by Daniel P. Elkins
Air Force Personnel, Services and Manpower Public Affairs
11/12/2010 - RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) -- Personnel officials from the Air Force Reserve Command and the Air Force Personnel Center met here Oct. 26 through 28 to begin steps in reducing the timeline of the hiring process for air reserve technicians, or ARTs.
Leaders from AFRC and AFPC met with civilian force integration officials to identify present challenges, assess performance gaps and set goals for reducing the hiring process by 50 percent. Their efforts also are intended to tackle a 15-percent ART vacancy rate.
An ART is a full-time federal civil service employee who serves in a position that requires an active Reserve assignment in a Reserve unit. ARTs account for approximately 14 percent of Air Force Reserve Command personnel but make up 70 percent of the command's full-time staff. Traditional reservists make up 80 percent of AFRC, while civilian employees represent the remaining 6 percent.
Officials at AFPC and at Headquarters AFRC have worked diligently to identify issues in ART hiring and are working hard as a team to reduce processing times over the next few months.
"ARTs are responsible for training our traditional reservists and ensuring they remain proficient in their core jobs and wartime skills," said Col. Michael McCully, director of AFRC Manpower, Personnel and Services at Robins Air Force Base, Ga. "Our technicians also maintain day-to-day continuity in their units. Vacancies in our ART force affect unit readiness, so being able to bring ARTs on duty sooner will increase Air Force mission capabilities and improve unit morale throughout the command."
Officials are closely examining each step of the process as well as the "handoffs" between the command and AFPC to make the overall hiring procedure more efficient.
"The intent of this review is to eliminate bottlenecks and clarify requirements for each step in the hiring process," said Michelle LoweSolis, the director for force integration at AFPC. "Not only will this bring critical assets on duty more quickly, it will help stem any cascading effects."
The review comes as Air Force officials move to implement a single staffing tool through USAJOBS beginning Nov. 15 that will move the service closer to an 80-day hiring process initiative directed by the president earlier this year. USAJOBS will allow both internal and external candidates to apply through www.usajobs.gov from which a single referral list will be generated for hiring managers.
AFRC leaders also have set their sights on that 80-day target, hoping to cut the current 166-day average by more than half. Officials hope to shave much of time in each step of the hiring process while also streamlining "handoffs" between each step.
Members from both AFPC and AFRC have formed a team to perform an ART value stream map analysis that will continue the review process. The team will review its progress with senior leaders in early January to ensure success.
To learn more about Reserve technician positions, visit the AFRC website at www.afrc.af.mil.
Comments
11/15/2010 2:39:18 PM ET Any ART who is putting their own career ahead of their unit is a disgrace to the program and a disgrace to the Air Force. ARTs are supposed to create support and maintain unit readiness and cohesion. They should be elbow deep in ensuring that every traditional member of their unit is equipped with the tools to make the most out of their Air Force career. Additionally I am an ART and I agree with wear of the uniform. I do think there needs to be a way to distinguish an ARTs' status be it civilian or military by way of some sort of patch like an occupational badge or something simply because there are some things that we are not allowed to do by law when we are in civilian status. As for those that hold their allegiance to the union ahead of the Air Force they need to remember that the core values of Integrity First Service BEFORE self and Excellence in ALL we do apply around the clock not just when we are in military status.
Timothy, Whiteman AFB MO
11/13/2010 7:38:28 PM ET One more note here that the ARTs or technicians are the classic example of someone who has two often conflicting chains of command. One of the most fundamental rules of military units is that we should have only one clear chain of command. That is the problem that Mandinka cogently points out.
Charles Phillips LtCol USAF Retired, Houston Texas
11/13/2010 11:01:08 AM ET Unfortunately, I must agree with Mandinka. As a long time Reserve IMA and a Texas ANG member, very often the ARTs and technicians are there for their own careers. The unit takes a back seat. Training is for the full time people and leftover slots go to the traditional force. We should realize that they are civil service and they should NOT be military members of the units.
Charles Phillips LtCol USAF Retired, Houston Texas
11/12/2010 9:55:28 PM ET Time to make the wear of uniforms manditory for ARTS. For some reason they think they work for the union 1st and the AF 2nd. Time to stop babying them
