It's quite obvious that a military uniform is not required to complete the mission (it hasn't been for so many years now), and it's also very apparent how unpopular this idea is with the people it will affect. I would like for the ART force to be respected and trusted to be the consumate professionals we are and have been, regardless of dress.
The ART is not merely a civilian working for the military. He is a part of the military.
Under the policy of wearing the military uniform I will be the same as an active duty member except for pay, benifits and retirment. Active duty retires at 20, a civilian retires at 30+ years. It's a known fact (due to recent activations) active duty brings home with housing and meals aprox. $600 to $800 more every two weeks than the average WG does here at Maxwell. Active duty gets free medical and dental. A civilian pays for his/hers medical and dental.
They want me to be everything active duty for 1/3 to 1/2 longer and with no matching pay, benifits or retiremnet that an active member gets. I love my job but this is going too far., Thanks but No thanks! I'll seek employment elsewhere if it passes.
Suggestion: If there must be a uniform then how about a dickies style uniform as worn by airlines such as FedEx. I'll wear that if they want me to.
F THEY WANT US TO BE ACTIVE DUTY, THEN GREEN CARD US, MAKE OUR POSITION'S AGR'S NOT CIVILIAN. WE ARE HERE BECAUSE WE VOLUNTEER TO BE HERE NOT ACTIVE DUTY. WHEN YOU WERE YOUR UNIFORM YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THE PROTOC FOR THE RANK. FOR EXAMPLE IN MY JOB I'M A GS 11, BUT MY RANK IS ONLY A MASTER AND I'M A ONE MAN SHOP, SO IF SOMEONE OF A HIGHER GRADE IS MY AREA THAT'S ONLY A REVERIST CAN TRY AN TELL ME HOW TO DO MY CIVILIAN JOB BECAUSE HE OUT RANKS'S ME, NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, THERE IS ONE PROBLEM THAT CAN OCCUR. IF THEY WANT US TO WEAR THE UNIFORM, ARE THEY GOING TO GIVE THE WING MORE MONEY FOR UNIFORMS? I'M THE CLOTHING MONITOR AND I CAN SEE A BIG EXPENSE THERE ALSO, AND WE ARE GOING TO BE CHANGE UNIFORMS IN THE NEXT 2 YEARS. MAKE US AGR'S, GIVE US THE BENEFITS THEY GO WITH WEARING THE UNIFORM FULL TIME, IF NOT LEAVE US ALONE
There are many people, who are extremely uncomfortable working with civilians. They are forced to actually address them as human beings and not indentured servants, and subsequently their egoes are hurt. AFRC should push for more AT days for reservists and more military leave for civilians? This would put all civilians in uniform more often. Why is a civilian forced out of their job, because of military high year tenure, but then denied a military retirement, until age 60. We are WEEKEND warriors, because we still
have the same requirements and the same poor retirement plan that we have had for 30 years.
It isn't right to make us wear the uniform while in civilian status. They are asking us to act like active duty but not giving us any of the benefits of active duty. If they want us to wear the uniform then they need to make us AGR and give us a point for everyday we wear the uniform and allow us to retire with full pay after 20 years of service and not have to wait till we turn 65 to start drawing our retirement. We should get the retirement right away. Also, we need all the medical and dental benefits active duty recieves. The ART program has worked this long without us wearing the uniform and as the old saying goes "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Two big factors - first is cost. There is going to be an initial increase in cost as worn and torn BDU's are replaced. We do not get a clothing allowance like active duty but exchange items one for one as needed. Increased wear & tear will drive up replacement costs to include T-shirts, boots, belts and hats. And after this surge in expense for the old type/style BDUs, we are all scheduled to get the new type/style digitized wash & wear uniforms in about a year which will cost even more money as they replace the BDU's T-shirts, boots, etc.
Second, in their letter they say part of the basis for doing this is that Air National Guard units all ready wear uniforms, but they don't say that Guard units also issue their members blue coveralls and the Guard member can wear either one at his option.
ART's have enough rules to keep straight as it is. Wearing a uniform while not on military orders would only add confusion as to who is in what status and what set of standards to abide by. When an ART is wearing civilian clothes, there is no doubt as to what status they're in and what rules apply to them.
We are ART's, not children. We are well aware of who is in charge, and what our duties and responsibilities are.
