Tuesday federal headlines – November 4, 2014

The Federal Headlines is a daily compilation of the stories you hear discussed on the Federal Drive and In Depth radio shows each day. Our headlines are updated twice per day — once in the morning and once in the afternoon — with the latest news affecting federal employees and contractors.

• Federal law enforcement officials say it’s hard to keep on top of people inclined to leave the United States and join the Islamic State. That’s because there is no typical profile of such people. That’s according to FBI director James Comey. The Wall Street Journal reports Comey said would-be terrorist converts range from teenagers to a 63-year olds, and come from all ethnic groups and walks of life. Comey spoke at Fordham University Law School. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson promised officers would be asking for more information from people visiting the U.S. from countries that don’t require visas. (The Wall Street Journal)
• Nearly 50 unions and organizations asked Congress to improve whistleblowing rights for intelligence contractors. The American Civil Liberties Union, the Project on Government Oversight and other 47 groups say intelligence contractors are defenseless against retaliation. In a letter, the organizations say contractors’ only choices are to report waste, fraud and abuse anonymously, or to remain silent. The groups asked Congress to pass an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) introduced the amendment, which would extend whistleblower protections to contractors of intelligence agencies. (Project on Government Oversight)
• A cyber attack against background check contractor USIS went on for months before company officials realized what was going on. That’s according to sources familiar with an FBI investigation, speaking anonymously to the Associated Press. The company told the government in June and acknowledged it publicly in August. The breach is said to resemble the work of Chinese hackers. Records of 25,000 federal employees were compromised. The sources said federal officials are concerned about why the company was unaware of the attack at first. And whether the government itself provided enough oversight of the company’s cyber defense practices. (Federal News Radio)
• The Air Force has fired two commanders and disciplined a third in the nuclear missile command. It’s the latest indication of distress in the nation’s nuclear force. The most senior officer to be relieved was Col. Carl Jones, the number-two commander of the 90th Missile Wing at Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. He was dismissed “for a loss of trust and confidence in his leadership abilities.” He’s been reassigned following an internal Air Force investigation. A separate investigation is going on at the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota. Air Force leadership has been dealing with a string of ethical and leadership lapses in the nuclear missile force for more than a year. (Federal News Radio)
• The White House is looking to crowdsourcing for new sustainability initiatives. It launches its second Green-Gov Challenge. Federal employees can share ideas on how to reduce waste, cut carbon emissions and make buildings more sustainable. The White House held the first challenge in 2009. That was after President Barack Obama signed an executive order on Environmental, Energy and Economic Performance. It sets targets for energy efficiency and asks agencies to create sustainability plans. More than 14,000 employees sent in their ideas for the first Green-Gov Challenge. The White House used the ideas to create a new bike-commuting program and install solar panels on D.C. buildings. (White House)
• A record number of female veterans are running for Congress this year. Reps. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) are in Congress now. The Hill reports they’re expected to win re-election. Eleven other female veterans are hoping to join them in office. Analysts said more veterans in Congress could help with reforming the Veterans Affairs Department. They could also impact how the military handles sexual assault cases. Only five female vets have ever served in Congress. (The Hill)
• Funds in the Thrift Savings Plan make a turnaround in October. All except the I fund have returned in the black. The S fund ends the month with the highest gains, more than 4 percent. The C fund is up nearly 2.5 percent. The upswing comes after most funds took a dip in September. The C fund has gone up more than 11 percent this year. The F fund is up nearly 6 percent. (Federal News Radio)
• The armed forces are expanding training programs, retention bonuses and recruiting tactics. It’s all part of an effort to grow the Pentagon’s cyber force. A Pentagon report said the military will need more than the planned 6,200 cyber personnel. The services have developed a “cyber-test.” It measures applicants’ computer and networking skills. Defense News reports the cyber career field is likely to grow dramatically, unlike the rest of the military affected by budget cuts. But Pentagon officials said recruiting and retaining a cyber force is difficult, because the private sector can offer more money in that field. (Defense News)

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