File Code:	6130	Date:	September 23, 1999	
Route To:		
Subject:	Fiscal Year 1999 Accomplishment Reports and Fiscal Year 2000 Program 
Plan Updates 	
To:	Regional Foresters, Station Directors, Area Director, and IITF Director	
 REPLIES DUE OCTOBER 4 and 11, 1999

We recently received requests from the Department to provide our Fiscal Year (FY) 1999 Accomplishment Reports and FY 2000 Program Plan Updates for the following programs and need to receive your reports in our office by the dates listed:

	1.   Affirmative Action Program for Individuals with Disabilities due October 4, 1999.
	2.   Disabled Veterans Affirmative Action Program due October 11, 1999.

Enclosed are copies of last year's reports to illustrate the types of information/accomplishments needed for this year's requests.  Please direct any questions about your reports to Jerry McGaughran (jmcgaugh/wo) at (703) 605-5200, extension 3027.

We apologize for the short notification and thank you for your cooperation.

/s/John G. Lopez
JOHN G. LOPEZ
Assistant Director of Human Resources Management

Enclosures

 

ANNUAL DISABLED VETERANS AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PROGRAM (DVAAP)
PLAN CERTIFICATION--FISCAL YEAR 2000

Mr. Armando E. Rodriguez
Director, Office of Diversity
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
1900 E. Street, NW Room 6332
Washington, DC 20415-0001

IDENTIFYING INFORMATION
A.  Name and Address of Agency

    	USDA Forest Service
    	P.O. Box 96090
    	Washington, DC  20090-6090

B.	Name and Title of Designated DVAAP Official   		Telephone Number  (703) 605-5200
							            		extension, 3101
    	Steve Nelson, Director of Human Resources Management  
    	USDA, Forest Service
    	Room 900, RP-E, Personnel
    	P.O. Box 96090
    	Washington, DC 20250

C.  Name and Title of Contact Person                                         	Telephone Number  (703) 605-5200  
     Gerald McGaughran, Staffing Specialist                                            	extension, 3027

CERTIFICATION:  I certify that the above named agency: (1) has a current DISABLED VETERANS AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PROGRAM (DVAAP) plan and the program is being implemented as required by 38 U.S.C. 4214, as amended, and appropriate regulations and guidance issued by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management; (2 that all field offices or installations having less than 500 employees are covered by a DVAAP plan; (3) that all field offices or installations having 500 or more employees are either covered by this plan or by a local plan; and (4) that such plans are available upon request from field offices or installations.

________________________________________________                                                       
STEVE NELSON                                           	Date
Director, Human Resources Management

________________________________________________
CLYDE THOMPSON                                       	Date
Deputy Chief for Business Operations

 USDA, FOREST SERVICE
DISABLED VETERANS AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PROGRAM PLAN
FY 2000

1.   Purpose of Authority

Pursuant to section 403 of the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, as amended (38 U.S.C. 2014), and section 307 of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. 3112) requires Agencies to update affirmative action plans to promote employment and advancement opportunities for qualified disabled veterans.  Accordingly, the purpose of this document is to serve as the Forest Service DVAAP plan for this fiscal year.
 
2.   Definitions

As used in the DVAAP plan, the terms "veteran" and "disabled veteran" have the meaning given to these terms in title 38 of the U.S. Code.

3.   Plan Coverage

The DVAAP plan covers all Forest Service Regions, Stations, the International Institute of Tropical Forestry (IITF), and respective field offices.  The following paragraphs include instructions on specific responsibilities on affirmative actions to be taken by regions and stations, as appropriate, to promote the employment and advancement of disabled veterans. 

All field units are required to have a copy of the current Forest Service DVAAP plan to facilitate the implementation of FS policy, to carry out their responsibilities under the national plan, and to accomplish all program objectives and goals which have been established by the Washington Office.

4.   Policy

It is the policy of the Forest Service to promote the employment and advancement opportunities for disabled veterans, especially those who are 30 percent or more disabled, in keeping with Federal law and in accordance with Office of Personnel Management (OPM) regulations.

5.   Program Coordination
 
The overall responsibility for the development and coordination of this action plan is the Forest Service Program Manager, Gerald McGaughran.  In an effort to enhance this plan, the Program Manager is working with a Forest Service Partnership Council designated representative.

