Fix on Hiring is in for Air Force
USAF
Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:58 AM

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Thanks to Bush, Cheney, Rumsey and their dummies the greatest good old boy network in the country is now in place in the Air Force. The way they have written the new job requirements for GS-13 and above positions, the only people that meet the requirements are the retired Lt Col., Colonels and Majors. There is no chance for advancement for career civilians. These retired military just hire their military retiree buddies. They don't know how to deal with civilians, the unions or real life business decsions. There is no leadership just yes sir! I agree with the comment from the Navy writer. In the past O-5s and above were prohibited from returning to civil service for a reason, they have no integrity in hiring the best person. They only hire and promote their buddies from the academy!

Re: Fililng Senior Civilian Positions

Contract Specialist
DoD
Wed Mar 26, 2008 10:22 AM
USAF, you are naive if you think this is the fault of "Bush, Cheney, Rumsey (sic), and their dummies." It doesn't matter which administration is in place; favoritism has always existed, and I know plenty of retired military who were given high-level jobs prior to the Bush administration. The good old boy network is certainly nothing new and has been around for years.

In my agency some of the upper level positions are filled by retired military. Even more are filled by upper-level managers who are allowed to put their friends into the positions without having to apply and compete for the job. Often the best qualified person was already doing the job but didn't get the promotion. Instead, it went to a friend of the upper-level manager.

There is little incentive to excel when you are stuck in a dead-end position and know that no matter how hard you work, the promotion will go to somebody less qualified. It's not what you know but who you know that gets you ahead.

internal govt promotions

another low level employee
VA
Wed Mar 26, 2008 10:11 AM

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I, personally, applaud this practice and would like to see more of it within the VA. From my standpoint this would help eliminate the 'peter principal' practice that seems quite revelant within our agency AND the favortism for those brown-nosers who aren't necessarily qualified but can 'play the game.' Having some NEW eyes, ears and opinions on situations would be (and usually is) beneficial from the perspective of someone who gets 'blackballed' early in their career because they don't "go along to get along." Just because someone has a different point of view doesn't mean they don't KNOW their job (or even more importantly, the job they are trying to get a promotion for.) But in an ideal world --the choice would be based on whether you are 'capable' of doing the duties of the position as opposed to WHO you stroked!!!

Hiring Trends Affect Morale

HR Specialist
USAF
Wed Mar 26, 2008 10:25 AM

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While networking and relationships are important, the recent trend of higher-level civilian positions consistently going to retired military affects the morale of civilian employees. I'm proud to serve next to my military counterparts, but if they can retire and come back to take the jobs I aspire to, then what's the motivationto stick around. Why not let me collect a retirement check after 20 years and then come back to my same job. Maybe they should let civil servants double-dip too?!!

Re: Hiring Trends Affect Morale

HR (labor)
USAF
Wed Mar 26, 2008 1:42 PM
There is no "outside" hiring for senior level civilians in the AF. Those positions are being filled by retiring colonels. However, we work for a uniformed service. IF it is good business to use the uniformed service as a farm team for knowledgeable, inovative future "civilian" leadership positions, so be it.
But that is not what is happening. The uniformed leadership is using these senior civilian positions as their private, exclusive, overpaid retirement country club. There is no attempt to hire from the private sector. The job announcements are written for (and often by) the soon to retire officer with pay set at outrageous levels. There is no "service before self". It is all disgustingly "self service". There is a current personnel acronym for the process, HARC, hire a retiring colonel.

Re: Hiring Trends Affect Morale

Quality Assurance Specialist
CNATRA
Thu Apr 3, 2008 8:12 AM
I think since I have a Masters, pilot license, and thirty years of aviation, I should be able to join the military as a O-5 or above. You know that won't happen, but how is it happening with our promotions? Our 25 years don't count for anythin, but retired military 20 years count for everything.

Ditto...

Engineer
Interior
Wed Mar 26, 2008 10:27 AM

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... the EPA scientist.

Total Comments: 26
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