Army Field Manual 3-O, titled "Operations," is now available on-line at:
http://www.army.mil/fm3-0/FM3-0.pdf
Also see TRADOC Commander’s explanatory article:
http://usacac.army.mil/CAC/milreview/English/MarApr08/WallaceFm3EngMarApr08.pdf
Friday, February 29, 2008
Testing breakthrough for mild TBI
By Kelly Kennedy - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Feb 25, 2008 6:13:06 EST
After months of military officials and medical personnel lamenting the lack of an immediate, unequivocal, physical proof of mild traumatic brain injury, an anesthesiologist thinks he has found a solution.
And it may be as simple as two sensors and a BlackBerry.
Dr. Richard Dutton heads up trauma anesthesiology at the R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland and sees about 4,000 people a year who doctors believe have a brain injury. But without a CT scan or an MRI, it’s hard to immediately tell for sure — especially if, as is the case in most trauma situations, doctors are also worried about broken bones, ruptured organs or heavy bleeding. And about 3,000 of those cases are mild TBI, which doesn’t show up on a scan.
So Dutton and a team of engineers decided to see if they could use sonar to "listen" for differences in healthy brains and injured brains. They used a headband with sensors to pick up the sound transmitted through the brain with sonar and then analyzed the data fed back into a computer. The Air Force paid for the research.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/military_braintrauma_080222/
Posted : Monday Feb 25, 2008 6:13:06 EST
After months of military officials and medical personnel lamenting the lack of an immediate, unequivocal, physical proof of mild traumatic brain injury, an anesthesiologist thinks he has found a solution.
And it may be as simple as two sensors and a BlackBerry.
Dr. Richard Dutton heads up trauma anesthesiology at the R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland and sees about 4,000 people a year who doctors believe have a brain injury. But without a CT scan or an MRI, it’s hard to immediately tell for sure — especially if, as is the case in most trauma situations, doctors are also worried about broken bones, ruptured organs or heavy bleeding. And about 3,000 of those cases are mild TBI, which doesn’t show up on a scan.
So Dutton and a team of engineers decided to see if they could use sonar to "listen" for differences in healthy brains and injured brains. They used a headband with sensors to pick up the sound transmitted through the brain with sonar and then analyzed the data fed back into a computer. The Air Force paid for the research.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/military_braintrauma_080222/
Senator: Army moms need more maternity leave
By William H. McMichael - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Feb 22, 2008 5:49:58 EST
Memo to Defense Secretary Robert Gates: Fix the disparity in post-birth maternity leave for military mothers in the four services and ensure that the new policy puts mothers and infants first.
That’s the gist of a letter sent to Gates on Tuesday by Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., who pointed out that each service has a different post-birth deferment-from-deployment policy. The Army, she said, gives mothers just four months to stay at home with their newborns. And, she noted, it has the longest war zone deployments, currently 15 months.
According to a news release that accompanied the letter, the Marine Corps gives new moms a six-month exemption from deployment — Marines typically deploy for seven months at a time — while the Navy, whose sailors generally deploy for six months at a time, grants 12 to new moms. The Air Force exemption was not immediately available.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/military_maternityleave_080221w/
Posted : Friday Feb 22, 2008 5:49:58 EST
Memo to Defense Secretary Robert Gates: Fix the disparity in post-birth maternity leave for military mothers in the four services and ensure that the new policy puts mothers and infants first.
That’s the gist of a letter sent to Gates on Tuesday by Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., who pointed out that each service has a different post-birth deferment-from-deployment policy. The Army, she said, gives mothers just four months to stay at home with their newborns. And, she noted, it has the longest war zone deployments, currently 15 months.
According to a news release that accompanied the letter, the Marine Corps gives new moms a six-month exemption from deployment — Marines typically deploy for seven months at a time — while the Navy, whose sailors generally deploy for six months at a time, grants 12 to new moms. The Air Force exemption was not immediately available.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/military_maternityleave_080221w/
Navy Times Editorial: Retire this bad idea
The Commission on the National Guard and Reserve, chartered by Congress to study and propose changes to every aspect of the reserve components, released its final report Jan. 31.
The most eye-popping proposal in the 432-page report has little to do with the Guard and reserve; it’s a call to blow up the military retirement system as we know it.
Instead of starting retired pay for active-duty members at 20 years of service, the commission proposes to start dispensing retirement benefits for as little as 10 years of service. But checks wouldn’t start until age 62. Those who served 20 years would have to wait until age 60; those who stick it out for 30 years would begin cashing in at age 57.
The plan would allow early payments — but at reduced annuity levels.
Delaying retired pay would help the Pentagon rein in its soaring manpower costs, now well north of $100 billion a year. But with current troops grandfathered under the old system, significant savings would be years away.
And left unsaid is the potentially disastrous effect of such a change. The last time the military tried to cut retirement benefits, it wasn’t until the mid-’90s, 10 years after its enactment, that problems with the Redux retirement system surfaced. By then, dissatisfied troops quit in droves, and Congress had to offer troops a choice: a $30,000 bribe to stick with Redux or switch to the older, more generous system.
The commission far overstepped its bounds with this idea.
http://www.navytimes.com/community/opinion/navy_editorial_retirement_030308/
The most eye-popping proposal in the 432-page report has little to do with the Guard and reserve; it’s a call to blow up the military retirement system as we know it.
Instead of starting retired pay for active-duty members at 20 years of service, the commission proposes to start dispensing retirement benefits for as little as 10 years of service. But checks wouldn’t start until age 62. Those who served 20 years would have to wait until age 60; those who stick it out for 30 years would begin cashing in at age 57.
The plan would allow early payments — but at reduced annuity levels.
Delaying retired pay would help the Pentagon rein in its soaring manpower costs, now well north of $100 billion a year. But with current troops grandfathered under the old system, significant savings would be years away.
And left unsaid is the potentially disastrous effect of such a change. The last time the military tried to cut retirement benefits, it wasn’t until the mid-’90s, 10 years after its enactment, that problems with the Redux retirement system surfaced. By then, dissatisfied troops quit in droves, and Congress had to offer troops a choice: a $30,000 bribe to stick with Redux or switch to the older, more generous system.
