Notice2026-07695
Science and Technology Reinvention Laboratory (STRL) Personnel Demonstration Project Program
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
April 21, 2026
Issuing agencies
Defense Department
Abstract
This notice amends STRL Personnel Demonstration Project Federal Register Notices (FRNs) by changing the waiver citations for probationary periods.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 76 (Tuesday, April 21, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 76 (Tuesday, April 21, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21280-21282]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-07695]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
Science and Technology Reinvention Laboratory (STRL) Personnel
Demonstration Project Program
AGENCY: Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
(USD(R&E)), Department of Defense (DoD).
ACTION: Notice of amendment; STRL Personnel Demonstration Project
probationary and trial period waivers.
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SUMMARY: This notice amends STRL Personnel Demonstration Project
Federal Register Notices (FRNs) by changing the waiver citations for
probationary periods.
DATES: Implementation of this authority will begin no earlier than
April 21, 2026.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Department of the Air Force:
<bullet> Air Force Research Laboratory: Ms. Rosalyn Jones-Byrd,
937-656-9747, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c193aeb2a0adb8afef8baeafa4b2ec83b8b3a581b4b2efa0a7efaca8ad"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="bae8d5c9dbd6c3d494f0d5d4dfc997f8c3c8defacfc994dbdc94d7d3d6">[email protected]</span></a>.
<bullet> Joint Warfare Analysis Center: Ms. Amy Balmaz, 540-653-
8598, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#76371b0f58225834171a1b170c58151f00361b171f1a581b1f1a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="72331f0b5c265c30131e1f13085c111b04321f131b1e5c1f1b1e">[email protected]</span></a>.
Department of the Army:
<bullet> Transformation and Training Command: Ms. Marlowe Richmond,
512-726-4397, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#15787467797a62703b677c767d787a7b713b767c63557467786c3b787c79"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4d202c3f21223a28633f242e2520222329632e243b0d2c3f203463202421">[email protected]</span></a>.
<bullet> Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social
Sciences: Dr. Scott Shadrick, 254-288-3800,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5f0c3c302b2b363a711d710c373e3b2d363c34713c36291f3e2d322671323633"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c192a2aeb5b5a8a4ef83ef92a9a0a5b3a8a2aaefa2a8b781a0b3acb8efaca8ad">[email protected]</span></a>.
<bullet> Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center:
Ms. Pota Kripotos, 973-724-9165, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8dfde2f9eca3e6ffe4fde2f9e2fea3eee4fbcdecffe0f4a3e0e4e1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3f4f504b5e11544d564f504b504c115c56497f5e4d524611525653">[email protected]</span></a>.
<bullet> Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research
Laboratory: Mr. Christopher Tahaney, 410-278-9069,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b2f1dac0dbc1c6ddc2dad7c09ce19ce6d3dad3dcd7cb9cd1dbc4f2d3c0dfcb9cdfdbde"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="89cae1fbe0fafde6f9e1ecfba7daa7dde8e1e8e7ecf0a7eae0ffc9e8fbe4f0a7e4e0e5">[email protected]</span></a>.
<bullet> Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation and
Missile Center: Mr. Justin Page, 256-755-1698,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2b415e585f4245054f055b4a4c4e1f0548425d6b4a59465205464247"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="caa0bfb9bea3a4e4aee4baabadaffee4a9a3bc8aabb8a7b3e4a7a3a6">[email protected]</span></a>.
<bullet> Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical
Biological Center: Ms. Patricia L. Knuckey, 520-672-4117,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f6869782849f959f97d89ad89d9883959d938fd8959f80b697849b8fd89b9f9a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d7a7b6a3a5beb4beb6f9bbf9bcb9a2b4bcb2aef9b4bea197b6a5baaef9babebb">[email protected]</span></a>.
