NETC Command-Owned HRO Opens on NAS Pensacola

PENSACOLA, Fla. (NNS) -- The grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Naval Education and Training Command's (NETC) command-owned Human Resources Office (HRO) was April 30 at Building 680 on Naval Air Station Pensacola.

Previously, HRO services for NETC and its activities were handled by five different Navy Human Resources Service Centers around the country.

With the new NETC HRO standup, HR services for NETC civilian personnel will be provided by the new office and the Office of Civilian Human Resources (OCHR) Operations Center - Stennis, previously known as the Human Resources Service Center (HRSC)- Southeast.

"This change to a command-owned human relations (HR) service delivery model will result in significant improvements in service to NETC, providing improved services and clearer, simpler management," said Janice Travis, NETC's director of civilian human resources. "We will see a common approach to HR efforts, clearer lines of accountability and more consistent resourcing and execution in HR efforts by having an office dedicated to NETC."

Three key characteristics of command-owned HR are:
1) Alignment of key HR functions/decisions under the control of the commander.
2) Realignment of the HRSCs by command to improve functionality.
3) Establishing a common set of HR policies, processes, tools, Information Technology systems and technical authority governed by the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.

Rear Adm. Don Quinn, NETC commander, was the guest speaker for the ribbon cutting.

"The NETC HRO will allow us to get back to the model where our people are taking care of our people," said Quinn. "Our in-house HR professionals understand the NETC mission and unique demands it places on our civilian personnel. As we get this right, fleet readiness will improve, because fleet readiness starts here at NETC."

The NETC HRO will serve more than 4,500 civilians enterprise-wide and consist of 22 HR personnel located in Building 680 on NASP and five additional HR specialists at other site locations with concentrations of NETC personnel, including Norfolk, Va. and San Diego.

"In today's Navy HR environment, commands must have the ability to adapt quickly to changing and unique mission requirements," added Travis. "This new approach will enable NETC to tailor our human capitol decisions and resources both strategically and operationally."

The Human Resources decentralization plan was created last year by the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs with the goal of delivering more streamlined and customer-focused support.

"A major advantage to this change to command-owned servicing is that HR professionals will be able to focus solely on the major command to which they are assigned and are not required to focus on several different commands at the same time," said Patricia C. Adams, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Civilian Human Resources. "This new organization will provide better customer service through specific, command-focused HR teams and better partnerships with customers."

For more news from Naval Education and Training Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/cnet/.