Digital Government
The VA's Fort Monmouth Outpost
In 2011 Fort Monmouth, N.J., will be history, with folks from the Army Communications-Electronic Command (CECOM) either moved to Fort Belvoir, Va., or the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. But CECOM contracting skills will live on in the new Veterans Affairs Department Technology Acquisition Center.
Digital Government
U.S. Cyber Command - The Wiring Diagram
A benevolent reader sent along a a high level organizational diagram for the U.S. Cyber Command, which I am going to share with everyone out there in Whats-land.
Digital Government
Panel questions VA outsourcing IT systems work to Navy
CIO says Veterans Affairs will work to improve statements of work, be more specific on what it wants and create a repository of contract documents.
Digital Government
Army to buy e-mail system that could be expanded across Pentagon
Project could unify 1.2 million uniformed service members and 650,000 Defense civilians on a single, compatible e-mail platform.
Digital Government
VA Kicks Off Innovation Competition
Last month, President Obama <a href="http://whatsbrewin.nextgov.com/2009/08/obama_and_the_911_gi_bill.php">suggested</a> the Veterans Affairs Department tap its employees for ideas on how to cut the claims backlog at the Veterans Benefit Administration. Today, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki kicked off the "Innovation Competition," open to VA employees on an internal Web site.
Digital Government
Cyber War Gets Its Own Museum Show
We still don't have a White House <a href="http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090206_8235.php">cyber czar</a> and the Pentagon is still <a href="http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090624_6400.php">fine-tuning the details</a> of the Cyber Command, but the International Spy Museum in Washington plans will launch a cyber war show dubbed Weapons of Mass Disruption next month.
Digital Government
The Federal Virtual World Challenge
The Army Research and Development Engineering Command is looking for more than a few good virtual worlds, and has kicked of a <a href=http://www.fvwc.army.mil/>real world challenge</a> to find the best for itself, the Homeland Security Department, NASA and other federal agencies.
Digital Government
Huh? Air Force Blocks Pentagon Channel
The Air Force -- and let's make it really clear, we're talking here about the U.S. Air Force headquartered in the Pentagon -- has blocked computer access to the <a href=http://www.pentagonchannel.mil/>Pentagon Channel</a>, the Defense Department's 24/7 news channel designed to provide personnel with "more timely access to military information and news."
Digital Government
Cyber Command eyeing new DISA headquarters for its base
Sources and internal Navy brief indicate the new command could displace the agency at Fort Meade, complicating an effort to convince DISA employees to move.
Digital Government
Oops, There Goes Yet Another Laptop
I think I could write a monthly feature on lost or stolen government laptops. The <a href=http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/pcola/Pages/default.aspx>Naval Hospital Pensacola</a> in Florida reported the latest stray on Tuesday.
Digital Government
Navy to form directorate to manage info, cyber and space capabilities
The Information Dominance Directorate will combine functions managed by the director of Naval Intelligence and deputy chief of naval operations for communication networks.
Digital Government
House Hearing on VA-SPAWAR Deal
The House Veterans Affairs Committee's Economic Opportunity Subcommittee has just shoehorned into its schedule next week a hearing on the interagency agreement that the Veterans Affairs Department put together with the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command.
Digital Government
Varied questions drawn from troops in virtual town hall meetings
While the president received questions dealing with wartime strategy, Gates dealt with nitty-gritty Defense issues and Mullen fielded more politically tinged comments.
Digital Government
NATO Wants to Go Virtual
<a href=http://www.act.nato.int/>Allied Command Transformation</a>, which does the change thing for NATO, has a <a href=https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&tab=core&id=45e9ec68b6f188da12279571ab64ee79&_cview=0>request for proposals</a> on the street to build a virtual headquarters to run operations in Asia.
Digital Government
Veterans suffering from PTSD can visit virtual Chicoma Island for help
Creators of an island in Second Life hope to provide a tranquil setting for 'camaraderie and healing,' where visitors can discuss with others how to cope with the disorder's debilitating effects.
Digital Government
Defense Does Speak a Separate Language
Quite often, when I read an acronym-laden Defense Department document I am convinced that folks in the military speak a language that bears only a passing resemblance to English.
Digital Government
IG Slams VA IT Shop - Again
The Veterans Affairs Department lack of in-house expertise to support, manage and execute complex information technology projects contributed to the near collapse of the department's efforts to develop a <a href=http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090331_5665.php>new replacement patient scheduling application</a> at a cost of $167 million over eight years, the VA Inspector General said in a <a href=http://www.va.gov/oig/52/reports/2009/VAOIG-09-01926-207.pdf>report</a> released yesterday.
Digital Government
IG: VA has widespread problems with management of IT projects
Report focuses on the failure of $167 million program to develop a patient appointment system.
Digital Government
Paper-Based Records Interchange?
Based on an <a href= https://www.mpm.osd.mil/documents/MRWG_June_Brief_061709Final.ppt(S).pdf>internal briefing</a> from early this summer which made its way to my inbox, it looks like the Defense Department is scanning a large heap of medical records so the Veterans Affairs Department can access them.
Digital Government