A JO member shared this reflection via email:

One concept me and most Officers I work with have a difficult time with is progressive discipline. It’s much easier to separate a civilian employee who doesn’t meet the standard than most of us believe. Understanding that there’s no such thing as a “counseling” on the table of penalties and that many times, offenses have a corresponding discipline that can be progressed to the point of termination. It’s not like separating soldiers. The Civilian Personnel Advisory Center (CPAC) and Labor-Management Employee Relations (LMER) specialists should be consulted before taking any personnel actions.