Displaced MTMC workers get full command support. (Reorganization).

While considerable change has taken place within the Military Traffic Management Command in recent years, impacted employees have benefited from a tremendous organizational support structure in both form and spirit.

In fact, only two employees have been involuntarily separated by organizational changes to date, said Virginia King, Deputy Chief of Staff of Personnel and Logistics. In both cases, she said, the employees turned down an opportunity to work in a different MTMC location. Meanwhile, in 2000-2001, the command reduced its employee spaces by approximately 13 percent. The Centralization of work and the Battalion Evaluation Group's standardized port structures cut 316 employee authorizations--291 civilian and 25 military--from MTMC.

Employees affected by the reorganization initiatives retrained for other jobs, accepted other employment, or qualified for retirement.

"MTMC explored every avenue available to take care of its affected employees to include an aggressive retraining program for placement into transportation-related fields," said King.

Now, in 20002-2003, a cut of approximately 250 employee authorizations--or 10 percent of MTMC's work force--will take place effective June 30, 2003. These changes result from the creation of a single, global MTMC Operations Center at Fort Eustis, Va., on Nov. 7. In a related move, the flag of the Deployment Support Command was simultaneously retired.

The strong support MTMC employees received in the earlier reorganizations will continue in the latest transition, said King.

"The command announced the streamlining early in order to offer employees the maximum opportunity to make necessary decisions," said King. "Open communication between management and the employees has been critical to the streamlining success. We have presented numerous briefings explaining the process and have addressed individual employee questions and concerns."

MTMC employees have been given the option to volunteer for duty at Fort Eustis as part of the streamlining process, she said.

There are four major programs that offer support to affected employees: Priority Placement System, Voluntary Separation Incentive Pay, Voluntary Early Retirement Authority and, if applicable, retraining.

* The Priority Placement Program provides mandatory placement of displaced workers to a vacant Department of Defense job, at their same pay grade or lower, for which an employee is fully qualified. This registration can be offered one year in advance of any adverse action and remains active for up to one year from an employee's separation.

* Voluntary Separation Incentive Pay has been offered at Alexandria, Fort Eustis and some Rail Fleet locations, to reduce involuntary separations. So far, 26 employees were approved for the program. In the earlier reorganizations, MTMC approved 20 employees for this program.

* Voluntary Early Retirement Authority is an additional management tool that may be offered in this reorganization.

* Retraining has, in some cases, allowed impacted workers to be reassigned to other vacant positions--as their work skills allow.

"It is important that employees keep informed as to the programs available to them," said Cathy Cherney, Personnel Management Specialist. "This includes maintaining an accurate and updated resume. Employees can look online for assistance with resume development at www.cpol.army.mil and link into the Army's Resume Builder.

"It's a partnership. We're here to assist employees with these programs, but they must work with us--participation is essential for successful transition to new employment opportunities."