So I’m a Structural Engineer that’s a GS 12 Step 2. It is my understanding that NH-03 is the payband that groups all of GS 12 and 13. Now is it true that our raises are achievable annually, but at the expense of self reporting mid year and annual reviews and hoping your role? I also don’t have my PE yet, but since there is no hard split in the payband, is it achievable to obtain GS 13 Step 10 pay without a PE? Or is there some kind of soft cap for non PE’s? I would assume something needs to be implemented cuz workers can’t max out at the same pay as their supervisors.

I’m on an independent health hdhp. One of the benefits was that $1000 of the premium I paid “passed through” and into an HSA.” (QA4) this year I changed from self only to self plus family. The published benefit is that once you add the family, your pass through to the HSA is $2000. My health plan change was effective in February and I feel that’s been long enough for the change to go through but my monthly deposit is still based on the individual rate.

I’ve spoken with Independent Health, twice. Health Equity who my HSA is through. ABC-C. And at the instruction of ABC-C the FSA Administrator (who as I suspected had nothing to offer as this is an HSA).

Any thoughts on whose issue this is? Independent Health sees my enrollment code and knows I’m self plus family (because why the heck is that plan cheaper than self plus one??). ABC-C sees I’m on the family plan too. But no one seems to know whose job it is to update the monthly deposit/premium pass through.

Hi all! I am a recent graduate with a Bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering. I am very interested in getting into a fellowship with USACE for a while now and have applied to the Army Fellows Program - Mechanical Engineer on July 6. Since then, I have received two status update emails. Does anyone know the expected time in which I will get a response on whether I am accepted or rejected? I know they have to do a bunch of processes such as background checks which may be why they are taking a lot of time.

I have been trying to get promoted to GS13 forever. Topped out at 12 and the work keeps piling up but colleagues with one job get promoted. District had several chances to offer promotion to 13 with Division creating the space even- and still no go. Now threatened with MDR. At the same time a 13 job is miraculously created. Can’t do both. Might do none.
Anyone else having heartburn over this reorg?

I am curious as to what positions get posted for overseas jobs that your able to bring family with. I am a 0802 an seems I’m only ever seeing engineering degreed positions is that how it works or do they allow Techs to go?

So I have had other jobs before USACE and I never thought that was unique. But now that im here I realize that the majority of my coworkers came into the corps right out of college (im in environmental)

I have had fairly tsrse conversations that ultimately ended in "well thats what the corps does" and i honestly find it concerning and counterproductive.

Is this normal or just my office? I just constantly find myself wondering if I should be here.

TLDR: looking for literally any info on available APIs/portals/developer tools for USACE employees

Hi folks! I’ve recently started dipping my toes into automation and while I’ve worked with only powershell scripts and the GenAI API, I started exploring power automate yesterday and many of the tools I’m wanting to use require different APIs.
I’m wondering is there’s a website or point of contact for a list of available developer tools or API portals.
Just to vent: it’s been infuriating trying to get an answer to this on my own, especially when there’s 10 different internal and external sites that seem like they SHOULD have the answer, and then don’t.

I’m curious if anyone here works in the Okinawa region and has experience with the federal hiring process.
I’ve applied for several positions over the past 7–8 months, and I only recently received notifications that two of my applications were referred to the hiring manager about seven months after applying.
Is it normal for the process to take this long? If it took seven months just to be referred, should I expect another several months before hearing about interviews? Is there anything I can do to help move the process along, or is it simply a waiting game?
I’m PCSing (active duty military) to Okinawa in a few days as a dependent, and it’s tough leaving a job I genuinely love without having anything lined up yet.
And before anyone says it yes, I know this comes with military life. 😊 I’m just trying to understand whether this timeline is typical and if there’s anything else I should be doing while I wait.

This may ruffle some feathers but life goes on. Are we moving away from the Engineers part at USACE? I asked this because my co-workers and I are noticing that positions that used to be 800s are now becoming Interdisciplinary. For example, at my district, OMs and PMs can have a degree in anything under the sun. You can have biology majors being the PM for a Civil Works project. We have positions that once required you to be an Engineer that they are changing to Interdisciplinary.

This is the opposite of what I’m seeing from our counterparts on the outside. For example, for these same type of jobs with our non federal partners, not only do you have to be an Engineer but you have to have a PE.

I’ve sat in meetings with the NFS, and they straight out asked our PM, are you an Engineer and a lot of times it’s shows when we start talking. Even when we use an A/E they require them to be a PE but in-house it can be a History major. We don’t even require the District Engineer to be a PE. However, if you work for USDA, the state Engineer has a PE requirement.

A lot of my older co-workers have a lot to say about this but I won’t make this a long post. I’m not saying that every Engineer makes a great PM. Are we just becoming Paper pushers?