<bullet> Combat Capabilities Development Command Command, Control,
Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and
Reconnaissance Center: Mr. Gregory Peck, 520-674-6820,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1a5d687f7d756863345b344a7f79712b2c3479736c5a7b68776334777376"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d295a0b7b5bda0abfc93fc82b7b1b9e3e4fcb1bba492b3a0bfabfcbfbbbe">[email protected]</span></a>.
<bullet> Combat Capabilities Development Command Ground Vehicle
Systems Center: Mr. Adam Crafard, 571-644-4274,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fd9c999c90d39fd39e8f9c9b9c8f99d39e948bbd9c8f9084d3909491"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cfaeabaea2e1ade1acbdaea9aebdabe1aca6b98faebda2b6e1a2a6a3">[email protected]</span></a>.
<bullet> Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center:
Ms. Sarah Palmer, 508-206-2329, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2c5f4d5e4d44024e025c4d4041495e024f455a6c4d5e415502414540"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1e6d7f6c7f76307c306e7f72737b6c307d77685e7f6c736730737772">[email protected]</span></a>.
<bullet> Communications Electronics Life Cycle Management Command
Software Engineering Center: Ms. Nerissa Williams, 520-671-1726,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#87e9e2f5eef4f4e6a9eba9f0eeebebeee6eaf4a9e4eef1c7e6f5eafea9eaeeeb"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cca2a9bea5bfbfade2a0e2bba5a0a0a5ada1bfe2afa5ba8cadbea1b5e2a1a5a0">[email protected]</span></a>.
<bullet> Engineer Research and Development Center: Dr. Lucy Priddy,
601-634-2282, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ddb1a8bea4f3adf3adafb4b9b9a49da8aebcbeb8f3bcafb0a4f3b0b4b1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="375b42544e19471947455e53534e7742445654521956455a4e195a5e5b">[email protected]</span></a>.
<bullet> Medical Research and Development Command: Ms. Linda Krout,
301-619-7276, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d995b0b7bdb8f793f792abb6acadf7bab0af99b4b8b0b5f7b4b0b5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e4a88d8a8085caaecaaf968b9190ca878d92a489858d88ca898d88">[email protected]</span></a>.
<bullet> Technical Center, Space and Missile Defense Command: Dr.
Chad Marshall, 256-955-5697, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e6a58e8782c8acc8ab8794958e878a8ac8858f90a687948b9fc88b8f8a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2b68434a4f056105664a5958434a47470548425d6b4a59465205464247">[email protected]</span></a>.
Department of the Navy:
<bullet> Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division and Aircraft
Division: Mr. Dustin Kirby, 858-978-1381,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a7e3d2d4d3cec989cc89ccced5c5de89c4ced1e7d2d489c9c6d1de89cacecb"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5f1b2a2c2b363171347134362d3d26713c36291f2a2c71313e292671323633">[email protected]</span></a>.
[[Page 21281]]
<bullet> Naval Facilities Engineering Command Engineering and
Expeditionary Warfare Center: Ms. Kelly Mitchell, 564-667-6721,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#216a444d4d580f4d0f4c48554249444d4d10170f4248576154520f4f4057580f4c484d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c289a7aeaebbecaeecafabb6a1aaa7aeaef3f4eca1abb482b7b1ecaca3b4bbecafabae">[email protected]</span></a>.
<bullet> Naval Information Warfare Centers:
[cir] Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic: Ms. Alissa Lopez,
843-218-3871, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f594999c868694db98db999a85908fc1db969c83b58086db9b94838cdb989c99"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="67060b0e141406490a490b0817021d5349040e11271214490906111e490a0e0b">[email protected]</span></a>.
[cir] Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific: Ms. Sharmeka
Speights, 619-553-6282, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5b28333a29363e303a753675282b3e323c332f287538322d1b2e2875353a2d2275363237"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2d5e454c5f4048464c0340035e5d48444a45595e034e445b6d585e03434c5b5403404441">[email protected]</span></a>.
