DATE: Saturday, September 27, 1997          TAG: 9709270420

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY IDA KAY JORDAN, STAFF WRITER

DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH                        LENGTH:   55 lines

NAVY MERGES HUMAN RESOURCES SERVICES IN 2 SHIPYARD BUILDINGS

The Navy's new regional human resources center opened Friday in two historic buildings at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard.

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Bernard Rostker said consolidation of the civilian personnel services will save about $140 million from 1997 to 2003 and $40 million annually after that.

``This facility brings meaning to the plan to do our part to become right-sized and more efficient,'' Rostker said. ``This will enable (the Navy) to provide resources to sailors so they can do their jobs.''

The integrated center, he said, is ``not in the grand tradition of the Navy,'' which has been structured to give major commands ``a great deal of responsibility and autonomy.''

The Portsmouth center will serve all Navy and Marine commands in Hampton Roads, plus bases in North Carolina and Cuba. About 31,000 civilians are employed in the region by the Navy, and each base will keep a small local personnel staff.

Later this year, Rostker said, the center will begin using advanced technology in data processing to manage personnel records.

``And the system will improve into the 21st century,'' he added.

The Navy now employs one human resources person for every 65 civilian employees, he said. The goal for 2003 will be one human resources person per 100 employees.

The center in Portsmouth is the third and largest regional center to open. Others are functioning in Europe and Hawaii. About 200 employees will work in Portsmouth.

A majority of them will work in a World War II building, containing 33,000 square feet, outside the shipyard gate on Effingham Street. The building once housed the Navy exchange and commissary. The remainder of the workers will be in an 1863 structure, containing 24,000 square feet, near Trophy Park in the original section of the shipyard. Both buildings have been remodeled to accommodate modern office technology.

The regional human resources center is one of about 40 tenant commands that use shipyard buildings.

Former shipyard commanding officer William R. Klemm was aggressive about offering space to other Navy commands in order to cut the cost of running the shipyard, which was designed for an operation much larger than the Navy now has in Portsmouth. While the tenants pay no rent, they pay for their utilities.

``We are happy to use good existing buildings,'' Rostker said. ``Wherever we go, we have to pay to build it out. So why pay rent when these buildings are here?''

In addition to Rostker, special guests at the opening included Betty S. Welch, deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for civilian personnel and equal employment opportunity; W.F. Maltbie Jr., director of the Human Resources Operation Center of the Navy; and Dr. Diane Disney of the Department of Defense.

Allen Johnson is director of the regional center in Portsmouth.

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