The commission far overstepped its bounds with this idea.
http://www.navytimes.com/community/opinion/navy_editorial_retirement_030308/
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Officers say military weakened, not broken, by Iraq and Afghanistan
By Kevin Friedl NationalJournal.com
February 20, 2008
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have weakened the military, stretching it dangerously thin. The civilian leadership has imposed unrealistic expectations on the armed forces, particularly in rebuilding Iraq's infrastructure. Iran and China, not Iraq or the U.S., have been the biggest beneficiaries of the 2003 invasion.
Those aren't talking points from the latest anti-war rally; they're the opinions of over 3,400 active duty and retired military officers who took part in a just-released survey from Foreign Policy magazine and the Center for a New American Security, a centrist think tank. About one-tenth of those polled are active-duty officers, and roughly the same proportion have served in Iraq or Afghanistan.
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39329&dcn=todaysnews
More at http://www.cnas.org/en/cev/?31
February 20, 2008
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have weakened the military, stretching it dangerously thin. The civilian leadership has imposed unrealistic expectations on the armed forces, particularly in rebuilding Iraq's infrastructure. Iran and China, not Iraq or the U.S., have been the biggest beneficiaries of the 2003 invasion.
Those aren't talking points from the latest anti-war rally; they're the opinions of over 3,400 active duty and retired military officers who took part in a just-released survey from Foreign Policy magazine and the Center for a New American Security, a centrist think tank. About one-tenth of those polled are active-duty officers, and roughly the same proportion have served in Iraq or Afghanistan.
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39329&dcn=todaysnews
More at http://www.cnas.org/en/cev/?31
Security clearance process still a paperwork exercise
By Bob Brewin bbrewin@govexec.com
February 15, 2008
The process to issue federal security clearances has been partially automated, but it still remains "one large paper shuffle," requiring as much as a year and a half to obtain a clearance, according to a top information technology official.
The paper shuffle begins with the Joint Personnel Adjudication System operated by the Defense Security Service, which cannot bundle in digital format the SF-86 security clearance form and required fingerprints and signatures, said Ben Romero, chairman of the Intelligence Committee of the Information Technology Association of America. Romero testified Feb. 13 before the House Readiness Subcommittee of the Armed Services Committee.
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0208/021508bb1.htm
February 15, 2008
The process to issue federal security clearances has been partially automated, but it still remains "one large paper shuffle," requiring as much as a year and a half to obtain a clearance, according to a top information technology official.
The paper shuffle begins with the Joint Personnel Adjudication System operated by the Defense Security Service, which cannot bundle in digital format the SF-86 security clearance form and required fingerprints and signatures, said Ben Romero, chairman of the Intelligence Committee of the Information Technology Association of America. Romero testified Feb. 13 before the House Readiness Subcommittee of the Armed Services Committee.
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0208/021508bb1.htm
Marine commander warns of stress on forces, families
By Greg Grant ggrant@govexec.com
February 14, 2008
Any decision by the Bush administration to halt reductions in American troop strength in Iraq this summer should await input from the Joint Chiefs of Staff on other global risks and the stress on the military caused by constant deployments, the Marine Corps commandant said Thursday.
Gen. James T. Conway spoke at a Government Executive Leadership Breakfast in Washington.
Referring to news reports that Defense Secretary Robert Gates advocates halting troop reductions this summer once the extra surge units have returned home, Conway warned of the strain this placed on Marines to maintain force levels in Iraq and the inability to train for other missions. It will only get worse with the deployment of about 3,500 Marines to Afghanistan this spring, he said.
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0208/021408g1.htm
February 14, 2008
Any decision by the Bush administration to halt reductions in American troop strength in Iraq this summer should await input from the Joint Chiefs of Staff on other global risks and the stress on the military caused by constant deployments, the Marine Corps commandant said Thursday.
Gen. James T. Conway spoke at a Government Executive Leadership Breakfast in Washington.
Referring to news reports that Defense Secretary Robert Gates advocates halting troop reductions this summer once the extra surge units have returned home, Conway warned of the strain this placed on Marines to maintain force levels in Iraq and the inability to train for other missions. It will only get worse with the deployment of about 3,500 Marines to Afghanistan this spring, he said.
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0208/021408g1.htm
Defense and VA announce joint plan to build health benefits Web site
By Bob Brewin
The Defense and Veterans Affairs departments plan to establish a joint Web portal to support the needs of wounded, ill or injured service members, officials told lawmakers at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Wednesday.
The eBenefits Web Portal will be based on VA's successful MyHealtheVet Web site, which provides information on health benefits and services. Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England and Veterans Affairs Deputy Secretary Gordon Mansfield gave a joint statement to the committee, but they did not provide additional details or a launch date.
In August 2007, the Commission on Care for America's Returning Wounded called for development of a single portal that would ease access to health and benefits information from the two departments.
Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39300&dcn=e_gvet
The Defense and Veterans Affairs departments plan to establish a joint Web portal to support the needs of wounded, ill or injured service members, officials told lawmakers at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Wednesday.
The eBenefits Web Portal will be based on VA's successful MyHealtheVet Web site, which provides information on health benefits and services. Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England and Veterans Affairs Deputy Secretary Gordon Mansfield gave a joint statement to the committee, but they did not provide additional details or a launch date.
In August 2007, the Commission on Care for America's Returning Wounded called for development of a single portal that would ease access to health and benefits information from the two departments.
Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39300&dcn=e_gvet
Federal officials strategize on boosting acquisition workforce
By Elizabeth Newell
Lawmakers and agency officials outlined plans for strengthening the size and skill of the government's acquisition workforce at a Senate hearing Thursday.
The shrinking acquisition workforce has been an ongoing problem for years, especially as the number of procurements continues to grow. According to the Government Accountability Office, the government bought $400 billion in goods and services in fiscal 2006 with only 20,000 contracting specialists in the workforce. Half of the government's contracting specialists will be eligible for retirement by 2016, the latest annual report from the Federal Acquisition Institute estimated.
"With every new retiree, the government is losing important institutional knowledge," said Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii. "The government must act aggressively now in analyzing acquisition workforce trends so that a brain drain does not develop. . ."
Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39302&dcn=e_gvet
Lawmakers and agency officials outlined plans for strengthening the size and skill of the government's acquisition workforce at a Senate hearing Thursday.
