REMAINS OF BLT HQ BLDG., BEIRUT, LEBANON
BOMBED ON OCT. 23, 1983.
ARTIST: Major John T. Dyer, USMCR - 1984
Thursday, October 23, 2008
October 23, 1983
Terrorists crashed a truck loaded with explosives through the perimeter of the Marine Battalion headquarters building at the Beirut Airport, killing 241 Marines. No one attempted, or was able, to stop the truck because, under the rules of engagement as the command understood them, sentries had no automatic or heavy weapons at their posts and they carried unloaded M16s.
But several weeks earlier, the President had changed the rules of engagement to allow the Marines to initiate stronger measures for self-defense. Unfortunately, as that directive went through multiple layers in the chain of command, its intent was reversed, and the Marines on the scene believed they had in fact been ordered to remain in a "peacetime" mode. As described by former SecNav John F. Lehman in his book, Command of the Seas (1988) (pp. 322-23):
"[T]he September 12 directive ... went from the president to the secretary of defense; from the secretary of defense through the JCS and their seventeen-hundred man staff; to CINCLANT and CINCLANTFLT and Fleet Marine Force Atlantic in Norfolk for coordination; from the JCS organization thence to the European theater commander in Belgium; from Belgium to the Deputy European Command headquarters in Stuttgart; from Stuttgart to the commander of U.S. naval forces, Europe, in Naples; from Naples to the deputy NAVEUR headquarters in London; from London to the U.S. Sixth Fleet command headquarters in Gaeta, Italy; from Gaeta back to the U.S. commander, Task Force 60, in Naples; from Naples to the U.S. commander, Task Force 61, off Beirut; and from CTF-61 ashore to CTF-62, Colonel Geraghty, in command of the marines. The [blue-ribbon investigative] commission documented how in whispering-down-the-lane fashion the chain of command simply neutralized the impact of the September 12 message by reminding the marines later that the mission and the ROE had not changed."
As you work on your taskers, remember: Words matter. Accuracy counts. Understand what you're doing. Get it right.
But several weeks earlier, the President had changed the rules of engagement to allow the Marines to initiate stronger measures for self-defense. Unfortunately, as that directive went through multiple layers in the chain of command, its intent was reversed, and the Marines on the scene believed they had in fact been ordered to remain in a "peacetime" mode. As described by former SecNav John F. Lehman in his book, Command of the Seas (1988) (pp. 322-23):
"[T]he September 12 directive ... went from the president to the secretary of defense; from the secretary of defense through the JCS and their seventeen-hundred man staff; to CINCLANT and CINCLANTFLT and Fleet Marine Force Atlantic in Norfolk for coordination; from the JCS organization thence to the European theater commander in Belgium; from Belgium to the Deputy European Command headquarters in Stuttgart; from Stuttgart to the commander of U.S. naval forces, Europe, in Naples; from Naples to the deputy NAVEUR headquarters in London; from London to the U.S. Sixth Fleet command headquarters in Gaeta, Italy; from Gaeta back to the U.S. commander, Task Force 60, in Naples; from Naples to the U.S. commander, Task Force 61, off Beirut; and from CTF-61 ashore to CTF-62, Colonel Geraghty, in command of the marines. The [blue-ribbon investigative] commission documented how in whispering-down-the-lane fashion the chain of command simply neutralized the impact of the September 12 message by reminding the marines later that the mission and the ROE had not changed."
As you work on your taskers, remember: Words matter. Accuracy counts. Understand what you're doing. Get it right.
25 years after Beirut
By Bryan Mitchell - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Oct 22, 2008 20:40:15 EDT
Every October, Judith Young makes a solemn trip from her home in southern New Jersey to Jacksonville, N.C., to honor her late son, Sgt. Jeffrey D. Young.
Along the way, she wonders about the life her son might have lived: A wife, possibly children and maybe a full career in the Corps he loved to serve.
“He loved jumping out of airplanes and rappelling down buildings, but I have no idea what he would have done,” she said. “Who knows? He was only 22.”
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/10/marine_beirutintro_102308/
Posted : Wednesday Oct 22, 2008 20:40:15 EDT
Every October, Judith Young makes a solemn trip from her home in southern New Jersey to Jacksonville, N.C., to honor her late son, Sgt. Jeffrey D. Young.
Along the way, she wonders about the life her son might have lived: A wife, possibly children and maybe a full career in the Corps he loved to serve.
“He loved jumping out of airplanes and rappelling down buildings, but I have no idea what he would have done,” she said. “Who knows? He was only 22.”
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/10/marine_beirutintro_102308/
Navy drafting Naval Operations Concept
By Christopher P. Cavas - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Oct 22, 2008 9:52:16 EDT
Deploying U.S. naval forces must be more flexible, able to split up and re-form in different combinations as situations require. The fleet still needs 11 aircraft carriers to meet its missions but more amphibious ships are required to support new missions. The number of formal and informal maritime partnerships will continue to grow. Even when mine-hunting Littoral Combat Ships come into service, a gap will remain in the Navy’s ability to combat the undersea threat. Ballistic missile defense is increasingly seen as a basic naval capability.
