The Air Force is offering a second round of voluntary early retirement authority and voluntary separation incentive pay beginning Jan. 9.

The move is part of the Air Force's continuing effort to meet the Department of Defense requirement to maintain civilian funding at fiscal 2010 levels

"The Air Force recognizes the invaluable contributions of our civilian workforce, but also recognizes the fiscal constraints under which the Department of Defense and the government as a whole are operating," said Maj. Gen. Sharon Dunbar, the director of force management policy. "We are working to balance mission needs while taking care to minimize the effect on our current permanent civilian workforce and their families."

The first round of VERA/VSIP was used as a voluntary means to reduce civilian workforce levels, enabling strategic rebalancing efforts. As the Air Force continues its fiscal 2012 civilian workforce restructure, round two of VERA/VSIP will be used to further realign and rebalance the civilian force.

Civilian employees will receive VERA/VSIP eligibility surveys from their personnel managers in January and applications are due Feb. 3 or an earlier date established by local authorities. Applicants approved for this round of VERA/VSIP will need to separate on or before April 30.

"We are pursuing all available force management measures, to include civilian hiring controls, where required, with the goal of avoiding involuntary measures for our current permanent workforce," Dunbar said.

In August, the Air Force instituted a 90-day hiring freeze that was lifted as an Air Force-wide control Dec. 16. Hiring controls remain in effect in some areas and vary by major command, depending on current MAJCOM strength relative to approved funding levels. Of the positions already identified for elimination, many were vacant, and the freeze created additional vacancies. By lifting the Air Force-wide freeze, MAJCOM managers and hiring officials will be able to hire personnel into vacant positions that remain to support the future Air Force mission.

For any information about civilian employment, voluntary separation programs and other personnel issues, visit the secure Air Force Personnel Service website at https://gum-crm.csd.disa.mil.

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