The shrinking acquisition workforce has been an ongoing problem for years, especially as the number of procurements continues to grow. According to the Government Accountability Office, the government bought $400 billion in goods and services in fiscal 2006 with only 20,000 contracting specialists in the workforce. Half of the government's contracting specialists will be eligible for retirement by 2016, the latest annual report from the Federal Acquisition Institute estimated.
"With every new retiree, the government is losing important institutional knowledge," said Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii. "The government must act aggressively now in analyzing acquisition workforce trends so that a brain drain does not develop. . ."
Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39302&dcn=e_gvet
Pay reforms said to need scrutiny, care-taking
by Brittany Ballenstedt
New agency pay-for-performance initiatives are highly vulnerable to bias and need extra evaluation and money to succeed, several witnesses told a House subcommittee on Tuesday.
Human capital experts and union representatives pointed to pay systems at the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Internal Revenue Service to make their case before the House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce.
In September 2007, an arbitrator ruled that SEC's new pay system held vague and subjective performance requirements and discriminated against African Americans and employees age 40 and over. Meanwhile, employees have demonstrated little buy-in for pay reforms at the IRS.
Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39289&dcn=e_gvet
New agency pay-for-performance initiatives are highly vulnerable to bias and need extra evaluation and money to succeed, several witnesses told a House subcommittee on Tuesday.
Human capital experts and union representatives pointed to pay systems at the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Internal Revenue Service to make their case before the House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce.
In September 2007, an arbitrator ruled that SEC's new pay system held vague and subjective performance requirements and discriminated against African Americans and employees age 40 and over. Meanwhile, employees have demonstrated little buy-in for pay reforms at the IRS.
Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39289&dcn=e_gvet
Column: Pushing Preferences
President Bush wants to expand a special hiring program for military spouses beyond Defense agencies.
Full column: http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0208/021408pb.htm
Full column: http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0208/021408pb.htm
Federal workforce growing more diverse, says OPM
By Alyssa Rosenberg
The federal government's workforce grew more diverse in fiscal 2007, but women and Hispanics still are underrepresented when compared to the civilian labor force, according to a new report from the Office of Personnel Management.
"Once again, this year's report shows the federal government is committed to building a high-performance workforce drawn from the strengths of America's diversity," OPM Director Linda Springer wrote in the introduction to the annual report on the Federal Equal Opportunity Recruitment Program.
The study, which analyzed agencies with 500 or more permanent workers, found that 32.8 percent of federal employees were minorities in fiscal 2007 as compared to 28.2 percent of the civilian labor force.
Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39297&dcn=e_gvet
The federal government's workforce grew more diverse in fiscal 2007, but women and Hispanics still are underrepresented when compared to the civilian labor force, according to a new report from the Office of Personnel Management.
"Once again, this year's report shows the federal government is committed to building a high-performance workforce drawn from the strengths of America's diversity," OPM Director Linda Springer wrote in the introduction to the annual report on the Federal Equal Opportunity Recruitment Program.
The study, which analyzed agencies with 500 or more permanent workers, found that 32.8 percent of federal employees were minorities in fiscal 2007 as compared to 28.2 percent of the civilian labor force.
Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39297&dcn=e_gvet
Congressional Budget Office: Military dependence on supplementals climbing
By Megan Scully, CongressDaily
The military's reliance on war-related supplemental spending bills to buy new equipment has increased dramatically since the launch of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, becoming a major driver behind the growth of emergency spending packages, the Congressional Budget Office reported Monday.
Its analysis of funding trends, requested by Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.D., found that procurement funding in supplemental appropriations bills rose from $10 billion in fiscal 2003 to $51 billion in fiscal 2007.
For this fiscal year, the Pentagon has requested $72 billion in emergency spending for new equipment, $26 billion of which has been appropriated. The remaining amount constitutes a large chunk of the additional $102.5 billion supplemental appropriations package Congress expects to take up in the next few months.
Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39270&dcn=e_ndw
The military's reliance on war-related supplemental spending bills to buy new equipment has increased dramatically since the launch of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, becoming a major driver behind the growth of emergency spending packages, the Congressional Budget Office reported Monday.
Its analysis of funding trends, requested by Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.D., found that procurement funding in supplemental appropriations bills rose from $10 billion in fiscal 2003 to $51 billion in fiscal 2007.
For this fiscal year, the Pentagon has requested $72 billion in emergency spending for new equipment, $26 billion of which has been appropriated. The remaining amount constitutes a large chunk of the additional $102.5 billion supplemental appropriations package Congress expects to take up in the next few months.
Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39270&dcn=e_ndw
Legal pros urge action against security contractors who commit crimes abroad
By Elizabeth Newell
There is sufficient legal jurisdiction to prosecute private security contractors who commit crimes in contingency zones such as Iraq, legal consultants said, but the Bush administration is reluctant to do so.
A panel of legal professionals, who briefed congressional staffers on Friday, said there may be room for improvement to legislation covering non-Defense Department contractors in war zones, but the statutory authority to prosecute them already exists. The 2000 Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act was expanded to cover contract workers operating in a Defense-designated "contingency area," regardless of the agency that hired them, they said. But agencies including the State and Justice departments argued that jurisdiction over these private employees remains ambiguous.
Two of the panelists, Kevin Lanigan, director of the law and security program at Human Rights First, an advocacy group based in New York, and Scott Horton, adjunct professor of law at Columbia University, wrote the recent Human Rights First report, "Private Security Contractors at War: Ending the Culture of Impunity." The report called on Congress and federal agencies to close jurisdictional gaps to ensure that contractors are held responsible for crimes committed overseas. They noted a lack of accountability caused more by "gaps of political will and resources" than by jurisdictional gray areas.
Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39268&dcn=e_tma
There is sufficient legal jurisdiction to prosecute private security contractors who commit crimes in contingency zones such as Iraq, legal consultants said, but the Bush administration is reluctant to do so.
A panel of legal professionals, who briefed congressional staffers on Friday, said there may be room for improvement to legislation covering non-Defense Department contractors in war zones, but the statutory authority to prosecute them already exists. The 2000 Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act was expanded to cover contract workers operating in a Defense-designated "contingency area," regardless of the agency that hired them, they said. But agencies including the State and Justice departments argued that jurisdiction over these private employees remains ambiguous.