Question: Who is paying for this? The way it stands now, we have no clothing allowance and are essentially saving the Air Force money. If wearing the uniform is imposed upon us, it will then become a budget issue as well.
I am a retired reservist & a former ART. This amounts to union busting. It is much more than just wearing a uniform, & the costs & effort for upkeep. It is about shifting these civilian employees into a military UCMJ type of legal environment. They lose rights & protections that way. Typically, these ARTs are often the leaders in their locals. That's why it's union busting. You marginalize, or remove them, from bargaining unit & other protections, then why should they even belong to a union such as AFGE. Trust me, for an ART, who is in uniform, he or she will be at a steep disadvatage when dealing with a military superior concerning a labor issue. Make no mistake about that! This is about more than uniforms.
If they get their way, then force them to give ARTs active duty benefits, such as a 20 year retirement & others.
Last weekend one of our reservist's BDU pants were torn at the pocket and ripped. He tore them at work Oct. 2006. He has been asking for new BDU's since and told the unit has no funds. This renders the uniform unserviceable and out of reg's. If we can't afford to replace ripped uniforms for reservist on the weekend, how are we supposed to keep serviceable uniforms for every day ART's? If we go to this mandatory wear then we are manditorily responsible for being in reg's under AFI 36-2903. So, when I am shopping at the BX and manditorily wearing my uniform in civilian status with an unserviceable uniform and someone tells me I'm out of reg's I just tell them I'm in civilian status and my unit can't afford to give me a new pair because they have no funds.
If in uniform we are held to military standards while still being held to the civilian standards. We are not payed equal to active duty and should not be required to wear the uniform unless in a military status. Military Legal (JAG) stated if in uniform we can receive a letter of counciling or reprimand even if not in status. It appears that would be double jeapardy since leadership can also punish a person on the civilian side at the same time. Members who would be our peers as a civilian could out rank us militarily and be allowed to direct us. This would cause additional confusion and discourse. I have a 24yr career with nothing negative in my records. I do not go against the grain. However, I believe what they are attempting is an unfair labor practice and I owe it to others to stand up for the future. I have and will continue to put on the uniform while in civilian status when I feel the mission deems it necessary or when asked in an appropriate manner.
f they don’t want to make us AGR’s, benchmark the Navy’s Full Time Support (FTS) program. Their reservists are paid either as weekend drillers (traditional reservist) or active duty reservists. Their program is exactly like the ART program INCLUDING all benefits of active duty. They provide training, administration support, work drill weekends, dental, medical, living allowances, yearly clothing allowances, housing, retirement, PCS options, and etc. They even have their own promotion and advancement category (active duty, FTS, and reserve). If they offer either programs, maybe it INCREASE retention of ARTS.
Wearing of the uniform for an ART that is in an Associate Wing presents another big problem. Most of the time the ARTS are higher ranking and hold more time in grade than their active duty counter part in the owning Active Duty Wing. In this case who would be in charge the active duty military who is the owning wing/organization or the reserve military person (ART in uniform) who again is higher ranking while in uniform.
The above situtation will cause many problems. If the ART has to wear a uniform then their rank and time in grade must also be honored.
Active duty are forbidden from wearing the miltary uniform, when performing "off-duty" employment (ie, civilian)....IAW 36-2903, pg. 9, Table 1.3. So why is this issue any different? Furthermore, for an Air Reserve Technician..."wear of the uniform while performing duty in a civil service status is at the OPTION of the INDIVIDUAL; commanders CANNOT require members to wear the uniform while in this status." (IAW 36-2903, pg. 152, Table 6.1) Yes...the reg's can be changed to protect the egoes that this current regulation is offending, but it does not make it righ. Also, in the same table it states that ANG technicians wear the uniform voluntarily WITHOUT a uniform allowance! They are NOT required to wear the uniform...they just don't have a union!!!!
Author: Mark Gibson, of Local 1882, on May 9, 2007 7:08 PM
A deployable civilian workforce in uniform able to be sent anywhere around the globe in a moments notice. The changes directed in the proposed changes to Air Force Instructions takes the leap DOD has not been able to obtain under the legally challenged NSPS by further blurring of what the ART program was originally created for.
A civilian workforce that could take its wealth of experience to the active component by activating a special cadre of Reserve Forces.
The problem the Air Force now sees is that this cadre of highly skilled Reserve Components perform their vital work as civilians under negotiated work rules by the unions that represent them.
