Joint Activities Logo
Position Title
Government Information Specialist (Freedom of Information Act)
Agency
Joint Activities
Announcement Number
EUHR256183317885 Opens in new window
Open Period
Thursday, January 30, 2025 to Monday, February 10, 2025
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1. Do you claim Veterans’ Preference? (limit characters)
2. 30 Percent or More Disabled Veterans

Are you a veteran who separated from active duty under honorable conditions and you:

• retired from active military service with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more OR
• have a rating by the Department of Veterans Affairs showing a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more

Supporting documentation: You are required to submit acceptable documentation of your appointment eligibility, as follows:

• DD Form 214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," showing dates of service, as well as character of discharge; member 4 copy of the DD Form 214 is preferable (Note: If you have more than one DD Form 214 for multiple periods of active duty service, you should submit a copy for each period of service.); AND
• A copy of a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs, dated 1991 or later, certifying an OVERALL Service Connected Disability of 30% or more; OR
• DD Form 214, which reflects the character of service of "Retirement-Disability"; OR
• Certification document* which reflects your OVERALL service connected disability of 30% or more.
• The Standard Form-15 (SF-15), an Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference is optional at the time of application.

The "certification" letter is a written document on an official letterhead of the appropriate military branch in which the veteran served, and contains at a minimum, the service member's: (1) military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; (2) expected character of service (i.e. honorable); (3) rank; and (4) type of discharge. The "certification" must be signed by, or by direction of, the adjutant, military personnel officer, or commander of the service member's unit or higher headquarters. The service member's military service dates are necessary in order to determine whether he or she meets the definition of ''veteran'' under 5 U.S.C. 2108(1) (Federal Register, 2016).

Useful Links

You may request copies of your military personnel records online.
You can obtain a copy of your DD-214 from the National Archives.
Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference
U.S. Office of Personnel Management's Veterans Employment
U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans' Preference Advisor

For more information, review USAJOBS Veterans resources.

Are you a 30% or more Disabled Veteran? (limit characters)
3. Current Department of Army Civilian Employees Applying to OCONUS Positions

Department of the Army regulations include several employment categories in the definition of 'Current Department of Army Civilian Employees Applying to OCONUS/Overseas Positions'. You are eligible in this category if you fall into one of the following:

•  CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES SERVING ON A PERMANENT APPOINTMENT. You must submit a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action. Block 24 of your SF-50 must be a "1" or "2" AND block 34 must be a"1." Army employees can access their SF-50 at: MyBiz.

•  CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES SERVING ON AN EXCEPTED SERVICE VETERANS RECRUITMENT APPOINTMENT (VRA).  If you are eligible in this category, you are required to submit an SF-50 showing current Army Excepted Service VRA appointment (block 24 must be a "1" or "2" AND block 34 must be a"2.").

•  CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES SERVING ON AN EXCEPTED SERVICE APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEFENSE CIVILIAN INTELLIGENCE PERSONNEL SYSTEM (DCIPS). This category includes those who have personal career or career-conditional status earned with prior employment in the Competitive Service and/or those eligible under the DCIPS interchange agreement. If you are eligible in either of these categories, you may be required to submit two SF-50s: (1) an SF-50 showing current Army DCIPS employment (block 24 of your SF-50 must be a "1" or "2" AND block 34 must be a"2"), and, if applicable, (2) an SF-50 showing career/ career-conditional employment in the Competitive Service (block 24 of your SF-50 must be a "1" or "2" AND block 34 must be a"1").

•  CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES SERVING ON AN EXCEPTED SERVICE APPOINTMENT WITH THE CYBER EXCEPTED SERVICE. This category ONLY includes those who have personal career or career-conditional status earned with prior employment in the Competitive Service. If you are eligible in this category, you are required to submit two SF-50s: (1) an SF-50 showing current Army CES employment (block 24 of your SF-50 must be a "1" or "2" AND block 34 must be a"2"), and (2) an SF-50 showing career/ career-conditional employment in the Competitive Service (block 24 of your SF-50 must be a "1" or "2" AND block 34 must be a"1").

•  CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES SERVING ON A TEMPORARY OR TERM APPOINTMENT. This category ONLY includes those who have personal career or career-conditional status, earned with prior employment in the Competitive Service. If you are eligible in this category, you are required to submit two SF-50s: (1) an SF-50 showing current Army employment, and (2) an SF-50 showing career/career-conditional employment in the Competitive Service (block 24 of your SF-50 must be a "1" or "2" AND block 34 must be a"1").

