Nearly 2,000 explore FORSCOM job opportunities at Fort Bragg

By Jim Hinnant, U.S. Army Forces Command Public AffairsApril 30, 2010

Nearly 2,000 Explore FORSCOM Job Opportunities
1 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Janyce Merz, deputy chief, Resource Integration Division, U.S. Army Forces Command G8, talks with job seekers at the “Exploring Employment Opportunities with U.S. Army Forces Command” Information Exchange, April 23, at Fort Bragg, N.C. U.S. Army pho... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Nearly 2,000 Explore FORSCOM Job Opportunities
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Nearly 2,000 Explore FORSCOM Job Opportunities
3 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Major Keisha Whitehead, an Army Reservist with the U.S. Army Forces Command Augmentation Unit, helps potential new members of the unit sign in at the FORSCOM Employment Opportunities Information Exchange, April 23, 2010, at Fort Bragg, N.C. U.S. Army... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Nearly 2,000 Explore FORSCOM Job Opportunities
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FORT McPHERSON, Ga. (April 29, 2010) Aca,!" The line formed early for the 10 a.m. "Exploring Employment Opportunities with U.S. Army Forces Command" Information Exchange, and continued through mid-afternoon, April 23, at Fort Bragg, N.C.

By the time the tired, but happy, team of human resources specialists and staff experts from FORSCOM headquarters and Fort Bragg's Civilian Personnel Advisory Center packed up the displays and sign-in rosters at the end of the day, more than 1,950 hopeful job-seekers had visited the event.

"I am never surprised by the people here at Fort Bragg and their level of interest," said Ronna Garrett, FORSCOM's Human Resources director. "Still, we're delighted at the turnout here today."

The event was held to develop an inventory of qualified potential applicants for vacancies Aca,!" known and expected Aca,!" that will occur as the FORSCOM headquarters executes the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure-directed relocation to Fort Bragg, Garrett said.

Earlier this month, more than 90 percent of the headquarters' civilian staff declared their intent to make the move to North Carolina. If this figure were to hold up, less than 100 vacancies would occur. The command's personnel team doesn't expect this to be the final figure, though. Garrett estimates as many as 400 may ultimately opt out of the move.

"More than 90 percent of our work force said they are making the move here from Atlanta," Garrett said. "But we estimate that number will drop as move dates approach, so we think we'll have as many as 400 Army civilian vacancies between now and the fall of 2010."

The command's staffing needs are expected to primarily be in the human resources, administration, budget, operations and logistics areas. Event attendees possessed these and other backgrounds. People with education and training in security, public relations, journalism and various trades could also be found dropping off resumes and pressing the flesh with staffers.

The FORSCOM Augmentation Unit was also on hand to speak with active duty Soldiers, considering transitioning to the Army Reserve and to current Reservists interested in joining the FAU.

One attendee, Earl Cline, an Army retiree currently working as a contract employee at Fort Bragg was hoping to put his previous military, and subsequent civilian experience as a project manager with a defense contractor, to work at FORSCOM.

"I am looking at the opportunities coming with the move of the FORSCOM headquarters here, and to see where I may fit in from an employment aspect," said Cline. "I think the Fair may have been a little understaffed considering the turn out, but I found the briefing and courtesy of the employee's very professional and informative"

Cline said he will do as the event staff suggested, and follow up on the Army's Civilian Personnel Online Web site (www.cpol.army.mil) and forward his resume to the FORSCOM email address established for people to submit their information for consideration forscomg1jobs@conus.army.mil.

Janyce Merz, a member of the team representing the FORSCOM Resource Management Directorate, said the day's attendance and level of activity was a real "eye-opener" for her.

"We know we will need accountants, program management analysts, financial management analysts and budget analysts," said Merz. "We met and interacted with some really qualified potential applicants."

The event was just the start of the process and work associated with meeting so many prospective applicants, said Diane Bennett, FORSCOM's civilian personnel chief.

The FORSCOM Human Resources staff will work with the Fort Bragg CPAC to review resumes submitted, enter the resumes on a control log and respond to individuals with their status, Bennett said.

"We'll tell them whether their skill sets and status match any of our projected future vacancies, and what they should do next," said Bennett. "If they are not a match for FORSCOM, we'll advise them on what they can do to possibly find other federal employment."

Bennett cautions everyone that this is not an immediate process, and it will take time to work through the stacks of resumes submitted.

"We're very happy with the results of our first employment event, she said. "It went so well, we plan more events like this in the future."

In the near future, the FORSCOM Human Resources team plans to publish a running list of current vacancies, with guidance and information on the application process, to the FORSCOM Web site at www.army.mil/forscom.