Stand-To!- National Security Personnel System - July 25, 2007

Wed Jul 25 10:49:44 EDT 2007

Top of Form 1
Bottom of Form 1
*  Note: Stand-To! is now distributed in a plain-text format.  For original
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Edition: Wed, July 25, 2007
Rich-text Version <standto.php?dte=2007-07-25>  
TODAY'S FOCUS
National Security Personnel System

What is it? Congress authorized the National Security Personnel System
(NSPS) in the fiscal year 2004 National Defense Authorization Act, signed by
President Bush on 24 November 2003. The law allows the Department of Defense
(DoD) to establish new rules for how civilians are hired, assigned,
compensated, promoted, and disciplined, within the framework of merit
principles, accommodation of veterans' preference, and respect for
employees' right to bargain.

What has the Army done? The new personnel system is being implemented in
phases. Each phase is known as a Spiral, and each Spiral may have multiple
increments. DoD implemented the human resources management system to
approximately 11,000 non-bargaining unit employees effective 30 April 2006
as part of Spiral 1.1. This included approximately 2,350 members of Army's
Civilian Human Resources Agency.

On 12 November 2006, over 2,600 Army civilians converted to NSPS as Army
implemented the first phase of Spiral 1.2. Elements of the Office of the
Assistant Secretary of the Army, Army Materiel Command, Medical Command and
Military District of Washington were among those converting to NSPS.

What continued efforts does Army have planned for the future? Training will
be paramount to prepare over 40,000 Army civilians converting into NSPS
between January and April 2007. Robust training efforts will continue
between May and September to train the remaining 180,000 Army Civilian Corps
worldwide expected to convert into NSPS in Fiscal Year 2008 and includes the
following: 

* All military leaders supervising Army civilians must also be trained in
order to appraise the performance of civilian employees.
* Army will conduct Continuing Collaboration on Army NSPS policy guidance
with union representatives beginning in early 2007.
* Senior leadership support will be the key for Army to successfully
transition to NSPS.

Why is this important to the Army? The National Security Personnel System
represents a landmark transformation of civilian personnel management. NSPS
will forever change the way the Army attracts, retains, rewards, and
develops civilian employees. NSPS ambitiously reshapes the old rules
governing civilian employees and offers an environment where employees are
encouraged to excel, challenged with meaningful work and rewarded for their
contributions.

* This topic was taken directly from the 2007 Army Posture Statement.
<http://www.army.mil/aps/07>  To continue reading this topic in its
entirety, click here. <http://www.army.mil/aps/07/infopapers/119.html> 
INFORMATION YOU CAN USE
* 2007 Strategic Communication Guide
<https://www.us.army.mil/suite/page/409993>  - Be Army Strong, and Army
Smart. Read the 2007 Army Strategic Communication Guide.
NEWS ABOUT THE ARMY
*	On Army base, a plea to give each death its due (EB
<http://ebird.afis.mil/ebfiles/e20070725531750.html>  | NYT
<http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/25/us/25funeral.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin> ) 
*	Recruiters deliver direct message to enlistees (HTRN
<http://www.htrnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070724/MAN0101/70724047
5/1984> ) 
*	Second Soldier is jailed in gang beating death (SAS
<http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=47609> ) 
*	Army to hunt for Agent Orange in Tok (ADN
<http://www.adn.com/front/story/9159653p-9076220c.html> )
WAR ON TERROR NEWS
*	Arm chair generals help shape the surge in Iraq (EB
<http://ebird.afis.mil/ebfiles/e20070725531834.html>  | EXM
<http://www.examiner.com/a-844077~Arm_chair_generals_help_shape_the_surge_in
_Iraq.html> ) 
*	In Iraq, find a bomb and save a life (SAS
<http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=47607> ) 
*	Suicide blast rips through Shi'ite District, killing 24 (BST
<http://www.boston.com/news/world/articles/2007/07/25/suicide_blast_rips_thr
ough_shiite_district_killing_24/> ) 
*	New U.S. plan sees surge lasting into summer '08 (EB
<http://ebird.afis.mil/ebfiles/e20070725531875.html>  | PI
<http://www.philly.com/inquirer/world_us/20070725_New_U_S__plan_sees_surge_l
asting_into_summer_08.html> )
OF INTEREST
*	Iraq war vet shows off bionic hand (CNN
<http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/07/24/bionic.hand.ap/index.html> ) 
*	Student recognized for documentary on military medical center (AFIS
<http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=46830> ) 
*	Outed Soldier pushes to overturn 'don't ask, don't tell' (AZN
<http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/hourlyupdate/193192.php> ) 
*	DOD weighs ending drawdown in Europe (SAS
<http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=47611> )
WORLD VIEW
*	Pakistan warns U.S. not to send troops after al-Qaida (IND
<http://news.independent.co.uk/>  | Story
<http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/article2798524.ece> ) 
*	We are fighting bin Laden's al-Qaida in Iraq: President Bush (EJ
<http://www.canada.com/>  | Story
<http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=20a44aa3-813b-41f0
-880c-da48ffedada6> ) 
*	al-Qaida in Iraq denies U.S. troops captured leader (JP
<http://www.jpost.com>  | Story
<http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1184766053050&pagename=JPost%2FJ
PArticle%2FShowFull> ) 
*	U.S. military deaths in Iraq at 3,637 (GRD
<http://www.guardian.co.uk>  | Story
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6802855,00.html> )
WHAT'S BEING SAID IN BLOGS
*	Helping Soldiers help themselves (SM <http://soldiersmind.com/> ) 
*	In the wake of the surge (MT <http://www.michaeltotten.com/> ) 
*	1,106 Soldiers ordered back to recruiting duty (GJA
<http://gojackarmy.blogspot.com/2007/07/1106-soldiers-ordered-back-to.html>
) 
*	Fighting continues in Pakistan's Northwest Frontier Province (BR
<http://billroggio.com/> )
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