•  CURRENT FLEXIBLE LENGTH AND RENEWABLE TERM (FLRT) TECHNICAL APPOINTMENT EMPLOYEES. If you are eligible in this category, you are required to submit an SF-50 showing a current Army Flexible Length Renewable Term Technical appointment with a remark indicating that you are eligible for consideration as a status candidate (block 45 must contain a remark on eligibility as a status candidate under section 1109(b)(1)(B) of the NDAA for FY 2016).

•  CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES SERVING ON AN EXCEPTED SERVICE FAMILY MEMBER APPOINTMENT. This category ONLY includes those who are currently assigned to an excepted service Schedule A family member position at an overseas location, and the position applying to is in the same commuting area as sponsor's permanent duty station. If you are eligible in this category, you also need to include a copy of your most recent SF-50 reflecting in block 24 a "3" AND block 34 reflecting a "2."

Supporting documentation: You are required to submit the documents which prove you are a current Department of the Army employee in one of the categories described above. To obtain a copy of SF-50s from employment with the Department of Defense, go to My Biz at https://compo.dcpds.cpms.osd.mil/.

Note: The "current Army employee" category does not include permanent Army National Guard employees in the competitive service.

Are you eligible to apply as a Current Department of Army Civilian Employee Applying to an OCONUS Position? (limit characters)
4. Current Department of Defense Employees (Non-Army)

You are eligible in this category if you currently work on a permanent* competitive service civilian appointment in any of the following Department of Defense (DOD) agencies:

•  U.S. Navy
•  U.S. Marine Corps
•  Department of the Air Force
•  Other Department of Defense Agency (e.g., WHS, DLA, DFAS, DISA, DODEA, Defense Commissary, etc.)

Supporting documentation: You are required to submit acceptable documentation of your appointment eligibility, by submitting a copy of your last or most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, (block 24 must be a "1" or "2" AND block 34 must be a"1"). To obtain a copy of SF-50s from employment with the Department of Defense, go to My Biz at https://compo.dcpds.cpms.osd.mil/.

Note(s):
*If you are currently working on a temporary or term appointment, or you are serving on active duty in the U.S. military service in any of the above agencies, you are NOT eligible for this hiring category unless you are serving on a Flexible Length Renewable Term (FLRT) Technical appointment with a remark indicating that you are eligible for consideration as a status candidate (block 45 must contain a remark on eligibility as a status candidate under section 1109(b)(1)(B) of the NDAA for FY 2016).

If you are currently working for a private sector company performing work related to a contract with a federal agency, you are NOT eligible for this hiring category

Are eligible to apply as a Current Department of Defense Employee (Non-Army)? (limit characters)
5. Excepted Service Overseas Family Member Appointment

Do you meet the following? You are eligible for this hiring category if you are a spouse, or unmarried dependent child (including stepchild, adopted child, and foster child) under the age of 23 who: Resides with a member of the U.S. Armed Forces or a U.S. citizen employee of a U.S. Government Agency (including non-appropriated fund activities) whose duty station is in the foreign area: AND, is in one of the following categories:

Have lost your eligibility for MSP or FMP due to declination or acceptance of a continuing position in the local commuting area; or

Are not eligible under FMP as the family member of a locally hired civilian or NAF employee whose duty station is in a foreign location; or

Are currently occupying an excepted service Sch A family member appointment with a DOD agency other than Army; AND,

Position you are applying to, is within the same commuting area as sponsor's permanent duty station

NOTE: Family members of contractor employees are NOT eligible for an overseas family member appointment.

Supporting documentation: You are required to submit acceptable documentation of your appointment eligibility, by submitting:

a copy of your sponsor's permanent change of station orders, including:

- a statement authorizing you (the spouse/family member) to accompany your sponsor to the permanent duty station,
- the specific location to which the sponsor is assigned, reassigned, or transferred to permanent change of station orders, and
- the effective date of the permanent change of station

verification of the relationship (i.e., marriage certificate, certificate of live birth, etc.)

If your sponsor was locally hired in the overseas area, a statement from the local Human Resources office verifying you are the authorized dependent.

