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National & World Headlines
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The 3-D printing revolution now includes an effort to replicate the human skull. The Army Research Laboratory is working on skulls that can be used for research on brain injuries. Dr. Thomas Plaisted is a materials engineer at the Composites and Hybrid Materials Branch of the Weapons and Materials Directorate at the Army Research Lab. On In Depth with Francis Rose, he said the skulls won't solve the head injury problem, but they'll be an effective tool to help find a solution.
September 09, 2014 -
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Veterans Affairs Secretary Bob McDonald has pledged to put veterans first at the department. Maureen Ellenberger is one of his warriors in the battle. As director of veterans relationship management at the Veterans Benefits Administration, she is trying to standardize the customer service that veterans receive and make sure their experiences are positive.
September 09, 2014 -
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The Veterans Affairs Department has ramped up referrals to private doctors in order to get patients the care they need more quickly. But several unions that represent VA employees argue, the uptick in referrals could signal a shift toward privatizing the VA. This all comes as Secretary Robert McDonald aims to fix how the VA treats its veterans following major reform legislation passed by Congress this past summer. Irma Westmoreland is a registered nurse and chairwoman of National Nurses United for Veterans Affairs. She joined Tom Temin on the Federal Drive with her take on changes at the VA.
September 09, 2014 -
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Robert McDonald, the new secretary of the Veterans Affairs Department, says the biggest thing he's learned over his first seven weeks on the job is that the organization he leads is too hierarchical and too insular. He's promising to build a "flatter" VA that encourages dissent.
September 09, 2014 -
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Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois has asked Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to review a program that provides high-powered rifles and other surplus military equipment to civilian police departments across the country. The Senate's second ranking Democrat on Friday said he has long been concerned about their use of military equipment and military-style tactics by local police departments. He said the fatal shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown by a Ferguson, Missouri, police officer gives "new urgency" to a review of the Pentagon program.
September 08, 2014 -
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An analysis from the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments says the Defense Department will need between $200 billion to $300 billion more than budget caps allow to move forward with its current strategy.
September 08, 2014 -
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The Pentagon says it will consider upgrading discharges to Vietnam-era veterans who received other than honorable discharges, and can show proof of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Proving their cases could get tricky though. PTSD wasn't an official medical diagnosis until the 1980s and many records have been destroyed. But the Pentagon has promised liberal consideration. The guidance comes after a lawsuit earlier this year from a group of veterans who claim their applications for discharge upgrade were wrongfully denied. Tom Berger is executive director of the Veterans Health Council at the Vietnam Veterans of America. He joined Tom Temin on the Federal Drive to discuss the new the effort.
September 08, 2014 -
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The Navy has made an important step in advancing its aerial strike and surveillance technology. It's found a way to blend unmanned and manned jets on the same aircraft carrier. Aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt off of the Virginia coast, the Navy successfully completed a test. A self-guided plane took off, landed and then maneuvered out of the way for a manned jet to land. Rear Adm. Mat Winter is the program executive for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons at Naval Air Systems Command. He joined Tom Temin on the Federal Drive to explain why the test runs are important to the Navy.
September 08, 2014 -
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The Pentagon issued a handful of directives in August designed to reverse the trend in its contract competition rate, which has slipped from 64 percent in 2008 to 56.5 percent in the third quarter of 2014. A preliminary analysis shows most of the opportunity for improvement is in service contracting.
September 08, 2014 -
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The Defense Health Agency is conducting market research in advance of a planned RFP for a 10-year, $20 billion IT services and support contract. It's possible that vendors will be added to the contract without a formal source selection process.
September 05, 2014 -
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Secretary Hagel met Thursday with Ukraine Minister of Defense Colonel General Valeriy Heletey to discuss the ongoing security situation in Ukraine. The two leaders spoke on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Wales. Hagel praised the actions of the Ukrainian armed forces in their current engagements in Eastern Ukraine and pledged continued U.S. support for their efforts. Minister Heletey thanked Secretary Hagel for that support, which includes millions of dollars of non-lethal material and assistance.
September 05, 2014 -
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U.S. surveillance flights are buzzed by Chinese fighter jets armed to the teeth. The Air Force conducts more than 150 bombing raids on the ISIS army in Iraq. President Barack Obama sends 1,000 troops to protect the embassy in Baghdad. NATO leaders wonder if they'll have to mobilize to defend against Russian aggression. Everywhere you look, there's military activity or the potential for more of it. How does all this play out when the U.S. defense budget is flat or shrinking? And the military's technical leadership eroding? Todd Harrison, senior fellow for Defense Budget Studies at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessment, joined Tom Temin on the Federal Drive with answers. Read the related story.
September 05, 2014 -
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The Defense Health Agency is nearing its one year anniversary. Its officials say they're serious about finding the savings they promised through the reorganization of DoD's healthcare activities. One way they hope to save money is through more strategic sourcing. As Federal News Radio's Jared Serbu reports, that includes a new multiple award contract for IT services. Read Jared's related story.
September 05, 2014 -
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The Navy has built an unmanned undersea vehicle that mimics the motions of the fish it resembles. The robotic fish is packed with acoustic sensors and cameras. Navy developers hope it will carry out a range full of missions like undersea mine detection or prolonged surveillance of ships, ports and submarines. Capt. Jim Loper is the concepts and innovation department head at the Navy Warfare Development Command in Norfolk, Virginia. He joined Tom Temin on the Federal Drive with details on Robo Tuna.
September 04, 2014
