Air Force News 
Top News
- Senators push Tangherlini for assurances GSA is improving
- As VA works to eliminate one backlog, one more might emerge
- Senator: IRS to pay $70M in employee bonuses
- Furlough song: Laugh or you'll cry
- Navy strikes enterprise licensing deal with Oracle
- Contractors with security clearances lack path to report problems
- NSA leak case gives vendors reason to reevaluate personnel
- Does security clearance process need a makeover?
- 8 contract executives guilty of 8(a) contracting fraud
- Whistleblower suit leads to $12M false claims settlement by SAIC
- NASA engineer, 29, recognized for improving aeronautical testing
- USPS reaches energy reduction goal ahead of schedule
- NOAA meteorologist helps save lives one storm at a time
- NASA picks 8 new astronauts, 4 of them women
- House passes sweeping $638 billion defense bill
- NIH tops list of best companies for baby boomers
- Latest postal reform proposal OKs 5-day delivery
- Wednesday federal headlines - June 19, 2013
Coburn calls for partial federal job freeze as sequestration nears
The Republican senator from Oklahoma is asking the Office of Management and Budget to require agencies to stop hiring for certain positions. Instead, he would like that funding put towards mission critical jobs that could be affected by sequestration cuts. Coburn, the ranking member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, found 10 jobs listed on USAJobs.gov that he believes could be frozen. He says this would give agencies $1.4 million to spend on positions like border security officers and TSA screeners.
Air Force study to focus on 'game-changing' technology
Dr. Mark Maybury, the Air Force's chief scientist, discusses a wide-ranging study of potential future "game changers" and best practices in each of the service's core mission areas.
Air Force: Sequestration already creating 'chronic inefficiency'
The Air Force's long-range planning and modernization takes back seat to preparations for near-term crises, including contingency plans to scale back civilian workforce. Civilian furloughs would be "breach of faith," Air Force says.
Air Force creating 'battle rhythm' to stop sexual assault
The Air Force said it has identified 59 victims at a basic training facility. Thirty-two instructors are among those who have been accused or convicted of committing sexual improprieties with trainees. Senior leaders say they must do more to stop the problem.
Air Force general calls sex assaults a 'cancer'
Likening sexual assault in the Air Force's ranks to a cancer, the service's top officer resolved Wednesday to tackle the problem by screening personnel more carefully and putting an end to bad behaviors like binge drinking that can lead to misconduct.
Air Force inspections found porn, offensive items
Hoping to fight sexual assault in its own ranks, the Air Force said Friday a sweep of air base offices worldwide found thousands of suspect materials ranging from pornographic films to a beer bong.
Begin saving cash now, Air Force tells commanders
The Air Force orders commanders to start cutbacks in advance of the next budget emergency.
Federal Drive Interviews -- Jan. 14, 2013
Martin Libicki of Rand Corp talks about managing cyber attacks. Kevin Brancato of Bloomberg Government discusses the Canada's decision to pass on the F-35. John Templeton of BlackMoney.com talks about being an African American in IT. Belva Martin of GAO discusses the new network communications strategy.
Air Force's sequestration hit would mean less of everything
Air Force commanders will get orders in the next few days to plan for the possibility of fewer flying hours, providing fewer office supplies and working on fewer IT upgrades. Part of the service's planning will be to figure out how many civilian workers would need to be furloughed and for how long.
Inside the Reporter's Notebook: GSA FAS, shared services and DHS contract awards
News and buzz in the acquisition and IT communities that you may have missed this week.
2 sailors request trial in prostitution scandal
Two Navy sailors have rejected administrative punishments for allegedly hiring prostitutes in Colombia last year in a scandal that engulfed members of the military and Secret Service, and both asked for trials by court-martial.
New era of social media pushes agencies toward data, away from platforms
GSA, State and the Air Force are starting to see the benefits of using social media data to improve services and not focusing so much on how it's delivered. Challenges and contests are examples of this information-centric approach. But the dependence on and acceptance of social media platforms is growing across nearly every agency.
Cyber study helps Air Force synch efforts with DoD's broader goals
Dr. Mark Maybury, the Air Force's chief scientist, joins On DoD to describe the areas the Air Force plans for cybersecurity development.
Double-digit increase in reported sexual assaults at military academies
Reports of unwanted sexual contact increased sharply in the past academic year. The Pentagon believes the spike shows more reporting, not more crimes.
Joint Chiefs to crack down on military IT stovepipes
A new process promises more advance word on what the Pentagon wants from its military services, but demands they comply with common architectures. DoD said it is learning from development mistakes of the past.
Federal Drive Interviews -- Dec. 10, 2012
Paul Firman, instructor and program director at The Air Force Culture and Language Center, discusses AFCLC's latest pocket guidebook. Nela Richardson, senior economic analyst for Bloomberg Government, talks about a new report on mortgage giants Fannie May and Freddie Mac.
Navy, Air Force CMOs decry 'blunt, formulaic' cuts to civilian workforce
Senate-passed annual authorization bill for DoD would require a 5 percent cut in non-uniformed employees. Chief management officers from two military services say mathematical cuts to a workforce that's "under siege" would be unwise.
VetNet: Helping veterans find jobs
Host Derrick Dortch hosts a roundtable discussion of a new initiatiave to help transitioning veterans find jobs once they leave the military.
December 7, 2012(Encore presentation December 21, 2012 & December 28, 2012)
Air Force role just 1 piece of DoD's cyber puzzle
Air Force senior leaders assigned themselves several tasks after a summit on cyberspace in mid-November. But the service's role in cyberspace also awaits forthcoming guidance from the military's top leadership on the future of U.S. Cyber Command.
Air Force report falls short in fighting sexual assaults, victim advocate says
Jennifer Norris, a victim advocate at the Military Rape Crisis Center in Maine, said the Air Force report released Wednesday investigating the widespread scandal at Lackland Air Base made recommendations but didn't address the military culture that allowed the sexual assaults to occur.
