Experiences of a USAF civilian management analyst

INTRODUCTION Meyer Moldeven (Mike) 3/23/10

(I’ve posted several of my articles and blogs online since I retired based on my gov’t experiences hoping that content might be useful to others (military and civilian) in gov’t service. I’ll be responsive to questions as best I can. Mike)

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I am 92 years old, retired in 1974 with 34 years as a U. S. Civil Service employee of the USAF Logistics Command (AFLC) from shortly before World War Two. My first gov’t assignment (1941-1946) was parachute rigger at theHawaiian Air Depot, Hickam Field on aircrew and cargo parachutes, life rafts, wilderness and escape-and-evasion kits. See Blog at:

“Times New Roman”””>http://parachuteriggerww2hickam.blogspot.com/

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When survival gear workloads tapered off I transferred to depot maintenance Quality Control to investigate content in initial reports from thefield on damage, defects, deficiencies, and other unsatisfactory conditions in USAF aircraft, equipment, and systems. Findings, usually with ‘fix’ ideas added were forwarded to hqs AFLC, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH for corrective actions.

http://mistakesdeficienciesworkplace.blogspot.com/

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In 1948 [post-WWII RIF], I returned to Wright-Patterson AFB and was assigned to the Hqs Log Command function responsible for worldwide requirements and distribution of aircrew emergency survival gear: parachutes and flotation gear for the Korean War.

http://memoirparachutesforthekoreanwar1950.blogspot.com/

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In 1950, after the Korean War began, I was assigned for several months to a ‘contingency’ planning cadre at Fairchild Air Force Base, Spokane, Washington. The mission: Plan for re-activating the dormant Fairchild AFB depot-level capability to repair battle-damaged aircraft, equipment, accessories and instruments in the event the Korean ‘police action’ escalated sufficiently to
call for ASAP continental U S logistical support. When ‘Korea’ combat operations cut
back and I returned to Hqs, AFLC where I was assigned to the hqs Inspector General’s office as an analyst.)

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In 1952, at the height of the Cold War, I transferred to a USAF depot under construction at Nouasseur Air Base, French Morocco. My assignment was to prepare a supplement to Air Materiel Force, European Area contingency
plans to create/staff/equip/transport U S civil service volunteer tech teams to
specified forward area sites to repair sufficiently to continue flight
Strategic Air Command battle-disabled aircraft compelled to land in North
Africa-Middle East-Med locations when returning from missions in a war with the
USSR. Project completed, I returned to the States where I was assigned to a
logistics officer job at McClellan AFB, Sacramento, California.

http://memoircoldwarplannorthafrica1952.blogspot.com/

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Immediately post-Sputnik U.S. priorities were high to develop a national space program. I was one of several logistics officers assigned to
AFLC teams to document implications in USAF-aerospace ‘pre-program definition’
proposals for a future U.S. Air Force in space. Among the analyses in which I
participated were logistics concepts and infrastructure for ‘Space Logistics,
Operations, Maintenance and Rescue’ (Project SLOMAR) and, post-retirement led
to my blog:

http://spacefaringandresources.blogspot.com/

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For my last ten or so years at McClellan I was the senior civilian in the IG office of the Sacramento Air Materiel Area. My duties were to process reports of findings by higher hqs IGs, Auditors General, and the GAO, review and follow up on corrective actions, and prepare/coordinate Commander’s replies
to communications from Members of Congress and the Executive.

During ‘Viet Nam’ I was assigned the additional duty to work with the Sacramento County Mental Health Council and help them toward timely responsiveness
to calls from military personnel and their families stationed in, or in-transit
through, central California. I took paraprofessional/gatekeeper training and
joined the suicide prevention ‘hotline’ staff. I soon became sufficiently aware
of suicide and suicide prevention’ in the Armed Forces to be a suicide prevention
advocate/activist. Still am; see my blog.

http://mil-civteamworksuicideprevention.blogspot.com/