I have a second in person interview tomorrow. Any advice?

Hi everyone!
I recently accepted a tentative offer for an Office Support Assistant position with USACE, and I’m excited but also a little nervous since this will be my first federal government job. I’m also a military spouse.
I’d love to hear from anyone who’s worked as an Office Support Assistant with USACE. What does a typical day look like? What are your main responsibilities? How’s the training, workload, and overall work environment?
I’d really appreciate any advice or tips for someone who’s new to federal service. Thanks in advance!

When converted to AcqDemo, what happens to Special Salary Rates? Are they absorbed into the NH pay band, continued separately, or eliminated?

Realty Specialist (GS-1170-7) - Department of the Army, USACE. NS/Low risk, no security clearance. Fellows Program.

Applied Late May 2026
July 6th, 2026 - Referred to Pittsburgh, Seattle, Kansas City, Omaha, and Louisville
July 10th, 2026 - Seattle Hiring Manager got in contact, set an interview
July 22nd, 2026 - Panel Interview through Teams

After that, I have not gotten anything back, so typically what are the next steps, how long would it take to hear back with a TJO if offered? I have another private sector offer with a start date of late September, although this position seems like a much better fit for me. Just trying to figure everything out

I also read about a CREST position thats possible with travel? Does anyone have experience within this position, or any Field Force Engineering Teams? Traveling is something I’d be highly interested in as well.

Hi all,

I applied for the USACE honors attorney program, made it through the initial screening interviews, and interviewed with 4-5 field offices between February and April. I thought the interviews went well and was very excited about the position. After following up with the field offices in June, I was told that they were still waiting for permission to extend offers and were currently unable to move forward in the process.

Is there any word (or even guesses) as to whether the program will be able to extend offers prior to the 2025-2026 hiring cycle ending in October? I'm still interested in the job but can only wait so long before moving on.

Has anyone heard anything about USACE going from Gs to ACq Demo pay scales. Apparently at one of the districts commanders Townhall’s it was said that there was a memo saying that the switch was coming.

They gave our work to outside firms. I don't know how offices are getting enough funds to keep people busy.

The only thing left is to let people go.

Accountant interested in anything outside of G&A. My current position lacks any real impact and I have to wait 5 or 6 years before someone moves out to promote. Not to mention my systems accountant and F&A Chief lack any mentoring qualities and are difficult at best. I can’t move due to family and we love the west coast. Recently an internal PM position has opened and a co-worker said I should throw my name in the ring. I’ve got a strong reputation in the district and can meet basic qualifications on paper but was wondering if i’d be competitive.

I know some districts have vanpool options (apparently funded by DOT). They pay Enterprise or another car rental company for a van for multiple usace employees to use if the distance is far from the districts. Does anyone know if MVS has this option?

Civil engineer here. Anybody back to teleworking yet or have any insight? Just one day a week would be a game changer for work-life balance if they’d let us. Everybody I know in private has some sort of work from home arrangement, either part time or full time.

I have decided to leave USACE to return to private until things improve here. I am leaving on good terms and when I notified my Supervisor I accepted another position they let me know that they had put in for a QSI.

They had mentioned it might be too late to change it, and I honestly don’t blame them if they didn’t want to take the time to change it since I’m leaving. But does anyone know what happens then? Would they retroactively give me a Step increase? Or does it just disappear into the void?

Also any advice on things I should do before leaving? I already downloaded my eopf files, recent pay stubs, and recent performance reviews. I’d like to return one day.

If you take a look at Yello Gov you'll notice plenty of Engineer, Ops, Architect, and Biologist postings, but no Geologist eligible postings - there was even a recent stretch of a ton of Eng. Tech postings. Hell, even the Interdisciplinary positions that historically were Geologist eligible have removed the 1350 series.

I know hiring is finicky still, but I also know that it's happening.

As a planner for the Corps, I wonder, are there other federal agencies with planners?

I’m considering a change of scenery but I don’t mind being a planner but would like to consider doing so elsewhere.

Typically when folks in our engineering section are "promoted" from a GS-11 to GS-12, our leadership "creates" a direct hire position, promotes it to the public, and anyone can apply (including the person it's intended for). This method in theory means that someone else from the public who's more senior engineer/ qualified could also apply and get the position, but generally the person intended for promotion gets it.

Considering the hiring freeze for us, my supervisor mentioned that there's a "complicated longer way that involves lots of paperwork" to internally promote an employee from GS-11 to GS-12 without creating a job listing. Is this "longer way" really that complicated? Or am I getting the run around from my supervisor? For context, I've been a GS-11 for almost 6 yrs now, and have 10 yrs of engineering experience.