We have received feedback from the personnel at Tinker AFB that converted on 1 May

							VOL 06-11                                                                                        6 Nov 06




 CIVILIAN PERSONNEL NEWS
                          INCLUDED IN THIS ISSUE:
                          RETIREMENT SEMINARS, NSPS, LEAVE ISSUES,
                          HEALTH FAIR AND MORE


TO SERVE YOU BETTER…
        WE REQUEST ALL CUSTOMERS CALL AHEAD AND MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
                                                PETERSON CIVILIAN
                    THE SECTION TELEPHONE NUMBERS ARE LISTED BELOW: PAY
                                             https://www.peterson.af.mil/21sw/21cpts/civpay.htm
 STAFFING ........... 556-8050    WORKFORCE EFFECTIVENESS………556-4737 Room 2009 -
                                                                            nd
                                                      Located in Bldg 350, 2 Floor,
 CLASSIFICATION……556-5729        NATIONAL SECURITY PERSONNEL SYS……556-8287
                                                          Hours: 0830-1530 Monday - Friday
                                                                   DSN: 834-4765/4766 Comm: 719-556-
To verify employment and salaries, you as an                                     765/4766
employee must log into the Work Number website                        https://mypay.dfas.mil/
                         THE WEB?
WHERE IS PETERSON CPF ONWith MyPay you can:Information
below and register to have your personal information
released. Please do not give the Civilian Personnel
                        *Change Direct Deposit                                            *Change Address
Office phone number to loan or mortgage companies,
lenders, etc., as we cannot release any employment     *Change Federal & State Withholdings
 All public-access web sites Air Force-wide have
information.                                           been moved to a centrally-managed location
                                                       *Start/Stop Savings Bonds *Start/Stop Allotments
         www.theworknumber.com
and are now administered through the Public            *View, Print at each
                                                   Affairs offices your LES base. As a result, the URL
you saved as a “favorite” or “bookmark” in your Internet browser probably doesn't work anymore.
Here's how to find us now.
        TRAINING LIBRARY                              EXTERNAL APPLICANTS
 AVAILABLE FOR CHECKOUT                                      APPLY AT AFPC
Go to the Peterson AFB public web site, http://www.peterson.af.mil
                                                                  (All non-Air Force civilian employees)
You will see a brown bar at the top of the page. Click on “Units” in that brown bar. You will be
Civilian Training has training resources available on st
                  DVDs, VHS Video includes
taken to another page whichTapes and a 21 Mission Support Group Section which includes a
CDs, Cassettes, st
Facilitator Guides. Mission Support Squadron. You'll see our section on that page. These “pages”
link to the 21
are now referred to as “fact sheets” and if you'd like to create a new “favorite” or “bookmark” to
point to this fact sheet, you can please return                     https://ww2.afpc.randolph.af.mil/resweb
To checkout self-help training material easily contact:here for future visits. That URL is:

    RANDY BRENNAN OR RICK GROPP                      Download the “AIR FORCE JOB KIT” carefully follow
http://www.peterson.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4721
                                                           the instructions for application process.
                21 MSS/DPH
                        at
                                                       to personnel-related approximately 3-5
Within our section of that fact sheet we provide linksResume must be submittedweb-sites, such as
            556-7524/5789                          workdays prior to self-nominating for any vacancies.
http://www.opm.gov for pay charts, as well as to our own internally-provided content, such as
our Newsletter Archive.
                                                                          Or call
                                                                       1-800-616-3775
Let us know whatTraining Library.xls would be valuable for us to provide on our fact sheets.
                 information
                      ELECTION DAY IS COMING: DO YOU HAVE TO TAKE
                      LEAVE TO VOTE?




