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FCC Implements DHS Recommendations on New Wireless Emergency Alerts Tool
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FCC Implements DHS Recommendations on New Wireless Emergency Alerts Tool


FCC Implements DHS Recommendations on New Wireless Emergency Alerts ToolThe Federal Communications Commission has implemented recommendations from the Department of Homeland Security‘s science and technology directorate in the FCC’s wireless emergency alerts platform in an effort to update that system.

The WEA Report and Order has adopted the directorate’s recommendations on message effectiveness, increased character length, addition of URL links, pictures and videos to the alerts and employment of new technology to support geo-targeting functions, DHS said Monday.

DHS has financed academic research programs since 2012 to help advance WEA technology with plans to fund new studies to help address potential public and communication technology requirements.

“It’s essential that as technology and people’s perception and use of technology changes, the systems used to alert the public keep pace with these changes,” said Denis Gusty, WEA program manager at DHS S&T’s first responders group.

“We must continue to research the behavior of why people react one way or another after receiving an alert, especially when it comes to flooding,” he added.

GAO Evaluates DoD’s Efforts to Develop Inventory Monitoring Strategy
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GAO Evaluates DoD’s Efforts to Develop Inventory Monitoring Strategy


ContractSigningThe Defense Department is working to implement eight open recommendations from the Government Accountability Office on issues regarding the inventory of contracted services such as the development of a strategy to compile the inventory and define roles of stakeholders.

A GAO study published Monday says DoD faces issues such as an underlying inventory data collection system, staffing for the inventory management support office and the formalization of roles of office and stakeholders.

Military departments have not come up with a strategy to utilize the inventory to inform the workforce as well as support strategic workforce planning and budget decision-making processes as mandated by the National Defense Authorization Act.

The auditor noted 21 out of 40 DoD components addressed all six of the required review elements and the department has made progress on the selection of an official to oversee efforts to develop strategies for the utilization of inventories in decision making.

GAO also found out that DOD has obligated approximately $28 billion for contracts in 17 categories including professional and management support services and components have identified $10.8 billion in obligations and dollars invoiced for contracts categorized as “closely associated with inherently governmental functions.”

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Treasury Tax IG: IRS’ Use of Data Elements Led to Detection of $72M in Suspected Tax Refund Fraud
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Treasury Tax IG: IRS’ Use of Data Elements Led to Detection of $72M in Suspected Tax Refund Fraud


TaxFormThe Treasury Department‘s inspector general for tax administration has found that as of March 25, the Internal Revenue Service identified suspected tax refund fraud cases valued at $72 million driven by the introduction of three data elements to the Return Review Program.

TIGTA said in a report issued Sept. 30 that it evaluated the IRS’ Information Technology Program and found that security of taxpayer information continues to be the top performance and management issue that IRS faces.

TIGTA also found weaknesses in the domains of identity and access management, configuration management and information security continuous monitoring as part of IRS’ cybersecurity program.

The IRS has conducted tests of additional data elements as well as the functionality of the Affordable Care Act Compliance Validation System, the report said.

The IG also identified vulnerabilities in other areas of IRS’ IT program such as electronic authentication process controls, physical security controls, enterprise e-mail acquisition, IT contract administration controls, data retrieval and SharePoint controls.

Profile: Bryon Young, Executive Director of Army Contracting Command-Aberdeen Proving Ground
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Profile: Bryon Young, Executive Director of Army Contracting Command-Aberdeen Proving Ground


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Bryon Young

Bryon Young serves as the executive director of the Army Contracting Command at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland.

He oversees the execution of contracts that support research and development initiatives across the U.S. Army as well as mission critical contracting work for warfighters, program executive office and institutional customers of the military branch.

Young joined the Senior Executive Service in November 2004 and also concurrently serves as the principal assistant responsible for contracting for the commander of the Army Material Command.

He previously served as director of the Army’s Research Development and Engineering Command Contracting Center, Mission and Installation Contracting Command and Contracting Agency in Falls Church, Virginia.

He also worked as deputy director and chief of staff at the Army Contracting Center, director for contracting and assistant secretary of the Army Acquisition, Logistics and Technology, commander of the Defense Contract Management Agency Raytheon and DCMA Milwaukee, chief of the procurement division at Defense Personnel Support Center-Europe and procurement team chief at the Army Missile Command.

Young was an Army air defense officer for 13 years and deployed to the XVIII Airborne Corps, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and 32nd Army Air Defense Command as well as assigned as ROTC instructor at Princeton University before he joined the Army Acquisition Corps.

He is currently also a member of the Association of the United States Army and the National Defense Industrial Association.

His awards and military decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit and Army Commendation Medal.

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Vice Adm. Christopher Grady Assumes Command of US 6th Fleet, Naval Striking & Support Forces NATO
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Vice Adm. Christopher Grady Assumes Command of US 6th Fleet, Naval Striking & Support Forces NATO


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Christopher Grady

Vice Adm. Christopher Grady has officially taken over as commander of U.S. 6th Fleet and Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO during a change-of-command ceremony at Naval Support Activity Naples.

