Thursday, November 09, 2006

AMC civilians deploy to support Soldiers

By Beth E. Musselman-Clemons
Army Materiel Command

The increasing need for contracting support during reconstruction operations in Iraq and Afghanistan has prompted the U.S. Army Materiel Command to develop a centralized civilian deployment program, the Deployable Civilian Contracting Cadre.

In an effort to meet the increasing demands, Lt. Gen. William E. Mortensen, AMC deputy commanding general, requested a review of the current deployment processes. AMC’s Office of Command Contracting evaluated the volunteer and emergency essential systems and found several issues.

In response to the findings, the DCCC was stood up in April, providing a staff of highly trained and experienced civilian contracting officers on stand-by and ready to deploy.

“Civilian contract specialists, especially those who are deployed with our warfighters around the world, are a vital conduit between our commanders on the ground and the civilian contractors who support them,” said Mortensen. “These men and women play a key role in ensuring that our warfighters always get what they need, when they need it.”

Each person signs a three-year agreement and is put in the deployment rotation. Although they cannot turn down a deployment, they do receive a retention incentive even if they don’t deploy during those three years. DCCC incentives include:

• An annual retention incentive of 5 percent of basic pay
• Upon deployment, cadre member will receive a relocation incentive of 10 percent of base pay
• Up to 35 percent foreign post differential
• Up to 35 percent danger pay
• Training and career opportunities not otherwise available

Currently, the DCCC only supports contracting personnel in the 1102 career field. However, AMC’s director of contracting, Jeff Parsons, hopes that with the success of the program will come the establishment of a standardized civilian deployment program.

“With the increased reliance upon our civilian contracting workforce, we owe them such a program if we expect them to put themselves in harm’s way to support our Army,” Parsons said. “As a result, I will be advocating the program’s expansion across the entire Army contracting workforce as an alternative to designating certain positions as emergency essential.”

Although monetary incentives are persuasive, that is not the only reason cadre members join.

“In December 2005, I accepted an emergency essential position with Aviation and Missile Life Cycle Management Command because I wanted to support the warfighter in Iraq or Afghanistan,” said Charles Abner, the first cadre member selected under the DCCC program and currently serving in Iraq. “When I heard of the program I thought what a great way to continue to do something where your contributions can be measured daily.”

Program coordinator, Sharon Seiffert, is currently recruiting for the DCCC until Dec. 31. Participation is on a first come, first serve basis and the turnout has been very promising.

“We have two cadre members deployed right now, and I have approximately 10 volunteers whose paperwork is currently in the works,” said Seiffert.

With funding constraints in mind, the DCCC will only recruit 25 new cadre members each year. Those wishing to participate must also meet a stiff set of requirements:

Career status: The DCCC is open to GS 11-15 employees in the 1102 career field.

Extensive training: Cadre members are desired to have numerous training courses completed in order to participate. A full list can be found in the DCCC Standard Operating Procedures.

Qualifications: GS 11-12 cadre members must be Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act Level II certified, and GS 13-15 must be Level III.

Commitment: Cadre members are required to sign a DCCC and DoD Civilian Employee Overseas Emergency Essential Position Agreement good for three years.

Medical and Dental: Prospective members must provide documentation proving they have passed a medical and dental examination in the last 12 months.

Security Clearance: Personnel must possess and maintain a secret security clearance.

“Young contracting specialists should seek to join this program,” Abner emphasized. “This program would allow them to gain experience they will never see within an acquisition center. Here they can daily see the application of their skills.”