Digital Government
Those Who Serve
Tomorrow is Veterans Day, and it's fitting to pause and honor those who have answered the nation's call for service. Those who serve include not only the men and women in uniform, but State Department folks such as my friend of nearly 30 years Abigail Friedman, a foreign service officer who traded in her diplomat threads for Army fatigues this summer.
Digital Government
Job Offers from the Heart
Last Friday, I asked your help in finding a Web design job for Erick Gonzalez, a former Navy corpsman who served two tours with the Marines in Iraq who ended up homeless in Washington, one of the 130,000 homeless veterans in this country.
Digital Government
Homeless Vet Needs Web Design Job
Sometimes I have one of those human encounters that takes my breath away. It had just one of those encounters on Nov. 3 when I met Erick Gonzalez, a former Navy corpsman who served two tours with the Marines in Iraq. He now calls his car home.
Digital Government
It's Getting Crowded Up There
The U.S.. Strategic Command oversees a lot of operations and assets, including the country's nuclear strike force, missile defense, satellites and cyberspace operations. But the STRATCOM commander views a midspace collision of two satellites this February as the "seminal event" of the year.
Digital Government
Mullen on Social Network, Flash Drives
Adm. Mike Mullen told me that the Defense Department is in the process of modifying its bans on the use of social networks and flash drives during a brief conversation at a Government Executive Leadership Breakfast at the National Press Club on Wednesday. But he did not give me a timeline in when this would happen.
Digital Government
A Virtual World for Amputees
Three virtual reality companies have started to develop an <a href=http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20091102005423&newsLang=en>online world for amputees</a> with funding from the Army's Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center.
Digital Government
Army abruptly stops rollout of electronic dental record application
E-mails do not offer a reason for the delay, but the service might be considering fielding an internally developed system.
Digital Government
No, This is The Intel Budget
The United States spent $49.8 billion on the National Intelligence Program for fiscal 2009, according to a <a href=http://www.dni.gov/press_releases/20091030_release.pdf>press release</a> issued on Oct. 30 by Dennis Blair, director of National Intelligence.
Digital Government
Army Technology Live
The U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command plans to launch a blog on Nov. 2, the latest entry into the Army Live/Defense Department Live blogosphere.
Digital Government
Questions For VA Contract Award
ACS Federal won the contract that the Veterans Affairs Department <a href=http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20091028_2433.php>announced</a> on Wednesday to pitch in, on a temporary basis, to help the department process GI bill benefit claims.
Digital Government
Compact field system keeps commanders plugged in without weighing them down
Small enough to fit in two rugged suitcases, communications setup connects to range of Defense and coalition networks.
Digital Government
VA will turn to a contractor to reduce backlog of GI educational benefits
Solicitation is the department's latest effort to process what officials call an unprecedented volume of claims.
Digital Government
Where's VA's Report?
Last week I reported that the Veterans Affairs Department <a href=http://whatsbrewin.nextgov.com/2009/10/oops_forgot_that_education_data.php>didn't include</a> education claims data in an <a href=http://www.vba.va.gov/REPORTS/mmwr/index.asp>online report</a>, called the Monday Morning Workload Report, which details pending claims managed by the Veterans Benefits Administration.
Digital Government
For Shinseki, Vets Before Reporters
Last Friday, I traveled to Duke University in Durham, NC for dedication of a memorial to Duke graduates who lost their lives in action since WW II, including the best company commander I ever had, <a href="http://whatsbrewin.nextgov.com/2009/10/honoring_marine_maj_corky_ram.php">Marine Maj. Corky Ram,</a> where Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki was the featured speaker.
Digital Government
VA to deploy automated tool to speed up vets' education benefits
Secretary Eric Shinseki also says developing IT systems for the Veterans Benefits Administration is a top priority.
Digital Government
Honoring Marine Maj. Corky Ram
DURHAM, N.C. -- I'm at Duke University this Friday for dedication of a <a href=http://www.dukealumni.com/olc/pub/DUKE/general/general_43.html_>memorial</a> to the Duke graduates who lost their lives on active duty since World War II, including the best company commander I ever had the privilege to serve, Maj. Cornelius "Corky" Ram.
Digital Government
Oops, Forgot That Education Data
The Veterans Affairs Department manages a whole bunch of claims -- for disability, education and even burial benefits. Until this month, the department presented data on pending claims in a relatively <a href=http://www.vba.va.gov/REPORTS/mmwr/2009/092809.xls>straightforward fashion</a> in a spreadsheet called the <a href=http://www.vba.va.gov/REPORTS/mmwr/index.asp>Monday Morning Workload Report</a>.
Digital Government
Loran Gets 3 Month Reprieve
The Coast Guard-operated Long Range Navigation system (Loran) managed to survive the Obama administration's cancellation attempts until at least January thanks to language in the final version of the <a href=http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_reports&docid=f:hr298.111.pdf>Homeland Security Department Appropriations bill</a>, which awaits the president's signature.
Digital Government