Those are some of the issues addressed in a working draft of the Naval Operations Concept (NOC) 2008, another in a series of documents meant to describe how, when and where U.S. naval forces will prevent conflict and prevail in war.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/10/defense_noc_102108/
Posted : Wednesday Oct 22, 2008 9:52:16 EDT
Deploying U.S. naval forces must be more flexible, able to split up and re-form in different combinations as situations require. The fleet still needs 11 aircraft carriers to meet its missions but more amphibious ships are required to support new missions. The number of formal and informal maritime partnerships will continue to grow. Even when mine-hunting Littoral Combat Ships come into service, a gap will remain in the Navy’s ability to combat the undersea threat. Ballistic missile defense is increasingly seen as a basic naval capability.
Those are some of the issues addressed in a working draft of the Naval Operations Concept (NOC) 2008, another in a series of documents meant to describe how, when and where U.S. naval forces will prevent conflict and prevail in war.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/10/defense_noc_102108/
New hospital for military dogs opened
By Michelle Roberts - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Oct 22, 2008 6:07:12
SAN ANTONIO — A new $15 million veterinary hospital, complete with operating rooms and intensive care, officially opened here Tuesday, offering an advanced facility to treat military dogs that find bombs and aid patrols on the warfront.
Dogs working for all branches of the military and the Transportation Safety Administration, are trained at Lackland Air Force Base to find explosive devices, drugs and land mines. Some 2,500 are currently working with military units.
Like soldiers and Marines on the battlefront, military dogs suffer war wounds and routine health issues that need to be treated to ensure they can continue working.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/10/ap_veterinary_hospital_102108/
Posted : Wednesday Oct 22, 2008 6:07:12
SAN ANTONIO — A new $15 million veterinary hospital, complete with operating rooms and intensive care, officially opened here Tuesday, offering an advanced facility to treat military dogs that find bombs and aid patrols on the warfront.
Dogs working for all branches of the military and the Transportation Safety Administration, are trained at Lackland Air Force Base to find explosive devices, drugs and land mines. Some 2,500 are currently working with military units.
Like soldiers and Marines on the battlefront, military dogs suffer war wounds and routine health issues that need to be treated to ensure they can continue working.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/10/ap_veterinary_hospital_102108/
Limited pensions possible for Filipino vets
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Oct 22, 2008 10:56:00 EDT
The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee chairman sees room for a possible compromise that would pay pensions to some World War II Filipino veterans who served under U.S. command.
Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, the Senate veterans’ committee chairman, has been pushing along with his House counterpart, Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., to provide pensions to about 19,000 veterans who served with the U.S. military as Filipino Scouts and in other roles.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/10/military_filipinoveterans_pensioncompromise_102108w/
Posted : Wednesday Oct 22, 2008 10:56:00 EDT
The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee chairman sees room for a possible compromise that would pay pensions to some World War II Filipino veterans who served under U.S. command.
Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, the Senate veterans’ committee chairman, has been pushing along with his House counterpart, Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., to provide pensions to about 19,000 veterans who served with the U.S. military as Filipino Scouts and in other roles.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/10/military_filipinoveterans_pensioncompromise_102108w/
Management Matters: Back to the Future
By Katherine McIntire Peters kpeters@govexec.com
October 22, 2008
Any day now, senior Air Force leaders will announce the details of their plan to establish a major command to manage nuclear and deterrence missions. The far-reaching restructuring is aimed at restoring global confidence in U.S. nuclear stewardship following a string of security lapses and unacceptable mistakes that led Defense Secretary Robert Gates to sack the service's senior civilian and military leaders in June.
As service leaders iron out the critical details inherent in establishing a new command structure, it's worth remembering that the Air Force used to have an organization that did exactly what it now needs to do. The Strategic Air Command was once the pride of Cold War airmen, for whom the nuclear mission was synonymous with national preservation. The service's decision to dismantle the command in 1991 following Operation Desert Storm in Iraq, the first major post-Cold War military engagement, is a cautionary tale in the unintended consequences that can result from a major reorganization.
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?filepath=/dailyfed/1008/102208mm.htm
October 22, 2008
Any day now, senior Air Force leaders will announce the details of their plan to establish a major command to manage nuclear and deterrence missions. The far-reaching restructuring is aimed at restoring global confidence in U.S. nuclear stewardship following a string of security lapses and unacceptable mistakes that led Defense Secretary Robert Gates to sack the service's senior civilian and military leaders in June.
As service leaders iron out the critical details inherent in establishing a new command structure, it's worth remembering that the Air Force used to have an organization that did exactly what it now needs to do. The Strategic Air Command was once the pride of Cold War airmen, for whom the nuclear mission was synonymous with national preservation. The service's decision to dismantle the command in 1991 following Operation Desert Storm in Iraq, the first major post-Cold War military engagement, is a cautionary tale in the unintended consequences that can result from a major reorganization.