The take aways are not being replaced with the benefits the active component and AGR's recieve. The training limitations and career advancement that have limited the ART's are not being removed.
Author: Kevin Cameron on May 10, 2007 9:45 AM
When I actually read the memo wanting to change DoD
1205.18, I just had to laugh at some of the reasoning....The phrase "The need
for continuity and good order and dicipline in
both employment capacities (military and civilian) have become an essential
part of their constant changing of statuses" I'm sorry, but I thought good
order and dicipline resulted from leadership, not
the uniform.....And the uniform will not stop the changing of duty status....
They also listed several of the campains that we
as ARTS participated in..we
seemed pretty compitent then while in civilian
clothes...HMMMMM. They also talked about time and attendance issues....well,
we will still have those issues and the implementation of this will just
result in more issues between active duty and ARTs
in association wings as we continue to be civilians taking AL,SL
and ML....but all in uniform.
Author: Mark W Kolb, of Local 1897, on May 9, 2007
5:14 PM
AGR is not the answer! It's great if you want to be an AGR, but the benefits
of civil service far out weigh any extra money! If I wanted to be AGR, I would
have stayed on active duty. Leadership needs to understand, that not everyone
wants to be on active duty or AGR, & that's not unpatriotic! It means we don't
want to do this full-time. We put our families first, open our own businesses,
and/or go to school full time. I'm very proud to wear my uniform, but not
while I'm in a civilian status. I am in an associate unit, and I can't tell
you how important it is to wear civilian attire. The answer lies with the lack
of benefits that ALL reservists do not receive. We are constantly doing more
for less. This is wear we need to draw the line, and push back! If AFRC wants
us in uniform, then give us a decent retirement, equal flight pay, bonuses,
and more military leave. Then we can discuss tSPAN
class=error clashe uniform that will probably
change in a couple of years anway!!
Author: Richard A Levesque, of Local 1900, on May 9, 2007 7:18 PM
I agree with most.But most of all, if the ART's are required to where a uniform, then they should also get all the benifits that go with the uniform, Pay, Medical, Leave, and Time off just to mention a few.
Uniforms are for airmen, soldiers and sailors, NOT for civilian Techs. Unless as stated about if you wish to then make the benifits the same.
For many years there were many more ART's then there were agr's, there was no issue with how was in charge and what rank soemone was wearing. In fact ART's were moch more respected then they are now. Making them put on a uniform proves nothing and does nothing to improve the mission readiness. And that is the reason we are here!
uthor: Steven B Parsons, of Local 2077, on May 10, 2007 1:11 PM
1. The military uniform is designed for wear in a military status. An ART does not represent that status as a civilian. ARTS do not always represent the rank that their wearing. EX…..WG-10 Mechanic, wearing the uniform as a MSGT. This would be a conflict in an Associate wing when wage grade ARTS generally work for active duty SSgt's and TSgt's. This could also be a conflict in the work area as the MSgt would be performing duties otherwise not indented for a manager whom the MSgt stripe represents. When that uniform is worn the individual has a duty to represent himself accordingly. If he is a MSGT or SMSgt he should be performing the duties of that rank, otherwise he would be "out of uniform". Top three promotions may be held back from ARTS due to the fact that they are not a supervisor during their civilian duty. This would be detrimental to the promotion process in general because ARTS would feel their would be no opportunity for PEP after the rank of TSgt.
Author: Michael P Berens on May 10, 2007 12:58 PM
The statement, “the need for continuity and good order and discipline…" implies that ARTs are aimless, unruly, and undisciplined. This is offensive. Also, many regulations govern civil servant behavior on and off the job. Mandating civilians to wear the uniform does not enhance those regulations. Why should ARTs support this policy when there's no additional pay; benefits; promotion potential; probable loss of bargaining rights; subjection to military dress/appearance standards, customs, courtesies, and possible UCMJ action? Converting between statuses is an administrative process and has to be complied with. It has to do with pay, benefits etc, not what garments are worn. Those in AFRC who want to see military uniforms should join Active Duty
Author: Steven B Parsons, of Local 2077, on May 10, 2007 1:17 PM
UCMJ- Lots of issues here. Dress and appearance……Some employees prefer to grow a neatly trimmed beard in between UTA's. Some employees prefer to wear shorts in the summer.
How will an employee be punished if he she fails adhere to any aspect of the UCMJ. They are still in civilian status.