6.   Assessment of Program Status--Based on USDA furnished reports.

As of 09/29/99 according to USDA furnished reports, the Forest Service has a total of 40,113 employees of which 6,233 are veterans (15.54%).  There are a total of  983 disabled veterans (2.45%) in the workforce.  Of the disabled veterans, 790 are disabled  (1.97% of workforce), and 193 are 30% or more disabled (.48% of workforce).   The total number of 30% disabled veterans in the workforce has increased slightly from 187 in FY98 to 193 in FY99, and the percentage has increased slightly from last year (.01%).  The overall percentage of disabled veterans in the Forest Service workforce has decreased slightly from 2.02% to 1.97%. 

 In FY 2000, the Forest Service will continue to provide efforts to hire and promote veterans, especially those who are severely disabled, within the context of our current organizational direction and trends.
7.   Recruitment

Recruitment under the DVAAP plan is a responsibility of each Deputy Area, Regional Forester, Station Director, Area Director, IITF and Job Corps Director, and Washington Office Staff Directors.  Recruitment methods which will be used to seek disabled veterans candidates, including 30 percent or more disabled, are to be coordinated and include the following activities, as much as possible.

a.  Cooperation with agency recruitment and recruitment initiatives, involving disability employment program, disabled veterans, and special emphasis program managers, veterans organizations, veterans employment service of the Department of Labor, State and local employment agencies, the Department of Veterans Affairs, including VA hospitals, organizations fostering the employment of disabled people, and other Federal agencies.

b.  Use of the hiring authority for veterans who are 30 percent or more disabled.

c. Supervisors, in conjunction with their roles to conduct appropriate outreach under the Merit Promotion Plan in meeting agency employment goals for disabled workers, will actively participate in seeking disabled veterans to include in their candidate pool.

8.   Internal Advancement Opportunities

Providing and improving internal advancement opportunities for disabled veterans, under the DVAAP plan, is a responsibility of all units.  Methods to be used for providing or improving internal advancement opportunities are to include, but are not limited to, as many of the following activities as possible.

a.  Analyzing the workforce.

b.  Counseling employees.

c.  Enlisting the support and involvement of special emphasis managers.

d.  Ensuring that provisions of reasonable accommodations are provided when requested by disabled veterans.

e. Informing supervisors of representation goals for disabled workers and enlisting their support to conduct appropriate outreach.
 
A statement such as the following may be included in  vacancy announcements:  "Veterans who are preference eligibles or have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after three years or more of continuous active service, Veterans Readjustment Act eligibles, disabled veterans with a 30% or more disability, persons with severe disabilities, Peace Corps volunteers, and Vista volunteers, may apply and will be considered.  The applicant must furnish required proof or certification of eligibility.  Additional information on special employment authorities may be obtained from the office issuing this announcement."

9.   Program Management

The Washington Office will inform each Region, Station, Area (R/S/A), IITF and Job Corps Director on a regular basis of their responsibility for employing and advancing disabled veterans.  Dissemination of information to field units will be accomplished by one or more of the following means.  These include, but are not limited to the following:

a.  Periodic written communications.

b.  Departmental documents, such as policy issuances.

c.  Official memoranda.

d.  Mid-year assessments.

10.  Monitoring, Review, and Evaluation

Arrangements are to be made to monitor, review, and evaluate the Forest Service planned efforts to promote federal employment and advancement opportunities for qualified veterans, including the implementation of such efforts at field locations.  These arrangements, as appropriate, are to encompass the following activities:

a.  Inclusion of DVAAP program within the regularly scheduled periodic personnel management evaluations and civil rights reviews either on site or by other means.

b.  Preparation and submission of annual written accomplishment reports.

c.  Annual review and analysis of the end-of-year statistical data to evaluate results.
 
11.  Accomplishment Reports

Each R/S/A, IITF, and Job Corps Director is asked to provide an annual accomplishment report which describes activities to recruit, hire, advance, and retain disabled veterans during the previous fiscal year. The annual accomplishment report and supporting documents must describe the following:

a.  Methods used to recruit and employ disabled veterans, especially those who are 30 percent or more disabled.  Specifically, what new initiatives have been made during the fiscal year.  (Submit examples, policy guidelines, etc.)
  
b.  Methods used to provide or improve internal advancement opportunities for disabled veterans.

c.  A description of how the activities of field installations were monitored, reviewed, and evaluated.

d.  An explanation of progress in implementing the Affirmative Action Plan during the fiscal year.  Where progress has not been shown, the report will cite reasons for the lack of progress, along with specific plans for overcoming cited obstacles to progress.   

e.  An explanation of any adverse effects in hiring or retaining disabled veterans through reduction-in-force, significant budget cuts, ceiling reduction, or downsizing, etc.

f.  Any concerns in implementing the program and recommendations for improving the Department's Disabled Veterans Plan.

g.  Any policy statement guidelines, including action items, technical guidance, items of interest relating to disabled veterans issued the fiscal year are to be attached.

