Photo By Bob Harrison | BAGRAM AIRFIELD, AFGHANISTAN (June 22, 2016) - Eric Longenbach picks up the mail for...... read more read more
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BAGRAM AIRFIELD, AFGHANISTAN (July 6, 2016) - The Civilian Expeditionary Workforce (CEW) program allows Department of Defense (DoD) civilians to use their capabilities, experience, and knowledge as a crucial component in helping DoD accomplish its mission abroad. Individuals interested in applying their skills and experience in a unique environment can volunteer for open positions supporting the U.S. Military in foreign theaters. Deployable civilians are needed to serve as qualified volunteers to fill critical functions in Afghanistan and other locations across the globe. Volunteering to deploy gives you an extraordinary opportunity to exercise your skills and expertise while directly supporting operations of national interest.
Opportunities with U.S. Forces Afghanistan, and in other countries throughout southwest Asia, are available now. Any current, permanent, DoD civilian employee interested can submit an application and resume to U.S. Central Command headquarters, J1 CEW, who will match your unique skills and experiences to vacancies available in theater. CEW volunteers are found across the spectrum of agencies within the Department of Defense, and each of the military services. There is a near-continuous need for a wide range of professional, scientific, administrative, and highly technical positions to deploy and support the Warfighter. Many of these career fields need volunteers in wage grade positions through general schedule (GS) grades 6 through 14/15.
Individual seeking deployment opportunities or information can visit the CENTCOM website:
https://cew.centcom.mil/Landing/Default.aspx
Or send questions via email to:
centcom.macdill.centcom-hq.mbx.ccj3-f-cew@mail.mil
Various positions are available at any given time, plus, the current cohort of volunteers serving overseas are committed to either six-month or one-year tours therefore those jobs will have to be ‘refilled’ in the months ahead.
There are a number of benefits and incentives to encourage volunteer DoD civilian employees supporting overseas contingency operations. All CEW employees in Afghanistan are provided billeting, meals, and laundry services at no expense. Afghanistan CEW receive additional compensation in post differential pay and danger pay; each are calculated as a percentage of the employee’s current salary. CEW employees can be granted up to three rest and recuperation (R&R) leaves during a one-year tour. Six-month tour employees are granted one R&R. This includes a provision for excused absences so that the employee is not necessarily using all of their leave or time-off benefits. The R&R includes travel costs to return the employee to their home station. Defense civilian employees working in Afghanistan also can partake of morale, welfare, and recreation facilities and activities, use of the Post Exchange (PX,) and, if needed, medical treatment at available military clinics.
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Brad Peterson, an electrician with Task Force Power, has been here since April. His focus is electrical safety, not only at Bagram but many of the other forward operating bases. He travels as many as three to five times a month to review work and requirements at the other locations.
The opportunity to work a broader range of skills was a key factor in his decision to deploy. “This was a chance to get back to basic electrician work,” said Peterson explaining why he volunteered. Back home at Mountain View Air Force Base, Idaho, he has been responsible for the base alarm systems for more than a decade. “I love this job. I was happy to learn what I would be doing here.”
Peterson is on his first deployment as a civilian employee. He has more than 40 years of service, combined military and civilian. He also viewed the deployment as an opportunity to add to his retirement savings. Peterson is considering an extension of this tour beyond his current one-year commitment.
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Carolyn Braddy, a future operations planner with the Bagram Support Group, arrived in May for a one-year tour. This is her first civilian deployment after 38 years combined civilian and military service. She volunteered while working as a force modernization specialist with U.S. Army Cyber Command in the Washington D.C. area. She was enthusiastic about the possibilities with the deployment, “I was excited to learn the new aspects of the job. I love it here. I work with a great bunch of guys.”
Braddy views her time here in Afghanistan as a chance to commit time to herself, including her physical fitness, “I’m going to the gym every day and I’m starting to feel the improvement.”
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Gregg Fambrough joined the CEW program to lend his experience to support the warfighters in Afghanistan. A retired Air Force veteran whose son recently joined the Army National Guard, Fambrough wanted to gain firsthand knowledge of working with an Army unit in Afghanistan so he could mentor his son. “It's a no small sacrifice when you consider what you give up to come here. However, it is a small sacrifice when you compare to those military men and women have deployed five or six times. No, I would not have volunteered just for the increase in pay.”
Fambrough is the deputy commander for base operations support at Kandahar Air Field. He deployed from Peterson AFB, Colo., where he supported the plans, programs, and resources directorate. Although he has deployed before while serving in the military, this is his first civilian deployment.
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Volunteers should remain flexible when committing to the CEW program. The variety in supporting agencies, locations, and deployment experience levels can lead to some challenges in getting deployment orders generated, payroll systems adjusted for new work schedules, or initiating deployment pay incentives. Many who have deployed can relate to some of these challenges; however, persistence, patience, and a host of support within the theater will assist and help resolve administrative challenges volunteers may encounter.
Peterson noted that after hearing about the opportunity from co-workers, it took some time finding specific information about openings within his career field. “The websites I visited didn’t list the jobs I was looking for,” he noted. His general awareness of the program and his persistence enabled him to locate the position he was looking for. Fambrough also talked about some of the obstacles he faced in volunteering, “The manning process is fairly disconnected. Like everything else you make the best with what you have.”
Although CENTCOM may post, or advertise, specific duty positions that are deemed priority fill, or critical, the overall CEW program generally looks to gather applications and resumes from interested employees that the program can match to positions needed now and in the foreseeable future. This may lead to some frustrations for those who volunteer if the process doesn’t provide timely feedback.
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William ‘Kent’ Tadlock, a construction inspector, Bagram Support Group Department of Public Works, saw a chance to do more welding work than he doing at his permanent maintenance job at Ellsworth AFB, S.D.
“I was a welder when I served in the military with the Air Force. After I left the military, I took a job in the maintenance field,” Tadlock explained. His efforts over the years to return to the welding trade were hampered by newer requirements for certifications or recent welding experience. This CEW deployment provided an opportunity to exercise a technical skill he has enjoyed most of his professional life.
Tadlock’s teammates echoed his enthusiasm for the CEW program citing camaraderie, the importance of the work, and the cross fertilization of trade skills and opportunities. Tadlock, Jeffrey Oneyear, Martin Trowbridge, both heavy equipment operators, and Duanne Zak, a carpenter, all indicated they are interested in extending their tours, or are currently working with their home stations to gain approval.
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Glasgow Bart, a system analyst from Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., deployed to work as a Class I (rations, subsistence, sundries) accountable officer, Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan. “I never had the opportunity to serve in the military and I wanted to support our U.S. troops with honor, dignity, and respect.
“It has been a life-changing experience,” he added. “My tour of duty will be 12 months and I definitely recommend the CEW program for anyone that is looking to support the warfighter.”
Bart has been a DoD civilian employee for five years.
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Kimberly Green, a U.S. Forces Afghanistan sexual assault response coordinator (SARC) at Bagram, volunteered for the chance at greater responsibilities within her career field, “I’ve been able to perform more of my duties, as well as increased responsibilities, as a Sexual Harassment Assault Response Program (SHARP) manager and as a sexual assault response coordinator.”
Green is nine months into a one-year tour. She volunteered from Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Ala. She has worked within the SHARP program for the last few years. She recommended that volunteers, “…have a chance to work their field with increased responsibilities. It can be a chance to enhance a career. I do more things here than I do back home. There are some real positives here. You get to come and support the mission. You are truly contributing when a Soldier doesn’t have to do the job…these Soldiers are then free to do other important tasks that only Soldiers can do.”
Green emphasized that she and her network of colleagues, here and back home, are using positive word of mouth to contribute to a steady flow of interested volunteers to keep their role here as fully staffed as possible.
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The Civilian Expeditionary Workforce is a unique opportunity for DoD civilians to use their unique skills and experience to serve alongside the U.S. military and our coalition and Afghan partners to help secure a better and more peaceful world for everyone. Department of Defense permanent civilian employees should take a moment to consider whether they too can volunteer. It can be an extraordinary opportunity to support the mission, enhance life experience, career development, and it can be an adventure long remembered.
If you can, act today and join the CEW team and become a part of the legacy of all those who have served in Afghanistan.
| Date Taken: | 07.06.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 07.06.2016 03:27 |
| Story ID: | 203150 |
| Location: | AF |
| Web Views: | 2,242 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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