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?filepath=/dailyfed/1008/102208mm.htm
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
NavCivGuide: A Handbook for Civilians in the United States Navy
Just as Thomas Cutler's The Bluejacket's Manual serves as the standard introduction and continuing reference guide for American sailors, this new handbook provides a basic reference guide for civilians working for the U.S. Navy. It will acquaint them with the Navy's world of acronyms, n-codes, uniforms, and customs. The author explains that a big step toward fitting in has always been learning how to "talk the talk and walk the walk," and this guide provides new employees and veteran workers alike with the words and steps needed to succeed in the Navy. Among its special features are sections on using military salutations properly, reading naval uniforms, understanding the culture of the Department of Defense, and an introduction to ships and airplanes.Thomas J. Cutler, Lt. Cmdr., USN (Ret.), is also the author of A Sailor's History of the U.S. Navy, The Battle of Leyte Gulf, and among other books, and is the recipient of the Alfred Thayer Mahan Award for Naval Literature.
Web 2.0 technologies are seen as vital to attracting younger employees
BY GAUTHAM NAGESH, GNAGESH@GOVEXEC.COM
The federal government must adapt and embrace Web 2.0 technologies such as virtual worlds, wikis and social networks to attract and retain younger employees, because the technologies are here to stay, two federal knowledge management practitioners said in a presentation in Washington on Thursday.
Comment on this article in The Forum.Speaking at a conference on knowledge management and business intelligence organized by the Digital Government Institute, Giora Hader, the Federal Aviation Administration's knowledge architect, said agencies must embrace the world of social networking and collaborative technologies or risk losing out on a generation of new workers who are needed to fill gaps left by the upcoming wave of retirements.
"The fact is Web 2.0 is here to stay; it's not a fad," Hader said. "It can increase workforce efficiency and effectiveness while improving service -- keep in mind that we are all civil servants."
Full story: http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20081017_9073.php?zone=ngtoday <http://gove-media.com/portal/wts/ccmcfOaPfbaqok3L6RAAbN-V7Cd>
The federal government must adapt and embrace Web 2.0 technologies such as virtual worlds, wikis and social networks to attract and retain younger employees, because the technologies are here to stay, two federal knowledge management practitioners said in a presentation in Washington on Thursday.
Comment on this article in The Forum.Speaking at a conference on knowledge management and business intelligence organized by the Digital Government Institute, Giora Hader, the Federal Aviation Administration's knowledge architect, said agencies must embrace the world of social networking and collaborative technologies or risk losing out on a generation of new workers who are needed to fill gaps left by the upcoming wave of retirements.
"The fact is Web 2.0 is here to stay; it's not a fad," Hader said. "It can increase workforce efficiency and effectiveness while improving service -- keep in mind that we are all civil servants."
Full story: http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20081017_9073.php?zone=ngtoday <http://gove-media.com/portal/wts/ccmcfOaPfbaqok3L6RAAbN-V7Cd>
Blackwater: We’ll defend against pirates
By Philip Ewing - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Oct 19, 2008 9:29:26 EDT
The military contractor Blackwater Worldwide is offering to protect merchant ships from pirates, the company announced Thursday, advertising the security services of its ship for use off the coast of Somalia or elsewhere.
A rash of pirate attacks has driven up the cost of insurance and pay for crew members aboard the thousands of merchant vessels that pass off the Horn of Africa, the company said, making it comparatively economical to engage its ship, the McArthur, and its crew of ex-military specialists.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/10/navy_blackwater_pirates_101708w/
Posted : Sunday Oct 19, 2008 9:29:26 EDT
The military contractor Blackwater Worldwide is offering to protect merchant ships from pirates, the company announced Thursday, advertising the security services of its ship for use off the coast of Somalia or elsewhere.
A rash of pirate attacks has driven up the cost of insurance and pay for crew members aboard the thousands of merchant vessels that pass off the Horn of Africa, the company said, making it comparatively economical to engage its ship, the McArthur, and its crew of ex-military specialists.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/10/navy_blackwater_pirates_101708w/
Army to outline career paths in test program
By STEPHEN LOSEY
October 15, 2008
The Army plans to test a new program this fiscal year that will define the career paths and training and advancement opportunities for its 250,000 civilian employees.
Susan Duncan, the Army’s director for civilian personnel policy, told Federal Times on Oct. 9 that civilian employees will eventually be assigned to one of eight broad career groups, depending on the types of jobs they hold. Once under those career groups, employees will be told what steps or assignments they will need to take to reach their career goals. The Army will also use the groups to help employees receive the training and education needed to advance, Duncan said.
"We will restructure Army civilian education and career progression processes to facilitate career development at every level," acting Army Undersecretary Nelson Ford said Oct. 8 at the Association of the United States Army’s annual meeting in Washington. "To keep great talent for tomorrow, we must cultivate that potential today."
http://www.federaltimes.com/index.php?S=3772508
October 15, 2008
The Army plans to test a new program this fiscal year that will define the career paths and training and advancement opportunities for its 250,000 civilian employees.
Susan Duncan, the Army’s director for civilian personnel policy, told Federal Times on Oct. 9 that civilian employees will eventually be assigned to one of eight broad career groups, depending on the types of jobs they hold. Once under those career groups, employees will be told what steps or assignments they will need to take to reach their career goals. The Army will also use the groups to help employees receive the training and education needed to advance, Duncan said.
