On DoD

  • In this week's edition of On DoD, Lt. Gen. Bill Phillips, the military deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology, talked with Federal News Radio's Jared Serbu about the Army's concern about automatic budget cuts, and the service's recently-unveiled 30-year modernization strategy.

    February 13, 2013
  • 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.

    February 11, 2013
  • 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.

    February 08, 2013
  • Television personality Montel Williams is joining Army scientists at Fort Detrick in a medical research deal.

    February 08, 2013
  • On this week's show, Federal News Radio's Jared Serbu talks about the impending cuts with two members of Congress, Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.), the chairman of the House Armed Services subcommittee on readiness, and Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.), whose suburban Washington district includes a high concentration of DoD civilian employees.

    February 06, 2013
  • Army leadership is looking to improve coordination among its mental health programs and other soldier-resilience efforts, acknowledging Monday that a patchwork system of tools is often confusing for both commanders and soldiers.

    February 05, 2013
  • Shortfalls in operating accounts would mean military units would be undertrained, underequipped and unable to deploy by the end of fiscal 2013, senior DoD officials predict.

    February 04, 2013
  • Sharon Roth of the Merit Systems Protection Board discusses a new survey on federal management. Lt. Cmdr. Jean Marie Sullivan of the Navy Office of Women's Policy talks about the new DoD decision to open up combat jobs to women. Greg Kutz, a senior audit executive with the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Audit, talks about a new report his agency released. Keith Lucas, vice president for AFGE Council 228, discusses a new contract his union signed with the Small Business Administration.

    February 01, 2013
  • Spending on conferences is among first casualties as various defense components make cutbacks. DoD's online meeting service is suffering from its own popularity.

    January 31, 2013
  • Round one is already in effect and includes a civilian hiring freeze, cancellation of conferences, cutbacks on training, and a reduction in IT spending for the Navy. Round two would involve unpaid civilian furloughs, operational reductions for deployed ships, and cuts to tuition assistance for sailors.

    January 30, 2013
  • Alan Paller of the SANS Institute talks about DoD's new initiative to hire 4,000 more people for its Cyber Command. Paul Terry of Blackboard, Inc., discusses how his company is helping GSA with its travel planning. Devon Hewitt, a partner at Protorae Law, weighs in on a recent contract award protest affecting people with disabilities. Capt. Paul Hammer of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, talks about the latest efforts at his center. Robin Lineberger of Deloitte LLP fills us in about the Professional Services Council's new commission that's focusing on efficient and innovative acquisition issues.

    January 29, 2013
  • Eric Green of NIH talks about his agency's search for a top data scientist. Dr. Elizabeth Stanley of Georgetown University discusses a new meditation program she helped develop for the Marine Corps. David Capozzi of the Access Board discusses new access standards for agencies. William Pretzer of the National Museum of African American History and Culture talks about trolling the inauguration for presidential memorabilia.

    January 28, 2013
  • DoD's operations and maintenance accounts will likely be hit first if sequestration goes into effect. Unlike its procurement and research and development activities, which can continue to function on funds obligated in prior years, O&M dollars generally get spent right away. In preparation for sequestration, the Pentagon has already let go of tens of thousands of temporary hires and is drawing up a contingency plan for one-day-a-week furloughs. Deputy Secretary Ashton Carter says the unpaid furloughs would begin in April and continue through the remainder of the fiscal year if sequestration is not avoided.

    January 28, 2013
  • News and buzz in the acquisition and IT communities that you may have missed this week.

    January 25, 2013