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- VA chipping away at oldest disability claims in backlog
- What's the latest on phased retirement?
- New mobile tools gives agencies ‘giant innovation permission slip'
- Congress pressures agencies to speed up office consolidations
- Furlough Friday: Multiple agencies took advantage of holiday weekend
- Data breach puts DHS employees at risk of ID theft
- IRS replaces official in Tea Party controversy
- Commerce nominee sails through hearing
- Obama nominates Archuleta as next OPM director
- FedRAMP achieves another cloud security milestone
- Tangherlini to be nominated as permanent GSA chief
- House GOP panel moves on deep budget cuts
- OMB reworking financial system requirements
- Federal retirement funds temporarily tapped
- Friday federal headlines - May 24, 2013
Joint Chiefs: Looming cuts would 'hollow' military
The military's top leaders are warning Congress that automatic spending cuts looming in March would force the Pentagon to slash operating budgets, weakening the armed forces and possibly forcing furloughs of 800,000 civilian employees.
Afghan troops progressing faster
The top commander of U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan believes government security forces have improved faster than expected and will be ready to take the lead in the 11-year- old war against the Taliban when foreign combat forces take a back seat this spring. Marine Gen. John Allen told The Associated Press that the main job over the next two years for the International Assistance Force - as the NATO-led troops in Afghanistan are called - will be to advise, train and build the capabilities needed for Afghan forces to go it completely alone.
Federal Drive Interviews -- Jan. 31, 2013
Mort Rosenberg of the Constitution Project details the implications of a recent court ruling on recess appointments by the Obama administration. Cameron Leuthy of Bloomberg Government talks about nine civilian agency programs that look particularly ripe for a little carving. OFPP Administrator Joe Jordan discusses data collection. Al Banghart of Deloitte Consulting LLP discusses why federal agencies and Congress are concerned about the supply chain.
DoD moves meetings online, but IT systems can't keep pace
Spending on conferences is among first casualties as various defense components make cutbacks. DoD's online meeting service is suffering from its own popularity.
Congress grapples with gap on scofflaw contractors
With thousands of civilian contractors remaining in Iraq and Afghanistan, Justice Department officials want Congress to resolve a legal issue that they say obstructs efforts to prosecute any such workers who rape, kill or commit other serious crimes abroad.
Fort Hood suspect still faces possible execution
The Army psychiatrist charged in the Fort Hood shooting rampage still faces the death penalty if convicted in the worst mass shooting on a U.S. military installation, a judge ruled Wednesday.
The U.S. and Niger sign a SOFA
The U.S. and Niger in recent days signed a "status of forces agreement" spelling out legal protections and obligations of U.S. forces that might operate in Niger in the future. According to the Associated Press Pentagon spokesman George Little acknowledged the agreement, but declined Tuesday to discuss U.S. plans for a military presence in Niger. "They expressed a willingness to engage more closely with us, and we are happy to engage with them," Little said, adding that the legal agreement was months in the making and is unrelated to the recent fighting in Mali.
Navy details two rounds of budget cutbacks for 2013
Round one is already in effect and includes a civilian hiring freeze, cancellation of conferences, cutbacks on training, and a reduction in IT spending for the Navy. Round two would involve unpaid civilian furloughs, operational reductions for deployed ships, and cuts to tuition assistance for sailors.
DoD's plans to boost cyber workforce could hit hiring, training snags
The Defense Department plans to boost the ranks of cybersecurity professionals, increasing cyber staff at U.S. Cyber Command by more than five times to some 4,900 employees. But DoD's plan is daunting in more ways than one. The job qualifications and skills needed for the kinds of positions the Pentagon wants are rare and often require years of training and hands-on experience. And even if DoD looks outside the confines of the Pentagon to fill these roles, it's not entirely clear where the new cyber pros would come from.
US military deaths in Afghanistan at 2,045
As of Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013, at least 2,045 members of the U.S. military had died in Afghanistan as a result of the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to an Associated Press count.
United States says it will aid the French military
The Pentagon says that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has told France the United States will aid the French military with aerial refueling missions. U.S. aerial refueling planes would be a boost to air support for French ground forces as they enter vast areas of northern Mali, which is the size of Texas, that are controlled by al-Qaida-linked extremists.
Federal Drive Interviews -- Jan. 29, 2013
Alan Paller of the SANS Institute talks about DoD's new initiative to hire 4,000 more people for its Cyber Command. Paul Terry of Blackboard, Inc., discusses how his company is helping GSA with its travel planning. Devon Hewitt, a partner at Protorae Law, weighs in on a recent contract award protest affecting people with disabilities. Capt. Paul Hammer of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, talks about the latest efforts at his center. Robin Lineberger of Deloitte LLP fills us in about the Professional Services Council's new commission that's focusing on efficient and innovative acquisition issues.
Federal Drive Interviews -- Jan. 28, 2013
Eric Green of NIH talks about his agency's search for a top data scientist. Dr. Elizabeth Stanley of Georgetown University discusses a new meditation program she helped develop for the Marine Corps. David Capozzi of the Access Board discusses new access standards for agencies. William Pretzer of the National Museum of African American History and Culture talks about trolling the inauguration for presidential memorabilia.
Pentagon lays off workers
Some of the 46,000 temporary and contract workers at the Pentagon are being laid off says, Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter. According to Reuters, he says they're also delaying maintenance on aircraft and ships to slow spending due to fears about budget cuts. The Pentagon also plans to formally notify Congress in the next few weeks that it will furlough most of its 800,000 full-time civilian employees, if further budget cuts take place on March 1.
Sequestration effects becoming clear for DoD
DoD's operations and maintenance accounts will likely be hit first if sequestration goes into effect. Unlike its procurement and research and development activities, which can continue to function on funds obligated in prior years, O&M dollars generally get spent right away. In preparation for sequestration, the Pentagon has already let go of tens of thousands of temporary hires and is drawing up a contingency plan for one-day-a-week furloughs. Deputy Secretary Ashton Carter says the unpaid furloughs would begin in April and continue through the remainder of the fiscal year if sequestration is not avoided.
Wife of female Army officer can join spouses club
A woman who is married to a female Army officer at Fort Bragg and who was recently denied membership in its officers' spouses club said late Friday that she has been invited to become a full member.
DoD details furloughs under sequestration
Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said employees furloughed because of sequestration would lose one day of work per week for the remainder of the budget year, which ends in September. DoD already is eliminating 46,000 temporary civilian workers in anticipation of budget cuts.
Women in combat
How will the Military decide what the standard for physical fitness will be? Well the Marine Corps this summer will round up 800 Marines - -400 male and 400 females. They will run, jump, climb, do push-ups and pull ups and other exercises. The Marines will look at the outcomes and decide what kind of expectations they should have for women and men to qualify for combat roles. The Army has its own different process for deciding
Federal Drive Interviews -- Jan. 25, 2013
Bob Dacey, chief accountant at the GAO, talks about the latest audit report. Melissa Emrey-Arras, GAO's acting director for strategic issues, discusses how some agencies are cloaking their rule-making processes. Ed Zurndorfer, registered employee benefit consultant, offers advice on how to prepare for your April 15 tax filing.
Iran media report new cyberattack by Stuxnet worm
An Iranian semi-official news agency says there has been another cyberattack by the sophisticated computer worm Stuxnet, this time on the industries in the country's south.
