Pentagon

  • The intelligence community is buzzing over news that CIA Director Leon Panetta threatened to quit during a shouting match recently at the White House over the news that Attorney General Eric Holder might pursue cases against CIA personnel involved in interrogation. It\'s no secret that there has been tension in the intelligence community, but this is the first crack in the armor, if true. WTOP has not confirmed that the shouting match took place, but Panetta\'s letter to employees at the CIA made clear that he was supporting them regardless of what happens.

    August 24, 2009
  • The Pentagon\'s chief information officer is conducting an agency-wide review of the use of popular social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Officials are trying to balance the benefits of allowing the use of social networking on recruiting, public affairs and troop morale, against the potential security risks. Defense Secretary Gates gets a report on ‘web 2.0\' at the end of this month, and department-wide policy is expected out in late September.

    August 10, 2009
  • The post-9/11 GI Bill takes effect on August first, but service members should know that NOW is the time to put in that request to transfer their benefits to spouses and children. Pentagon officials say its one of the most popular aspects of the GI Bill. Experts say its smart to transfer at least a month of benefits to each dependent before your hitch is up, so you can make adjustments later. Once you leave the service, you can\'t make such a change.

    July 27, 2009
  • A Pentagon advisory panel is preparing a report suggesting that the Defense Department has some work to do to in improving communications with industrial firms that provide goods and services to the military.

    July 20, 2009
  • The American Jihadist fighting alongside al Shebab militants in Somalia has released another video recording. In this one Abu Mansour Al-Amriki states that President Barack Obama was trying to mislead Muslims and impose \"so-called moderate or American Islam.\" Al-Amriki also stated that the mujahidin would not stop fighting until all foreign troops are pulled out of Muslim lands and until the US stops its support to Israel. The statement is attributed to the Sada Al-Jihad Media Center of the Global Islamic Media Front.

    July 13, 2009
  • Two high-level military nominations are in process on Capitol Hill. The Senate Armed Services Committee is considering the nominations of Marine Corps General James Cartwright to be reappointed as the Vice Chairman of the Joint…

    July 13, 2009
  • The Honduras Civil Aeronautics General Directorate has decided to close Toncontin Airport. Assistant Director Boris Ferrera indicated that the decision to suspend operations in the country\'s main airport for 5 days is a measure that can change according to developments in the problem being faced by the country. What that seems to indicate is that the military does not want a plane carrying deposed President Manuel Zelaya to re-enter the country.

    July 07, 2009
  • Some big changes have happened recently in the world of new media at the Pentagon. Social media sites are available again to members of the military; blogging is being encouraged; and the official presence of…

    July 06, 2009
  • A health emergency has been declared in Buenos Aires to help control an outbreak of the deadly H1N1 flu strain that has killed 26 people in the country. Mayor Mauricio Macri has asked residents to stay at home as much as possible. The health emergency will remain in place until Friday. The Argentine government says 1600 cases of the new strain of virus, also known as swine flu, which is spreading. Early July is the middle of winter in the southern hemisphere winter.

    June 30, 2009
  • Multiple deployments can be tough on military familes, but they\'re especially tough on the children. School work suffers, and surveys show behavioral problems increase. The Pentagon tries to help with the Military Family Live Consultant program, which makes counselors available to families. There are resources available online at the Military One Source, Military Homefront and the Military Community and Family Policy websites.

    June 29, 2009
  • The President of the Russian Republic of Ingushetia is in serious condition, but expected to live after an assassination attempt today. One bodyguard and a police officer were killed and three other body guards were seriously wounded. A bomb planted along the road exploded as Yunus-Bek Yevkurov\'s motorcade passed by. He suffered schrapnel wounds to his head and upper torso and is suffering from burns.

    June 22, 2009
  • The Pentagon wants members of the armed forces victimized by scam artists in these tough times to know that the Federal Trade Commission wants to help. The FTC\'s Consumer Sentinel/Military program provides a secure online database where the military can report concerns about identity theft, deceptive lending or mortgage practices. Find a link on http://www.ftc.gov .

    June 19, 2009
  • A state-run newspaper said Monday that a Chinese submarine\'s reported collision last week with an underwater sonar apparatus towed by a U.S. destroyer in the South China Sea was likely an accident. The official China Daily cited Chinese military experts as saying that the submarine\'s collision with the sonar array connected to the USS John S. McCain probably occurred due to a misjudgment of distance. No injuries were reported and the extent of damage to the sonar array was not immediately known.

    June 16, 2009
  • As budget season continues, more cabinet secretaries and other agency heads are talking about their FY2010 budget requests. The Senate Appropriations Committee had three agency leaders before their subcommittees yesterday: Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was…

    June 10, 2009