Page 2 - Desert Lightning News July 1 2016

2 July 1, 2016 Desert Lightning News
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Training for new civilian performanceFacebook.com/DesertLightningNews
management program now available
ing and rewarding our workforce.”
Tech. Sgt. Bubba Franks Training options include either the six-hour web-based training

Secretary of the Air Force Public A airs Command Information via Joint Knowledge Online, a 14-hour in-resident class, or a com-

WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Educational training is available to ci- bination of the two. Training must be complete for transition into
vilians and their supervisors in advance of the Air Force’s April 2017 DPMAP. e online JKO training is available under course numbers
transition to the new Department of Defense-wide Performance PM101A for part one, and PM101B for part two. While the online
Management and Appraisal Program.
training is available now, employees will receive further information
A phased implementation of DPMAP, part of the DOD’s collabora- when DPMAP training is scheduled for their base.
tive labor-management effort, New Beginnings, began in April 2016 “ e new program will bring some administrative changes, but the
with a limited number of Army, Navy and defense agency civilians. key tenet of our current civilian evaluation system will be retained
Department of the Air Force civilians are part of phase II with -- individual performance will be linked to organizational mission
the first annual appraisal period beginning April 1, 2017, and closing and goals,” James said.
March 31, 2018.
Additional Air Force training related to DPMAP and New Be-
“Our Airmen, including our civilian Airmen, are critical to accom- ginnings, expected in the fall, includes a performance management
plishing the Air Force’s mission,” said Air Force Secretary Deborah coaching program that will provide short, facilitated, interactive

Lee James. “New Beginnings focuses on institutionalizing a culture learning opportunities. Performance management coaching will be

of high performance through greater employee-supervisor commu- implemented in group or individual sessions on topics such as active

nication and accountability, increased employee engagement, trans- listening, holding critical conversations and developing performance

NEWS parent processes, and improved capabilities in recruiting, develop- standards.

Air Force warns Airmen against talking politics on social media

Mitch Shaw ings like campaigning for a But the DOD regulation re- are prohibited from participating
candidate, soliciting donations quires active-duty service mem- in partisan politics.
Hilltop Times correspondent to a particular campaign and bers to go beyond clearly iden-
even wearing a military uniform tifying personal opinions and is year voters will select a
HILL AIR FORC BASE, Utah to a partisan political event have thoughts about politics. new president, along with other
-- In a year that will undoubtedly long been outlawed by the mili- federal, state and local candi-
be headlined by politics both na- tary, Roberts-Davis says in the Service members are not al- dates. Essary said in the state-
tional and local, the Air Force is video. But 21st century ways of lowed to post or link to a specific ment. e Department of De-
warning Airmen to watch what communicating have extended political party, candidate or cause, fense has a longstanding and
they say and how they say it. those same concepts to the on- because in the eyes of the DOD, well-defined policy regarding
line world. those activities are the same as political campaigns and elec-
With the 2016 presidential distributing literature for them. tions to avoid the perception
election just a few months away, Roberts-Davis says active-duty Active-duty members also cannot of DOD sponsorship, approval
the Air Force released an infor- military members are generally al- post, comment on or share the or endorsement of any political
mational video, reminding Air- lowed to express political views on social media pages of candidates candidate, campaign or cause.
men of Department of Defense social media platforms, but there or partisan political organizations
regulations on discussing poli- are several important caveats. because, as Roberts-Davis puts e DOD’s regulations are
tics on social media. it, “such activity would be engag- guided mostly by the Hatch Act, a
“If that social media site, or your ing in partisan political activity federal law passed in 1939 restrict-
In the video, Tech. Sgt. Holly post identifies you as on active- through a medium sponsored or ing certain types of political activ-
Roberts-Davis cites a long-es- duty ... then you must clearly and controlled by those entities.” ity among military members and
tablished DOD directive that prominently state that the views other federal employees. e U.S.
prohibits active-duty military expressed are those of you as an Airmen are encouraged to ful- Office of Special Counsel provid-
members from directly partici- individual only and not those of fill their “civic obligation” to vote, ed updated “guidance” to the act
pating in partisan political activi- the Department of Defense or but in order to avoid the impli- regarding social media activity in
ties, but includes updates as the your service,” Roberts-Davis says. cation of Air Force backing, they 2012 and again in late 2015.
policy relates to social media.

355th FW awarded rst ever Outstanding IG rating
April 15, 2015. e grading scale previously had five tiers and now
Airman 1st Class Mya M. Crosby has three: ineffective, effective and outstanding.

355th Fighter Wing Public A airs e ACC IG team examined the 355th Fighter Wing on its mis-
sion readiness and effectiveness in order to ensure the wing’s ca-
DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- e Air Com- pability to accomplish its mission to deploy, employ, support and
bat Command Inspector General team gave the 355th Fighter sustain attack airpower in support of combatant commanders any-
Wing an Outstanding rating during a Unit Effectiveness Inspection where in the world at a moment’s notice.
Capstone, April 25-29.
“We brought a team out here from ACC IG to validate all the
is is the first time a unit in the Air Force has received an out-
standing rating since the new grading scale was put into motion See IG, Page 7