The U.S. Navy said Friday Grady, formerly commander of Naval Surface Force Atlantic, will succeed Vice Adm. James Foggo, who will move on as the Navy’s staff director at the Pentagon.

Naples, Italy-based U.S. 6th Fleet conducts joint and naval operations with joint, allied and interagency partners in a push to advance U.S. national interests as well as boost security and stability in Africa and Europe.

President Barack Obama nominated Grady in September to serve as commander of U.S. 6th Fleet, Task Force 6, Striking and Support Forces NATO and the European Joint Force Maritime Component Command as well as deputy commander for U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa.

DoD: Total Appropriations for Military Intell Program Hit $18B in FY 2016
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DoD: Total Appropriations for Military Intell Program Hit $18B in FY 2016


BudgetThe Defense Department has said that total appropriations for the Military Intelligence Program for fiscal year 2016 reached $17.7 billion.

DoD said Friday the total budget for MIP includes the base budget and funds for overseas contingency operations.

The FY 2016 appropriated figure is approximately $1 billion higher than the $16.8 billion budget that DoD requested for the program for FY 2017.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence said in a separate release that Congress allocated $53 billion in total funds to the National Intelligence Program during FY 2016.

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Army, Navy, Air Force Secretaries Say ‘Adaptive’ Workforce Key to US Security
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Army, Navy, Air Force Secretaries Say ‘Adaptive’ Workforce Key to US Security


cyber-hack-network-computerAll three secretaries of the U.S. armed services believe that the government’s ability to hire and retain talented professionals will be a critical strategy to address U.S. challenges and threats.

Army Secretary Eric Fanning, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and Air Force Secretary Deborah James discussed a number of national security challenges and innovation opportunities during a panel discussion hosted by the Center for a New American Security, according to an article published Thursday on the Army’s website.

Mabus said that military organizations should have broad and different sorts of thinking around cyber.

The secretaries agreed that talent recruitment and retention programs form a key part of the solution to the country’s need to develop a workforce that can adapt to future challenges.

James said she believes a hiring a diverse pool of talent comprised of personnel from different backgrounds, thought processes and disciplines will spur innovation.

The secretaries also pointed to budget instability as among the roadblocks to military modernization efforts and that various capability gaps have weakened the U.S. forces advantage in key areas.

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IC Vet Amy McAuliffe to Chair National Intelligence Council
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IC Vet Amy McAuliffe to Chair National Intelligence Council

Office of the Director of National Intelligence ODNIAmy McAuliffe, a 20-year Intelligence Community veteran and a CIA officer, has been appointed by Director of National Intelligence James Clapper as chair of the National Intelligence Council.

McAuliffe will succeed the departing Gregory Treverton and provide intelligence to the U.S. president, military chiefs and policymakers to help facilitate decisions on national security issues, Clapper said in a news release published Friday.

McAuliffe served in management and leadership roles at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s president’s daily brief staff and CIA’s office of Middle East and North African analysis.

Treverton, who will return to academia, was appointed NCI chairman and adviser to Clapper in September 2014.

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GAO: VHA Should Establish Evaluation Process to Implement Org Structure Actions
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GAO: VHA Should Establish Evaluation Process to Implement Org Structure Actions


medical health doctorThe Government Accountability Office has recommended the Veterans Health Administration develop an evaluation process to analyze the implementation of organizational structure recommendations.

GAO said in a report publicly released Thursday that it has suggested VHA evaluate the implementation of the Veterans Integrated Service Networks realignment to address potential gaps and apply lessons learned to future organizational changes including VISN staffing model modifications.

Auditor has discovered VHA has not established a process to evaluate recommended organizational structure changes as stated in federal standards for internal control of monitoring, which require management to remediate identified control deficiencies.

The report noted that VHA has began to implement the VISN realignment efforts that aim to reduce the number of VISNs to 18 and reassign select VA medical centers to other VISNs by the end of fiscal year 2018.

VHA officials under the task force that will implement the realignment strategy noted that they believe VISNs can implement realignment efforts independently and the agency did not provide guidance to help address VISN and VAMC challenges such as double-encumbered position, information technology, services and budgets.

GAO added that VHA officials did not plan to evaluate realignment efforts and actions of the agency were inconsistent with federal internal control standards for monitoring and risk assessment.

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James Clapper Receives DoD’s Highest Civilian Award
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James Clapper Receives DoD’s Highest Civilian Award


james-clapper-awardNational Intelligence Director James Clapper has received the Defense Department‘s highest civilian award in recognition of his leadership role over Office of National Intelligence and larger intelligence community.

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter presented Clapper the Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Medal during a ceremony held at ODNI’s headquarters, DoD said Friday.

“No one has better demonstrated that instinct to serve better than Jim Clapper,” said Carter.

“He has said the reason our nation and its national security enterprise keeps evolving and keeps getting better is because of our people and their instinct to serve he says,” he added.

Carter noted that the DoD and DNI continue to work together in an effort to integrate intelligence and provide customers with new products to support decision makers, as well as help to keep the security of the country.

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