 USDA Forest Service
1999 DVAAP Accomplishment Report

1.  Methods used to recruit and employ disabled veterans, including special steps to recruit veterans who are 30 percent or more disabled.

 Ongoing efforts to recruit disabled veterans include hiring a full time college recruitment liaison at the Washington Office level for persons with disabilities. Disabled veterans are among the applicants the Persons With Disabilities (PWD) Liaison refers out electronically to employment officers nationwide. The Liaison also collaborates with representatives of other federal agencies to recruit candidates with disabilities, including disabled veterans at approximately 150 colleges across the US.  This Workforce Recruitment Program effort results in the identification of approximately 1300 job applicants with disabilities, several of whom are disabled veterans, including 30% or more disabled veterans. Summaries of these candidates credentials are placed in a database that is distributed to most federal agencies.  Staff in regional and local offices notify local veteran organizations and other related professional associations about how to utilize the internet system of posted OPM announcements. Staff also contact various state rehabilitation offices to attract disabled veterans undergoing rehabilitation, notify the Veterans Administration and Job Service Centers of upcoming temporary and permanent vacancies and maintain contact with local Job Service Veteran Counselors.  Some Forests maintain a file of disabled veteran candidates and mail vacancy announcements to qualified candidates as requested to encourage application.  Human Resource (HR) Units and Disability Employment Program Managers (DEPMs) work with individual applicants to help them understand the application and work related processes.  HR Units also organize local Disability Employment Program committees, designate veterans program coordinators and establish representation of veterans' issues on local Civil Rights Committees.  Some sites maintain a special local bulletin board for disabled veterans.

2.  Methods used to provide or improve internal advancement opportunities for disabled veterans.

 The agency encourages and supports their employees who disabled veterans to pursue career advancement through efforts including identifying and designating resource people as disability program managers and veterans program coordinators.  Various Regions have developed mentoring programs offered to employees, including disabled veterans.  The agency provided $25,000 seed money for the Department to develop a pilot mentoring program for persons with disabilities.  The program will begin in FY 2000 with a pilot group of mentor/mentee pairs in the Washington, DC area.  The agency's PWD Liaison is a member of the Mentoring Program's planning committee.  Other efforts include Regions establishing personnel management groups that address employee issues including those of disabled veterans,  and hiring units providing advance notice to all employees of upcoming permanent vacancies, temporary assignments, time-limited promotions, and details.

As a means to meet future skill demands, the agency has almost completed a major reorganization of corporate training, hired 6 new staff to develop corporate training courses, and completed an automated training information system. The agency is in the process of pilot testing OPM's product, USA Careers and developing many new corporate training courses. The new training program, once fully implemented, will provide a system that defines developmental opportunities and paths to be followed for advancement and future positions for all employees, including disabled veterans. 

3.  A description of how the activities of your field units are monitored, reviewed, and evaluated.

Typically, monitoring of employment activity is conducted by administrative and program reviews.  Other methods include, but are not limited to civil rights impact analyses, quarterly workforce analyses, and maintaining contact with the unit's DEPM, if applicable.

4.  Explain your progress in implementing the agency's DVAAP plan during FY 1999.

There are significant accomplishments listed in the next section of this report under "Noteworthy Accomplishments."

5.  Explain any adverse effects in hiring or retaining disabled veterans through downsizing, reduction-in-force, budget cuts, ceiling reductions, etc.

As demonstrated by the program assessment and as attested by the statistics, no adverse affects are noted for FY 1999.

6.  Explain your progress in implementing the Affirmative Action Plan during the fiscal year.  (Highlight your success or reason for lack of success in meeting your affirmative action goals).

Overall statistics show the agency achieved a slight increase in the number and percentage of 30% or more disabled employees in the workforce and a slight increase in the total number of disabled veterans in the workforce.  Even with reduced funding, the agency has been able to at least achieve these slight increases. 

7.  List concerns in implementing the program and recommendations on improving the DVAAP.

Limited resources at all levels of the agency preclude having staff single out veterans as an individual group.  Most hiring and career development activities are aimed at the workforce, in general, or at persons with disabilities, in general, rather than at veterans specifically.  Monitoring tools such as automated tracking systems are not readily available to segregate specific advancements of veterans from year to year.

