European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 3, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday april 3, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 3official says he never saw directive Grimmett Calls Over classification by David Tarrant staff writer usage  Stop civilian personnel officer said he never knew of documents directing him to downgrade More than 40 supervisory positions in personnel offices until questioned by a department of defense inspector general in 1991. A May 1991 inspector general report concluded that Archie Grimmett usage  a assistant Deputy chief of staff for civilian personnel did not take action to Correct Over trading of jobs within his own ranks even though a review by the . Army in Europe had found that More than �?o40 key supervisory positions in subordinate pos were Over graded As Early As 1986. Grimmett came to Usa eur in october 1988. The report cited four witnesses who gave testimony to the inspector general that the paperwork necessary to reclassify the jobs to the Correct Grade Levels was presented to Grimmett. A three of the witnesses testified that the last time they saw the package of downgrade letters it was sitting on the Windowsill in the directors office the inspector general report said. But in an interview monday Grimmett repeated what earlier he had told the defense departments inspector general that he never saw the documents in question. A a report was supposed to have been Given to me when i arrived in october 1988. No such report was Given to me even though the in said four witnesses saw the report on my Windowsill a he said. Grimmett said that his staff was normally very aggressive about keeping him informed on such matters. At the time the chief of classification a whose office evaluates the grading of civilian jobs a was a known As a very aggressive chief of classification. He would not have let any report rest anywhere that i know of a Grimmett said. A the reminded me constantly about actions that we were pursuing and we were very aggressive about pursuing those  Grimmett said he did no to find out about the positions until the Dod inspector general a came through and interviewed  the inspector general report concluded however that despite the directors testimony a the preponderance of evidence established that he was briefed provided documentation to sign to initiate corrective actions and that corrective actions had not been  Grimmett said that by the time the inspector general report was issued in mid-1991 the need to downgrade the jobs had been overtaken by events because Usa eur had reorganized some three dozen civilian personnel offices into 12 regional hubs. A a that a one of the reasons this whole things passe a Grimmett said a because the organization frankly is no longer like it used to  Grimmett also said the draw Down and restructuring of the civilian work Force in Europe offer a a Superb Opportunity to Correct past problems with overgrazing of civilian jobs throughout the command that a based on the estimate of a former Usa eur chief of staff a could have drained the . Army in Europe of at least $100 million in overpayment Over the last five years. In addition to the restructuring of usage  a civilian personnel offices the army last August reorganized its 37 military communities in Europe into 12 Hub area support groups. A because we have reorganized each one of these communities we see a Superb Opportunity to Sec to it that the jobs Are correctly evaluated a Grimmett said. Usa eur surveys from 1985-87 As Well As a 1984 department of army Survey showed that an estimated 14 percent of Usa eur civilian positions were mis classified and most were graded too High according to the inspector general report. The report quoting current program officials concluded that there were a indications of significant overgrazing of civilian positions in . Army Europe a and recommended that a during the restructuring of Usa eur civilian positions to support a reduced Force in Europe army officials should a assure that All civilian positions Are classified in accordance with established  usage  a goal is to classify accurately at least 95 percent of its civilian positions a slightly higher than the army a 90 percent Standard a to ensure that no Job is either overgrazed or under graded. An army wide review by the civilian personnel evaluation Agency conducted Between january and july 1991, found that Usa eur fell Short of its goal with an 87 percent accuracy rate. However Usa eur fared better than the army wide average of 83.7 percent. In addition Usa eur has conducted its own studies. Last summer Usa eur commander Gen. Cros Bie e. Saint ordered a special review known As a data Call of All key jobs throughout the command to determine whether these key jobs were rated accurately and whether groups of similar jobs were graded consistently a we estimate that Well make that 95 percent once we Complete this process and stabilize a Grimmett said referring to the draw Down. During the interview in his office Grimmett was also asked about findings in the inspector general report concerning evidence that jobs remained overgrazed Long after commanders or managers were ordered to Correct the problem by higher authorities. Grimmett said he did not know