Two of the panelists, Kevin Lanigan, director of the law and security program at Human Rights First, an advocacy group based in New York, and Scott Horton, adjunct professor of law at Columbia University, wrote the recent Human Rights First report, "Private Security Contractors at War: Ending the Culture of Impunity." The report called on Congress and federal agencies to close jurisdictional gaps to ensure that contractors are held responsible for crimes committed overseas. They noted a lack of accountability caused more by "gaps of political will and resources" than by jurisdictional gray areas.
Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39268&dcn=e_tma
RAND study says U.S. lacks resources to defeat insurgencies
By Megan Scully, CongressDaily
The federal government needs to invest an additional $20 billion to $30 billion annually to develop a "more complete and balanced set of capabilities" for the types of counterinsurgency operations the United States and allies are conducting in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a report released Monday by RAND Corp.
The study, titled "War By Other Means," argues that U.S. civilian and military agencies lack the necessary equipment, organizations and investment priorities to contain, weaken and overcome insurgencies. The report also criticizes the military for failing to change plans and priorities to focus on defeating insurgencies rather than combating state enemies. "Major threats, crises, or wars usually precipitate changes in national defense capabilities -- e.g., the airplane, the tank, radar, atomic weapons," according to the report. "Not this one."
Aside from funding increases for the military's special operations forces -- whose accounts have grown from 1 percent to 2 percent of the Pentagon's total budget -- there has been "no substantial change in military investment priorities" since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the report states.
Meanwhile, despite the common perception that civil capabilities are as important to counterinsurgency operations as military power, increases in the State Department's budget have been "dwarfed" by massive increases in Defense Department spending, the report states.
"If Islamic insurgency is the gravest threat to the United States and its interests in the near to middle term, and if countering this insurgency requires a broad and balanced array of capabilities, the grim implication is that the United States is ill equipped to counter the gravest threat it faces," according to the study. "Therefore, it must invest to correct its [counter-insurgency] deficiencies and imbalances."
The study, which suggests significantly reducing the reliance on large-scale U.S. military power in the Muslim world, recommends focusing on developing civilian capabilities aimed at undermining the appeal of insurgents, expanding information technology, and relying on "competent, legitimate and appropriate" local security forces.
The report highlights 13 high-priority areas for the United States to focus its efforts and funding, including expanding public education capacity; using experts to build indigenous justice systems and train local police forces; developing more effective human intelligence operations; and supporting effective local information operations to build the case for the local government.
RAND officials stress in their report that working with allies can help make up for U.S. deficiencies, particularly in areas such as police and constabulary training, public service restoration and reform of the security sector.
Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39265&dcn=e_tma
The federal government needs to invest an additional $20 billion to $30 billion annually to develop a "more complete and balanced set of capabilities" for the types of counterinsurgency operations the United States and allies are conducting in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a report released Monday by RAND Corp.
The study, titled "War By Other Means," argues that U.S. civilian and military agencies lack the necessary equipment, organizations and investment priorities to contain, weaken and overcome insurgencies. The report also criticizes the military for failing to change plans and priorities to focus on defeating insurgencies rather than combating state enemies. "Major threats, crises, or wars usually precipitate changes in national defense capabilities -- e.g., the airplane, the tank, radar, atomic weapons," according to the report. "Not this one."
Aside from funding increases for the military's special operations forces -- whose accounts have grown from 1 percent to 2 percent of the Pentagon's total budget -- there has been "no substantial change in military investment priorities" since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the report states.
Meanwhile, despite the common perception that civil capabilities are as important to counterinsurgency operations as military power, increases in the State Department's budget have been "dwarfed" by massive increases in Defense Department spending, the report states.
"If Islamic insurgency is the gravest threat to the United States and its interests in the near to middle term, and if countering this insurgency requires a broad and balanced array of capabilities, the grim implication is that the United States is ill equipped to counter the gravest threat it faces," according to the study. "Therefore, it must invest to correct its [counter-insurgency] deficiencies and imbalances."
The study, which suggests significantly reducing the reliance on large-scale U.S. military power in the Muslim world, recommends focusing on developing civilian capabilities aimed at undermining the appeal of insurgents, expanding information technology, and relying on "competent, legitimate and appropriate" local security forces.
The report highlights 13 high-priority areas for the United States to focus its efforts and funding, including expanding public education capacity; using experts to build indigenous justice systems and train local police forces; developing more effective human intelligence operations; and supporting effective local information operations to build the case for the local government.
RAND officials stress in their report that working with allies can help make up for U.S. deficiencies, particularly in areas such as police and constabulary training, public service restoration and reform of the security sector.
Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39265&dcn=e_tma
Saturday, February 9, 2008
GAO says Defense workforce plan insufficient
By Brittany R. Ballenstedt bballenstedt@govexec.com
February 8, 2008
The Defense Department's human capital plan is inadequate and could hinder its ability to fill certain mission-critical jobs with qualified personnel, according to the Government Accountability Office.
In a letter sent to key members of the House and Senate Armed Services committees on Wednesday, GAO said the Pentagon was not prepared to meet several looming workforce challenges, especially considering half of its civilian personnel are eligible to retire in the next few years.
"This is becoming a long-standing issue," GAO said. "Without a plan that addresses all of the elements essential to a successful workforce plan ... DoD's future workforce may not possess the critical skills and competencies needed."
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39254&sid=60
GAO Report at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08439r.pdf
Also see http://tfxreports.blogspot.com/2008/02/department-of-defenses-civilian-human.html
February 8, 2008
The Defense Department's human capital plan is inadequate and could hinder its ability to fill certain mission-critical jobs with qualified personnel, according to the Government Accountability Office.
In a letter sent to key members of the House and Senate Armed Services committees on Wednesday, GAO said the Pentagon was not prepared to meet several looming workforce challenges, especially considering half of its civilian personnel are eligible to retire in the next few years.
"This is becoming a long-standing issue," GAO said. "Without a plan that addresses all of the elements essential to a successful workforce plan ... DoD's future workforce may not possess the critical skills and competencies needed."
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39254&sid=60
GAO Report at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08439r.pdf
Also see http://tfxreports.blogspot.com/2008/02/department-of-defenses-civilian-human.html
Commission defends proposal on state control of troops
By Megan Scully CongressDaily
February 7, 2008
The Commission on the National Guard and Reserves Thursday defended a controversial recommendation in its recently released report that suggests placing active-duty military units under the operational control of governors during state emergencies.