3. ARTS are expected to wear the uniform for what reason? Professionalism? It takes more than a military uniform to make someone a professional. Most ARTS are appalled at the fact that they are labeled as unprofessional when not wearing a military uniform. Conflict…..Why WOULD an active duty service member have a conflict or an issue working side by side with someone NOT in uniform? As stated above, we are all professionals regardless of what we wear.
AIR FORCE LAW REVIEW winter 2005
"A good example of how the distinction between noncombatants and civilians can become blurred is the civilian air reserve technician program used by the U.S. Air Force. An air reserve technician (ART) is a civilian employee who is a member of the Air Force Reserves or Air National Guard. . Any observer seeing uniformed ART personnel working on military aircraft would logically assume they are combatants, although they are actually civilians under the law of war who may not engage in combat until converted to active duty status."
Author: Ellen Dill, of Local 1709, on May 11, 2007 6:42 AM
According to the letter from HQ AFRC this change is being considered because " That chain of command is essential to the proper order and discipline associated with our mission and deployments." The chain of command will be ignored if we wear the uniform since our rank will mean nothing in an associate wing. The active duty rank will be all that means anything.
Also in the letter " An ART performs the same duties whether in civilian or military status." That is an untrue statement. Some of us move into higher positions as military. I am a WG-10 civilian working as a jet engine mechanic but I am a MSgt in the military and I supervise a shop. S
Author: Ellen Dill, of Local 1709, on May 11, 2007
6:50 AM
What will young airman fresh out of basic or tech school think when they see
MSgts being told what to do from
SSgts. This will happen in an associate wing. The
people that want to make the Arts wear their uniforms say they need to make
the change to make it real clear to everyone concerned the chain of command. I
think it will just add to the confusion they say exists. In an associate wing,
reserve military rank isn't respected now, it sure
won't be if we have to wear our uniforms every day.
Author: Randell D Burrow, of Local 1778, on May 11, 2007 7:55 AM
This policy would not work at associate units. Those that active duty, arts, civilian, and traditional reservist co-exist.
Currently at these particular units, the Air Reserve Technicin Forces are under the direct supervision of active duty personnel. If these ARTS are required to wear the uniform, in most cases, they would in fact, "out rank" these supervisors. If this were to happen, what protocol are we to follow?...Will these ARTS then become the supervisors?....If so, will they be made governmental supervisors as well?...Pay and rating increase?....Or will you have a case where a SSGT will be supervising a MSGT or a SMSGT?....Our civilian ranks remain the same unless the duty poition is changed, but the military ranks do increase sometimes....
o implement the mandatory wear of the uniform will not bring unit cohesiveness, improve morale, or cure lack of pride at the local level as long leadership continually overlook the fact that those who are being promoted to the positions of flight chief or superintendent have been promoted outside the required feeder AFSC as outlined in 31-2108, they have broken the moral laws of man and the UCMJ when they have committed adultery, Injured others while performing their duties, and their leadership style is of intimidation, they lack values, morals and integrity in their own personal life. To correct these problems remove the bad leaders and replace them with Leaders who have morals and values because they will do the right thing. That will let those of us who have lost confidence in our leadership know things are changing. But if those who have been appointed over us do not emulate the core values and are forced to be our mentors, this problem will continue to exist. Leaders must emulate Core Values.
Author: Bonnie l Whitaker on May 11, 2007 9:00 AM
We are the ones that the military calls on in times of crisis; the ones that carry active duty; the ones who deploy overseas instead of backfilling here in the U.S. as the reserves were intended to do. We can't be diabetic. We will get kicked out. Active duty; no problem. My last mil physical, I had a psychiatrist put me on a profile 3, for an orthopedic issue. After 22 years of service, the medical condition that I now have is threatening my whole livelihood. Active duty; no problem. Bottom line: If you want us to wear the uniform 24/7, give us our benefits!
Author: Ed McMillion on May 11, 2007 11:36 AM
I can't attest to whether this is true or not but I was breifed at an official forum that the uniform push came about because a couple of guys met a general's aircraft looking like they had been "partying all night" (beard, earrings, long hair, t-shirt and shorts, etc.) which he was unhappy with and then he went ballistic when he found out that they were actually NCO ARTs.
The fight is just beginning but, if it turns out that the union can't defeat the uniform, then as an alternative maybe it can deflect the issue toward some kind of appearance standards for all civilian employees. It's the lesser of two evils, as it were, because most of us don't want to wear a military uniform in civilian status and I personally don't want to be an AGR but most of us probably already abide by some self-imposed basic appearance standards anyway.
