The Office of the Director of National Intelligence is attempting to revamp the compensation system for intelligence personnel to emphasize “pay for performance” rather than duration of employment.
But it is considered a delicate, even “potentially destructive” task.
“There can be no doubt that pay modernization is coming to the IC,” wrote DDNI Michael Hayden in a February memo (pdf), “and generally, I believe that is a good thing.”
“You should all receive competitive compensation based on your competence and contribution to mission, not just on longevity,” Gen. Hayden wrote.
“However, if we don’t carefully manage the introduction of these changes, we could see untenable pay disparities within the IC, potentially destructive inter-agency competition, and a negative impact on employee morale,” he wrote.
The February 6 Hayden memorandum was transmitted to senior defense officials by Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Stephen A. Cambone on March 13.
A copy was obtained by Secrecy News.
See “Modernizing Civilian Compensation Systems within the Intelligence Community,” memorandum for All Intelligence Community Employees.
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