Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs Visits Camp Zama, Japan

Photo By Kiyoshi Tokeshi | The Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs visited and answered questions for Department of the Army civilians at a town hall held at Camp Zama, Japan, Aug. 24, 2015.  

CAMP ZAMA, KANAGAWA, JAPAN

08.24.2015

Story by Eric Hamilton 

U.S. Army Installation Management Command         

CAMP ZAMA, Japan - The Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, Debra S. Wada, visited Camp Zama and answered questions for Department of the Army Civilians at a town hall held at the Camp Zama Community Club on Aug. 24, 2015.

Secretary Wada is responsible for the supervision of the manpower, personnel and Reserve Component affairs for the Department of Army. She serves as the Army's lead for policy and performance oversight of human resources (military, civilian, and contractor), training, readiness, mobilization, military health affairs, force structure, manpower management and other critical matters as part of the Army leadership.

“I came here to learn about the activities of Camp Zama, and what the leadership of U.S. Army Japan and I Corps (Forward) are doing,” said Secretary Wada. She wanted to better understand the concerns of the community at the local level so she could take those concerns back to Washington.

“I want to learn some of the issues that are unique to Camp Zama,” she said. “Hopefully, we can work to resolve some of those.”

Wada began the town hall by “setting the stage” for the audience, explaining that the Army is still under sequestration and the Budget Control Act of 2011. While drawing down the Civilian Corps has begun, she said, most of the 17,000 anticipated job cuts would come from the annual 12% attrition.

As a result, Wada said, employees would need to be a little more flexible, and would have to be able to move to meet requirements. She said that leadership is investing in development for civilians, to provide them the advantages needed to progress in their careers. She stressed that the Army will continue to provide education, training and career opportunities to support a competitive edge.

Wada then took questions from the audience on topics ranging from the rules generally limiting civilian overseas tours to five years, to hiring practices and concerns, to civilian development and training, to the Priority Placement Program and returning to U.S. Army jobs in the U.S. after overseas tours end.

Many questions expressed concern of the current situation in many areas of the personnel process. Several sought solutions to the long-standing challenges of transparency in the hiring process, maintaining career progression after an overseas tour, and the ongoing potential for Reduction-in-Force actions. Wada fielded each question thoughtfully, at times allowing subject-matter experts in the audience to assist with local or specific aspects to some questions.

At the conclusion of the town hall, Secretary Wada thanked the audience for participating stating that “This will help us have a good frank dialogue.”

• Date Taken: 08.24.2015
• Date Posted: 08.25.2015 19:31
• Story ID: 174251
• Location: CAMP ZAMA, KANAGAWA, JP