USTRANSCOM offers Civilian Exchange Development program

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. – Broaden your professional skills.

Enhance your leadership abilities.

Get out of your daily grind, and experience a change of scenery.

Accomplish all this while assuring the U.S. Transportation Command, its components and the Department of Defense that you are truly worthy of the country’s investment in your future.

Sound like a recruiting brochure?

Well, in a way it is, and if you are a GS 12 or GS 13 logistician at USTRANSCOM, Air Mobility Command or Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command read on, for this could be your chance of a lifetime, or at least a chance to broaden your horizons.

USTRANSCOM has partnered with AMC and SDDC to create a local Civilian Exchange Development program.  It offers a unique opportunity to non-supervisory GS 12/13s logisticians for voluntary one-year rotational assignments throughout the commands.

Barry Smithey, USTRANSCOM Strategy, Policy, Programs and Logistics directorate, is the Civilian Exchange Development program manager.

“The pilot program was developed in mid-2012 and announced in December,” Smithey said.  “It is for non-supervisory employees in either logistics or transportation series at GS 12 or 13 grade levels.  After that it is possible the program will open to other functional career fields.”

According to Smithey, many highly qualified employees from USTRANSCOM and the components volunteered and seven were chosen for the initial program. It will run from March 2013 to March 2014. 

Sue Kennedy from USTRANSCOM, Command Control, Communication and Cyber Systems directorate, is one of the participants.  She will be working at SDDC as a logistics management specialist. 

“I volunteered because I wanted to both refresh my logistics and transportation skills and expand my breadth of experience in the logistics and transportation arena,” Kennedy said, “with knowledge of how SDDC solves logistics and transportation issues for the Army.

“My transportation career started in AMC before I took an assignment at USTRANSCOM,” Kennedy continued.  “The exchange program allowed me to complete the circle of knowledge by providing me the opportunity to learn SDDC's way of doing business from the inside. When I return to USTRANSCOM in a year, I will be better able to serve the command with this enhanced understanding.”

Jennifer Meurer, originally from SDDC, likes the challenge of her new position and more.

“I enjoy learning new things, and discovering how everyone's role fits into the ‘big picture,’” Meurer said.  “I believe that working in a completely different environment will not only expand my skill-set, but will also help me realize the significance of my role and how everyone's contributions in USTC and the component commands are genuinely vital in achieving mission success.”          

Michael Clover, AMC air transportation operation specialist, now working at USTRANSCOM Operations and Planning directorate, summed it all up.  “This is a super, once-in-the-lifetime opportunity to learn and grow professionally.”

“Command leadership anticipates another announcement going out in October 2013 for next year's program,” Smithey said.  “All interested/qualified applicants are encouraged to apply when the job announcement is posted on SharePoint, USTRANSCOM Portal, SDDC website and sent out by email at AMC 90 days prior to the current exchange completion.  Announcement will be posted Oct. 1, 2013 for the next exchange.” 

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