8.  List policy statement guidelines, including action items, technical guidance, items of interest relating to disabled veterans issued during the fiscal year.

a.   The changes brought about in Veterans Preferences from the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA)  of 98 and the  Defense Authorization Act of FY 98  have been summarized and posted on the R1 FSWeb site for use by all personnel offices, co-lateral DEPMs, and Veterans.

b.   OPM's revised booklet VETGUIDE about Veterans and the Civil Service was reproduced locally and shared with field, co-lateral DEPMs to prepare them to counsel with employees or applicants who are disabled Veterans.  This resource is also posted on the R1 FSWeb site along with the Veterans Info Guide, also prepared by OPM.   

 NOTEWORTHY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
USDA, Forest Service, DVAAP  FY 1999

North Central Research Station 

The Station has a Disability Employment Program (DEP) which includes improving outreach, recruitment, and underrepresentation of disabled veterans.  In addition to the DEP, the Station has a veterans program coordinator who also serves on the Civil Rights Committee.  The coordinator monitors the program and serves as a contact to the Veterans Outreach Representatives.  The Station has a formal Mentor Program which is available to all employees. The Station encourages disabled veterans to utilize this worthwhile program.  The Personnel Management Group, in coordination with the veterans program coordinator, maintains a special bulletin board targeted for disabled veterans. The Station continues to encourage training for all employees for the purposes of career advancement, new skills, etc.

The Station appointed a Veterans Program Coordinator to work with the Station's veterans, including disabled veterans.  

The Station is actively taking part in a unique and innovative program with the VA.  This special program, called Veterans Industries, provides employment and training to veterans in need of assistance, whether it be financial difficulties, health issues, loss of loved ones, or drugs or alcohol.  During fiscal year 1999, the Station sponsored a veteran who assisted with digitizing plot locations using ARC INFO software and assisted in ordering aerial photographs for the current surveys.  The Station became an example of success, as this had never been done with an agency outside the VA.  As a result of these efforts, this program is being explored by other FS units across the country. 

Pacific Northwest Region and Pacific Northwest Research Station

The Civil Rights organization was reorganized to move the responsibility for affirmative employment programs responsibility to the field level, realizing that success must be accomplished at the field levels. 
The underrepresentation of Disabled Veterans was identified in the Region's Toward a Multicultural Organization Plan as a current situation.  The Plan is the basis for each Forest Supervisor's working agreement, in which the Forest identifies how it will support the Regional program accomplishments.

The Region hired 16 5-point veterans and 4 10-point veterans through a variety of hiring authorities: Demo, OPM Certificates, OPM Direct Hire, Cooperative programs, transfers and reinstatements.  None of these veterans had targeted disabilities.

Northern Region

Some Forests maintain a file of disabled veteran candidates and mail vacancy announcements to qualified candidates for application purposes, as requested.  All Human Resource units and DEPMs work with individual employees or applicants to help them understand the process of application and other work related processes. Cooperation with job service is maximized by affiliation with the rehabilitation community professional associations.  R1 DEPM is a member of the Montana Association for Rehabilitation and receives newsletters and conference announcement from that affiliation.  She attends State conferences and workshops aimed at job services and rehabilitation placement officials,  presenting displays or discussions on Federal employment when the opportunity is offered.  Most forests also keep close contact with local Job Service Veteran Counselors and work with them on candidate development.
The Regional DEPM and some co-lateral DEPMs are members of the FS internal Veterans Network where issues and concerns are identified and resources are shared.

Reasonable accommodation is considered a business advantage in the Northern Region.  Most units have found that this process is very effective and not cost prohibitive.   The Region funds reasonable accommodations if they put any burden on local units.  

The Region is monitoring progress using a report that identifies the number of veterans employed and the disability status of those employees.  This report is posted for each year on the R1 FSWeb site.  Personnelists and managers counsel with employees regarding advancement opportunities and assist employees including disabled Veterans to prepare for advancement by planning their annual training and by accepting opportunities like details which increase their skills. 

The changes brought about in Veterans Preferences from the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA)  of 98 and the  Defense Authorization Act of FY 98  have been summarized and posted on the R1 FSWeb site for use by all personnel offices, co-lateral DEPMs, and Veterans.