Tuesday, 7 November 2006, is Election Day throughout Colorado. As a general rule, employees
requesting time off to vote are excused without charge to leave for the amount of time necessary to
permit them to vote, not to exceed three hours. Where polls are open either 3 hours before or 3 hours
after the employee's regular duty hours, no time off is granted. However, Colorado Springs polls
normally open at 7 AM and close at 7 PM. Supervisors may grant a limited amount of excused
absence that will permit employees to report for work 3 hours after the polls open or leave from work 3
hours before the polls close, whichever requires the lesser amount of time off. An employee's "regular
work hours" are the time of day the employee normally arrives at and departs from work. (Employees
on flexible work schedules can be excused only for those hours, which cannot be accommodated by
their flexible schedule.) Additional excused absence provisions are available to permit voting in special
circumstances. Two examples are when an employee's polling place is unusually distant from the
work location, or an employee has an unusual work schedule that would not allow him/her to arrive at
the polling place during voting hours. Employees in unusual circumstances must make arrangements
in advance with their supervisor for extended excused absence.
Example: If an employee is scheduled to work from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and the employee's polling
place is open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., the employee should not be granted excused absence for
voting, since the employee would still have at least 3 hours after the end of his or her work schedule to
vote. However, if an employee is scheduled to work from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and the employee's
polling place is open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., the employee may be granted ½ hour of excused
absence from 4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., if requested. Review the attached OPM guidance and AFI 36-
815 paragraph 8.4 for additional information.




                       OUTPROCESSING PROCEDURES
                       FOR ALL CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES SEPARATING FROM
                       PETERSON AFB


Whether retiring, transferring within the Air Force or to another agency, going on leave without pay or
resigning, all civilian employees that are leaving the Peterson Complex are required to follow the same
out processing procedures. In order to give yourself and our staff enough time to prepare for your
leaving please contact Employee Relations at least two weeks before your anticipated last duty day to
schedule your initial appointment. Clearing procedures, paperwork and any other pertinent information
will be discussed at that time. Please contact Tisca Minor in Employee Relations to schedule your
appointment.
(719) 556-7073
                     NSPS NEWS!




Most GS/GM non-bargaining unit employees at Peterson AFB converted to the National Security
Personnel System (NSPS) on 15 October 2006. Of the 11,693 records processed Air Force wide for
Spiral 1.2H, Peterson Air Force Base had 2,260. That makes up almost 20% of the entire Air Force
numbers. A small number of errors were identified (less than 1%) and all were corrected. We strongly
encourage employees and supervisors to contact our office via the e-mail address below if there are
further questions or concerns. We have been fielding a variety of questions from employees and
supervisors, but generally speaking it has been a smooth transition.
      Now that we have converted to NSPS, there are a couple of reminders we would like to
advertise.   Under NSPS all performance plans must be in place 30 days after conversion.            For
Peterson AFB, the performance plans will need to be finished by 15 Nov 2006. As a reminder, the
performance plans must be signed by the employee, the supervisor, and also the next higher level
supervisor in the chain of command. In the performance plan, it is the supervisor’s responsibility to
establish the employee’s job objectives as well as to assign contributing factors to each job objective.
Supervisors need to remember they do have the flexibility to change the performance plan throughout
the year to make adjustments as appropriate. We have received feedback from the personnel at Tinker
AFB that converted on 1 May 2006 that they had to make multiple changes to their performance plans
before they were satisfied with them.
      We will continue to provide sustainment training for all aspects of NSPS. We have scheduled an
HR elements class on 15 Nov 2006 at 0800 and a Performance Management class on 16 Nov at 0800.
If you would like to sign up, please send us an e-mail to the address below and we will get your
scheduled.
      If you have NSPS questions or concerns dealing with the NSPS conversion, please send us an
e-mail at 21MSS.DPC.NSPS.OMB@peterson.af.mil and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Thank you.
                     WINTER DRIVING TIPS




With the winter weather already hitting us full strength, we would like to remind our readers to keep
safety a priority.
Weather often catches us off guard here in Colorado. Please keep in mind that it can be sunny, rain, or
snow all in the same day. Make sure to be prepared for all kinds of weather during this time of year.


