Homeland Security Prepares for Its First Transition

She, too, is a career official, with a resume that includes 27 years at the Justice Department. Her staff is putting together briefing books for immigration's next political cadre -- what has to be done in the first 30 days, then what's important for the next 60 days.

In coming months, career executives tapped to lead the transition at Homeland Security will attend leadership conferences and participate in crisis drills. "It's one thing putting players on the field and another to have them know each other and work as a unified team," Schneider said.

Creating an effective transition team is one of the Homeland Security Advisory Council's recommendations. It also may be one of the department's biggest challenges, said Donald F. Kettl, a University of Pennsylvania professor who studied the department's sluggish response to Hurricane Katrina.

"Fast-moving problems require complex and interpersonal relationships that just don't grow up overnight," Kettl said. "Filling the chairs doesn't ensure that the problems get solved."

The department, though, may go into the transition with empty chairs, a prospect that worries some members of Congress.

Homeland Security has 763 executive positions, ranging from presidential appointees to technical experts. Forty of those slots were added in November, for senior executive service positions approved by the Office of Personnel Management.

Schneider said 128 jobs are vacant, a tally that includes the 40 new positions. He said 24 people have been selected to fill jobs but are not on board.

Congress is gearing up to study the department's transition plan. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, chaired by Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.), plans to hold a hearing this year. Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.), chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, is reviewing transition activities.

But Schneider, Ahern, Rossides and Bertucci, with their decades of federal experience, are confident that departmental operations will not be disrupted by comings and goings at the White House or in Washington headquarters buildings.

After all, Bertucci said, "It is the people in the field, outside the Beltway, that get the work done."

Stephen Barr's e-mail address is barrs@washpost.com.