During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Commission Chairman Arnold Punaro and other commission members argued that the recommendation, which has been strongly opposed by Pentagon officials, would streamline the chain of command and improve disaster response. In most cases, active-duty forces under the president's command can supplement state-run National Guard units for only a brief period of time, said retired Maj. Gen. Gordon Stump, a member of the commission and the former adjutant general of Michigan. For "unity of command purposes," Stump said, those active-duty units should temporarily fall under the control of the governor in many cases.
"Every single response that we have is going to start with the National Guard," Stump said. "It doesn't matter what the government or anybody says -- that's just the way it is."
The commission's report "hit a small volcano" in the Pentagon over the recommendation on operational control, Sen. John Warner, R-Va., former committee chairman, said during the hearing. Indeed, Pentagon officials have argued that the recommendation, which they fear would take authority away from the federal government, is unconstitutional.
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39250&dcn=todaysnews
February 7, 2008
The Commission on the National Guard and Reserves Thursday defended a controversial recommendation in its recently released report that suggests placing active-duty military units under the operational control of governors during state emergencies.
During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Commission Chairman Arnold Punaro and other commission members argued that the recommendation, which has been strongly opposed by Pentagon officials, would streamline the chain of command and improve disaster response. In most cases, active-duty forces under the president's command can supplement state-run National Guard units for only a brief period of time, said retired Maj. Gen. Gordon Stump, a member of the commission and the former adjutant general of Michigan. For "unity of command purposes," Stump said, those active-duty units should temporarily fall under the control of the governor in many cases.
"Every single response that we have is going to start with the National Guard," Stump said. "It doesn't matter what the government or anybody says -- that's just the way it is."
The commission's report "hit a small volcano" in the Pentagon over the recommendation on operational control, Sen. John Warner, R-Va., former committee chairman, said during the hearing. Indeed, Pentagon officials have argued that the recommendation, which they fear would take authority away from the federal government, is unconstitutional.
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39250&dcn=todaysnews
Navy offers cash, perks for foreign languages
By Zachary M. Peterson - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Feb 8, 2008 16:16:58 EST
The Navy is offering extra cash, college credit and more to sailors who can prove their foreign language skills.
The Navy Foreign Language Program Office boosted its foreign language proficiency bonus program last year, altering previous restrictions on foreign language skill pay. Previously, only billets that demanded language skills, such as cryptology and some intelligence positions, earned additional pay.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/navy_language_080208w/
Posted : Friday Feb 8, 2008 16:16:58 EST
The Navy is offering extra cash, college credit and more to sailors who can prove their foreign language skills.
The Navy Foreign Language Program Office boosted its foreign language proficiency bonus program last year, altering previous restrictions on foreign language skill pay. Previously, only billets that demanded language skills, such as cryptology and some intelligence positions, earned additional pay.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/navy_language_080208w/
BAH rule change helps geo-bachelors
By Mark D. Faram - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Feb 8, 2008 15:31:07 EST
Navy officials have announced changes to basic housing allowance rules that will put extra money in the pockets of some geographic bachelors — including some back pay.
The new rules, detailed in a naval administrative message released Wednesday, mean hundreds of sailors could see higher allowances amounting to hundreds of dollars each month.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/navy_bah_rules_080206w/
Posted : Friday Feb 8, 2008 15:31:07 EST
Navy officials have announced changes to basic housing allowance rules that will put extra money in the pockets of some geographic bachelors — including some back pay.
The new rules, detailed in a naval administrative message released Wednesday, mean hundreds of sailors could see higher allowances amounting to hundreds of dollars each month.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/navy_bah_rules_080206w/
Military Coalition priority: Keep promised initiatives
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Feb 8, 2008 17:04:48 EST
Representatives of major military associations told a key House subcommittee that their priority for 2009 is not to push for new benefits but to hold on to what troops and their families have been promised.
Blocking big increases in out-of-pocket health care costs, fixing a flawed reserve retirement plan, expanding child care services and raising housing allowances made the short list of initiatives.
If there is even more money, association members said they would like full concurrent receipt of military retired pay and veterans disability pay for all disabled retirees, expanded federal help for public school districts with large numbers of military families, and better family and spouse support programs, including more help for spouses to find employment.
The Military Coalition, a group of more than 30 military-related organizations that represent active, reserve and retired service members and their families, dropped a 50-page list on the House Armed Services military personnel subcommittee, with requests ranging from the ability to ship a second car to any duty station at government expense to increased funding for recreation programs.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/military_wishlist_080208w/
Posted : Friday Feb 8, 2008 17:04:48 EST
Representatives of major military associations told a key House subcommittee that their priority for 2009 is not to push for new benefits but to hold on to what troops and their families have been promised.
Blocking big increases in out-of-pocket health care costs, fixing a flawed reserve retirement plan, expanding child care services and raising housing allowances made the short list of initiatives.
If there is even more money, association members said they would like full concurrent receipt of military retired pay and veterans disability pay for all disabled retirees, expanded federal help for public school districts with large numbers of military families, and better family and spouse support programs, including more help for spouses to find employment.
The Military Coalition, a group of more than 30 military-related organizations that represent active, reserve and retired service members and their families, dropped a 50-page list on the House Armed Services military personnel subcommittee, with requests ranging from the ability to ship a second car to any duty station at government expense to increased funding for recreation programs.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/military_wishlist_080208w/
Pentagon starts new benefits push
By William H. McMichael - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Feb 8, 2008 5:28:36 EST
Defense officials and lawmakers are forging ahead on a plan that would allow all troops — not just a few in critical skills — to transfer unused GI Bill education benefits to family members.
The proposal is one of several family-friendly initiatives tucked into the tail end of President Bush’s State of the Union address that the Defense Department calls the Military Community Initiatives Program.
The two other pillars of the plan would give military spouses hiring preference for federal job openings and expand child care through joint ventures with local communities.
The GI Bill proposal is moving quickly; Bill Carr, deputy undersecretary of defense for military personnel policy, said he believes a finished proposal will be ready this month. The program for the National Guard and reserves, he said, will “probably parallel” the active-duty program.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/military_payraiseside_080207/
Posted : Friday Feb 8, 2008 5:28:36 EST
Defense officials and lawmakers are forging ahead on a plan that would allow all troops — not just a few in critical skills — to transfer unused GI Bill education benefits to family members.
