We'll need more than stars brightly shining to get to the bottom of what's going on inside the Interior Department….

Let's start with today's Washington Post in which Al Kamen reports that former DOI #2, Steven Griles, who has left to do, what else, lobby (in the early days of the Clinton administration, didn't we pass new rules requiring at least the appearance of a waiting period for such departures?)  was apparently the guest of his former boss, DOI Secretary Gale Norton at the agency's Christmas party (shouldn't that be Holiday Party?)  Although one could infer from Al's column that Griles' friend Jack Abramoff lobbies for the crack industry, perhaps he meant that Abramoff is a darned-good lobbyist.  But since the latter doesn't seem to be true anymore, perhaps the former is more likely.  We digress….
The point is that Griles is in some hot water over contacts he's had with Abramoff concerning gambling and four Native American tribes ….
How many of you at Interior rushed to wish him well, or ask after his friends?

Then there are  reports that have appeared on The Forum and elsewhere about the National Park Service and what appear to be nothing short of loyalty oaths to the Bush agenda required of NPS middle managers? 

Further, as reported by PEER (Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility):

Paul Hoffman who spent the last 10 yeears running the Arabian Horse…..sorry, the Cody Chamber of Commerce (Wyoming), is described as one of a “network of former aides and cronies” that VP DCheney has emedded “throughout the federal bureaaucracy.”  Hoffman recently rewrote the complete book of “National Park Service management policies.”  According to PEER founder and Executive Director, Jeff Ruch, “Hoffman's draft would gut the conservation mission of the Park Service….”

More insidious: Hoffman struck every reference to “evolution” in the document.  No more “naturally evolving ecosystems” or “naturally evolutionary processes.” 

Maybe he's running for school board.

Re: The Best and The Brightest
by Joe at 02:18AM (EST) on Dec 13, 2005
I would recommend the government service in the DOD.

Of course the new graduates won’t be in the old personnel system long enough to get used to it, but the new system is different in some important aspects relating to the new graduates future.

If the new graduates understand the differences and compensate for them then they will be protected as well as they can be.

The new personnel system is designed to reward the new employees. This is good – for a few years, but when the new employees get into their 40’s they will find no protections for them in a RIF. A younger, more ambitious employee could displace them thus eliminating their eligibility for a civil service retirement.

The strategy for cushioning the mid career displacement is simple: invest in the TSP as much as possible to obtain the matching funds. The TSP is portable and will go with them to their next career or be used for living expenses.

Salaries in the NSPS will be set by the Secretary of Defense. Projecting any future earning capacity will be very difficult as salaries will be subject to budgetary and market conditions as well other agendas established by the executive branch. Here again the strategy is to invest in the TSP heavily to compensate for reduced income, displacement, or reduced retirement.

The new personnel system in the DOD will very likely require employees to travel to distant places or where ever they are needed to accomplish the mission. This is to be expected so one should be prepared to go where one is needed. There may be a mobility agreement to sign either upon employment or at a later time.

Some will say that the present personnel system may require mobility agreements just as the NSPS will, but there is an important difference. A refused assignment in the NSPS could result in termination within 15 days. New employees and older employees should learn the system and know their responsibilities and options before they are required to make a decision regarding their assignments.

Those are just a few of the changes new employees will see as they enter their federal career in the NSPS. If they do manage to stay competitive with other employees of all ages, and if their skills do not fade over a 40 year span then they may reach retirement.

They will have a more interesting and perhaps more exciting career than the career that I have had. If I were a young graduate I would understand the risks and take the chances.

It would be a rewarding career however long it may last.