"We will restructure Army civilian education and career progression processes to facilitate career development at every level," acting Army Undersecretary Nelson Ford said Oct. 8 at the Association of the United States Army’s annual meeting in Washington. "To keep great talent for tomorrow, we must cultivate that potential today."
http://www.federaltimes.com/index.php?S=3772508
Friday, October 17, 2008
Yorktown Day, October 19th
On October 19, 1781, a British army under General Charles Lord Cornwallis was forced to surrender to General Washington’s combined American and French army. Upon hearing of their defeat, British Prime Minister Frederick Lord North is reputed to have said, "Oh God, it's all over." And it was. The victory secured independence for the United States and significantly changed the course of world history.
Remember USS Yorktown CV-5
Two weeks after the 7 December 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Yorktown transited the Panama Canal to reinforce the badly damaged Pacific Fleet. The carrier's first combat operation was the Marshalls-Gilberts raid in early February 1942.
Yorktown then steamed to the South Pacific, where she participated in a series of raids and other operations that climaxed in the Battle of Coral Sea in early May. In this action, in which she was damaged by enemy bombs, her planes attacked two Japanese aircraft carriers, helping to sink Shoho and damaging Shokaku.
Quick repairs at Pearl Harbor put Yorktown into good enough condition to participate in the Battle of Midway on 4-6 June 1942. During this great turning point of the Pacific War, her air group fatally damaged the Japanese aircraft carrier Soryu and shared in the destruction of the carrier Hiryu and cruiser Mikuma. However, successive strikes by dive bombers and torpedo planes from Hiryu seriously damaged Yorktown, causing her abandonment during the afternoon of 4 June.
Two days later, while salvage efforts were underway, the Japanese submarine I-168 torpedoed both the damaged carrier and the destroyer Hammann (DD-412), sinking the latter immediately and Yorktown shortly after daybreak on 7 June 1942. USS Yorktown's wreck was discovered and examined in May 1998, in surprisingly good condition after fifty-six years beneath more than three miles of sea water.
This page features a number of images of USS Yorktown, selected from the more extensive coverage linked below.
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-xz/cv5.htm
Yorktown then steamed to the South Pacific, where she participated in a series of raids and other operations that climaxed in the Battle of Coral Sea in early May. In this action, in which she was damaged by enemy bombs, her planes attacked two Japanese aircraft carriers, helping to sink Shoho and damaging Shokaku.
Quick repairs at Pearl Harbor put Yorktown into good enough condition to participate in the Battle of Midway on 4-6 June 1942. During this great turning point of the Pacific War, her air group fatally damaged the Japanese aircraft carrier Soryu and shared in the destruction of the carrier Hiryu and cruiser Mikuma. However, successive strikes by dive bombers and torpedo planes from Hiryu seriously damaged Yorktown, causing her abandonment during the afternoon of 4 June.
Two days later, while salvage efforts were underway, the Japanese submarine I-168 torpedoed both the damaged carrier and the destroyer Hammann (DD-412), sinking the latter immediately and Yorktown shortly after daybreak on 7 June 1942. USS Yorktown's wreck was discovered and examined in May 1998, in surprisingly good condition after fifty-six years beneath more than three miles of sea water.
This page features a number of images of USS Yorktown, selected from the more extensive coverage linked below.
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-xz/cv5.htm
New president will face major challenges at Defense
By Katherine McIntire Peters kpeters@govexec.com
October 16, 2008
Two new reports by the non-partisan Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments detail some of the deep challenges the next administration faces in managing the all-volunteer military and a shrinking base of defense contractors.
The reports, released on Wednesday, focus on military manpower and the U.S. industrial base. They are part of a 15-part series the center is producing to inform the 2010 quadrennial defense review required by Congress and to help shape the next administration's defense strategy.
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=41212&dcn=todaysnews
October 16, 2008
Two new reports by the non-partisan Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments detail some of the deep challenges the next administration faces in managing the all-volunteer military and a shrinking base of defense contractors.
The reports, released on Wednesday, focus on military manpower and the U.S. industrial base. They are part of a 15-part series the center is producing to inform the 2010 quadrennial defense review required by Congress and to help shape the next administration's defense strategy.
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=41212&dcn=todaysnews
DoD to hold family support summit Oct. 20
By William H. McMichael - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Oct 17, 2008 6:24:35 EDT
Troops and family members are invited to join a live Oct. 20 Pentagon webcast of a summit meeting that will explore the best ways to support families of service members who are killed, seriously wounded or who become ill or injured, as well as a new plan for coordinating treatment between local, state and federal agencies.
The day-long meeting of roughly 300 family members and participants from U.S. partner organizations and agencies, headlined as “Consistent Best Practices for Support of Families of Fallen and Wounded, Ill and Injured Service Members,” will be split into two sessions.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/10/military_familysummit_pentagon_101508w/
Posted : Friday Oct 17, 2008 6:24:35 EDT
Troops and family members are invited to join a live Oct. 20 Pentagon webcast of a summit meeting that will explore the best ways to support families of service members who are killed, seriously wounded or who become ill or injured, as well as a new plan for coordinating treatment between local, state and federal agencies.
