Closing date: October 26. Please see the link below for details.
This came up on USA JOBS, the portal for civilian employment in the armed forces. It’s for a PART TIME position, which is important to remember because the salary below is quoted for a full time position. So the pay is half of what you see listed. They’re forced to list it this way –remember, it’s a government job and there are all sorts of requirements. Ditto that for the interview. You’ll be asked lots of questions that seem weird considering it’s a TaiChi/Wellness job. But you’ll be asked how you get along with others, how to describe a situation where things weren’t working out –standard government weirdness questions.
Anyway, what makes this job special is it’s funded through Navy Medicine –rather than a contracted job for a teacher through the Fitness Centers. This is a bold step in the right direction, and we applaud their decision to take this move. Recently, they hired their first part time yoga instructor to work with the Department of Alternative Medicine, which is associated with the hospital. Tai Chi and Yoga are wonderful adjunct therapies to nourish mind, body, spirit.
Opening, Hope & Care Center, Camp Pendleton. Click for more info.
We’re guessing it might be to work with wounded warriors through the hospital. Camp Pendleton recently opened its new Hope and Care Center. Read about it here. Please do ample research on their wounded warrior regiment, the hospital. Plus, some soul searching is recommended. Decide whether or not you want to work with this population. The Marines uphold and deeply abide by their values of Honor, Courage, Commitment. They don’t sign up for the Marines, they become Marines. The same is expected of anyone working with them. This is a point that Jillian, Dave and I can’t stress enough.
Job Title:HEALTH AND FITNESS THERAPIST (TAI CHI)
Department:Department Of The Navy
Agency:Naval Medical Command
Job Announcement Number:SW10601-R3-513594PD079564-D
SALARY RANGE:
$42,199.00 to $54,862.00 / Per Year
OPEN PERIOD:
Tuesday, September 13, 2011 to Wednesday, October 26, 2011
SERIES & GRADE:
GS-0601-07
POSITION INFORMATION:
Part Time 20 hours – Term NTE 366 Days
PROMOTION POTENTIAL:
07
DUTY LOCATIONS:
Few vacancy(s) – Camp Pendleton, CAView Map
WHO MAY BE CONSIDERED:
United States Citizens
JOB SUMMARY:
The Navy and Marine Corps team offers innovative, exciting and meaningful work linking military and civilian talents to achieve our mission and safeguard our freedoms. Department of the Navy provides competitive salaries, comprehensive benefits, and extensive professional development and training. From pipe fitters to accountants, scientists to engineers, doctors to nurses-the careers and opportunities to make a difference are endless. Civilian careers-where purpose and patriotism unite!
This announcement is being amended to extend the closing date to Thursday, October 26th, 2011.
wow!! very exciting work … a real chance to help those who need it and who have given so much !!!
Hey, Patrick! It’s a great opportunity, and I think those who think outside the boundaries of the studio will find loads to do. I hope to hear from your Coast Guard Veteran soon. I have some ideas to share with both of you!
I applied for the position, I am fully qualified but unfortunately the position never got through. I am fully aware of the requirements and I am a veteran who sincerely believes in the benefits of Taichi. I’ve taught it to groups ranging in a variety of age, sex, to difference in social demography. I just couldn’t get past the fact that I was not considered for the position. At least send me a note saying that someone will go over my application and will send me a response afterwards. Without some follow-up, I feel that the whole system is a scam to hook up a buddy who knows mediocre taichi.
Hi Victor, I wasn’t sure of the Tai Chi teacher outcome. Thank you for our impressions.
As a side note, I know that the funding was yanked for the yoga teacher position at Camp Pendleton. Maybe it was a problem with the job description, perhaps they hadn’t secured the funding as they had thought. There are a many reasons why this might happen in such a stationary, bureaucracy laden Federal job system.
However, since then, the Army has posted listings for Kinesology Assistants (official title) who are yoga teachers at 2 of their Posts. The background required there was sort of the same: they wanted someone with a minimum degree in Kinesiology. The Army’s jobs were run through the Pain Management department, and not the Department of Alternative Health –as was the case at USMC. Believe me, there’s a huge difference between the two departments. I’m guessing Pain Management is probably much better funded than the other. I’d like to hear from people who went through the interview process at Madigan and also at Tripler.
After several went through the Yoga Teacher process, I had heard that the interviews at Camp Pendleton were “odd.” The initial interviewer –an acupuncturist, dismissed the abilities and experience of someone who actually exceeded their educational requirements. Note, hiring someone with a Master’s degree in Kinesiology would help them get grants and they would also easily be able to start long term studies. A person with a B.A. would have a much harder time. In truth, they might not have had the funding approval to hire someone with a Master’s degree or higher level of professional accomplishment. Remember, the Federal system isn’t exactly looking for the most qualified as much as they are looking for a person who fits within the constraints of what level of funding has been approved.
In addition, it was noted that the description of the job’s hours and benefits left the wrong impression and appeared exagerated in print. It left one person feel as though it was “bait and switch.” What was listed were FULL TIME benefits and salary, and this was a job that was part time. Also, the hours were not flexible. No one with the required degrees, working so few hours, could possible manage the hours and have another job to make up for the income needed to sustain a livelihood. This being said, it was explained to the applicant that it was the Federal job requirements that made them list a part time job reflecting a full time salary.
Most definitely: if they’re going to expect support in the long run from the community, and if they want the most highly qualified candidates, obviously they’re going to have to get their game on, get beyond the rather dismal mindset of the federal bureaucracy, and be much more professional and forward thinking.
Don’t give up. If you want to serve vets at USMC, then start a class somewhere in the area. Work it. Remember, you’re better than the Federal system, and not being part of it gives you a lot of flexibility.