ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY

Army civilians are playing a vital role in building the Army of 2030, Army leaders said Oct. 11. 

“We cannot afford to lose sight of the efforts required to recruit the necessary skill sets and personnel to maintain robust career paths [for Army civilians], guarantee immediate and long-term readiness and construct the Army of 2030 in the face of adversity,” Agnes Schaefer, assistant secretary of the Army for manpower and reserve affairs, said during an Army civilian showcase at the Association of the U.S. Army’s 2023 Annual Meeting and Exposition. 

As the Army modernizes to build the force of 2030, the service’s civilian corps will also transform by changing the way it recruits, develops and retains the best talent needed to support the warfighter, a senior Army civilian said.

Agnes Schaefer, assistant secretary of the Army for manpower and reserve affairs, said modernization of the Army’s civilian policies, processes and systems will be a top priority for her as “we work to build the Army of 2030 and beyond.”

The Association of the U.S. Army is hosting a ceremony May 4 recognizing 10 Army civilian employees for exceptional performance.

Held in conjunction with Public Service Recognition Week, the “Honoring Army Civilians” ceremony at AUSA’s Arlington, Virginia, headquarters will feature Agnes Schaefer, assistant Army secretary for manpower and reserve affairs.

During the event, Schaefer will honor 10 Army civilians—five will be recognized in person while the other five will be recognized by video.

The Army is assessing its branding and marketing strategy as it works to recruit and retain talented job seekers to serve as civilian employees, according to a recent study.

The Rand Corp. study titled “Improving the Department of the Army’s Marketing for Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention of Civilians in Critical Occupations” found a lack of awareness of Army civilian opportunities. That lack of awareness is of “ fundamental importance,” the report says.

The Army is moving toward modernizing talent management for its civilian corps, drawing on lessons learned from programs for soldiers and focusing on what it means to be a civilian leader in the 21st century, a senior Army leader said.

As the Army continues to modernize, it’s more important than ever that the service’s civilian employees keep pace with the right skills to support a force capable of multidomain operations.

“If you're an Army civilian, what I'll tell you is readiness is not all about Army units that are trained, equipped and manned to fight battles,” said Christopher Lowman, senior official performing the duties of Army undersecretary. “Army readiness applies to you and I just as much, because you play a critical role in developing the Army and making sure that they'll be successful.”

As the Army rolls out talent management initiatives across the force, it is also launching a sweeping plan to build a better future for its civilian workforce, senior leaders said. 

“People bring unique gifts to the Army,” E. Casey Wardynski, assistant secretary of the Army for manpower and reserve affairs, said Oct. 14 during an Army civilian forum at AUSA Now, the Association of the U.S. Army’s 2020 virtual annual meeting.

“And we want to put them in career fields where they have the maximum potential,” he said.

The Army needs talented civilians, and it should streamline how it brings them into the force, panelists said Oct. 16 during a forum at the Association of the U.S. Army’s Annual Meeting and Exposition.

"We need to shorten the hiring time and improve the acquisition of talent," said Carol Burton, director of the Civilian Human Resources Agency for the Army deputy chief of staff for personnel. Noting that the hiring process for civilians typically takes 180 days – during which time prospective candidates may go somewhere else – Burton said: "It's time to change."