The day-long meeting of roughly 300 family members and participants from U.S. partner organizations and agencies, headlined as “Consistent Best Practices for Support of Families of Fallen and Wounded, Ill and Injured Service Members,” will be split into two sessions.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/10/military_familysummit_pentagon_101508w/
Gates: Extremist threat requires new approaches
By Robert Burns - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Oct 17, 2008 6:24:49 EDT
WASHINGTON — The United States and its allies must find new approaches — and create new institutions — to deal with the long-term threats posed by violent extremism, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday.
In a speech at the U.S. Institute of Peace, Gates said the security of the American people will depend increasingly on an ability to head off the next insurgency or stop the collapse of another failing state. He focused specifically on Afghanistan, but nuclear-armed Pakistan also is at or near the top of the Bush administration’s list of countries in danger of falling victim to internal chaos.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/10/ap_gates_101508/
Transcript at http://www.defenselink.mil/speeches/speech.aspx?speechid=1298
Posted : Friday Oct 17, 2008 6:24:49 EDT
WASHINGTON — The United States and its allies must find new approaches — and create new institutions — to deal with the long-term threats posed by violent extremism, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday.
In a speech at the U.S. Institute of Peace, Gates said the security of the American people will depend increasingly on an ability to head off the next insurgency or stop the collapse of another failing state. He focused specifically on Afghanistan, but nuclear-armed Pakistan also is at or near the top of the Bush administration’s list of countries in danger of falling victim to internal chaos.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/10/ap_gates_101508/
Transcript at http://www.defenselink.mil/speeches/speech.aspx?speechid=1298
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Bush signs defense bill with 3.9% pay raise
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Oct 15, 2008 9:40:24 EDT
The 2009 Defense Authorization Act, which includes a host of improvements in military pay and benefits, capped by a 3.9 percent raise, was signed into law by President Bush on Tuesday.
The pay raise, which takes effect on Jan. 1, marks the eighth consecutive year in which pay for service members will exceed the average increase in private-sector wage growth.
There is more to the defense bill than pay and benefits increases, however. It also includes $531.4 billion in budget authority for peacetime defense programs, including weapons research and purchases, operations and training, military construction and health care programs and other personnel costs.
Also in the bill is permission for the Pentagon to spend $68.6 billion for ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan — enough for about six months at the current pace of expenses.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/10/military_defenseauthorization_signed_101408w/
To read the FY09 NDAA online: Go to http://thomas.loc.gov. Search for bill S.3001. Select version 5, Enrolled Bill.
Posted : Wednesday Oct 15, 2008 9:40:24 EDT
The 2009 Defense Authorization Act, which includes a host of improvements in military pay and benefits, capped by a 3.9 percent raise, was signed into law by President Bush on Tuesday.
The pay raise, which takes effect on Jan. 1, marks the eighth consecutive year in which pay for service members will exceed the average increase in private-sector wage growth.
There is more to the defense bill than pay and benefits increases, however. It also includes $531.4 billion in budget authority for peacetime defense programs, including weapons research and purchases, operations and training, military construction and health care programs and other personnel costs.
Also in the bill is permission for the Pentagon to spend $68.6 billion for ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan — enough for about six months at the current pace of expenses.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/10/military_defenseauthorization_signed_101408w/
To read the FY09 NDAA online: Go to http://thomas.loc.gov. Search for bill S.3001. Select version 5, Enrolled Bill.
Mullen: PTSD screenings for all returnees
By Tom Vanden Brook - USA Today
Posted : Monday Oct 13, 2008 12:24:14 EDT
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon’s top uniformed officer is calling for all returning combat troops, from privates to generals, to undergo screening for post-traumatic stress with a mental health professional, a move aimed at stemming an epidemic of psychological issues among veterans.
Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said there’s a reluctance to acknowledge psychological problems for fear of showing weakness. Troops now fill out questionnaires after combat tours that help determine whether they have suffered psychological damage. They’re examined by medical professionals for physical injuries, but not by mental health experts.
"I’m at a point where I believe we have to give a [mental health] screening to everybody to help remove the stigma of raising your hand," Mullen said. "Leaders must lead on this issue or it will affect us dramatically down the road."
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/10/gns_ptsdscreening_101308/
Posted : Monday Oct 13, 2008 12:24:14 EDT
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon’s top uniformed officer is calling for all returning combat troops, from privates to generals, to undergo screening for post-traumatic stress with a mental health professional, a move aimed at stemming an epidemic of psychological issues among veterans.
Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said there’s a reluctance to acknowledge psychological problems for fear of showing weakness. Troops now fill out questionnaires after combat tours that help determine whether they have suffered psychological damage. They’re examined by medical professionals for physical injuries, but not by mental health experts.
"I’m at a point where I believe we have to give a [mental health] screening to everybody to help remove the stigma of raising your hand," Mullen said. "Leaders must lead on this issue or it will affect us dramatically down the road."
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/10/gns_ptsdscreening_101308/
Panel: Transition presents opportunities for civil service reforms
By Alyssa Rosenberg arosenberg@govexec.com
October 14, 2008
The upcoming presidential transition and the current economic crisis present major challenges, but they also provide an opportunity for much-needed reforms to the rules governing federal workers, panelists said during a forum on Tuesday.