If you are currently employed by the federal government in an excepted service Schedule A family member position in an overseas location, you also need to include a copy of your most recent SF-50 reflecting in block 24 either a "0" or "3" AND block 34 should reflect a "2."

 (limit characters)
6. Family Member Preference (FMP) for Overseas Employment

You are eligible for this hiring category if you are a spouse, or unmarried dependent child (including stepchild, adopted child, and foster child) under the age of 23 who:
  • Resides with a member of the U.S. Armed Forces or a U.S. citizen employee of a U.S. Government Agency (including non-appropriated fund activities) whose duty station is in the foreign area: AND,
  • Have not accepted or declined a permanent position or a temporary position of one year or longer at the new duty station of the sponsor; AND,
  • Position you are applying to, is within the same commuting area as sponsor's permanent duty station
**NOTE: This preference does not apply to family members of locally hired civilian employees.

Supporting documentation: You are required to submit acceptable documentation of your appointment eligibility, by submitting:
  • a copy of the sponsor's permanent change of station orders, including a statement authorizing the spouse/family member to accompany the sponsor to the permanent duty station, the specific location to which the sponsor is assigned, reassigned, or transferred to permanent change of station orders, and the effective date of the permanent change of station, and
  • verification of the relationship (i.e., marriage certificate, certificate of live birth, etc.).

Are you eligible for Family Member Preference for Overseas Employment? (limit characters)
7. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan

Are you a current or former federal employee displaced from a position in a federal agency other than the agency hiring for this position?  If yes, confirm:

• you are located in the same local commuting area of the vacancy

• your grade is equivalent to or below the grade level of the vacancy and

• your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent.

ICTAP applicants must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. Well-qualified is defined as meeting all of the minimum qualification standards and eligibility requirements as well as possessing skills that clearly exceed the minimum qualification requirements for the position.

*Note: Under competitive delegated examining, an ICTAP eligible will be considered well-qualified if they attain an eligibility rating of 90 or higher, not including points for veterans' preference.

Supporting documentation: Federal employees seeking ICTAP eligibility must submit proof that they meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330.704, by submitting a copy of the following documents with your completed application: A copy of your agency notice; AND,

A copy of your most recent annual performance appraisal; AND,

A copy of your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location.  Additional information regarding ICTAP eligibility can be found in the OPM Employee's Guide to Career Transition.  For more information, review the USAJOBS Resource Center. (limit characters)
8. Military Spouse Preference (MSP) for Overseas Employment

You are eligible for this hiring category if you are the spouse of an active duty U.S. Armed Forces service member and you meet the following conditions:
  • You and the sponsor were married prior to the relocation (before the Permanent Change of Station (PCS)); AND,
  • You have arrived at the overseas duty station identified on the PCS orders; AND,
  • Since the relocation, you have not accepted or declined a permanent position at the new duty station of the sponsor; AND,
  • You are among the best qualified; AND,
  • Position you are applying to, is within the same commuting area as sponsor's permanent duty station
**NOTE: Preference can be granted only once per PCS relocation. Once you accept or decline a position, either appropriated fund (AF) or non-appropriated fund (NAF) at the new duty station, your eligibility for preference terminates whether or not preference was applied.

Supporting documentation: You are required to submit acceptable documentation of your appointment eligibility, by submitting a copy of the service member's permanent change of station orders, including a statement authorizing the spouse to accompany the member to the permanent duty station (if the spouse is not listed on the orders, then a command sponsorship letter must be submitted), the specific location to which the member is assigned, reassigned, or transferred to permanent change of station orders, and the effective date of the permanent change of station; AND verification of the marriage to the service member (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage).

Are you eligible for Military Spouse Preference for Overseas Employment? (limit characters)
9. Non-Department of Defense (DoD) Transfer

This category includes competitive service, career or career-conditional employees of federal agencies other than the Department of Defense (e.g., Dept of Labor, VA). 

Supporting documentation: You are required to submit acceptable documentation of your appointment eligibility, by submitting a copy of your last or most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, (block 24 must be a "1" or "2" AND block 34 must be a"1").

*If you are currently working on a temporary or term appointment, or are serving on active duty in the U.S. military service, you are NOT eligible for this hiring category.
*If you are currently working for a private sector company performing work related to a contract with a federal agency, you are NOT eligible for this hiring category.