<bullet> Naval Medical Research Center: Dr. Jill Phan, 301-319-
7645, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a1cbc8cdcd8fc28fd1c9c0cf8fc2c8d7e1ccc0c8cd8fccc8cd"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0963606565276a2779616867276a607f496468606527646065">[email protected]</span></a>.
<bullet> Naval Research Laboratory: Ms. Annemarie Slattery, 771-
216-7577, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#77161919121a16051e12591a59041b16030312050e59141e01370204591916010e591a1e1b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0f6e61616a626e7d666a2162217c636e7b7b6a7d76216c66794f7a7c21616e797621626663">[email protected]</span></a>.
<bullet> Naval Sea Systems Command Warfare Centers: Ms. Emily
Grauwiler, 301-312-1185, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6b0e060207124519450c190a1e1c02070e194508021d2b1e1845050a1d1245060207"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="50353d393c297e227e3722312527393c35227e3339261025237e3e3126297e3d393c">[email protected]</span></a>.
<bullet> Office of Naval Research: Mr. Damien Raphael, 703-696-
0383, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0174736d686f722f652f7360716960646d2f6268774174722f6f6077782f6c686d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4035322c292e336e246e3221302821252c6e2329360035336e2e2136396e2d292c">[email protected]</span></a>.
Marine Corps:
<bullet> Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity: Ms. Lissa
Henriksen. 760-587-6893, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c9a5a0babaa8e7a5a8a5a6a7adac89bcbaa4aae7a4a0a5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="305c594343511e5c515c5f5e54557045435d531e5d595c">[email protected]</span></a>.
Defense Health Agency:
<bullet> Defense Health Agency Research and Development: Ms. Linda
Krout, 301-619-7276, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#db97b2b5bfbaf591f590a9b4aeaff5b8b2ad9bb6bab2b7f5b6b2b7"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="97dbfef9f3f6b9ddb9dce5f8e2e3b9f4fee1d7faf6fefbb9fafefb">[email protected]</span></a>.
DoD:
<bullet> Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and
Development: Dr. Jagadeesh Pamulapati, Deputy Assistant Secretary of
Defense, Science and Technology Foundations, 571-372-6372,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fdb79c9a9c9998988e95d3ad9c9088919c8d9c8994d39e948bbd909c9491d3909491"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="bff5ded8dedbdadaccd791efded2cad3decfdecbd691dcd6c9ffd2ded6d391d2d6d3">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As authorized by 10 United States Code
(U.S.C.) 4121, the Secretary of Defense, through the USD(R&E), conducts
personnel demonstration projects at DoD laboratories designated as
STRLs.
The 24 current STRLs are:
<bullet> Air Force Research Laboratory
<bullet> Joint Warfare Analysis Center
<bullet> Transformation and Training Command
<bullet> Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences
<bullet> Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center
<bullet> Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research
Laboratory
<bullet> Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation and Missile
Center
<bullet> Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological
Center
<bullet> Combat Capabilities Development Command Command, Control,
Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and
Reconnaissance Center
<bullet> Combat Capabilities Development Command Ground Vehicle Systems
Center
<bullet> Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center
<bullet> Communications Electronics Life Cycle Management Command
Software Engineering Center
<bullet> Engineer Research and Development Center
<bullet> Medical Research and Development Command
<bullet> Technical Center, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command
<bullet> Naval Air Warfare Center
<bullet> Naval Facilities Engineering Command Engineering and
Expeditionary Warfare Center
<bullet> Naval Information Warfare Centers, Atlantic and Pacific
<bullet> Naval Medical Research Center
<bullet> Naval Research Laboratory
<bullet> Naval Sea Systems Command Warfare Centers
<bullet> Office of Naval Research
<bullet> Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity
<bullet> Defense Health Agency Research and Development
1. Background
Most STRLs established extended probationary and trial periods for
employees participating in personnel demonstration projects in their
implementing FRNs. These FRNs waived applicable provisions of 5 CFR
part 315, subpart H to allow for probationary and trial periods greater
than one year and to permit termination during the extended
probationary or trial period without using the adverse action
procedures described in 5 U.S.C. chapter 75. Executive Order (E.O.)