If you’re stuck or trapped in car during a blizzard or storm:
     Stay in the car. Do not leave your car to search for assistance unless help is visible within 100
        yards. You may become disoriented and lost in blowing and drifting snow.
     Set hazard lights to flashing, and hang a distress flag from the radio antenna or window.
        Remain in your vehicle for rescuers are more likely to find you there.
     Conserve fuel, but run the engine about ten minutes each hour to keep warm, cracking a
        downwind window slightly to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Exercise to maintain body
        heat but don’t overexert. Huddle with other passengers and use your coat for a blanket.
     Keep the exhaust pipe clear of snow as best as possible.
     In extreme cold use road maps, seat covers, floor mats, newspapers or extra clothing for
        covering -- anything to provide additional insulation and warmth.
     Turn on the inside dome light so rescue teams can see you at night, but be careful not to run the
        battery down. In remote areas, spread a large cloth over the snow to attract the attention of
        rescue planes.
Once the blizzard/storm is over, you may need to leave the car and proceed on foot. Follow the road if
possible. If you need to walk across open country, use distant points as landmarks to help your sense
of direction.


How to spot frostbite and hypothermia?


Frostbite includes the loss of feeling and a white, pale appearance in fingers, toes, nose, or ear lobes.
Know what conditions make frostbite likely. For example, frostbite can occur when it’s only 15F and
winds are blowing at 35 mph.

Hypothermia include uncontrollable shivering, slow or slurred speech, memory lapses, frequent
stumbling, drowsiness, and exhaustion

If frostbite or hypothermia is suspected, begin warming the person slowly and seek medical assistance.
Warm the person’s trunk first. Use your own body heat to help. Arms and legs should be warmed last
because stimulation of the limbs can drive cold blood toward the heart and lead to heart failure. Put
person in dry clothing and wrap the entire body in a blanket.
                   VOLUNTARY CIVILIAN ANNUAL LEAVE
                   DONATIONS REQUESTED



Voluntary Leave Transfer Program (VLTP) - Donations Requested: Civilian annual leave donations
are needed for the following employees. If you have questions about the program or would like to
donate annual leave, please contact Theresa.Dickson@Peterson.af.mil

Ms. Bobbette Groce, 21 MSS/DPHT, Peterson AFB CO. Ms. Groce is suffering from severe infection-
post surgery.
Ms. Nona Hildreth, 21 SVS/SVYCK1, Peterson AFB CO. Ms. Hildreth has digital contractures
resulting in ulceration of end of toe, risk is amputation for infection.
Mr. Mark Backlin, 21 MSS/MOF, Peterson AFB CO. Mr. Backlin is recovering from injuries sustained
in a car accident.
Mr. Dale Pierce, SMC/ISO, Peterson AFB CO. Mr. Pierce is recovering for herniated disc, lower back-
lumbar fusion/decompression surgery.
Ms. Carolina Maslovaric, NORAD, NORTHCOM Peterson AFB CO. Ms. Maslovaric is suffering for
complications with her pregnancy.
Ms. Mary Pennington, JPPSO-CO, Colorado Springs, CO. Ms. Pennington is recovering from child
birth.
Ms. Reva McCandless, HQ AFSPC-CSS/SCTI, Peterson AFB CO. She is recovering from kidney
transplant surgery.
Mr. John Walters, ESC Det5/NDWP, Peterson AFB CO. Mr. Walters is undergoing major surgery.
Ms. Elizabeth Reed, AFSPC/FM, Peterson AFB CO. Ms. Reed is suffering from serious illness.
Ms. Juniette King, AFRL/DE, Kirtland AFB, NM. Ms. King is in need of leave due to multiple chronic
medical problems, rib fractures and chronic lung disease.
Mr. Timothy Martin, 913 MSG/DPMD, Willow Grove ARS PA. Mr. Martin has a chronic back condition
which will require a lengthy treatment period and a diskectomy (back surgery)
Ms. Miriam (Bonnie) Dixon, 56 CES/CEVC, Luke AFB, AZ. Ms. Dixon is in need of leave due to an
extended medical emergency.
Mr. Ronald Wiley, 2 ROPS/DOS, Vandenberg AFB CA. Mr. is in need of leave due to middle cerebral
artery aneurysm and stroke he suffered.
Mr. Daniel Adamson, 94 SFS, Dobbins ARB GA. Mr. Adamson is in need of leave due to a medical
emergency.
Ms. Mary Eileen Clemmons, 45 ADOS/SGGD, Patrick AFB, FL. Ms. Clemmons suffered a medical
injury incurred during surgery resulting in a complete pneumothorax (collapsed lung.
Ms. Jane Danks, 127th Transportation, Selfridge ANGB, MI. Ms. Danks is in need of leave due to back
surgeries.
Ms. Lucy Hazeur, 482 FW/CCK, Homestead ARB, FL. Ms. Hazeur’s spouse is experiencing a serious
illness.
Ms. Ruth (Gail) Carroll, CONS Sq, Malmstrom AFB, MT. Ms. Carroll was diagnosed with the rare
Cushings Disease which caused a tumor on her pituitary gland and requires brain surgeries.
Mr. Miguel Manjarres, 944 FW, Luke AFB, AZ. Mr. Manjarres is in need of leave due to a serious
health condition.
Ms. Carrie Jackson, 301 AMDS, NAS JRB, Fort Worth TX. Ms. Jackson has been placed on bed rest
due to pregnancy complications.
Mr. David Rollins, 95 ABW/CETH, Edwards AFB CA. Mr. Rollins is in need of leave due a medical
emergency.
Ms. Mariapaz Ruiz, 48 CES/CEHF at RAF Lakenheath, Ms. Ruiz recently sustained substantial third
degree burns is unable to work for approximately 3 months.
                        ANNUAL LEAVE/RESTORATION
                        POLICY INFORMATION




