In my Post two decades of the US Marine Corps, I chose to be a Support Contractor to a US Govt Agency.
My observations:
- Minimal accountability for even large $$ screw ups.
- Minimal concern for anything but not being embarrassed at the table, at that moment and then the ugly goes down the memory hole.
- Almost no understanding of how business works (purchasing, supplying, providing, infrastructure, contracts) leading to constant lack of process or monetary efficiency.
- Refuse to document key processes or procedures since knowledge is power. Even if written down, will not read them or follow them but will instead rely on Tribal Knowledge.
- If you F it up = you get moved to another position or become one of the countless ‘closet people’ who contribute nothing other than file grievances. Can’t fire you.
- Why do Federal Civil Servant’s need a Civil Servant Union? See my comment on filing endless petty grievances to enhance the ultimate retirement benefits.
- The good people who care get crushed for making the others look like the idiots they are.
- The Senior Executive Service (SES) is 50/50 depending on the discipline(s) expected to oversee. Very few have any real business acumen commiserate with managing the size of organizations they are budgeted to. See my comments on lack of monetary efficiency and add a lack of effectiveness.
- Countless rework to justify many Closet People’s existence on the books.
- Many were excellent SMEs or skilled professionals who were too lazy to keep up with technology changes over the past 20 years (computing to manufacturing) and cling to paper processes.
- Aging workforce shaped like a mushroom top, and will not, nor can be forced to leave so that fresh out (new/young) talent can get in. Older workforce is reluctant to train the new workforce. See my comment about Knowledge is Power.
- Pay great $$ to Support Contractors, who are current in fields of study/technology or the trades and will not apply the advice and solutions provided as paid for.
I’ll just stop there. The USMC was a much better run organization.
Aging workforce shaped like a mushroom top, and will not, nor can be forced to leave so that fresh out (new/young) talent can get in. Older workforce is reluctant to train the new workforce. See my comment about Knowledge is Power.
That pretty much sums up the old digs at the civil engineering complex at the installation where I work. The top guy won't retire even though he's clearly over the hill, hasn't been in his right mind in many years (he was caught standing on top of a GSA vehicle trimming tree branches thereby violating several regulations yet only given a 3-day unpaid vacation), is the guy who is singularly responsible for the crony hirings in the building, and has driven off every engineer under him who wanted to advance but couldn't because he won't retire (he's 78) and has purposely denied every opportunity for them to get a job elsewhere because he won't give them a good reference.
It's folks like that who clearly give federal employees a bad name.