The Army is beginning to launch its “Senior Army Workforce”
(SAW) concept, aimed at preparing mid- and higher-level
managers to step up into positions of more
responsibility–one reaction to the expected retirement
wave of more senior federal employees in upcoming years
and the criticisms that agencies are not doing enough
succession planning.
The Senior Army Workforce’s goals include: recruiting and
training leaders “responsible for cultivating opportunities
for professional development where good performance is
rewarded;” building leaders of today and tomorrow through
“focused education, training and leader development;” and
establishing the agency’s first centrally developed and
managed civilian leaders “that are aligned to the Army’s
mission.”
The cadre eventually will include about 17,000 employees in
grades GS-12 –15 and their pay banded equivalents who are
team leaders, supervisors, managers and program managers.
The program will be phased in over four years, starting in
fiscal 2005 with the uppermost people in that range.
Employees occupying identified positions who do not wish
to be part of the program will be grandfathered in place.