DoD News 
Top News
- Hagel: Accountability breakdown a leading factor in sexual assaults
- ODNI's Liberty Crossing complex closed today
- SES bonuses under fire at GSA, other agencies
- VA's Gould moves the needle on VA challenges
- Meet the 2013 Service to America Medal Finalists
- Causey: Saintly media vs. government devils
- White House wants to root out copycat programs - starting with STEM
- Treasury officials told of IRS probe in June 2012
- Obama appoints Danny Werfel acting IRS head
- In fight over intelligence IT system, Army prioritizes access to data
- House bill protects homeland security budget
- Intelligence Community free from furloughs
- OMB fuels the passion, synergy between mobile, open data
- GAO, OMB spar over whether to measure data center cost savings
- Agencies craving STEMM talent should bolster skills of persuasion
- DoD wants to know real costs of IT business systems
- Monday federal headlines - May 20, 2013
Tips, techniques to write in plain language
It's been two years since the Plain Language Writing Act became law. While agencies are doing a better job, more work needs to be done. A federal expert on plain language is offering agencies the writing tips he employs on a daily basis. At the same time, a new bill in Congress would extend the plain language act to cover federal regulations.
Hagel orders DoD to 'restructure' path toward integrated health record
The Pentagon delays its RFP for a new electronic health record system. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says a revised approach is coming soon.
Auditors find low enrollment in vets jobs program
Federal auditors say a job-training program designed to help veterans re-enter the workforce has more than 60,000 empty slots, left unfilled despite efforts to reduce the jobless rate among veterans.
Alaska-based soldier gets 16 years in spy case
Alaska-based soldier gets 16 years for selling secrets to FBI agent posing as Russian spy
Hagel cancels creation of new drone, cyber medal
Hagel cancels creation of new drone, cyber medal; Military to add device to existing medals
What do we know about the Defense Intelligence Agency?
It manages America's defense attaché system, operating out of U.S. embassies and consulates around the globe. It counts more than 16,500 military and civilian employees in 139 countries, with hundreds in Afghanistan. An unknown number work undercover. Its size has more than doubled since 2000, partly because of the restructuring of military intelligence, and many more employees are deployed abroad. Today, more than half of DIA's staff is posted outside of Washington, compared to less than a third in 2000. The agency is bolstering its clandestine operations overseas.
Budget to affect combat readiness
Federal budget cuts will ground one-third of the U.S. Air Force's active-duty force of combat planes including fighters and bombers. A top general says that means "accepting the risk that combat airpower may not be ready to respond immediately to new contingencies as they occur." Gen. Mike Hostage, commander of Air Combat Command at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia, issued the warning as the Pentagon braces for more effects of the automatic spending cuts.
Hagel: Job not to cut heart out of Pentagon
Hagel says Obama didn't instruct him to cut heart out of Pentagon, says budgets cuts were law
DoD makes auditability a priority, but will likely miss 2014 deadline
The Defense Department's attitude toward the importance of auditability has undergone a marked change, but experts believe compliance with its next legal deadline will be a stretch.
Officials: Pentagon looks to cut furlough days
Defense Department officials said Thursday they were considering reducing the number of furlough days for their civilian employees from 14 to seven.
Pentagon budget pares program
The Pentagon has submitted $526.6 billion that calls for closing bases, slashing the civilian workforce and scrapping weapons programs. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel says it reflects the need to pay for the war in Afghanistan, implementing the President's defense strategic guidance. "This budget also increases DoD's investments in its cyber workforce, continues to implement our rebalance to Asia and makes new investments the flexible platforms needed for the future," says Hagel. He also says that future will take place in a world of complete uncertainty.
Air Force officer defends decision to overturn sexual-assault verdict
The Air Force commander who overturned a jury's guilty verdict in a sexual assault case -- enraging members of Congress and prompting talk of military justice reform -- explained his case in a letter to a top Pentagon official, saying he found the accused officer and his wife more believable than the alleged victim.
DoD makes slow progress towards clean 2017 audit
Mark Easton, DoD's deputy chief financial officer, says the challenges toward a clean audit are significant but the Pentagon is still optimistic.
How one Air Force program aims to save $1 billion
The Air Force Materiel Command is trying to save up to $1 billion through a process called High Velocity Maintenance. Dr. Steve Butler, the executive director of the Air Force Materiel Command, speaks with Francis Rose about how the process helps his agency save money.
Experts discuss DoD's challenges in reaching a clean audit
Former DoD Deputy CFO Al Tucker and Asif Khan from the Government Accountability Office join Francis Rose on this week's edition of Pentagon Solutions to discuss the challenges DoD has in reaching a clean audit by 2017.
DoD's 2014 budget: Fewer civilians, higher retiree health fees
The Defense Department's 2014 budget proposal reduces the size of the civilian workforce slightly, increases TRICARE premiums, and requests another round of base closures. It also calls for a slight raise for both civilian employees and uniformed servicemembers. The budget significantly exceeds the Defense spending caps in current law.
Federal budget cuts ground Air Force aircraft
Budget cuts ground 3rd of Air Force warplanes; those headed to Afghanistan to be mission ready
Budget cuts end Blue Angels' 2013 season
Budget cuts force Navy's Blue Angels stunt pilots to cancel performances for the rest of 2013
Hagel seeks change on conviction reversals
Hagel recommends Congress strip commanders' ability to reverse criminal convictions
Two sentenced in Seattle plot
A second man who pleaded guilty has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for planning to attack a military recruitment facility in Seattle and murder U.S. servicemen in 2011.
Walli Mujahidh, 34, was one of two men who had planned to storm the Military Entrance Processing Station south of downtown Seattle with machine guns and grenades in retaliation for U.S. military actions in Afghanistan.
Joseph Anthony Davis, was sentenced to 18 years in prison last month.
