Command champion committed to smooth NSPS transition Published May 10, 2005 SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- One of the most significant changes to the Department of Defense personnel system in 27 years, the National Security Personnel System, is approaching implementation. To make the transition to NSPS as smooth as possible, the Air Mobility Command commander has appointed a command champion for AMC.Brenda Romine, a Senior Executive Service employee with more than 25 years of federal service, is AMCs NSPS command champion.According to Gen. John W. Handy, AMC commander, he selected Ms. Romine because she knows the system, the workforce, and cares enough to guide AMC through the critical transition period. She is also dedicated to doing everything she can to see the new program succeed.As command champion, my commitment is to push for as seamless a transition as possible and to provide timely information so our employees and their supervisors, those with a vested interest in the program, can stay fully engaged, said Ms. Romine.Since the implementation will affect approximately 13,000 employees across the command, keeping employees informed can seem like a daunting task. But Ms. Romine feels strongly its something AMC will do, and do well.Ive established an executive steering committee, with members from multiple AMC headquarters divisions and 18th Air Force, to effectively deal with issues as theyre raised, she said. But we must remember that this is a long process.Scheduled for implementation over a course of 18 months, the labor relations piece of NSPS Phase I will involve all AMC units. However, the 22nd Air Refueling Wing at McConnell AFB, Kan., will be the first AMC wing to transition to the new pay for performance provisions of NSPS. McConnell is currently scheduled to convert to the new system in July. After that, other AMC bases are slated for January or June 2006.Ms. Romines team expects a lot of questions from employees about the transition from the current 50-plus-year-old personnel system. To meet the demand for information, the team has established an AMC Web site, https://private.amc.af.mil/nsps/, with a question-and-answer section and an e-mail link, amc.nsps@scott.af.mil, for anyone who has questions not addressed on the Web site. The questions go straight to Ms. Romine and her staff.We are working hard to quickly answer the questions as they come in, said Ms. Romine. And if we dont have an answer, well find the person who does.She went on to emphasize that NSPS implementation not only requires her people to get the information out, but requires employees and supervisors to prepare by staying informed.Both employees and supervisors need to establish an active dialog about how their jobs relate to the mission, she said. This is a key part of the pay for performance piece of NSPS.The intent of pay for performance is to attract, develop, retain and reward high-performing employees. The proposed pay system will provide more flexibility with pay increases based on performance and contribution, rather than longevity. Larger increases can go to outstanding performers, while unacceptable performers would not receive an increase.Ms. Romine emphasized that no one will have a pay decrease simply as a result of the conversion to NSPS. Of note, said Ms. Romine, is that raises and incentives will be based on performance reports, underscoring the need for the active dialog between the employees and supervisors.Another part of NSPS is pay banding. Pay bands will replace the General Schedule structure of grades and steps with broad salary ranges. When implemented, pay banding will simplify job classification and provide managers the flexibility to assign work in response to changing mission requirements and new technologies. In pay banding, positions are grouped into broad career groups and pay schedules, based on the level and nature of work, mission, career patterns and competencies.There are many changes heading our way, and I can relate to the uncertainties. Like many of our AMC employees, Ive worked under the current system throughout my career. Its the only personnel system I know. Its been only recently that the Senior Executive Service converted to a pay for performance system, she said. It can be a frightening thing because its new and its different, and because the changes are affecting more than just how we classify positions and hire new employees. The new changes will now affect the future of someones pay, and that will always give way to increased tension and employee angst until the employee is trained on the new system.But, she added, the time for change is now.The current personnel system is cumbersome and archaic, she said. NSPS brings with it flexibility for the Department of Defense, which is facing new threats and challenges that the current system cant adapt to.Ms. Romine also pointed out that AMC has an aging workforce, and NSPS will allow the command to be more competitive as an employer to attract new employees for tomorrows challenges.Well be able to reward and retain high-performing people in the work force as well as make us more competitive with the private sector in hiring certain skills, she said. Do we have a lot of work to do to get ready? Yes. Can we make the transition a successful one? Absolutely. My team and I, as well as the other senior leaders in AMC, are committed to helping the workforce in our command have a successful transition. Air Mobility Command News Service is a service of the Internal Division Office of Public Affairs 503 Ward Drive, Room 214 Scott Air Force Base, Illinois 62225-5335 618-229-7821