[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 7 (Thursday, February 5, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E116]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                      REGARDING COL. WILLIAM VOGEL

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SONNY CALLAHAN

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 5, 1998

  Mr. CALLAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to extend my 
utmost appreciation to Col. William Vogel, district engineer, U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers, Mobile District. Colonel Vogel deserves special 
recognition for the hard work and dedication to his employees 
demonstrated during the recent reduction in force executed at the Army 
Corps of Engineers' Mobile District.
  Faced with unfortunate, but unavoidable funding constraints, the 
Corps was forced to notify 192 employees in June 1997 they would be 
affected by the impending RIF in October of the same year. Obviously, 
when this notice was made public by the Corps there was tremendous and 
justified concern and uneasiness felt on the part of those employees 
whose names appeared among the 192.
  Colonel Vogel led the mission to accomplish the necessary reductions 
and made every effort to minimize the apprehension and potentially 
devastating implications to his dedicated and loyal work force. He 
worked tirelessly to accomplish this goal. Realizing the only way a 
mutually beneficial agreement could be reached was through the 
cooperation of the Corps' management and the union, Colonel Vogel met 
often with union officials in an attempt to minimize the impact on 
those who would be terminated. Among the many efforts designed to 
accomplish this goal, local union leaders were invited to attend staff 
meetings and labor-management meetings were increased to every 2 weeks, 
therefore opening the lines of communication between the two sides.
  The immensely successful program which followed was the direct result 
of Colonel Vogel's efforts. Several options were made available to the 
employees who faced termination, ranging from early retirement packages 
to transfers or pay cuts. A center was established to facilitate job 
placement for those who chose to leave. The final results in December 
1997 were, given the potential alternatives, the best possible in this 
unfortunate situation. Seventy-nine employees left to pursue other 
employment opportunities and 113 were to be reassigned. Of the 192 
employees affected by the Reduction in Force, none were faced with 
involuntary separation.
  I would like to personally thank Colonel Vogel and his staff for 
their dedication and commitment to their employees and coworkers. As 
Congress continues in its efforts to reduce the size of the Federal 
Government, other Federal agencies facing the same downsizing realities 
would do wise to study the model and accomplishment put forth by 
Colonel William Vogel and his staff.
  I and everyone else affected by the Corps' reduction in force extend 
our sincere appreciation for a difficult job well done.

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