The proposal is one of several family-friendly initiatives tucked into the tail end of President Bush’s State of the Union address that the Defense Department calls the Military Community Initiatives Program.
The two other pillars of the plan would give military spouses hiring preference for federal job openings and expand child care through joint ventures with local communities.
The GI Bill proposal is moving quickly; Bill Carr, deputy undersecretary of defense for military personnel policy, said he believes a finished proposal will be ready this month. The program for the National Guard and reserves, he said, will “probably parallel” the active-duty program.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/military_payraiseside_080207/
Study: Job market hard on recently discharged
By Hope Yen - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Feb 8, 2008 11:24:18 EST
Strained by war, recently discharged veterans are having a harder time finding civilian jobs and are more likely to earn lower wages for years due partly to employer concerns about their mental health and overall skills, a government study says.
The Department of Veterans Affairs report, obtained Thursday by The Associated Press, points to continuing problems with the Bush administration’s efforts to help 4.4 million troops who have been discharged from active duty since 1990.
The 2007 study by the consulting firm Abt Associates Inc. found that 18 percent of the veterans who sought jobs within one to three years of discharge were unemployed, while one out of four who did find jobs earned less than $21,840 a year. Many had taken advantage of government programs such as the GI Bill to boost job prospects, but there was little evidence that education benefits yielded higher pay or better advancement.
The report blamed the poor prospects partly on inadequate job networks and lack of mentors after extended periods in war, and said employers often had misplaced stereotypes about veterans’ fitness for employment, such as concerns they did not possess adequate technological skills, or were too rigid, lacked education or were at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/ap_veteransjobs_080207/
Posted : Friday Feb 8, 2008 11:24:18 EST
Strained by war, recently discharged veterans are having a harder time finding civilian jobs and are more likely to earn lower wages for years due partly to employer concerns about their mental health and overall skills, a government study says.
The Department of Veterans Affairs report, obtained Thursday by The Associated Press, points to continuing problems with the Bush administration’s efforts to help 4.4 million troops who have been discharged from active duty since 1990.
The 2007 study by the consulting firm Abt Associates Inc. found that 18 percent of the veterans who sought jobs within one to three years of discharge were unemployed, while one out of four who did find jobs earned less than $21,840 a year. Many had taken advantage of government programs such as the GI Bill to boost job prospects, but there was little evidence that education benefits yielded higher pay or better advancement.
The report blamed the poor prospects partly on inadequate job networks and lack of mentors after extended periods in war, and said employers often had misplaced stereotypes about veterans’ fitness for employment, such as concerns they did not possess adequate technological skills, or were too rigid, lacked education or were at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/ap_veteransjobs_080207/
VA secretary pledges to cut 5 weeks off wait
By Hope Yen - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Feb 8, 2008 9:56:26 EST
Veterans Affairs Secretary James Peake pledged Thursday to trim more than five weeks off the time it now takes to get the first check to a war veteran who files a disability claim.
In his first appearance before Congress since becoming secretary, Peake also sought to assure lawmakers that President Bush’s proposed 2009 VA budget of $91 billion would be sufficient to meet the growing demands of veterans of a protracted Iraq war. The proposal is a 3.7 percent increase from the previous year, but several lawmakers have criticized it as inadequate after factoring in inflation.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/ap_vawaits_080207/
Posted : Friday Feb 8, 2008 9:56:26 EST
Veterans Affairs Secretary James Peake pledged Thursday to trim more than five weeks off the time it now takes to get the first check to a war veteran who files a disability claim.
In his first appearance before Congress since becoming secretary, Peake also sought to assure lawmakers that President Bush’s proposed 2009 VA budget of $91 billion would be sufficient to meet the growing demands of veterans of a protracted Iraq war. The proposal is a 3.7 percent increase from the previous year, but several lawmakers have criticized it as inadequate after factoring in inflation.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/ap_vawaits_080207/
House votes for more family education benefits
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Feb 8, 2008 9:56:06 EST
The House of Representatives passed a major education bill that includes a promise of in-state tuition for the families of service members, a scholarship program for military families and special centers to help veterans finish college degrees.
The bill, HR 4137, now goes to the Senate, where changes are possible. But its passage by a 354-58 vote on Thursday is just the start of what could be a year of many education initiatives for military families, which have gained the green light after President Bush announced he supports allowing active-duty service members to transfer some of their GI Bill education benefits to their spouse or children.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/military_education_080207w/
Posted : Friday Feb 8, 2008 9:56:06 EST
The House of Representatives passed a major education bill that includes a promise of in-state tuition for the families of service members, a scholarship program for military families and special centers to help veterans finish college degrees.
The bill, HR 4137, now goes to the Senate, where changes are possible. But its passage by a 354-58 vote on Thursday is just the start of what could be a year of many education initiatives for military families, which have gained the green light after President Bush announced he supports allowing active-duty service members to transfer some of their GI Bill education benefits to their spouse or children.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/military_education_080207w/
Notices sent in First Command class action
By Karen Jowers - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Feb 8, 2008 9:57:36 EST
A claims administration company has mailed class-action notices to about 179,000 current, retired and former service members who qualify to be part of a lawsuit against First Command Financial Planning.
The letters were mailed Jan. 30, said Trish Solorzano, claims administrator for Gilardi & Co., LLC.
The lawsuit is in the early stages, and there is no guarantee that members of the class will receive any money. But a California federal judge ruled in September that the case could go forward as a class action. The judge ordered First Command to provide a list of class members so that a personal notice could be sent to each investor. Gilardi & Co. is handling those notices.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/military_firstcommand_claims_080207w/
Posted : Friday Feb 8, 2008 9:57:36 EST
A claims administration company has mailed class-action notices to about 179,000 current, retired and former service members who qualify to be part of a lawsuit against First Command Financial Planning.
The letters were mailed Jan. 30, said Trish Solorzano, claims administrator for Gilardi & Co., LLC.
