Friday federal headlines – October 16, 2015

The Federal Headlines is a daily compilation of the stories you hear discussed on the Federal Drive and In Depth radio shows. 

• The Defense Department is building a cyber database of its workers who were affected by the Office of Personnel Management hack. The database will help DoD identify and notify victims of the cyber attack. The database must first be approved by the Office of Management of Budget. DoD awarded a $1.8 million contract to Advanced Onion Incorporated earlier this to help notify cyber attack victims. (GPO)

• A Navy civil engineer has been sentenced to 11 years for attempted espionage. The Justice Department said Mostafa Ahmed Awwad of Yorktown, Virginia attempted to provide schematics of the nuclear aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford to Egypt while serving as a Navy engineer. This was the result of an FBI undercover operation that began back in 2014. (Justice Department)

• The government will hit the debt ceiling on Nov. 3, two days earlier than the Treasury Department first thought. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew is urging Congress to raise the borrowing cap as soon as possible. Delays could hurt the nation’s economy, he said. House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has indicated that he wants to address the issue before he leaves office. He had planned to step down at the end of October, but with no clear successor in sight, will likely stay longer. (Federal News Radio)

• The Peace Corps is implementing new cloud-based capabilities from IBM to help boost recruitment. The independent agency is also interested in increasing transparency for applicants by exploring social and mobile capabilities. (PRNewsWire)

• DoD’s Office of the Inspector General says the department’s workers are not properly prepared for workplace violence. In a new report, they recommend the under secretary of defense for defense and personnel and readiness revise current policies to develop a comprehensive DoD-wide approach to address prevention and response to workplace violence. (DoD IG)

• The Army is beginning a pilot program next week to educate its high ranking non-commissioned officers for the next phase of their careers. The Master Leadership Course will fill a knowledge gap between Sergeant First Class and Sergeant Major. The course pilot will be 17 days long and take place in Fort Bliss, Texas. Attendees will prepare senior non-commissioned officers to work on staffs and lead companies and troops. (Federal News Radio)

• The Veterans Affairs Department has a new cybersecurity strategy. The VA submitted its Enterprise Cybersecurity Strategy to Congress Sept. 28, said VA Chief Information Officer LaVerne Council. The strategy focuses on eight domain areas. She said she’s focusing on projects she and team can start now and finish in the next six months, changes they can make within six to 18 months and initiatives they can work on within 18 to 36 months. (Federal News Radio)

• Former cable news commentator Wayne Simmons has been charged with fraud and making false statement to the government. Simmons claimed he worked as an outside paramilitary special operations officer in an attempt to obtain a security clearance and work as a Defense contractor, according to the Justice Department. He faces up to 15 years in prison for the charges if convicted. (Justice Department)

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