Defense
-
Naval warfighters have new technology now to help it face a growing body of new threats. Peter Morrison and his team built the laser weapons system. It\'s faster to install and safer and cheaper to use than other missiles. The Navy says each laser costs less than a dollar a shot. Morrison, a program officer for the Navy Department\'s Office of Naval Research, is a finalist for a Service to America medal in the national security and international affairs category. He tells In Depth with Francis Rose why the laser is different than other weapons systems.
May 28, 2015 -
The Defense Department should get ready for sequestraton\'s return in fiscal 2016, the Government Accountability Office warns in a new report.
May 28, 2015 -
It was only a mile of fencing. The task order from the Army Corps of Engineers to Marcon Engineering looked straightforward: Build a section of barrier along the Mexican border. Then they started digging, and the project turned into a years-long legal battle. Eventually, a judge handed the government its head on a platter. Procurement attorney Joe Petrillo, a partner at the law firm Petrillo and Powell, joined Tom Temin on the Federal Drive to review the facts and lessons learned from this case.
May 28, 2015 -
House and Senate versions of the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act include numerous acquisition reform provisions, including several that press DoD to embrace commercial technology.
May 28, 2015 -
The Veterans Affairs Department already faces more than 1 billion attempted cyber attacks a month. But as the complexity and volume of cyber threats increases across the government, VA\'s IT officials are starting to prepare for a worst case scenario. Federal News Radio\'s executive editor Jason Miller joined Tom Temin on the Federal Drive with details on how VA hopes to keep its mission services going in the face of 2 billion or 3 billion attacks a month.
May 27, 2015 -
With its networks and systems facing upwards of 1 billion attacks a month, the Veterans Affairs Department is bringing together cyber and mission owners to discuss its courses of action if the situation becomes worse. The agency also is looking to its digital services team to make across-the-board improvements to its online applications.
May 27, 2015 -
Imagine losing the ability to use everyday objects like your phone or even tie your shoes. It\'s an unfortunate reality for far too many veterans and civilians. VA\'s new Innovation Creation Series for Prosthetics and Assistive Technologies aims to help alleviate that. VA has invited designers and engineers to help find creative ways to solve these challenges. Andrea Ippolito is a presidential innovation fellow in VA\'s Office of Innovation; Melissa Oliver is an occupational therapist and assistive technology program coordinator. They joined Emily Kopp on the Federal Drive with more on the Creation Series.
May 26, 2015 -
More than summer road trips and barbecues, Memorial Day is a time to remember and honor. Senior Correspondent Mike Causey — and a former soldier with 30 years of service — reflect.
May 25, 2015 -
Maryland Congressman John Delaney says the Veterans Affairs Department should focus on veterans\' unique health needs and leave routine medical care to others.
May 22, 2015 -
Customer service at the Veterans Affairs Department has been a mixed bag lately. After the long weekend and the barbeque paraphernalia are cleaned up, area vets will have a chance to sit down with a caseworker and sort their affairs. Rep. John Delaney (D-Md.) will have those caseworkers on hand for a Constituent Services Workshop in Germantown. Vets can get help with all sorts of things. Rep. Delaney joined Tom Temin on the Federal Drive with more workshop details.
May 22, 2015 -
Commentary: former DHS human capital exec Jeff Neal.
May 22, 2015 -
Stephen Warren, the Veterans Affairs Department\'s chief information officer, said he\'s brought in extra vendors to deal with a backlog of cyber challenges. VA\'s inspector general found more than 9,000 outstanding system security risks in its annual Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) report.
May 22, 2015 -
Under the Ensuring VA Accountability Act, reprimands and admonishments that VA employees receive for misconduct would remain part of their permanent record for as long as they work for the department.
May 21, 2015 -
The VA wastes at least $5 billion a year by skirting federal law and paying excessive prices for goods and services. That\'s according to Jan Frye, VA\'s deputy assistant secretary for acquisition and logistics. He recently told a congressional hearing that illegal purchase-card abuse seems to be the biggest problem. Members of the Veterans Affairs committee echo the notion that VA employees are acting illegally. What if that\'s you they\'re making those allegations about? Federal employment attorney John Mahoney joined Tom Temin on the Federal Drive to offer some advice.
May 21, 2015 -
The Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt is one of the most effective aircraft in the fleet. Its project leaders say the Thunderbolt\'s simple design means its development time and maintenance costs beat out other, more complex systems. But simple weapons systems are hard to come by now at the Defense Department. Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Dan Ward is now a cybersecurity fellow at the New America Foundation and his latest book is \"The Simplicity Cycle.\" He tells In Depth with Francis Rose, government technology development programs are too complex, and simpler alternatives are already out there.
May 20, 2015