Civilian employees are reminded that generally the maximum amount of annual leave they may carry
forward from one leave year to the next is 240 hours. Current law requires forfeiture of annual
leave, in excess of the ceiling limitation, at the end of the leave year 06 Jan 07. The provisions
for restoring forfeited leave are strictly enforced. For this reason, employees are encouraged to take
appropriate action to prevent the forfeiture of their annual leave. If leave is forfeited, it may be possible
to request restoration. The first requirement for restoration is that the leave must have been originally
requested, approved, and scheduled in writing prior to the start of the third biweekly pay period before
the end of the leave year.
Thus, all use-or-lose annual leave for year 2006 must be requested, approved, and scheduled
before 26 Nov 06, to be eligible for restoration should it be forfeited.
Before forfeited annual leave may be restored there must also be a determination that either an
exigency of major importance occurred or sickness of the employee caused the forfeiture. As soon as
a supervisor learns that leave subject to forfeiture must be canceled due to an exigency, s/he must
initiate 21 SW Form 298 (Request for Approval of Exigency) to the appropriate official requesting
approval to cancel the scheduled leave. At a minimum, the request should include a description of the
exigency, which shows that it is of such importance that the employee could not be excused from duty.
If appropriate, an employee then initiates a written request for restoration within 30 calendar days after
the end of the leave year.
Leave restorations are coordinated with the Civilian Personnel Flight to ensure that the conditions for
restoration in governing directives are met, and that submitted documentation supports the requests.
Restoration of forfeited annual leave is addressed in AFI 36-815, Absence and Leave, Chapter 2.
POC: Theresa Dickson at 556-4737


                     FEDERAL EMPLOYEES HEALTH BENEFITS HEALTH
                     FAIR OPEN TO CIVILIANS AND RETIREES



Representatives from several federal health insurance companies will be available to answer questions
and provide their 2007 brochures. This is the time to make face to face contact and have your
questions answered. All insurance plan changes must be made during the Nov. 13 thru Dec. 11 FEHB
Open Season. The Health Fair will be held from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on 1 Dec 06 at the Peterson
AFB Enlisted Club. The other Health Fair locations and times include; USAFA Officer’s Club on 16
Nov from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., Fort Carson’s Elkhorn Conference Center, Building 7300 Woodfill Rd
on 16 Nov from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. and Schriever AFB’s fair will be held at 210 Falcon Pkwy on
the First Floor of the West Atrium on 1 Dec from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. For additional information
contact the Civilian Personnel Flight at 556-4737.
                     FEDERAL EMPLOYEES HEALTH BENEFITS OPEN
                     SEASON ARRIVES




FEHB Open Season begins on 13 November 06 and ends on 11 December 06. During this period,
supplemental dental and vision insurance will also be available. There is an informational article about
the new vision and dental options at the following link:
http://www.opm.gov/news/opm-selects-vendors-for-supplemental-dental-and-vision-benefits-program,1082.aspx
Signing up for health benefits should be done through EBIS on the AFPC secure website or by calling
BEST at 1-800-616-3775.


