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Bob Brewin

Editor at Large

Bob Brewin joined Government Executive in April 2007, bringing with him more than 20 years of experience as a journalist focusing on defense issues and technology. Bob covers the world of defense and information technology for Nextgov, and is the author of the “What’s Brewin” blog.

Results 2431-2440 of 2545

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U.S., British officials target Chinese as source of cyberattacks

December 4, 2007 High-ranking officials in the United Kingdom and the United States have for the first time publicly identified the Chinese government as the source of cyberattacks, warning that China has penetrated both government and business networks with potentially disastrous consequences. Jonathan Evans, director-general of MI5, the U.K.'s counterintelligence and security service, ...

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Vetting Veterans

December 1, 2007 Advocacy groups fear that disability changes could skew compensation for service-related injuries. Sweeping veterans disability reforms proposed by President Bush would create a dual compensation system that would be an administrative nightmare for the Veterans Affairs Department and could shortchange certain wounded service members, critics say. "We need to focus ...

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Defense board sounds louder alarm about foreign software development

November 30, 2007 Software developed in foreign countries and used by the Defense Department and other agencies puts federal information systems at serious risk of being hacked and compromised, according to a recent report issued by Defense's top advisory board. The report, released last month by a Defense Science Board task force, warns ...

Defense Has New Acquisition, Tech Chief

November 28, 2007 John J. Young Jr. started work as the under secretary of Defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, last week, following confirmation by the Senate Nov. 16. Young replaces Kenneth Krieg, who announced his resignation in June. Young previously served as the director of Defense research and engineering and the department’s ...

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State Department dispatches virtual jazz ambassadors

November 28, 2007 In 1956, at the height of the Cold War, when the United States was engaged in an ideological battle with the Soviet Union, the State Department dispatched a new kind of ambassador to carry its message. In an innovative bit of public diplomacy, State sent jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and ...

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European Parliament sets funding for satellite navigation system

November 27, 2007 The European Parliament last week approved $6 billion in funding for the European Union's long-delayed Galileo satellite navigation system. The EU originally intended to finance its answer to the United States' Global Positioning System through a public-private partnership, but that plan faltered earlier this year when private companies backed away ...

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FCC spectrum award marks beginning of national safety network

November 21, 2007 The Federal Communications Commission this week awarded a license within a piece of a valuable spectrum that will spur the development of a nationwide public safety broadband wireless network. FCC awarded a 10-MHz slice within the 700-MHz band to the Public Safety Spectrum Trust. PSST officials said the license will ...

WIN-T Makes Watch List

November 20, 2007 The Army’s key, next-generation battlefield communications systems, Warfighter Information Network-Tactical, earned the dubious distinction of ending up on the Defense Department’s list of programs that experienced cost increases of more than 15 percent or schedule delays of six months or more. These programs are reported to Congress. For the quarter ...

HHS Turns Up Heat on ePrescribe

November 19, 2007 Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt wrote in his blog that he wants to see Medicare and Medicaid and large federal health care providers make e-prescribing “a mandatory part of medical practice soon.” Leavitt wrote in his blog that a low rate of adoption by physicians has slowed e-prescribing ...

Army has New CIO -- At Last

November 19, 2007 The Senate confirmed Friday Jeffery Sorenson for promotion to Lt. Gen. from Maj. Gen. and his new job as the Army chief information officer and director of command, control, communications and computers, Army spokeswoman Margaret McBride said. President Bush had originally tapped Sorenson to replace now-retired Lt. Gen. Steven Boutelle ...