14284 repealed Civil Service Rule 2.4 and established Civil Service
Rule 11 (90 FR 17729). On June 24, 2025, the Office of Personnel
Management published its final rule rescinding subpart H of 5 CFR part
315 and making conforming amendments (90 FR 26727). Administrative
changes to STRL FRNs to waive the applicable provisions of 5 CFR part
11 are now necessary to continue using the extended probationary and
trial periods described in STRL FRNs implementing personnel
demonstration projects.
2. Personnel System Changes
Employees hired prior to June 24, 2025, and after the effective
date of this notice are subject to the extended probationary or trial
periods authorized in applicable STRL FRNs and associated implementing
regulations.
3. Required Waivers to Laws and Regulations
Appendix A--Waivers to the Title 5, U.S.C.
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Title 5, Code of Federal
Title 5, United States Code Regulations
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Chapter 75, Adverse Actions, sections Part 11 Probationary and Trial
7501(1), 7511(a)(1)(A)(ii), (a)(1)(B) Periods, parts 11.2, 11.3 and
and (a)(1)(C)(ii)--Waived to the 11.4--Waived to the extent
extent necessary to apply adverse necessary to apply
action procedures only to those not probationary and trial period
serving a probationary or trial period requirements described in STRL
as described in STRL FRNs. FRNs.
Part 752, sections 752.201(b)
and 752.401(c)-Waived to the
extent necessary to apply
adverse action procedures only
to those not serving a
probationary or trial period
as described in STRL FRNs.
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Appendix B--Authorized STRLs and Federal Register Notices
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STRL Federal Register notice
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Air Force Research Laboratory.......... 61 FR 60400 amended by 75 FR
53076.
Joint Warfare Analysis Center.......... 85 FR 29414.
Transformation and Training Command.... 89 FR 13548.
Army Research Institute for Behavioral 85 FR 76038.
and Social Sciences.
Combat Capabilities Development Command- 76 FR 3744.
Armaments Center.
Combat Capabilities Development Command- 63 FR 10680.
Army Research Laboratory.
[[Page 21282]]
Combat Capabilities Development Command- 62 FR 34876 amended by 65 FR
Aviation and Missile Center. 53142 (AVRDEC and AMRDEC
merged).
Combat Capabilities Development Command- 74 FR 68936.
Chemical Biological Center.
Combat Capabilities Development Command- 66 FR 54872.
Command, Control, Communications,
Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and
Reconnaissance Center.
Combat Capabilities Development Command- 76 FR 12508.
Ground Vehicle Systems Center.
Combat Capabilities Development Command- 74 FR 68448.
Soldier Center.
Communications Electronics Life Cycle Not yet published.
Management Command Software
Engineering Center.
Engineer Research and Development 63 FR 14580 amended by 65 FR
Center. 32135.
Medical Research and Development 63 FR 10440.
Command.
Technical Center, US Army Space and 85 FR 3339.
Missile Defense Command.
Naval Air Systems Command Warfare 76 FR 8530.
Centers.
Naval Facilities Engineering Command 86 FR 14084.
Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare
Center.
Naval Medical Research Center.......... Not yet published.
Naval Research Laboratory.............. 64 FR 33970.
Naval Sea Systems Command Warfare 62 FR 64050.
Centers.
Office of Naval Research............... 75 FR 77380.
Space and Naval Warfare Systems 76 FR 1924.
Command, Space and Naval Warfare
System Center Atlantic and Pacific.
Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Not yet published.
Activity.
Defense Health Agency Research and Not yet published.
Development.
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Dated: April 16, 2026.
Aaron T. Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2026-07695 Filed 4-20-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6001-FR-P
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