Defense Department
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In the Defense department, the goal of consolidating tens of thousands of IT systems and networks into a more manageable structure is not exactly new. But some leaders in the department think with new budget pressures in play, they\'ll be able to make some serious progress.
April 25, 2011 -
A new Pentagon inspector general report finds \"procedural and technical weaknesses\" in the Army\'s traffic assessment surrounding its plans to move 6,400 Defense employees to a privately owned office complex in northern Virginia. Rep. Jim Moran, whose district includes the site, said the findings provide the underpinnings for local officials to sue the Pentagon to stop the move.
April 22, 2011 -
The Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command awarded 36 contracts under its OPTARSS II program. The program provides DoD with operational planning, training and more.
April 21, 2011 -
A new report finds the Pentagon used faulty data when it decided to relocate 6,400 Department of Defense workers from Crystal City to Alexandria\'s Mark Center as part of the Base Realignment and Closure Act.
April 21, 2011 -
Former deputy defense secretary Rudy Deleon gives his take on the President\'s call for Defense to slash spending.
April 20, 2011 -
The Pentagon\'s acquisition chief said Wednesday that Defense leaders would \"undoubtedly\" cut more major weapons systems, possibly as soon as next year. But undersecretary of Defense Ashton Carter said there were more savings to be found in other areas of the Defense Department budget. Major weapons procurement makes up only one seventh of DoD\'s spending.
April 20, 2011 -
If you still haven\'t claimed your stop loss special pay, the deadline has been extended to October 21st.
April 20, 2011 -
The chairman of the subcommittee on federal financial management said legislation may be needed to ensure agency accounting procedures are focusing on stopping improper payments. He said progress across the government is good, but more tools are necessary. OMB is testing the Do Not Pay List and plans to launch the full portal in 2012.
April 20, 2011 -
James Carafano, director of the Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy Studies at the Heritage Foundation, discusses the possible DoD cuts.
April 19, 2011 -
Russia\'s FSB, the equivalent to the FBI is trying to get access to encrypted communication providers like Skype, Gmail and Hotmail. Reuters is reporting, \"the agency says the uncontrolled use of such services could threaten national security.\" Alexander Andreyechkin, head of the FSB says, \"the uncontrolled use of these services could lead to a large-scale threat to Russian security.\" Critics say what he really wants to do is limit access to the internet ahead of the 2012 elections.
April 19, 2011 -
Israel has rolled out it secret weapon. In the face of renewed shelling from Gaza, The military unveiled something they call the Iron Dome yesterday. It\'s a missile shield. The device intercepted two rockets in its first deployment. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the announcement while visiting Prague. The Iron Dome fires radar-guided missiles from a truck-sized launcher and which tracks and blows up incoming rockets in mid-air.
April 19, 2011 -
The Associated Press reports: \"Defense Secretary Robert Gates tried to smooth the worst rift in years with Arab ally and oil producer Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, reassuring the Saudi king that the U.S. remains a steady friend despite support for pro-democracy revolutions in the Middle East. The Saudi king, looking thin after months of medical treatment in the United States and elsewhere, welcomed Gates for what the Pentagon chief later said was a cordial and warm visit.\"
April 19, 2011 -
So if there were a government shutdown, how would me and women in uniform be paid? Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said late yesterday the leadership hadn\'t figured that out yet. There are 146,000 service members in Iraq and Afghanistan. He says the Pentagon would continue key national security responsibilities including fighting the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, and continuing operations in Libya and earthquake assistance to Japan.
April 19, 2011 -
Reports about a Third Intifada being organized against Israel apparently were bogus. \"They investigated that Facebook page and they couldn\'t trace it back to any Palestinian individual or organization,\" says Maen Areikat, Representative for the Palestinian Liberation Organization. \"It\'s really interesting to know who is behind it,\" says Areikat. As far as any future Palestinian protests go, he says any future protests, \"continue to be peaceful and not resort to violence.\"
April 19, 2011 -
Alassane Ouattara\'s, President in waiting in the Ivory Coast has declared an overnight curfew in the main city of Abidjan from now until Sunday. A Ouattara spokesman says the curfew was needed \"for security reasons\" and would run from nine o\'clock in the evening through to six o\'clock in the morning each day. Ouattara is locked in a bitter dispute over the Presidency in that war-torn country with incumbent Laurent Bagbo. Ouattara won the election but has not been able to assume the office.
April 19, 2011