Federal Manager's Daily Report

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.