Page 1 - Edwards AFB Desert Wings 11-25-15

Volume 63, Number 22 Serving the community of Edwards Air Force Base, California November 25, 2015

www.edwards.af.mil – www.facebook.com/edwardsairforcebase

Civilian workforce updated at commander’s calls

by Rebecca Amber ly two-thirds of the test wing Air Force photograph by Rebecca Amber
Staff writer population is paid in the Contri-
bution-based Compensation and Brig. Gen. Carl Schaefer, 412th Test Wing commander, addresses civilian employees at a civilian call held at the
Three commander’s calls were Appraisal System (CCAS), also base theater Nov. 19. Schaefer held three sessions to ensure all civilian employees had the opportunity to attend.
held Nov. 19 at the base theater known as AcqDemo. The re-
to give updates to Edwards’ civil- maining personnel fall under the Schaefer add that he “loves eral appropriation bills that need In fact, Schaefer believes that
ian workforce and to address any federal wage system and general AcqDemo. I love the way it com- to be signed before that date in- Edwards will see population
questions or concerns that civil- schedule. municates to our workforce and I cluding the National Defense growth because the Air Force
ian employees may have. love being able to be transparent Authorization Act. Schaefer is has plans to spend $200 billion
The Air Force Test Center with folks.” FRQ¿GHQWJRLQJLQWRWKHKROLGD\V to modernize the Air Force over
Three sessions were held to plans to convert approximately that the bills will either be passed the next 10-15 years.
ensure all civilians who wanted an additional 13,000 people to One thing employees don’t or another continuing resolution
to attend got the chance. They all AcqDemo next year according to need to worry about according to will be enacted. President Barack F-15s, F16s and A-10s are
had one recurring theme: “Every- Wheaton. Schaefer is a government shut- Obama also signed a bipartisan all old and hard to sustain. KC-
one is of value and deserves to be down or furlough this year. The budget bill providing two years 135s, B-52s, have not undergone
treated that way.” He emphasized two main topics current continuing resolution ex- of stable funding.
within the salary control points. pires Dec. 11 and there are sev- See CIVILIAN, Page 4
Those words were spoken by First, they give visibility into how
Brig. Gen. Carl Schaefer, 412th compensation is managed. They
Test Wing commander, which offer a new ability to know how
came in the midst of questions pay pool managers and supervi-
about AcqDemo salary control sors are assessing personnel con-
SRLQWVGXULQJWKH¿UVWVHVVLRQ tributions. The other is that this
will ensure that all pay pools have
David Wheaton, 412th Test the same established rules for sal-
Wing technical director, joined ary control points.
Schaefer on the stage to answer
some of the questions surround- If an individual is at or near
ing the control points, which went their salary control point, Whea-
into effect Oct. 1 for employees ton hopes it will motivate per-
on the Acquisition Demonstration sonnel to talk to their supervisors
pay program. about the next step in their career.

“It should be your favorite “Salary control point is not
subject, it’s a good thing,” said about the person, it’s about the
Wheaton adding that the control job that you hold. What we do as
points are here to stay. supervisors and pay pool manag-
ers, we analyze the position and
All compensation manage- the contribution potential for that
ment systems control salaries, position,” said Wheaton. “That
said Wheaton. There are always salary control point is a salary
rules that are developed to have that’s commensurate with the
a graduated series of compensa- maximum level that you can ex-
tion levels. In AcqDemo, there pect to contribute to the test wing,
are additional capabilities such test center and the Air Force in
as expedited hiring. that position. That’s what it really
represents. It does not represent
According to Michelle Lovato, the person that’s in that position.”
412th Force Support Squadron
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Tis’ the season for STEM volunteering

by Rebecca Amber and Kenji Thuloweit his lead in volunteering to do STEM outreach in the Antelope QHHGWRKDYHDQ\VSHFL¿FVHWRIVNLOOVMXVWDGHVLUHWRZRUN
412th Test Wing Public Affairs Valley. with students and a passion for STEM.

The U.S. Air Force recognizes the critical role that Science, The STEM initiative at Edwards reaches out to K-12 stu- Opportunities for volunteers range from judging robotics
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education plays in dents in the Antelope Valley and is expanding to Helendale, competitions, attending career fairs and guest speaking in lo-
enabling the U.S. to remain the economic and technological San Diego and UCLA according to Blanco. Volunteers do not cal classrooms. One up-coming robotics competition is Dec.
leader of the global marketplace, and enabling the Department 12 and will require judges, referees and security personnel.
of Defense and Air Force in the security of the nation. All volunteers will receive training for the job.

Being the world’s greatest Air Force is not a birthright; the Blanco is also looking for volunteers for the, “UAV Chal-
force has technical workforce challenges to overcome with lenge” slated for June 13-17, 2016, where students will com-
declining “homegrown” talent from the U.S. educational sys- pete with hexacopters.
tem and world-wide competition for STEM talent.
According to Blanco, active duty and DOD civilian em-
One of the ways Edwards sustains its heritage of techno- ployees can use a limited number of duty hours for STEM
logical superiority is through STEM-related programs that volunteer efforts with supervisor approval.
inspire current and future generations of young people to
SXUVXHFDUHHUVLQ67(0¿HOGV “If you take three hours of your time during work, those
three hours will be paid to you; you don’t have to take them
Humberto Blanco, 412th Plans and Programs deputy direc- as leave, or sick leave. They will be accounted for as part of
tor, took on the volunteer role of STEM coordinator for the your duty hours,” said Blanco.
base last May. Now, he’s asking others at Edwards to follow
The most urgent need right now, according to Blanco, is to

See STEM, Page 6