                     NEW DATES FOR CIVILIAN PERSONNEL RETIREMENT
                     SEMINARS
                     CLASSES HELD IN BLDG 350, SUITE 1113, 0830 -1630
                     CIVILIAN PERSONNEL TRAINING ROOM
                     To register email Name/Grade/SSAN/Unit to Alisha.Richey@peterson.af.mil


MID-CAREER AND PRE-RETIREMENT SEMINARS
All Federal employees should begin retirement planning early in their careers. The following
comprehensive two-day seminars will provide valuable information about retirement planning and ways
to ease the transition into retirement. If you are within ten years of your retirement eligibility date, these
seminars will give you answers and recommendations to make informed decisions. The seminar
speakers, all experts in their field, will challenge you to ask tough questions. Seminars are broken
down into a number of components that discuss considerations necessary for planning for retirement,
including: Federal Retirement Benefits, Thrift Savings Plan, Insurance, Medicare and Social Security
Benefits, Financial and Tax Planning, Estate Planning, Life After Retirement and Second Careers.


       PRE-RETIREMENT SEMINAR – FERS:                            7-8 DEC 06 (Seats Available)
       PRE-RETIREMENT SEMINAR – CSRS:                            14-15 DEC 06 (Seats Available)
       MID-RETIREMENT SEMINAR – FERS:                            11-12 JAN 07 (Seats Available)


EARLY CAREER RETIREMENT PLANNING SEMINAR (FERS EMPLOYEES ONLY)
All federal employees need to get started on financial planning for retirement. We all must be
prepared, and this seminar will help you plan for and make the educated decisions needed that will
affect you and your family for the rest of your life. Early career retirement planning seminar is designed
for federal employees with less than five years of federal service. This seminar will provide the federal
employee with information on budgeting and cash management, federal benefits (FERS, TSP, FEGLI,
FEHB and LTD), and basic financial planning.


       EARLY RETIREMENT SEMINAR:                                     5 DEC 06 (Seats Available)
                                                                     8 JAN 07 (Seats Available)
                     AFPC OFFERS GUIDANCE TO CIVILIANS NEARING
                     RETIREMENT



RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- The Air Force Personnel Center's Benefits and Entitlement
Service Team here encourages civilians who want to retire in the next few years to plan ahead and
seek counseling early. Potential retirees should contact BEST at least one year before retirement to
receive one-on-one counseling over the phone, and to request a counselor-prepared estimate.
Employee information is available to benefits counselors who are able to cover issues that are so
important to retirees.

“Planning ahead cannot be overstressed,” said Ms. Janet Thomas, an AFPC Human Resources
Specialist. “Many individuals retire, only to discover their retirement pay is insufficient to live on. In
addition, many are not prepared to meet financial commitments occurring between date of retirement
and receipt of the first retirement check, which can sometimes take up to two or more months.”

Many employees believe all the service in their service computation date for leave is creditable towards
retirement. For many, this simply isn't true, according to Ms. Thomas. “Employees who previously took
a refund of their retirement contributions, or owe a deposit for temporary service or military service,
may discover this service is not creditable for retirement,” said Ms. Thomas. “Individuals who are
retired military might need to know whether it would be advantageous to combine their military and
civilian service.”

In planning for retirement, there are many factors to consider, such as whether to provide a survivor
benefit for the spouse in the event of the employee's death after retirement; whether they are eligible to
take health and life insurance into retirement; sick leave credit; Thrift Savings Plan withdrawal options
and direct deposit. In addition, it's important not to change the mailing address or bank account for
direct deposit during the few months before and after retirement.