The lawsuit is in the early stages, and there is no guarantee that members of the class will receive any money. But a California federal judge ruled in September that the case could go forward as a class action. The judge ordered First Command to provide a list of class members so that a personal notice could be sent to each investor. Gilardi & Co. is handling those notices.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/military_firstcommand_claims_080207w/
Senators press Gates on improving GI Bill
By William H. McMichael - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Feb 7, 2008 13:15:38 EST
An effort by Sen. James Webb, D-Va., to give post-Sept. 11 veterans vastly expanded education benefits gained a powerful ally Wednesday when Republican Sen. John Warner of Virginia reached across the aisle to lend his support.
Last year, Webb introduced legislation calling for a new GI Bill that mirrors the generous post-World War II version that paid for veterans’ tuition, books and fees, and provided a monthly stipend and covered other training costs. That program was credited with transforming American society; the number of high school graduates attending college increased fivefold after World War II.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/military_webb_warner_gibill_080206w/
Posted : Thursday Feb 7, 2008 13:15:38 EST
An effort by Sen. James Webb, D-Va., to give post-Sept. 11 veterans vastly expanded education benefits gained a powerful ally Wednesday when Republican Sen. John Warner of Virginia reached across the aisle to lend his support.
Last year, Webb introduced legislation calling for a new GI Bill that mirrors the generous post-World War II version that paid for veterans’ tuition, books and fees, and provided a monthly stipend and covered other training costs. That program was credited with transforming American society; the number of high school graduates attending college increased fivefold after World War II.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/military_webb_warner_gibill_080206w/
Outlawed job conversions still in 2009 budget
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Feb 5, 2008 17:21:53 EST
The 2009 defense budget prepared by the Pentagon disobeys a congressional order to halt the conversion of military medical jobs into civilian positions, senior lawmakers said.
The House Armed Services Committee pushed for a freeze on the conversion of the jobs out of concerns that it would hurt the qualify of medical care for service members and their families, and eliminate noncombat jobs that could offer a respite for battle-weary medical personnel.
The committee may push Defense Secretary Robert Gates for answers Wednesday as to why money was not included in the military personnel budget to stop the job conversions.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/military_defense_jobconversions_080205w/
Posted : Tuesday Feb 5, 2008 17:21:53 EST
The 2009 defense budget prepared by the Pentagon disobeys a congressional order to halt the conversion of military medical jobs into civilian positions, senior lawmakers said.
The House Armed Services Committee pushed for a freeze on the conversion of the jobs out of concerns that it would hurt the qualify of medical care for service members and their families, and eliminate noncombat jobs that could offer a respite for battle-weary medical personnel.
The committee may push Defense Secretary Robert Gates for answers Wednesday as to why money was not included in the military personnel budget to stop the job conversions.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/military_defense_jobconversions_080205w/
Navy budget asks for 4 fewer ships than planned
By Zachary M. Peterson - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Feb 6, 2008 6:26:41 EST
The Navy plans to purchase seven ships in fiscal 2009 — four fewer than originally intended due to “technical problems” with the Littoral Combat Ship program, Pentagon budget officials announced Monday.
The service plans to spend $14.1 billion of its $149.3 billion topline budget request for fiscal 2009, which begins Oct. 1, on new vessels.
Vice Adm. Stephen Stanley, director of force structure, resources and assessment on the Joint Staff, told reporters in a briefing at the Pentagon that LCS is “an example of a program we weren’t able to get as far as we wanted to” in terms of procurement for fiscal 2009.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/navy_budgetrequest_080204w/
Posted : Wednesday Feb 6, 2008 6:26:41 EST
The Navy plans to purchase seven ships in fiscal 2009 — four fewer than originally intended due to “technical problems” with the Littoral Combat Ship program, Pentagon budget officials announced Monday.
The service plans to spend $14.1 billion of its $149.3 billion topline budget request for fiscal 2009, which begins Oct. 1, on new vessels.
Vice Adm. Stephen Stanley, director of force structure, resources and assessment on the Joint Staff, told reporters in a briefing at the Pentagon that LCS is “an example of a program we weren’t able to get as far as we wanted to” in terms of procurement for fiscal 2009.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/navy_budgetrequest_080204w/
DoD calls for 7.5% budget increase in ’09
By William H. McMichael - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Feb 5, 2008 10:29:30 EST
The Bush administration on Monday unveiled a defense budget proposal that would boost baseline spending by 7.5 percent in fiscal 2009, which begins Oct. 1, the Defense Department announced Monday.
The total of $515.4 billion would be a $35.9 billion jump from the current fiscal year. Most of the growth is due to inflation, a weak dollar and higher costs for fuel and medical care, defense officials said.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/military_09budget_dod_080204w/
Posted : Tuesday Feb 5, 2008 10:29:30 EST
The Bush administration on Monday unveiled a defense budget proposal that would boost baseline spending by 7.5 percent in fiscal 2009, which begins Oct. 1, the Defense Department announced Monday.
The total of $515.4 billion would be a $35.9 billion jump from the current fiscal year. Most of the growth is due to inflation, a weak dollar and higher costs for fuel and medical care, defense officials said.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/military_09budget_dod_080204w/
DoD: No ‘appalling’ readiness gap
By William H. McMichael - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Feb 1, 2008 17:38:50 EST
The Defense Department on Friday rejected the conclusion in a congressionally chartered commission’s report that there is an “appalling gap” in the nation’s ability to respond to nuclear, chemical or biological attack.
“I think the choice of that word was unfortunate and inaccurate,” said Paul McHale, assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense, during a hastily called news conference the day after the Jan. 31 release of the final report by the Commission on the National Guard and Reserves — and several news stories that highlighted the charge.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/military_guardreserve_reportreaction_080201w/
Posted : Friday Feb 1, 2008 17:38:50 EST
The Defense Department on Friday rejected the conclusion in a congressionally chartered commission’s report that there is an “appalling gap” in the nation’s ability to respond to nuclear, chemical or biological attack.
“I think the choice of that word was unfortunate and inaccurate,” said Paul McHale, assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense, during a hastily called news conference the day after the Jan. 31 release of the final report by the Commission on the National Guard and Reserves — and several news stories that highlighted the charge.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/military_guardreserve_reportreaction_080201w/
Sweeping changes recommended for reserves
By William H. McMichael - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Feb 1, 2008 7:42:41 EST
Active and reserve service members would have to wait until age 57 or longer before drawing retired pay under a controversial recommendation from a congressionally chartered commission.
