Conceptually it’s a great idea and I totally agree with it. However, one problem I see is going to be the concept will never get implemented correctly and that will be because of money. Management is not going to commitment financially to make a policy like that succeed. Prove me wrong, name one program of any kind that management has ever implemented with the proper funding? Something like this is going to have a lot of unintended consequences. It’s going require steady stream of PCS money and the will to transfer people from the field into HQ and out again on some kind of time line, similar to what DEA and the FBI do. In and out, no homesteading, no career program managers, no RAC’s made in place and then allowed to stay 10-15 years in place, no promotions from 13 to 14 in place, in and out, step up or step down, provide leadership or get out of the way. We need to have movement and create opportunities. How about giving 13’s a break by giving some hope that a shity GS/RAC is going to be moving on after 3-5 years. Think of some of the problems that would eliminate just by a change of the personalities. Think about major programs getting an infusion of new talent and ideas every few years. If you want to be a 13 and stay your whole career in the same place good for you. Shouldn’t apply to 14’s and 15’s. It obvious it doesn’t work all you need to do is look at our current state of affairs. It’s like everything else in ATF, a penny wise and a pound foolish. Easy to cut dollars from training, mission travel and PCS money instead of actually looking at where the inefficiencies, duplication and waste is. Requires no thought process at all to cut these areas and it is always the areas that get cut year after year. We all know and see it every day, despite our “bare bones budget”, there is considerable mismanagement of our budget. Whether it’s in purchasing excessive vehicles for SAC’s, multiple PCS moves for failed managers, legal expenses, the list goes on and on. Why doesn’t ATF management just ask the employees of ATF where to save money? Because they don’t really want to know. Great idea but like everything else the devil is in the details! Here is a thought……just deal with the bad RAC’s, ASAC’S, and SAC’s. Identify them, PIP them, demote them, fire them, or force them to retire. Happens all the time with 13’s. Give us some relief. Change it up. How about a major shake up of all 14’s and 15’s. One massive, phased in transfer of all of them. Who cares how much it will cost. Bet it actually saves money because of the improvement in agent morale and the problems, grievances and legal actions it will solve or prevent and thus save money. I keep hearing about “best business practice”, well that is one for you, Mr. Melson. Happens every day with our state and local counterparts. Why doesn’t it happen in ATF? Have some courage and provide us with some leadership. Think outside the box, do something BOLD, new, and creative. But most of all give us some relief in the field from incompetent and uninspiring supervisors. What we don’t need is some new policy. We have enough of those already. Enforce the ones we currently have!

How do the SAC’s pre-select their buddies? Does anyone have any examples of not being selected? What can we do about it? I thought the assessment center process was supposed to get us the best all around candidate, but I look around the country and I see entire field offices almost to the point of munity and imploding because certain RAC’s/ASAC’s/SAC's have no real street experience and lack any resemblance of leadership skills. How do you guys feel about it? Lets here some horror stories.

Somebody explain The Andy Traver selection please.Everyone that has worked with him has the same opinion. A nice guy, as vanilla as they come and a marginal performer at every level of his career. The only plus being championed is "at least he's a gun toter". In other words, our first AGENT Director. Seriously? We have 2500 agents many of whom are quiet legends, to include reitred prior "gun toters". With all due respect he had ONLY 2 ASACs under his command, and one was driving a Government owned Cadillac and he DIDN'T notice? She abused her authority and misappropriated funds and is still an ASAC?
Word is he wants Steve Martin as his # 2?????? Although Steve was in fact a worker, the man forgot everything he ever learned at West Point (if he ever learned) about Mission and men. He has betrayed everyone he ever worked with. He faced serious ethical fallout from the Warlocks case. He decimated the Miami SRT so badly that it was dismantled. He destroyed SOD and virtually every senior agent in SFFD retired or left to another agency. His answer to anyone who doesn't lock step with him is to devastate their career. He is THE classic definition of a narcisist as identified in the DSM V. If the future of this great Bureau hinges on the Traver/Martin team, do not plan on retiring from the Bureau of ATF because there won't be one.

Doc-
I hope that’s a rhetorical question. Its Chicago! Just follow the money and favors that he has done for the friends of Obama and the former Senator himself. Check the donations and contributions lists that are required to be filed under state and federal election laws. Instead of ATF Director maybe they can make him Superintendant of the Chicago Police and take Martin with him.