In its continuing effort to meet the Defense Department requirement to maintain civilian manning at fiscal 2010 levels, the Air Force is offering a third round of Voluntary Early Retirement Authority and Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment beginning May 1.

"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. "Our civilian workforce is near required target levels, and we're focused on fine tuning the force while taking care to minimize the effect on our current permanent civilian workforce and their families."

As the Air Force continues the fiscal 2012 civilian workforce restructure, round three of VERA/VSIP will be used to further realign and rebalance the civilian force. In addition, the Defense Civilian Personnel Advisory Service has granted a temporary waiver exception to the Priority Placement Program to expand the use of VSIP across installations. The Air Force Personnel Center will be providing additional details to the Civilian Personnel Sections on the waiver criteria.

Civilian employees will receive VERA/VSIP eligibility surveys from their local CPSs May 1, and applications are due the week of May 14 or an earlier date established by local authorities. Applicants approved for this round of VERA/VSIP will need to separate no later than Aug. 31.

"We are committed to maximizing voluntary separation measures to preclude involuntary actions," Dunbar said. "However, as we progress toward the end of the fiscal year, it is apparent some bases will need to rebalance the skills of their workforce into other enduring positions."

The processes available to rebalance or re-skill the work force include using reduction-in-force procedures to determine employee placements rights into enduring vacancies as well as providing the flexibility to waive qualifications for more placements. In that regard, the bases will begin their preparations for submitting their requests for approval to use RIF procedures so as to have their employees realigned to the continuing positions by Sept. 30.