about the individual circumstances of one Job in Frankfurt that remained overgrazed four years a from 1985 to 1989 a despite repeated directives by Usa eur to downgrade it. But Grimmett said Usa eur is working to improve accountability with its subordinate commands. A they cannot ignore us. As a matter of fact per Jodi Grimme tissue passe Cally we put out a notice to them to remind them they re responsible for carrying through Quot findings from higher authorities such As the office of personnel management. A and we pursue it religiously. Now that does not mean that an activity cannot come Back and say to us a wait a minute. The circumstances has changed on this particular  a a there was considerable work done before and after he came to Usa eur on several jobs in Stuttgart that the inspector general reported were upgraded even after commanders and managers were denied authority to do so Grimmett said. A there was follow up before me and there was follow up after me a he said. Stuttgart officials appealed usage  a decision a and they argued about it and they said its not True. We even sent somebody Down to look to make sure. Because in the end Well even do that Quot he said. When asked if such delays done to unnecessarily waste Money in overpayment Grimmett said that would be True Only a if the circumstances of the Job remained the same. But if the Job changes what would you do would you Rob the individual of a right that they have to full due process and say a sorry circumstances of that Job did not change and this is  Bam Quot i would opt for a full right of Appeal no matter How much shuffling of feet seems to be going  although the inspector general report did not attempt to measure the Cost of Over grading a former Usa eur chief of staff indicated As Early As 1987 that overgrazing was draining the command of millions of dollars. In an aug. 24, 1987, memo then Usa eur chief of staff maj. Gen. . Fiala stated that both the department of army and Usa eur Survey teams a found that about 14 percent of the civilian positions in Usa eur Are misclassified and most Are graded too High. The annual Cost to Usa eur is about $20 million in  Grimmett said he did not agree with Fiala a estimate calling it an a off the top of the head  but he also said he has never tried to estimate the Cost of overgrazing. A a in be never looked at it nor pursued anything like  Grimmett said however that there would be considerable savings As a result of the draw Down of civilian employees and the revamping of civilian personnel offices. The cuts in the civilian personnel offices alone is expected to reduce the workforce to 814 from pre draw Down Levels of 1,312 with a potential savings of approximately $16 million.2 sailors based in London win Navy awards for 1991 London a two London based sailors have won Sailor of the year awards for 1991. Petty officer 1st class Nancy Heaney was named 1991 Headquarters Sailor of the year. Navy officials credited the intelligence division information management assistant with providing accurate and Complete intelligence during operations desert storm and desert shield. Heaney also helped train Navy reservists during the War in intelligence gathering. Heaney works in the intelligence division in London where she manages 21 others. J she received the Navy achievement medal a $100 savings Bond dinner for two at a London restaurant and a complimentary pizza from a local restaurant. Petty officer 1st class Eddie King was named Sailor of the year by the commander of naval activities . King was honoured for his work which included Heaney King filling More than 860 printing requests last year. He received letters of appreciation for the Quality and efficiency of his work. King will receive the Navy achievement medal. In his off duty time the Miami native coaches basketball and Flag football. Libyan demonstrators reportedly Burn embassy Rome apr  tors protesting newly imposed . Sanctions attacked the venezuelan embassy residence in Tripoli on thursday and tried to storm the French embassy but were repelled by local Security forces diplomats said. Danish foreign ministry spokesman Lis Urhammer said in Copenhagen that demonstrators had threatened several Western embassies in Tripoli. A belgian Diplomat reached by Telephone in Tripoli said there were unconfirmed reports that the demonstrators attacked and burned the venezuelan embassy. That embassy did not answer its phone. France and Venezuela Are members of the . Security Council which voted tuesday to impose the sanctions because of libyans refusal to surren Der six men wanted in the bombings of pan am 103 and a French jetliner. Venezuelans . Ambassador is the current Security Council president. In Caracas a spokesman for the foreign ministry said his country a embassy residence was attacked. The spokesman Gerardo Gonzalez had no immediate details. The italian foreign ministry said protests were still going on in mid afternoon including a demonstration in front of the italian embassy which a spokesman said was targeted because it represents British interests. About 100 peaceful demonstrators gathered outside the belgian embassy to protest the . Air and arms embargo ordered against Libya on tuesday said the belgian Diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity