Probably nothing, but this caught my eye (well both eyes I guess)

[The Straight Story]

The Honorable David S. C. Chu
Under Secretary of Defense
for Personnel and Readiness
4000DefensePentagon
Washington, D.C. 20301-4000
Dear Dr. Chu:
This supersedes our reply dated June 8, 2004, approving your request to use ScheduleA
hiring authority 5 CFR 213.3102(i)(3) for positions in Iraq and directly supporting
operations in Iraq. Our prior approval for temporary appointments under this authority
did not fully meet your need to make time-limited appointments and extend appropriate
benefits.
To meet your needs, we hereby establish a new ScheduleA appointing authority to
provide for temporary or time-limited appointments throughout the Department of
Defense. The reference for this new authority is 5 CFR 213.3106(b)(10), which reads as
follows:
"Temporary or time-limited positions in direct support of US. Government efforts
to rebuild and create an independent, free and secure Iraq, when no other
appropriate appointing authority applies. Positions will generally be located in Iraq,
but may be in other locations, including the United States, when directly supporting
operations in Iraq. No new appointmentsmay be made under this authority after
March 31, 2009."
In making appointments under this authority, please cite the appointing authority on the
Notification of Personnel Action, SF 50, as "Schedule A, 213.3106(b)(10)."
Questions regarding the use of this authority may be addressed to Larry Lorenz at
202-606-1143 or by email at [e-mail] to OPM's acting Human Capital
Officer for the Department of Defense, Rosemary Downing, at 202-606-1299 or by email
at [e-mail].
We hope that this new authority is instrumental in meeting the needs of the Department.


http://www.cpms.osd.mil/HotItems/SchATemp.pdf

Like I said, probably nothing worth thinking about too much (got it from this link:
http://www.cpms.osd.mil/
Civilian Personnel Management Service

[proud patriot]

1. 2009 eh ?

:puke:

[drm604]

2. It may be important or it may be nothing but

I encourage everyone to download and save that PDF in case it disappears when they notice interest in it.

[grasswire]

3. send that over to Keith Olbermann and to daily Kos

It's pretty interesting.

[The Straight Story]

4. Good idea

Will do!

[TexasChief]

5. May be wishful thinking

If things continue in the direction they are presently going we won't be able to hold on till 09. Last week marked 30 years since the fall of Saigon and the US expulsion from Vietnam. I can't help but think of similarities between our position now and then. It's Just like 30 years ago when we had vastly superior weapons but could not win the hearts and minds of the people. We can project force from our fortified bases but, we don't have enough manpower to control the countryside. We can't transport soldiers or materiel on the roads everything has to be airlifted. We fight along side a heavily subsidized local army with questionable loyalty. But mainly it is the sense that our presence as an occupying army will never be accepted by the population as a whole, there will always be sympathy and support for the opposition to US troops. I don't think anyone really believes that we are defeating insurgency, at best we are holding on waiting for our ersatz army to be trained and take over for us. If the insurgents mount an offensive like Tet you may see us evacuating the Green Zone just like the embassy in Saigon.