In the Global War On Terrorism, Department of the Army Civilians (DAC) continue to meet all challenges in supporting the Army. It is with great pride that the Association of the United States Army serves as the torchbearer for programs and actions that will enhance the capabilities of these selfless individuals who make such essential, but often unrecognized, contributions to national security.

The need for strong civilian personnel programs continues to increase with the Global War on Terrorism. Army civilians have assumed managerial positions traditionally assigned to military personnel and have deployed in large numbers. They comprise much of the Army’s sustaining base, performing complex functions in critical fields such as contracting, logistics, research and development, and health care. On many installations, Army civilians perform functions directly related to readiness and Quality of Life for Soldiers and their families. A high quality civilian work force is essential to Army readiness. In order to meet current and future Army requirements, innovative methods must be used to recruit, train and retain a quality workforce.

During the downsizing in the 1990s, virtually all college recruitment, internships, cooperative education, etc., were dramatically curtailed or halted, thereby, adversely affecting recruitment of a quality workforce. The average age of Army civilians continues to rise with a large number eligible to retire. The impact of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) has the potential to increase this exodus. There is an urgent need to continue to hire, train and develop qualified replacements.

The current system (Title 5, United States Code) under which the civilian workforce is administered and managed is bureaucratic, outdated, and hinders the Army’s ability to compete with the private sector for high quality employees. Ensuring the implementation of the National Security Personnel System provides the Army the ability to hire quickly, deploy rapidly, train, develop and retain a quality civilian workforce without infringing on workers rights. Reforms must be implemented for DAC and Military Technicians deploying into Imminent Danger Areas.

WE THEREFORE RESOLVE to urge the Administration and Congress to:

• Move to close the pay comparability gap between Department of the Army civilians and the private sector
  
  
• Support legislation that provides the same percentage of annual pay increases for DA civilians as for military personnel
  
  
• Ensure compensation is adequate to employ and retain DAC deployed in an imminent danger area
  
  
• Provide low cost life insurance for the length of deployment in an imminent danger area equitable to the military’s Serviceman’s Group Life Insurance (SGLI)
  
  
• Increase death gratuity payment for DAC to $100,000 comparable to that of the Soldiers they are working alongside
  
  
• Increase the Federal Employee Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) coverage for the length of mobilization when DAC personnel are called to active duty
  
  
• Provide Pay equity to DAC personnel mobilized in an imminent danger area as a member of the Reserve Component
  
  
• Provide the same tax breaks to deployed DAC personnel that mobilized Soldiers receive and extend income and estate tax treatment to survivors of deployed civilian employees in the same manner as that afforded to survivors of service members
  
  
• Support and fund the continuation of separation incentives and early retirement options in reshaping the civilian workforce
  
  
• Fund accession programs to include the student loan repayments which serve as an incentive to fill critical occupational specialties and fully fund recruiting and retention initiatives to sustain a high quality civilian work force
  
  
• Support legislation that would eliminate the Government Pension Offset and Social Security Windfall Elimination Provision for Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) retirees
  
  
• Enact legislation to allow federal annuitants to use pre-tax earnings to pay their share of health insurance premiums
  
  
• Fully fund DAC personnel end strength requirements
  
  
• Allow Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) employees to redeem unused sick leave at retirement
  
  
• Amend the Federal Workforce Flexibility Act of 2004 (PL 108-411), Section 301, to reverse the monetary loss for DACs who converted from Wage Grade to General Schedule positions