SDFM The Business of Defense
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Budget reductions continue for the Pentagon. The Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee, approved a 2012 budget of $513 billion, but cut $1.6 billion from the Pentagon\'s previous $12.8 billion request for the Afghan training mission. It also cut another $5 billion for other Afghan war line items. Pentagon spokesman George Little said no decisions about future spending on Afghan training have been made, but he said that the expectation is that spending could be reduced.
September 16, 2011 -
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the truck bombing that killed four Afghan civilians and wounded 77 U.S. troops on the eve of the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. The Pentagon says they had help from the powerful Haqqani network. Pentagon spokesman George Little said it was deplorable and called on the attacks to stop. The network rose to prominence during the 1980s Afghan-Soviet war with the help of the CIA.
September 16, 2011 -
Libyan officials with the assistance of US government and private weapons disposal experts are searching for mobile anti-aircraft systems in that country after news reports of looting of large arms caches in Tripoli. The Associated Press and other news media reported Thursday that crates of Russian-built anti-aircraft missiles and other munitions were systematically looted. Emptied crates found in several Tripoli caches by reporters and officials of Human Rights Watch appeared to have contained scores of Russian-built Man-Portable Air Defense Systems, or MANPADS.
September 16, 2011 -
The Pentagon has raised its alert levels at U.S. military bases, until after the 10th anniversary commemorations of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on Sunday. But the decision had nothing to do with any specific information about a credible terrorism threat. \"This is not in response to any particular threat but is a prudent and precautionary measure,\" said Pentagon spokesman George Little. The Pentagon said the move takes effect on Wednesday and will continue through Sunday.
September 16, 2011 -
After 10 years of war with al-Qaida, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said yesterday it\'s not over and even though Osama BIn Laden has been take out of the picture. He says, the potential for another devastating terrorist assault \"remains very real,\" Those comments came after a visit to ground zero at the World Trade Center. Panetta also visited the Shanksville, Pennsylvania site where United Airlines Flight 93 crashed, after passengers revolted and stormed the cockpit thwarting the hijackers plot to crash the 757 in Washington.
September 15, 2011 -
The Wikileaks problem is still --a problem. The anti-secrecy group is blaming the Guardian newspaper for exposing a massive archive of un-redacted State Department documents. Defense Department spokesman Col. Dave Lapan said the reality is \"once WikiLeaks has these documents in its possession, it loses control and information gets out whether they intend (it) to or not.\" WikiLeaks claimed that it had tried to warn the State Department about what was about to happen.
September 15, 2011 -
If you haven\'t noticed it already, you\'re getting a closer look from police and you enter and move through the subway system and the streets of Washington. Law enforcement have been preparing for the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks by increasing their security profiles. That includes airports, train stations, nuclear plants and major sporting arenas. Counterterrorism officials have not indicated there is any credible threat, but they recognize the event is a big target date for terrorists.
September 15, 2011 -
This week on AFGE\'s \"Inside Government\" Maryland Citizens\' Health Initiative President Vincent DeMarco introduces the \"Enroll America\" organization while AFGE Veterans Affairs Local 2338 President Kevin Ellis outlines a new grassroots mobilization plan. AFGE 5th District National Vice President Everett Kelley and Defense Conference Vice Chair Patty Viers discuss the critical work by civilian Defense Department employees and Veterans Affairs Local 2157 First Vice President Marcia Blaine highlights the VA\'s commitment to top-quality patient care.
September 14, 2011 -
September 7th, 2011 Can the energy strategy of the Department of Defense potentially reduce costs and stabilize fuel access and security? Hear what our energy specialists General Charles F. Wald and KC Healy have to say.
September 12, 2011 -
September 12th, September 14th, and September 15th 2011 Robert F. Hale is the principal advisor to Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates on all budgetary and fiscal matters, including the development and execution of the Defense Department\'s annual budget of more than $600 billion.
September 12, 2011 -
The two groups said they\'d be willing to take a 10 percent cut in pay, or more, if it meant being able to telework, according to a new Mom Corps survey.
September 11, 2011 -
CISCO Senior Technical Manager John Carney and Senior Solutions Marketing Manager Tim Simon join host Bill Bransford to talk about the how to solve government\'s biggest technology issues. September 9, 2011
September 09, 2011 -
This Week on AFGE\'s \"Inside Government\" Local 1760 VP Shaun O\'Connell looks back on the impact of 9/11 on New York City. AFGE 14th District NVP Dwight Bowman examines the labor movement\'s use of social media; 6th District NVP Arnold Scott and Local 3448 Labor Management Relations VP Patti Davis-Sato discuss the attack on federal employees.
September 08, 2011 -
September 5th, September 7th, and September 8th 2011 Join us for a Special Edition of The Business of Government Hour a Conversation with Authors -- exploring national security, power, and intelligence in the 21st century.
September 07, 2011 -
The Office of Personnel management is promising a completely revamped version of its centralized hiring website by next month. A 3.0 version of the USAJobs.gov site will launch on October 13, taking the system from a closed, proprietary architecture to one that can integrate with the HR systems of various federal agencies. OPM says that\'ll improve agencies recruiting programs and let them do a better job of communicating with job applicants. USAJobs will be offline for a week in early October while OPM transitions to the new site.
September 06, 2011