To the Editor:

I agree with your [Feb. 20] editorial, ‘This isn't “efficiency” – it's casual destruction.

I am a retired federal employee with close to 33 years of continuous federal employment

in the competitive civil service.

In 1993 Vice President Al Gore initiated The National Partnership for Reinventing Government-to improve and streamline federal government operations. John Kamensky served as deputy director of Gore's National Partnership for Reinventing Government. Mr. Kamensky authored "A Brief History" in 1999, outlining this initiative.

The initiative was well thought out. In the initial phase, career federal employees were offered the opportunity to take part on various task forces, personnel, procurement etc. An employee had to apply to the head of the department.

Although my classification was budget officer, with the U.S. Department of Justice, I had

a collateral duty. When the position of procurement officer was delegated to the agency I

worked in, I was told I would also do procurement.

We lacked funding to hire a full-time employee for the new position. I could not say no, because a boilerplate paragraph in an employee's workplan included "other duties as assigned." I became a certified U.S. Government contracting officer, after training and testing. I received no additional compensation for what was another full-time position.

I found the government procurement process to be convoluted. Hence, I was motivated to be on a procurement task force. I applied directly to Attorney General Janet Reno and was accepted.

I think Vice President Al Gore had a better plan to reform federal government – while

keeping it intact and maintaining its integrity.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Rotondo

Johnston