Those changes could include strengthening performance management, creating a mechanism for senior executives to move around more and rebranding federal service for a new generation of employees, the panelists said. The discussion was sponsored by the Coalition for Effective Change, a nonpartisan group of current and retired federal employees and executives.
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=41185&dcn=todaysnews
October 14, 2008
The upcoming presidential transition and the current economic crisis present major challenges, but they also provide an opportunity for much-needed reforms to the rules governing federal workers, panelists said during a forum on Tuesday.
Those changes could include strengthening performance management, creating a mechanism for senior executives to move around more and rebranding federal service for a new generation of employees, the panelists said. The discussion was sponsored by the Coalition for Effective Change, a nonpartisan group of current and retired federal employees and executives.
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=41185&dcn=todaysnews
Feature Article: Hidden Talent
By Alyssa Rosenberg arosenberg@govexec.com
Government Executive October 1, 2008
Removing obstacles for workers with disabilities is about more than ramps and readers - it's about tapping the skills agencies need.
The National Security Agency headquarters in Fort Meade, Md., is one of the most buttoned-down facilities in the nation. When I arrived at the first checkpoint one morning in late July to conduct interviews, the guards summoned a Hummer in case I tried to make a run for it while they searched for my name on a clearance checklist. But for people with disabilities seeking jobs, the complex might be one of the most accessible places in government.
http://www.govexec.com/features/1008-01/1008-01s3.htm
Government Executive October 1, 2008
Removing obstacles for workers with disabilities is about more than ramps and readers - it's about tapping the skills agencies need.
The National Security Agency headquarters in Fort Meade, Md., is one of the most buttoned-down facilities in the nation. When I arrived at the first checkpoint one morning in late July to conduct interviews, the guards summoned a Hummer in case I tried to make a run for it while they searched for my name on a clearance checklist. But for people with disabilities seeking jobs, the complex might be one of the most accessible places in government.
http://www.govexec.com/features/1008-01/1008-01s3.htm
OPM meets most 2008 strategic goals
By Alyssa Rosenberg arosenberg@govexec.com
October 9, 2008
The Office of Personnel Management has met 91 of its 105 operational goals for 2008, the agency announced on Thursday.
The public list of goals was part of the 2006-2010 strategic plan created by former OPM Director Linda Springer, who viewed the list as an accountability measure. Some of the accomplishments include improving standards for the acquisition workforce and creating cost-effective telework training for managers.
OPM has missed its deadline on three objectives related to retirement modernization and training, but has until the end of 2008 to complete 11 other goals. Those include an audit of the emergency preparedness of the Federal Executive Boards, a report on Senior Executive Service pay-for-performance systems, and a review of providers participating in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1008/100908ar1.htm
October 9, 2008
The Office of Personnel Management has met 91 of its 105 operational goals for 2008, the agency announced on Thursday.
The public list of goals was part of the 2006-2010 strategic plan created by former OPM Director Linda Springer, who viewed the list as an accountability measure. Some of the accomplishments include improving standards for the acquisition workforce and creating cost-effective telework training for managers.
OPM has missed its deadline on three objectives related to retirement modernization and training, but has until the end of 2008 to complete 11 other goals. Those include an audit of the emergency preparedness of the Federal Executive Boards, a report on Senior Executive Service pay-for-performance systems, and a review of providers participating in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1008/100908ar1.htm
OPM announces 2008 Presidential Rank Award winners
By Alyssa Rosenberg arosenberg@govexec.comOctober 7, 2008
President Bush has recognized more than 350 career federal executives for their outstanding leadership and longtime service to government.
"Winners of the prestigious Presidential Rank Award represent the cream of the crop within the federal executive ranks," Office of Personnel Management acting Director Michael Hager said in a statement announcing the 2008 awards. "Their professional dedication and commitment to excellence is helping to advance President Bush's agenda for enhancing federal government performance and creating a more effective civil service."
Of the 353 recipients, 61 career employees were named Distinguished Senior Professionals or Executives <http://www.opm.gov/ses/performance/2008dspe.asp> . That distinction is limited to 1 percent of the senior professional and senior executive corps.
***
The other 292 award recipients were named Meritorious Executives and Senior Professionals <http://www.opm.gov/ses/performance/2008merit.asp> , an honor limited to 5 percent of the corps. They will receive awards worth 20 percent of their base pay, a minimum of $22,894, and up to $34,400 in agencies with certified appraisal systems, and $31,700 in agencies without them.
Presidential Rank Awards
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
2008 Meritorious Senior Professionals
* George Akst
* Henry D. Dardy
* Carter T. White
2008 Meritorious Executives
* Patricia C. Adams
* Sheryl J. Bourbeau
* Luther N. Bragg
* David E. Burgess
* Anthony J. Cifone
* Edward R. Cochrane, Jr.
* Barry L. Dillon
* Howard Fireman
* Raymond F. Geoffroy
* Ray A. Glas
* Steven R. Iselin
* Michael F. Jaggard
* Bobby R. Junker
* Sophie A. Krasik
* Joseph B. Marshall, Jr.
