State Department
-
The Service to America Medals honor federal employees who go above and beyond their job descriptions to serve the public. For the next few months, Federal News Radio is speaking to the finalists. As a diplomat, you don't seek out the easy life. Jonathan Gandomi was the State Department's field representative for the Counter-Lord's Resistance Army Mission. He spent two years on an assignment that has frustrated the world, ridding Africa of one of its oldest and most brutal extremist groups. Gandomi joined Emily Kopp on the Federal Drive to discuss his experience in Africa that led to his 2014 Sammies nomination. View a photo gallery of all the Sammies finalists. Read a Q&A and related story.
July 14, 2014 -
Bill Lay, the State Department's chief information security officer, said his budget for cybersecurity doubled in 2014 to help address the recommendations outlined by the agency's inspector general.
July 02, 2014 -
The barriers for hiring interns are getting lower. Nowadays, you don't even have to give them a desk. The State Department is recruiting students from around the world to serve as virtual interns at several agencies. The students do real projects but sometimes from half a world away. Program Manager Bridget Roddy joined Emily Kopp on the Federal Drive to discuss the Virtual Student Foreign Service Program.
June 30, 2014 -
The State Department stands out among agencies cracking down on bad contractors. In 2009, it took just eight suspension or debarment actions. Last year, it reported 96. Corey Rindner is the procurement executive and suspension and debarment official at the State Department. He joined Tom Temin and Emily Kopp on the Federal Drive to discuss what debarment and suspension are and are not.
June 24, 2014 -
Maybe the United States was never really finished in Iraq. Regardless, events of the past two weeks have returned that nation to a front and center position for Congress and the administration. Paul Bremer was U.S. Presidential envoy to Iraq in 2003 and 2004. A career diplomat, he was thrust into the spotlight as temporary head of the Iraqi government after the fall of Saddam Hussein. Most of the questions this week have been about military options now that the government is under threat. Bremer joined Tom Temin and Emily Kopp on the Federal Drive to discuss how this situation affects the State Department both here and in Baghdad.
June 20, 2014 -
Recent headlines suggest federal agencies do not always look kindly on whistleblowers in their ranks. Most recently, the Veterans Affairs Department stands accused of tamping down dissent over mismanagement of its health care system. But an awards ceremony at the State Department today is honoring some federal employees for sticking out their necks and challenging their leaders. The American Foreign Service Association is giving four career diplomats the Constructive Dissent Award. Ambassador Jonathan Addleton, currently regional USAID mission director for the Central Asian Republics, is one of the honorees. He joined Tom Temin and Emily Kopp on the Federal Drive to discuss what led to his nomination.
June 18, 2014 -
Over a three-decade career, State Department employee Thomas Browne has changed the way the U.S. and 70 countries across the world view drug addiction, treatment and prevention.
June 02, 2014 -
The Service to America medals honor federal employees who go above and beyond their job descriptions to serve the public. Federal News Radio will be speaking to finalists. A colleague describes him as the world's leading expert on drug-addiction treatment and prevention. As the deputy director of the State Department's anti-crime programs, Thomas Brown has helped shape drug treatment in 70 countries. He's a finalist in the career achievement category of the 2014 Sammies awards. Read a Q&A with Thomas Browne.
June 02, 2014 -
In this edition of Inside the Reporter's Notebook, Executive Editor Jason Miller shares news and buzz about the IT and acquisition communities.
May 23, 2014 -
NSA, State and nearly every other agency are developing "fixes" to protect unauthorized employees from taking data. Experts say employees need to understand why the rules are in place and how they benefit both the organization and worker. OMB says one way to improve the situation is by reducing the number of federal employees with security clearances-an initiative that already is underway.
May 21, 2014 -
In this edition of Inside the Reporter's Notebook, Executive Editor Jason Miller shares news and buzz about the IT and acquisition communities.
May 09, 2014 -
The administration's strategic sourcing initiative applies to all agencies, but implementation looks different at every agency. The State Department's acquisition process has a different emphasis and produces different results than other agencies. In Depth with Francis Rose talks to Cathy Read, State's director of acquisitions management. Also, Corey Rinder, procurement executive at State, explains some of the differences and similarities between how State does acquisition and how your agency may do it.
March 27, 2014 -
Your agency probably has a shortage of digital natives. The shortage is tied directly to the amount of millennial employees that many agencies don't have enough of already. Isaiah Joo, the chief information officer of Young Government Leaders and program analyst for the State Department's Office of E-Diplomacy, joined In Depth with Francis Rose.
March 25, 2014 -
Departments have a week to finalize their plans to implement information security continuous monitoring by 2017. State and DHS already are heading down the new cyber path, and are excited to take advantage of the standard suite of products and services under the CDM contract.
February 21, 2014 -
The inconsistent way inspectors general review the security of federal networks and computers is causing uncertainty around what is working and what isn't in the federal government. A recent State Department IG management alert is a prime example of this growing disconnect.
February 05, 2014