"Black" is assigned as a supervisor in an overseas aircraft maintenance section employing both US Military and foreign national aircraft mechanics. The primary function of Black’s section is to park, service, and launch transient aircraft. The only "maintenance" Black’s section performs is to pump gas and top off the oil of these transient aircraft. Resolving aircraft system discrepancies and performing major maintenance is the responsibility of other maintenance units assigned to the base.

During a periodic review of the personnel records of his foreign national employees, Black notices their position descriptions give the impression they are involved in a major aircraft depot repair function. (These bogus descriptions include such items as trouble shooting, removing and re-installing major flight controls, welding landing gear, and repairing aircraft engines.)

After talking to the foreign national civilian personnel office and the foreign national employees themselves, Black is told the descriptions were written that way to help the foreign national employees obtain future employment with civilian airlines. Rewriting the position descriptions could significantly reduce the pay of the foreign nationals working for Black, not to mention create animosities with the local community. Some truly productive employees may even quit.

All of the foreign national employees are fully qualified to perform their actual duties. Some of the employees even possess several skills listed in their bogus position descriptions, but will not be expected to perform those skills in their current jobs.