The proposal would spell the end of the current active-duty plan that provides nondisability retirement immediately after completing a minimum of 20 years of service.
Read the executive summary of the report
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/01/military_guardreserve_080131w/
Posted : Friday Feb 1, 2008 7:42:41 EST
Active and reserve service members would have to wait until age 57 or longer before drawing retired pay under a controversial recommendation from a congressionally chartered commission.
The proposal would spell the end of the current active-duty plan that provides nondisability retirement immediately after completing a minimum of 20 years of service.
Read the executive summary of the report
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/01/military_guardreserve_080131w/
Defense budget reflects cost of maintaining volunteer force in wartime
By Greg Grant
The high cost of maintaining an all-volunteer military during wartime is reflected in the $515.4 billion defense budget request the Bush administration sent to Congress this week, a 7.5 percent increase over last year's budget. Nearly 30 percent of the request, $149.4 billion, is designated for military pay and health care.
Along with the base budget request, the administration also requested $70 billion in an emergency bridge fund for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. A more detailed request for additional war funding will be sent to Congress this spring, said Defense Secretary Robert Gates at a Pentagon briefing. Last year, the administration requested $189.3 billion for the wars.
It has been widely noted that the fiscal 2009 request is the largest since the peak years of World War II. It reflects the increased costs of maintaining a large volunteer force during a protracted war.
Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39231&dcn=e_gvet
The high cost of maintaining an all-volunteer military during wartime is reflected in the $515.4 billion defense budget request the Bush administration sent to Congress this week, a 7.5 percent increase over last year's budget. Nearly 30 percent of the request, $149.4 billion, is designated for military pay and health care.
Along with the base budget request, the administration also requested $70 billion in an emergency bridge fund for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. A more detailed request for additional war funding will be sent to Congress this spring, said Defense Secretary Robert Gates at a Pentagon briefing. Last year, the administration requested $189.3 billion for the wars.
It has been widely noted that the fiscal 2009 request is the largest since the peak years of World War II. It reflects the increased costs of maintaining a large volunteer force during a protracted war.
Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39231&dcn=e_gvet
New campaign introduces students to public service
By Alyssa Rosenberg
Colleges and career centers that want to provide their students with more information about job and internship opportunities in government face challenges, representatives from some of the schools in the Partnership for Public Service's Call to Serve program said at a conference last week. But both the schools and the Partnership are optimistic about the program's potential and growth.
The conference helped five Call to Serve schools that recently received $3,000 grants from the Partnership strategize about how to launch Making the Difference, an education campaign about public service. The grantees include the State University of New York at Albany; Brown University; California State University, Sacramento; Washington University in St. Louis; and Western Michigan University.
"Making the Difference will make sure students are aware of these opportunities and will help connect students to young feds already in service so they can get the real scoop on government service," said Max Stier, president and chief executive officer of the Partnership for Public Service in Washington.
Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39221&dcn=e_gvet
Colleges and career centers that want to provide their students with more information about job and internship opportunities in government face challenges, representatives from some of the schools in the Partnership for Public Service's Call to Serve program said at a conference last week. But both the schools and the Partnership are optimistic about the program's potential and growth.
The conference helped five Call to Serve schools that recently received $3,000 grants from the Partnership strategize about how to launch Making the Difference, an education campaign about public service. The grantees include the State University of New York at Albany; Brown University; California State University, Sacramento; Washington University in St. Louis; and Western Michigan University.
"Making the Difference will make sure students are aware of these opportunities and will help connect students to young feds already in service so they can get the real scoop on government service," said Max Stier, president and chief executive officer of the Partnership for Public Service in Washington.
Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39221&dcn=e_gvet
Winners and Losers
By Brittany R. Ballenstedt bballenstedt@govexec.com
January 31, 2008
The new pay-for-performance system at the Defense Department is expected to set the pace for the rest of government for employee performance and improving leadership. And with recent hype surrounding this year's average Defense pay increase, workers governmentwide may no longer find that pace so unsettling.
The Pentagon announced last Thursday that 98 percent of the 110,000 employees under the National Security Personnel System received performance-based payouts averaging 7.6 percent. That's more than twice the percentage given to General Schedule employees, who had a 2.5 percent across-the-board pay increase and an additional 1 percent bump in locality pay.
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0108/013108pb.htm
January 31, 2008
The new pay-for-performance system at the Defense Department is expected to set the pace for the rest of government for employee performance and improving leadership. And with recent hype surrounding this year's average Defense pay increase, workers governmentwide may no longer find that pace so unsettling.
The Pentagon announced last Thursday that 98 percent of the 110,000 employees under the National Security Personnel System received performance-based payouts averaging 7.6 percent. That's more than twice the percentage given to General Schedule employees, who had a 2.5 percent across-the-board pay increase and an additional 1 percent bump in locality pay.
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0108/013108pb.htm
Army growth plans may exceed cost estimate
By Megan Scully, CongressDaily
The cost of the Army's plans to grow its active-duty and reserve ranks by nearly 75,000 troops over the next several years could exceed the $70.2 billion the service expects to spend through fiscal 2013 to augment the force, congressional investigators concluded in a report released Tuesday.
The Army's cost estimates are "not comprehensive and may be somewhat understated," according to the GAO report, which urges the Defense Department to provide more thorough cost information to Capitol Hill by March 30.
The cost estimate does not include $2.5 billion needed to cover the costs of healthcare and education programs for the new troops, according to GAO. The Army's projections also may underestimate the number of civilian personnel needed to support the larger military force.
Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39094&dcn=e_gvet
The cost of the Army's plans to grow its active-duty and reserve ranks by nearly 75,000 troops over the next several years could exceed the $70.2 billion the service expects to spend through fiscal 2013 to augment the force, congressional investigators concluded in a report released Tuesday.
The Army's cost estimates are "not comprehensive and may be somewhat understated," according to the GAO report, which urges the Defense Department to provide more thorough cost information to Capitol Hill by March 30.
The cost estimate does not include $2.5 billion needed to cover the costs of healthcare and education programs for the new troops, according to GAO. The Army's projections also may underestimate the number of civilian personnel needed to support the larger military force.
Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39094&dcn=e_gvet
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