Are you applying to transfer from a federal agency other than the DoD? (limit characters)
10. Reinstatement

You are eligible for this hiring category if you:
  • Are a former Federal employee who previously attained career status (identified as Tenure I (block 24) and Competitive Service (block 34) of your last SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action); OR
  • Are a former Federal employee with veterans' preference who previously attained career-conditional status (identified as Tenure II (block 24) and Competitive Service (block 34) of your last SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action); OR
  • Are a former Federal career-conditional employee (identified as Tenure II (block 24) and Competitive Service (block 34) of your last SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action) without veterans' preference who separated from Government service within the past three years.
This eligibility also covers current permanent Federal employees when the area of consideration ("Who May Apply") does not include an option to apply as a current Federal employee. To verify your eligibility, you are required to submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, SF-50 indicating Tenure I or II (block 24) and Competitive Service (block 34) with your completed application.

Supporting documentation: You are required to submit a copy of your separation Notification of Personnel Action, SF-50 with your completed application.

Are you eligible for Reinstatement? (limit characters)
Preferences
1. Would you accept a term appointment? (limit characters)
Conditions of Employment
This position has requirements which must be met prior to employment, and conditions for continued employment. Your answers to the questions in this section will indicate your understanding of, or possession of, these requirements and conditions. (limit characters)
1. This position requires the incumbent be able to obtain and maintain a determination of eligibility for a Top Secret security clearance with eligibility for access to Special Compartmentalized Information (SCI) for the duration of employment. A pre-employment and recurring comprehensive background investigation that includes, but is not limited to, contact with all references, employers, co-workers, personal associates, and a review of your driving record, credit history, criminal history, and military service are required. Are you willing to meet this requirement? (limit characters)
2. The duties of this position meet the criteria for compliance with Federal and Department of the Army Drug Free Workplace Programs. Detection of the presence of drugs is warranted. This position is subject to a pre-employment screening, and random testing thereafter, to include testing based on reasonable suspicion and testing due to direct involvement with an on-duty accident. Are you willing to refrain from the use of illegal drugs and submit to a pre-employment drug screening and random testing thereafter to obtain and maintain employment in this position? (limit characters)
3. This position has a Temporary Duty (TDY) or business travel requirement of 10% of the time. Are you willing and able to travel away from your permanent duty station up to 10% of the time to to include the continent of Africa? (limit characters)
4. Must be willing and able to obtain and maintain Country/Theater Clearance per the Foreign Clearance Guide located at" https://www.fcg.pentagon.mil/fcg.cfm, maintain no-fee passport and Visa, obtain any vaccinations and pertinent immunizations, and complete any pre-employment screening for country entry. Are you willing to fulfill this requirement? (limit characters)
Assessment 1
Thank you for your interest in a Government Information Specialist position with Department of the Army.Your resume and the responses you provide to this assessment questionnaire will be used to determine if you are among the best qualified for this position. Your responses are subject to verification. Please review your responses for accuracy before you submit your application. (limit characters)
1. Select the one statement that best describes the experience that you possess that demonstrates your ability to perform the work of Government Information Specialist at the GS-12 grade level or equivalent pay band in the Federal Service. (limit characters)
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided. (limit characters)
2. Implement policies and programs required by Executive Order 12958 for Mandatory Declassification Review.
 (limit characters)
3. Establish procedures to ensure timely notification if a privacy breach occurs.
 (limit characters)
4. Review information proposed for posting to an organization website for compliance with the Privacy Act.
 (limit characters)
5. Process public disclosure requests according to security guidelines.
 (limit characters)
6. Respond to PA requests on behalf of an organization.
 (limit characters)
7. Communicate FOIA and PA information to the public and senior leadership.
 (limit characters)
8. Oversee processing of FOIA requests within the command and Offices of Defense Cooperation in-country.
 (limit characters)
9. Analyze information to determine whether or not it is cleared for public disclosure.
 (limit characters)
10. Oversee the process of Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act requests in order to complete requests in accordance with required time frames.
 (limit characters)
11. Review Privacy Impact Assessments for accuracy prior to submission.
 (limit characters)
12. Ensure personal information and data is collected, maintained, used, or disseminated only as authorized by law and as necessary to carry out agency responsibilities.
 (limit characters)
13. Your responses to the Announcement and Assessment Questionnaires, along with your resume and all supporting documentation are subject to evaluation and verification to ensure accuracy. Please take this opportunity to review your responses to ensure their accuracy.
 (limit characters)
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