Author: Carol Patten on May 11, 2007 11:56 AM
I have been an ART for 3 years. I am a GS7/MSgt (19 years). When I went to
School for my position I was told that I had to go in civilian status, but
wear the uniform. At school I injured my ankle during PT. The base clinic
would see me, but charge my civilian insurance. My civilian insurance would
not cover it since it was outside of their area (and not life threatening). My
injury went untreated.
Author: Louis L Baird, of Local 1501, on May 11, 2007
8:03 PM
Wearing the uniform while in civilian status just to meet the Air Force image
of "spit and polish" is a terrible idea. What happens if I forget to shave a
bit of scruff from my face or don my hat in the parking
lot. Can I be punished for that while in civilian status? What about
other civil service personnel such as straight civilians, what will they do to
fit the image? Is it fair that I as an ART in civilian status can get punished
for failure to wear my uniform properly and possibly get fired while
staright civilians can't be punished for such
things as a failure to don a hat or shave some sruff?
Does this vilolate my rights as a civil service
employee or my Equal Employment Rights? I understand my civilian rights and
feel this is a gross violation of those rights. I make more money while in
uniform as a TSgt, will I get my TSgt pay? Is it
within the laws to pay a TSgt a wage below that stated on the military pay
chart? A terrible idea!!
Author: Darrell J Hendricks, of Local 2986, on May 12,
2007 11:10 AM
As a National Guard Technician we have to wear the
uniform everyday. Wearing the uniform blurs the line between civilian and
military. I had an Air Grard Commander tell me
that the union in the guard was "oxymoronic". What's next, our right to
organize, to bargain? If the Government wont a full time uniform service than
make everyone AGR (Active duty Reserve) . It seems
to me that its time to rethink the Technician program. Dual status doe's not
work, full time support personnel should either be
a non-daul status civilian or an AGR. I tell you
don't be confused, this issue is bigger than whether or not you wear the
uniform, it is about you very identity as civilians employees. Be careful, in
the past National guard technicians did not have to
wear the uniform either. As I understand it there was a rider to a bill that
made wearing the uniform law. Keep your union and your
electied official informed or I fear you will lose the fight.
Author: Peter A DeSanctis, of Local
1997, on May 14, 2007 9:15 AM
Working as an ART for the past 20 years I realize how closely tied together
the civilian side of our jobs are and the reserve sides of our job are. At the
age of 56 I will be told I can no longer continue to work here as an ART
because I will have 33 years in uniform. If you are going to tie these jobs
together even closer by making us wear the uniform everyday as a civilian,
then give us ARTS 1 point for each day we are required to wear the uniform
(like the 44 day rule) and give us ARTS the military side of our retirement
when we are forced to retire.
Author: Wade Jones on May 14, 2007 2:55 PM
I happen to be the ranking person on the weekend, but I am not senior on the civilian side. In addition, the Active Duty production supervisors I work for during the week were Staff Sergeants when I was promoted to MSgt. Am I to "kick" them out of their jobs because I outrank them by wearing a uniform every day like they do? But wait, I'm just a WG-10, where they would be more like a WS-10 in the civilian world. I don't have the civilian position to do their job. So where does that put me? It puts me in a MSgt's uniform in civilian status, being given work assignments by a TSgt or sometimes even a SSgt.
Author: Wade Jones on May 14, 2007 2:56 PM
Good order and discipline? How so?
2. In para 5, I'm lost. All the changes in status have nothing to do with what clothes you are wearing. Obviously, if you must be on Active Duty orders to do a mission, you put the uniform on and work with your timekeeper to figure out a way to be on leave from the civilian side. Putting the uniform on changes nothing, we're still bound by civilian work rules and time and attendance regs.
Author: Wade Jones on May 14, 2007 2:56 PM
The reference to aircrews flying into the AOR is really pointless because one of the AFI's in the Subject line (36-2903) already states that ARTs whose duties involve flying on military aircraft must wear their military uniform, and has for as long as I can remember. Makes the author look like he doesn't know what's in the very AFI's AFRC wants to change.
Author: David McCarroll, of Local 1340, on May 14, 2007 3:41 PM
ARTs in Uniform While Civilian Status:
This has raised a few questions in my mind:
Currently, while in uniform, we gain points per day toward our reserve retirement. How will this affect that?
