Air Force announces VERA/VSIP round two

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Kevin Wallace
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  The Air Force announced the continuation of its fiscal year 2012 Civilian Workforce Restructure Jan 11.

The reduction builds on the realignments announced in November, after which Col. Christopher Kulas, 100th Air Refueling commander, along with experts from the 100th Force Support Squadron Civilian Personnel Office, hosted a town hall meeting to address related concerns.

The reductions are directed toward returning target civilian funding to fiscal year 2010 levels.

"Our nation, the [Department of Defense] and the Air Force face significant budgetary constraints," said Tina Lhamon, 100th FSS CPO officer, in November's town hall meeting. "This is not about people, it's about positions. More than ever we must strategically align our people - our most critical asset - against our most critical priorities."

This reduction includes eliminating roughly 9000 positions in management, staff and support areas, and adding about 5900 positions against the Air Force's top priorities, including acquisition, the nuclear enterprise, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

"We value our talented and experienced workforce and are trying to do everything possible to manage these reductions with as little impact to our people as possible," said Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley.

To encourage voluntary separations and retirements, the Air Force is currently offering its second round of voluntary separation incentive pay and voluntary early retirement authority programs.

Civilian employees received VERA/VSIP eligibility surveys from their personnel managers earlier this month and the applications are due no later than Feb. 3. Approved applications will result in separations or retirements that take effect by April 30.

Air Force officials are still evaluating the need for a Reduction in Force.

"At this time, we are surveying the workforce for a second round of VERA/VSIP and are in the midst of management reassignments resulting from the first round of the restructure," said Brig. Gen. Gina Grosso, Manpower, Organization, and Resources director. "Once we exhaust all voluntary force management measures, a determination will be made whether or not a RIF is necessary. We hope to have more information in the spring."

This announcement marks the end of civilian reductions associated with the Air Force's FY12 civilian workforce restructure.

(Ann Stefanek, Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs, contributed to this article.)