MEMORANDUM FOR CAREER PROGRAM 35 (CP-35) EMPLOYEES AND THEIR SUPERVISORS

SUBJECT: Army Civilian Training, Education, and Development System (ACTEDS)
Plan for Intelligence, CP-35 - Third Edition

1. This ACTEDS plan is a comprehensive guide for employees and their supervisors to prepare individual career development plans that meet the careerist's goals and contribute toward achieving the goals of the careerist's organization, command, and Service as well as those of the Intelligence Community (IC). It focuses on the competencies that are necessary for breadth and depth and lead to increased professionalism. The plan is also to be used to prepare organizational training and development plans and budgets that will support an organization's business and strategic plans.

2. This Third Edition of the ACTEDS Plan for Intelligence is designed to broaden careerist understanding of both Army and IC missions, functions and objectives in order to enhance overall professionalism and meet the needs of the 21st Century. I urge everyone to become familiar with this ACTEDS Plan. It establishes significant new challenges and impacts our organizational culture. This is true for supervisors and managers since you must serve as coaches and mentors. Continual training and development of civilians must become a critical area for investment for each intelligence and security unit. Time must be found to release civilians for critical training. It is also challenging for careerists. Careerists must take charge of their own careers. They must also make the commitment of their time.

3. A number of other changes have been made to this Edition. An option to achieve certification in Army for attaining a breadth and depth of professionalism in your Career Area is now being made available. The Intelligence Community Officer (ICO) program and the Defense Leadership and Management Program (DLAMP) have been integrated within the plan. They provide IC-wide Technical Track and Defense-wide Management Track professionalization standards and developmental opportunities. My annual Competitive Development Program has also been expanded in scope for careerists in this Career Program at grades 10 and above. University training is spotlighted as well as management and leadership training from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). I have also directed that short term technical training, especially that required for ICO Designation, be eligible for consideration for central funding, depending upon the availability of funds.

4. Possibly the most significant change in this Edition is the policy of more closely tying the attainment of competency requirements to personnel actions. The Total Army Personnel Evaluation System (TAPES) will be more aggressively used to not only record but evaluate progress toward attainment of corporately determined, Army, DOD and IC competencies, as well locally determined competencies. It will be a factor in the determination of the overall annual rating of careerists as well as in the rating of their supervisors. The degree careerists have attained and maintained required competencies will also become a mandatory element of consideration in selection and promotion actions in Army starting in 2002. You will be required to compete for selection and promotion on how well you have attained the competencies required by this plan along with how well you have acquired the other competencies locally required of the position. ICO designation is to be a required factor for consideration for promotion to senior executive ranks in the IC also beginning in the year 2002 and careerists will more and more have to have completed the requirements for the new DLAMP if they want to be competitive for senior executive positions in DOD.

5. I urge each careerist to assess their competencies against this plan with their supervisor, be responsive to changing situations in the workplace and new technologies, seek continuing opportunities for training, education and professional development, and remain mobile to accept challenging assignments throughout the Army and the IC. Work with your supervisors to document and update your competencies so that you can better plan your career. Do not expect to achieve your goals in one or two years. Be patient also with your organization as it seeks resources and training opportunities. Army, DOD and the IC are reassessing their training and development policies and plans too. There will continue to be growing numbers of opportunities.