If we are put into military status, (AGR) will our civil service time bridge on toward retirement?
For those of us with enough combined time to retire immediately, will we be able to do so, and will we receive our retirement benefits immediately?
When we are in uniform, will we have the same status as our military rank or our civilian pay-grade? e.g. As a TSGT, we are authorized to serve as a flightline expeditor, element chief, asst shift supervisor. As a WG-10, we are not authorized to do any of those things.
If we are put on military status, it would not be fair to throw out all our civil service time and not count it toward retirement. I think these things need to be ironed out before making a change that affects the entire work force to this extent.
Author: Kevin L Davis, of Local 1501, on May 14, 2007 3:44 PM
Re: Memorandum 18 Apr 07, To: John Gage from Steve Mann(dir. Man & Pers) ARTs DO NOT perform the same duty whether in mil or civ status. In mil status, many of us are supervisors, I am the NCOIC of my shop during the my UTA. In uniform, I expect the same rights, privileges, pay, and yes...responsibilities, due my rank. I outrank every active duty person in my shop. In civ status, I am a WG-10, a worker/trainer for personnel assigned to my shop, regardless of status. Basically, a well trained drone. I'm not paid, nor am I allowed, to perform any supervisory duties. If you want me to perform in a supervisory role, either promote me or activate me. SPAN class=error SPAThe labor that I currently perform is not commensurate with the rank of a MSGT.
Author: A Super on May 15, 2007 8:09 PM
As an expediter, it is essential that I know who is active duty and who is a civilian. I manage them by two different sets of rules as far as breaks, time off, and overtime. Currently, with anybody in unifrom I do not have to worry about working them a couple of minutes late, or giving them their one hour lunch break according to the union contract. We do have a lot of personell changes and expediters change frequntly from day to day. It would make it impossible to manage people according to their contract. Getting to know your people is not the answer because personell change too often and often an expediter is taken from the ranks. This would open us up to too many greivences.
Author: Evan A
Heintz on May 16, 2007 9:46 AM
I totally agree with the majority of the comments posted. I can clearly see
who this benefits, and it's not the workers!! I would be against this proposal
even if AFRC did offer the retirement, pay, etc. of active duty. Why, you ask?
Because I knew the score when I took the job!! I could have stayed on Active
Duty, and I also could have taken the AGR position that was offered to me at
the same time as my ART position. I took this job because I loved what I
did, I just got tired of the extra hassle of the
active duty environment. The ART program, in it's
current state, was the perfect compromise. I agree with an earlier post in
that this is an attempt at Union Busting, plain and simple.
Author: ENRIQUE GUERRA on May 16, 2007 2:09 PM
I have worked as an ART for over twenty-one yrs. and have never had a
problem doing my job in civilian cloths and have been professional during my
work hours. I don't believe that AFRAC is trying to use the excuse of good
order and discipline to try to enforce their hidden agenda. Putting the
ART's in uniform is just
that,"HIDDEN AGENDA". There is only one solution to their madness and
that is make us AGR's to include benefits and
retirement at twenty or leave a program that has worked for many years, alone.
I hope that we band together as a professional organization and put this
rediculous idea in it's
appropriate place,"THE TRASH".
Author: Raul G Gutierrez, of Local 1367, on May 27, 2007 10:00 AM
Questions concerning the ART force: See Followinig email 2 part:
1. While in uniform am I placed under the Uniform Code of Justice (UCMJ) or as a federal worker am I placed under the rights of redress for adverse actions that may occur at work?
2. If I am in uniform will I be compensated as a civilian or military?
3. As an ART in uniform and in civilian status, I will be wearing my uniform more frequently. Will I be allowed to use the clothing allowance stipulated for military reserve under the wear and tear guidelines or will we recieve compensation for uniform cleaning?
4. While I am in uniform and am accidently injured will I recieve medical assistants and care through the military medical process or will I still have to carry and use civilian medical health care insurance?
5. Will my family and I recieve medical health care benefits when needed through the military or will I have to carry and use civilian medical/health benefits?
Author: Raul G Gutierrez, of Local 1367, on May 27, 2007 10:27 AM
5. While I am in uniform and am accidently injured will I recieve medical assistants and care through the military or will I still have to carry and use civilain medical/health insurance?
6. In case of death while in uniform on civilian status will our military life insurance be in effect versus civilian or will both be in effect?