Those ready to retire should submit their retirement applications to BEST 90 to 120 days prior to the
effective date of retirement. During the process, three letters are sent to update the potential retiree on
the status of his/her application.

-- The first letter acknowledges receipt of the application.
-- The second verifies he/she is eligible to retire.
-- The third is notification that the retirement application package has been sent to the servicing payroll
office.

The final stop for the retirement application is the Office of Personnel Management, where the final
authority for approval of the retirement resides. OPM also starts the retirement payments.

Air Force-serviced civilian appropriated fund employees serviced by BEST may reach BEST benefits
counselors weekdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. CDT. Employees located in the United States can call toll-
free 1-800-616-3775 (press 2, then 2 again, and follow the prompts). Overseas employees will first dial
a toll-free AT&T direct access number for the country they are in, then 800-616-3775. More detailed
instructions on reaching a counselor are available at
http://ask.afpc.randolph.af.mil/docs/best/docs/BEST_Telephone_Menu.pdf.

Hearing impaired employees may reach a benefits counselor by calling toll-free TDD 1-800-382-0893,
or commercial (210) 565-2276 if located in San Antonio.
                      SPECIAL EMPHASIS PROGRAM MANAGER
                      VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT



The Peterson Civilian Personnel Flight (CPF) is recruiting volunteers to be the Peterson AFB Special Emphasis
Program Managers (SEPM) for the following programs: Hispanic Employment Program (HEP), Asian
American/Pacific Islander Employment Program (AA/PIEP), and the American Indian/Alaskan Native
Employment Program (AI/ANEP). Special Emphasis Program Managers already exist for the Federal Women’s
Program, Black Employment Program, and People with Disabilities Program. This collateral duty assignment is
not to exceed one year, but may be extended. Training is available.

Duties: Special Emphasis Program Managers develop and administer their specific program. They work with
the Chief, Affirmative Employment, and Civilian Personnel Flight on a collateral duty basis, spending
approximately 20% of their duty time working their programs. They assist in assuring that equal opportunity is
present in all aspects of employment and that affirmative action is being taken to address under-representation.
Obtain management's support by keeping them aware of program objectives and accomplishments. Assist in
the development of affirmative employment initiatives. Identify potential or existing problems and artificial
barriers which impede the advancement of minorities and women, and recommend corrective action. Identify
architectural and/or transportation barriers that impede the selection or advancement of people with disabilities
and offer suggestions for modifications. Assist in counseling minorities, women and the disabled about career
opportunities and encourage them to participate in self-development activities. Encourage management to use
job restructuring to provide opportunities for employees in lower-graded, dead-end jobs. Communicate to
management, employees, and community organizations information which will enhance the employment of
minorities, women, and disabled. Publicize the program to increase management and employees' awareness of
SEP objectives. Maintain contacts with community groups, clubs, and professional organizations.

If you (civilian or military) are interested in volunteering for a program manager position, please contact Linda
Kopman at 556-5729.

                       NPRC OFFERS ELECTRONIC DD-214
                       ON-LINE FOR VETERANS



Great news for veterans - The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) has provided the following website
for veterans to gain access to their DD-214 online: http://vetrecs.archives.gov/
This will cut the waiting time veterans have had in the past waiting for copies of their DD 214s and will be
particularly helpful when they need a copy of their DD-214 for employment purposes. NPRC is working to make
it easier for veterans with computers and Internet access to obtain copies of documents from their military files.
Military veterans and the next of kin of deceased former military members may now use a new online military
personnel records system to request documents. Other individuals with a need for documents must still
complete the Standard Form 180, which can be downloaded from the online web site. Because the requester
will be asked to supply all information essential for NPRC to process the request, delays that normally occur
when NPRC has to ask veterans for additional information will be minimized. The new web-based application
was designed to provide better service on these requests by eliminating the records center's mailroom
processing time. Please pass this information on to former military personnel you may know and their
dependents.