More JBER questions answered during town hall

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ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  The following questions were asked at recent town hall meeting and they center on the upcoming Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson intiative.

Q. What if the current Army grade is not supported by Air Force?

A. Army and Air Force, as well as all other federal agencies, use the same classification standards. Duties performed in an Army position would normally be classified at the same grade if those same duties were performed in the Air Force.
Joint Installation Office Functional Working Groups have been tasked to review their merged organization, position by position to identify potential grade disparities for the Air Force Manpower Agency to review post FOC. Issues regarding classification disparity would need to be addressed by AFMA as that is the organization responsible for classification in the Air Force.

Q. Typically, some tasks are performed at a lower grade level in the Air Force than the Army, how will this affect us?

A. We know that, in some cases, there is an appearance that some positions in Air Force are a lower grade than what seems to be a like position in Army or vice versa. Since Army and Air Force use the same classification standards, it is likely that there are some differences in the full scope of work or level of responsibility for one position compared to the other. We are currently in the process of reviewing the organizations to identify these situations.

Q. What if an Army person and an Air Force person are doing the same job in different series and the Army person doesn't qualify for the series the Air Force uses?

A. There are times when the duties of a position can be done under more than one classification series. If we have a situation where the Army employee and the Air Force employee are in different series and essentially doing the same duties, it will likely be possible to continue with the two employees in different series. We are currently in the process of reviewing the organizations to identify these situations. More information will be provided later.

Q. Will the position description cover sheet remain in the employee's file the entire time he/she works for the Air Force or will it be subject to Air Force updating within the next evaluation period by the employee's supervisor?

A. The cover sheet added to the Army employee's position description at transfer to JBER is only a sheet that adds the Air Force specific information for the Army position description. This cover sheet will stay with the position description in the organization files at the Air Force Manpower Agency for the position that is transferred to JBER. As in any organization, it is possible that jobs will need to be changed over time.

Q. Is there any plan to review the grade of the JBER positions (e.g., Army position is GS-11 and Air Force position is GS-09)?

A. There is no plan to have such a review at this time. However, Joint Installation Office Functional Working Groups have been tasked to review their merged organization, position by position to identify potential grade disparities for the Air Force Manpower Agency to review post FOC. Issues regarding classification disparity would need to be addressed by AFMA as that is the organization responsible for classification in the Air Force.

Q. Will the Army Non-Appropriated Fund employees keep the amount of Cost of Living Allowance they get now?

A. The agreement is that Army NAF NF-3 and above employees will be brought over without a loss in pay. The salary of the Army NAF employee will be increased when they transfer to JBER by the amount of COLA they were receiving prior to transfer. Example: If the Army employee is making $10 per hour in base pay and 23 percent COLA, their pay will be set at $12.30 per hour when they transfer to JBER. From that point on, the employees (now Air Force employees) will receive the Air Force annual cost-of-living increases and pay adjustments based on performance but no non-foreign COLA.

Q. By adding COLA to base pay, we are losing pay because of taxes. Is there any way to increase the COLA amount being added?

A. No, there is not.

Q. If we are a regular full-time, 40-hour-per-week employee, will we be guaranteed 40 hours per week once we go to the joint base?

A. Yes. The JBER MOA states that the "supporting and supported Component NAF employees shall transfer to JBER with the same guaranteed hours they have at FOC." Changes may occur through attrition or actions based on Business Based Action principles.

Q. What will happen to the Army NAF personnel who are reimbursed with appropriated funds? Will these positions become Appropriated Fund (GS)?

A. Currently the plan is to transfer the Uniform Funding Management positions which are reimbursed by appropriated funds to JBER as is--meaning if you are currently NAF, you will be NAF after transfer. This is still being reviewed and could possibly change. There is more to come on this later.

Q. Will NAF employees have to compete for the jobs with outsiders?

A. NAF employees will transfer to JBER in their current positions.

Q. When will we receive specific information on Air Force NAF benefits?

A. We plan on having a Benefits Town Hall meeting for NAF employees (possibly around the April/May 2010 timeframe).

Q. What happens to Army NAF employees who are on leave without pay when we transfer?

A. They will be transferred to JBER and become an Air Force employee.