* John D. McLean
* Linda J. Meadows
* Susan P. Raps
* George W. Solhan
* James D. Ward
* Ariane L. Whittemore
http://www.opm.gov/ses/performance/2008merit.asp
2008 Meritorious Senior Professionals
* George Akst
* Henry D. Dardy
* Carter T. White
2008 Meritorious Executives
* Patricia C. Adams
* Sheryl J. Bourbeau
* Luther N. Bragg
* David E. Burgess
* Anthony J. Cifone
* Edward R. Cochrane, Jr.
* Barry L. Dillon
* Howard Fireman
* Raymond F. Geoffroy
* Ray A. Glas
* Steven R. Iselin
* Michael F. Jaggard
* Bobby R. Junker
* Sophie A. Krasik
* Joseph B. Marshall, Jr.
* John D. McLean
* Linda J. Meadows
* Susan P. Raps
* George W. Solhan
* James D. Ward
* Ariane L. Whittemore
http://www.opm.gov/ses/performance/2008merit.asp
OPM issues guidelines for discrimination and retaliation cases
By Alyssa Rosenberg arosenberg@govexec.com
October 6, 2008
The Office of Personnel Management has published new best practices for handling disciplinary actions prompted by discriminatory behavior or retaliation against whistleblowers.
The advice, compiled in a Sept. 30 report <http://www.opm.gov/publications/NoFearReport-Sep08.pdf> , is based on interviews with officials at agencies that held employees accountable in whistleblower and anti-discrimination cases in 2006, and received top leadership ratings on the 2006 Federal Human Capital Survey. OPM did not name the agencies consulted.
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1008/100608ar1.htm
October 6, 2008
The Office of Personnel Management has published new best practices for handling disciplinary actions prompted by discriminatory behavior or retaliation against whistleblowers.
The advice, compiled in a Sept. 30 report <http://www.opm.gov/publications/NoFearReport-Sep08.pdf> , is based on interviews with officials at agencies that held employees accountable in whistleblower and anti-discrimination cases in 2006, and received top leadership ratings on the 2006 Federal Human Capital Survey. OPM did not name the agencies consulted.
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1008/100608ar1.htm
Think tank publishes transition guides for government leaders
By Elizabeth Newell enewell@govexec.com
October 6, 2008
The IBM Center for the Business of Government has released two books that offer detailed guidance to help government executives navigate the presidential transition.
In The Operator's Manual for the New Administration <http://www.businessofgovernment.org/pdfs/Operators_Manual.pdf> , IBM presents eight areas in which newly appointed agency heads and their senior management teams should focus to learn the culture of government, familiarize themselves with jargon and use all the tools at their disposal.
By concentrating on these eight areas -- leadership, performance, people, money, contracting, technology, innovation and collaboration -- executives "make [government] work to advance policy goals and objectives," the introduction stated.
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1008/100608e1.htm
Publication at http://www.businessofgovernment.org/pdfs/Operators_Manual.pdf
October 6, 2008
The IBM Center for the Business of Government has released two books that offer detailed guidance to help government executives navigate the presidential transition.
In The Operator's Manual for the New Administration <http://www.businessofgovernment.org/pdfs/Operators_Manual.pdf> , IBM presents eight areas in which newly appointed agency heads and their senior management teams should focus to learn the culture of government, familiarize themselves with jargon and use all the tools at their disposal.
By concentrating on these eight areas -- leadership, performance, people, money, contracting, technology, innovation and collaboration -- executives "make [government] work to advance policy goals and objectives," the introduction stated.
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1008/100608e1.htm
Publication at http://www.businessofgovernment.org/pdfs/Operators_Manual.pdf
Military relied on bonuses to lure new recruits
By Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press
October 3, 2008
WASHINGTON (AP) -- After seven years at war, the military paid recruits hundreds of millions of dollars over the past year as they answered the call to duty.
According to data obtained by The Associated Press, the Army and Marine Corps doled out nearly $640 million in the fiscal year that ended Tuesday to entice recruits to join up.
The two services continue to bear the brunt of the U.S.-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but recruits were buoyed by incentives that can be as high as $40,000 each. All told, the enlistment incentives coupled with the promise of thousands more for education, increased the costs of Army and Marine bonuses by 25 percent over last year's totals, The Associated Press has learned.
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1008/100308ap2.htm
October 3, 2008
WASHINGTON (AP) -- After seven years at war, the military paid recruits hundreds of millions of dollars over the past year as they answered the call to duty.
According to data obtained by The Associated Press, the Army and Marine Corps doled out nearly $640 million in the fiscal year that ended Tuesday to entice recruits to join up.
The two services continue to bear the brunt of the U.S.-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but recruits were buoyed by incentives that can be as high as $40,000 each. All told, the enlistment incentives coupled with the promise of thousands more for education, increased the costs of Army and Marine bonuses by 25 percent over last year's totals, The Associated Press has learned.
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1008/100308ap2.htm
Bush signs funding bill in final hours of the fiscal year
CongressDaily
October 1, 2008
President Bush on Tuesday evening signed into law a more than $600 billion continuing resolution package that funds the federal government through March 6. It includes three fiscal 2009 appropriations bills and $22.9 billion for disaster relief.
