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Medical civilian personnel transition in NCR

  • Published
  • By Kristi Kelly
  • JTF CapMed Public Affairs Officer
BETHESDA, Md. --  The Deputy Secretary of Defense, Gordon England, has decided that civil service employees of military medical facilities under JTF CAPMED will be best served by becoming Department of Defense civilians, rather than continuing to work under Service Personnel Systems. This decision is a result of BRAC and its impact on military medical facilities in the National Capital Region.

This means that as BRAC is implemented and the integration of military health care continues in this region, civilian personnel at the new Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and the new Community Hospital at Fort Belvoir will be DoD employees, not Army, Navy, or Air Force civilian employees. Phased implementation will include civilians at other clinics in the NCR if evaluation shows that the change will enhance the effectiveness of integrated regional healthcare delivery, and add opportunities for career development.

"This decision supports our commitment to implement a Regional approach to military health care while caring for the people who provide that system of care. It is an example of the ways in which our workforce will be positively impacted by the changes occurring in the National Capital Region. Taking care of our people is critical to our mission of caring for warriors and their families. We need the personnel we have in the region today to staff the world class facilities of the future and we want to provide them the best opportunities available for career development in a premier regional healthcare system," said RADM John Mateczun, Commander, JTF CAPMED.

This change will also allow for new and greatly expanded opportunities for career development of civilian personnel and will provide for equity and consistency during the BRAC-mandated transition period in the integrated regional health care system. The civilian workforce transition will take place in a phased approach over the course of the next three years and will be guided by the careful deliberations of a newly-chartered JTF CAPMED Civilian Human Resource Council. This Council includes senior leaders from Walter Reed Army Medical Center, National Naval Medical Center, DeWitt Army Community Hospital, the Air Force District of Washington and the Joint Task Force with support from Army, Navy and Air Force civilian subject matter experts.

While many details remain regarding the timing and scope of the change, this an important first step in designing the architecture of the future medical civilian workforce in the NCR. Additional information about the transition and the future medical civilian workforce in the NCR will be posted on www.JTFCAPMED.mil.