7. Will our survivors benefits change from civilian to military?
8. Will our retirement benefits change from militay versus civilian?
These are just a few in question and as you can see, this can become very costly for our government as well as all ART's.
Author: Raul G Gutierrez, of Local 1367, on May 27, 2007 10:59 AM
Comment:
As an ART I cannot see any real justified reason for ART's wearing uniform's while on civilian status. If the question is appearance, all ART's take pride in there dress dependent on the job they have been hired for. My experience observing ART's dress and appearance in several area's of civilian employment has been admirable. In civilian status ART's have always taken pride in proper dress and appearance. Dress codes have been adhered to. If it is a question of work ethic and doing our job, all ART's have understood that it is easier to work in military uniform with military active duty as well as easier to work with civilian's in civilian dress when negotiating a work project. Commonality nine time's out of ten is one of the keys to a succesful work project. So I must ask, is there valid justified reason why ART's should wear military uniforms or is this a control based issue placing ART's under UCMJ, stripping away civilian due process?
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Author: Michael P Berens
on Jun 5, 2007 8:59 AM |
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Author: Michael P Berens
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Author: Mark Jones, of Local 3556, on Jul 11, 2007 11:32 AM
AFGE's response to AFRC did not work...The Reserve Command announced last week their decision to go ahead and implement the mandatory wear of the uniform for ART's in civilian status. Here is the meeting minutes from AFRC HQ during last Friday's (July 6) meeting:
CIVILIAN:
Item 1: ART Uniform (Ms. Laurel Jacobs, A1CE, 327-1300)
3 Jul 07: National Consultation Rights (NCR) process with national unions complete. National
unions advised 20 Jun 07 of AFRC decision to implement uniform policy. AF-wide labor
relations call (with MAJCOM LR POCs) scheduled for 10 Jul 07. In the next 30 days, AFI
interim changes will be finalized by AFPC, AF-wide communication plan will be finalized, AFwide
labor relations bargaining strategy will occur, and guidance to the field finalized. Target
implementation date, 1 Aug 07. AFRC/A1CE (Ms. Laurel Jacobs) is the lead for this initiative.
Author: Michael P Berens on
Aug 9, 2007 2:16 PM
I am trying very hard to understand why the Union(s) who represented the ART
workforce in this matter saw fit to sell us out, cozy up to management and buy
off on a policy that only stands to repress this sect of civil service
employees and blur the lines between active duty and civilian status. I just
want to say thanks for bending over for management’s sake and giving them yet
another tool to be used to dominate the ART workforce, subject
ARTs to a multitude of rules and regulations
specific to military authority (UCMJ), threatening civilian jurisdiction and
bargaining capability and injecting an authoritarian military rank structure
into a civilian workforce environment where an appropriate grade structure
already exists. Thanks! Appreciate it!
Author: Clyde L Mathewes, of Local 2568, on Aug 3, 2007 6:18 AM
There is another problem with ART's in uniform. They (if they are Union Officers or Stewards) are denied the right to carry on Union business while in uniform. So which set of rules do we follow are they covered under the UCMJ or the rules for Civilian DOD workers?
Case in point the Chief Steward and 2 other Stewards in Local 2568 are ARTs.
Author: Brian K Fortier on May 10, 2007 2:22 PM
Somebody in Air Force Reserve Command thought that civilian attire didn't give the spit-polish clean-shaven image he would like to see. Perhaps this person has forgotten his (or her) roots. Rivers of blood flowed from deeply dedicated men and women, many of whom wore no more than the hand sewn clothes on their backs, in the defense of independence, freedom and liberty for everyone living in this beautiful country.
Author: Ed McMillion on May 11, 2007 11:36 AM
I can't attest to whether this is true or not but I was breifed at an official forum that the uniform push came about because a couple of guys met a general's aircraft looking like they had been "partying all night" (beard, earrings, long hair, t-shirt and shorts, etc.) which he was unhappy with and then he went ballistic when he found out that they were actually NCO ARTs.
The fight is just beginning but, if it turns out that the union can't defeat the uniform, then as an alternative maybe it can deflect the issue toward some kind of appearance standards for all civilian employees. It's the lesser of two evils, as it were, because most of us don't want to wear a military uniform in civilian status and I personally don't want to be an AGR but most of us probably already abide by some self-imposed basic appearance standards anyway.