***
The bill funds most programs at fiscal 2008 levels but includes the fiscal 2009 Defense, Military Construction-VA and Homeland Security spending bills. Of the $22.9 billion in disaster relief funding, $7.9 billion goes into the Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster relief fund.
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0908/100108cdam2.htm
October 1, 2008
President Bush on Tuesday evening signed into law a more than $600 billion continuing resolution package that funds the federal government through March 6. It includes three fiscal 2009 appropriations bills and $22.9 billion for disaster relief.
***
The bill funds most programs at fiscal 2008 levels but includes the fiscal 2009 Defense, Military Construction-VA and Homeland Security spending bills. Of the $22.9 billion in disaster relief funding, $7.9 billion goes into the Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster relief fund.
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0908/100108cdam2.htm
Bush order allows direct hiring of military spouses
By Tom Shoop tshoop@govexec.com
September 29, 2008
President Bush issued an order last week granting federal agencies the authority to bypass competitive hiring regulations to appoint spouses of military service members to civilian government jobs.
"It shall be the policy of the United States to provide for the appropriately expedited recruitment and selection of spouses of members of the armed forces for appointment to positions in the competitive service," Bush's executive order <http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/09/20080926-8.html> stated.
The order allows agency heads to make noncompetitive appointments to the following groups of people:
* Spouses of military service members who are on active duty under orders that authorize a permanent change of station move -- assuming the spouse is moving, too.
* Spouses of totally disabled retired or separated members of the armed forces.
* Widows or widowers (who have not remarried) of service members killed on active duty.
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0908/092908ts1.htm
September 29, 2008
President Bush issued an order last week granting federal agencies the authority to bypass competitive hiring regulations to appoint spouses of military service members to civilian government jobs.
"It shall be the policy of the United States to provide for the appropriately expedited recruitment and selection of spouses of members of the armed forces for appointment to positions in the competitive service," Bush's executive order <http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/09/20080926-8.html> stated.
The order allows agency heads to make noncompetitive appointments to the following groups of people:
* Spouses of military service members who are on active duty under orders that authorize a permanent change of station move -- assuming the spouse is moving, too.
* Spouses of totally disabled retired or separated members of the armed forces.
* Widows or widowers (who have not remarried) of service members killed on active duty.
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0908/092908ts1.htm
VA quadruples payments to vets with brain injuries
By Pauline Jelinek, Associated Press
September 23, 2008
WASHINGTON (AP) - The government is more than quadrupling monthly payments to some veterans suffering brain injuries, as the number of such war wounds mounts from the roadside bombings of Iraq and Afghanistan.
The new compensation is based on the assessment that even some troops who have the mildest form of traumatic brain injury could end up with chronic headaches, memory loss, anxiety or other symptoms that will hurt their chances of getting a job or job advancement - thus reducing their lifetime earnings by 40 percent.
In a regulation announced Tuesday by the Veterans Affairs Department, officials changed the way they evaluate the injuries. They now judge a person to be 40 percent disabled in such cases rather than 10 percent. The old lower rating was set by a 1961 regulation.
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0908/092308ap2.htm
September 23, 2008
WASHINGTON (AP) - The government is more than quadrupling monthly payments to some veterans suffering brain injuries, as the number of such war wounds mounts from the roadside bombings of Iraq and Afghanistan.
The new compensation is based on the assessment that even some troops who have the mildest form of traumatic brain injury could end up with chronic headaches, memory loss, anxiety or other symptoms that will hurt their chances of getting a job or job advancement - thus reducing their lifetime earnings by 40 percent.
In a regulation announced Tuesday by the Veterans Affairs Department, officials changed the way they evaluate the injuries. They now judge a person to be 40 percent disabled in such cases rather than 10 percent. The old lower rating was set by a 1961 regulation.
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0908/092308ap2.htm
Non-Cabinet agencies included in formal succession planning process
By Robert Brodsky rbrodsky@govexec.com
September 18, 2008
President Bush has issued an executive order aimed at standardizing succession planning requirements and bringing all agencies -- including non-Cabinet level ones -- into the fold.
With very few exceptions, agencies that haven't done so already must draft a contingency plan and submit it to the White House Counsel's Office for comment and review by Oct. 11, Bush mandated late last week.
"It is the policy of the federal government to ensure that each executive branch agency can perform its essential functions and remain an effectively functioning part of the federal government under all conditions," the order <http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/09/20080911-4.html> stated.
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0908/091808rb1.htm
Executive Order http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/09/20080911-4.html
September 18, 2008
President Bush has issued an executive order aimed at standardizing succession planning requirements and bringing all agencies -- including non-Cabinet level ones -- into the fold.
With very few exceptions, agencies that haven't done so already must draft a contingency plan and submit it to the White House Counsel's Office for comment and review by Oct. 11, Bush mandated late last week.
"It is the policy of the federal government to ensure that each executive branch agency can perform its essential functions and remain an effectively functioning part of the federal government under all conditions," the order <http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/09/20080911-4.html> stated.
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0908/091808rb1.htm
Executive Order http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/09/20080911-4.html
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