Third round of early retirements, buyouts coming to Air Force civilians

By Nicole Ogrysko
Federal News Radio

The Air Force will offer a third round of early retirement and buyouts to civilian employees starting June 15.

Service officials said they will use voluntary early retirement authority (VERA) and voluntary separation incentive pay (VSIP) programs to realign civilian staff, mostly at Air Force headquarters.

“The Air Force is committed to using voluntary separation programs as much as possible before pursuing involuntary options,” Debra Warner, director of Air Force civilian force policy, said in a release.

Reductions are part of a Defense Department order to trim headquarters spending and staff by 20 percent from 2015- 19. The Air Force, though, said it would exceed DoD’s directive, and most of the cuts would come within the first year.

“Our civilians are an integral part of our force, and their contributions are instrumental in our mission success,” Warner added. “Our challenge, in a fiscally constrained environment, is to maintain the ready and capable civilian force today and a modern workforce tomorrow.”

Air Force officials said this third round of the VERA/VSIP program is the last one for this fiscal year.

Civilian employees will likely receive interest surveys from their local civilian personnel sections starting June 15. Responses are due June 26, unless CPSs specify an earlier date. Anyone approved for an early retirement or buyout must leave their positions no later than Sept. 30, the release said.

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