A report of R1 workforce data on Veterans and Disabled Veterans was prepared and distributed in October 1999 to increase awareness of this group and establish some baseline figures for monitoring.  This data will be shared just before Veterans Day to focus awareness and appreciation on this group of employees.  

OPM's revised booklet VETGUIDE about Veterans and the Civil Service was reproduced locally and shared with all field, co-lateral DEPMs to prepare them to counsel with employees or applicants who are disabled Veterans.  This resource is also posted on the R1 FSWeb site along with the VetsInfo Guide, also prepared by OPM.   Copies of both of these are also located in our applicant area where vacancies are posted for public access.

OPM's Federal Employment Info Line flyer #3 on Veterans' Preference is prominently displayed in general employment information areas so that applicants may take one if they choose. 

R1 maintains a disability advisory group of employees including a disabled veteran to advise management of needs and issues and to develop guidance and program assistance.  This group became a Pathfinders chapter in FY 98.  One of the current officers of the R1 Pathfinders Chapter is a disabled veteran who is dedicated to increasing opportunities for hiring and advancement. 

Pacific Southwest Research Station

Recruitment efforts are maintained through cooperation with agency recruitment and recruitment initiatives, involving disability employment programs, disabled veterans and special emphasis employee groups, veterans organizations, veterans employment services of the Department of Labor, State and local employment agencies, the Department of Veterans Affairs, organizations fostering the employment of disabled people, and other Federal Agencies.  Disabled veterans currently make up 1.0% of the PSW Station's total workforce.

Regional Special Emphasis Program Manager for Persons with Disabilities (PWD SEPM), Human Resource Team Coach, R-5 Pathfinders Chair and two officers, and Regional Universal Accessibility Coordinator continued R-5 Alignment Efforts for Persons with Disabilities in FY 1999.

R-5 PWD SEPM continues to maintain a close working relationship with the Ron Toroni, who is a member of the Secretary's Advisory Committee for Persons with Disabilities to share information pertinent to Disabled Veterans and Persons with Disabilities.   

Alaska Region

Recruitment efforts included maintaining contact with local Job Service offices, the Office of Personnel
Management, and the State Vocational Rehabilitation Division, through phone calls and responses to vacancy announcements.  The Chugach National Forest utilizes the CARS Center, who works with veterans to identify employment opportunities.

In addition to normal employee development and training processes, efforts to promote internal recruitment included the Chugach National Forest using their skills bank in conjunction with the recently created Region's skills bank to provide counseling for advancement. 

FOCUS and CULPRITS reports were pulled and analyzed throughout the year to monitor the Region's activity.  Additionally, an overview of applicants received for our vacancy announcements was conducted to determine effectiveness of outreach efforts.

The Region continues to dialogue with members of disabled veterans organizations and the Department of Veterans Affairs to foster a working relationship and to identify opportunities for cooperation.

OPM's VETERANS GUIDE and other information retrieved from the internet, was made available to interested employees.

All disabled veterans employees have received their WGI's as scheduled. 

Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS)

The Rocky Mountain Research Station has consistently used the Office of Personnel Management Bulletin Board as a recruitment tool for ensuring our announcements reach the greatest number of people.  We also work with the Department of Veterans Affairs in Denver, Colorado.  The RMRS Leadership Team has recently expanded it's efforts by requiring that an outreach process be followed before an announcement is done.  The outreach targets all under-represented groups, including disabled veterans. 

The Rocky Mountain Research Station has seen an increase in the number of candidates applying for our positions because of advertising through the Office of Personnel Management Bulletin Board.  More applicants are able to access our vacancies through the internet address usajobs.opm.gov.  In 1999, the Station had three (3) permanent disabled veterans on our roles.

Northeastern  Area for  State and Private Forestry and Northeastern  Research Station

Contact with the Veterans Services Desks of the local state employment agency offices continued to be the primary method used to help identify, recruit, and appoint veterans with disabilities; in particular those rated by the Department of Veterans Affairs at 30 percent or more disabled.  In addition, copies of specific vacancy announcements or other employment opportunities were forwarded to internet addresses of a variety of veterans organizations, locally and nationally.  Personal or telephone contacts were made with representatives of local Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (Philadelphia, PA; Coatesville, PA; and Wilmington, DE), and Regional Offices and Insurance Centers (Philadelphia, PA), as well as local veterans organizations such as the Disabled Veterans (DAV), American Legion, and Paralyzed Veteran Association (PVA).  Vacancy announcements were also forwarded to local trades and technical schools with a heavy student population that are veterans.