Digital Government
Defense Comms: The House Giveth
The House Appropriations Committee approved a budget for the high-powered <a href=http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090220_1669.php>Wideband Global Satcom System</a> in fiscal 2010 of $626.7 million in its version of next year's <a href=http://appropriations.house.gov/pdf/DoD_FY10_FC_Summary_07.22.09.pdf>appropriations bill</a>, an increase of $425 million from the president's requested budget.
Digital Government
An Invite from the Prez
President Barack Obama has a much busier schedule than I, but he still managed to send me a personal invitation to watch his press conference at 8 p.m. tonight on the need to pass comprehensive health care reform legislation.
Digital Government
VistA iPhone Apps
That's the approach Veterans Affairs Department Chief Information Officer Roger Baker told me he plans go take in fixing the problem information technology projects <a href=http://whatsbrewin.nextgov.com/2009/07/va_gets_real_suspends_45_it_pr.php>halted</a> by VA Secretary Eric Shinseki on Friday.
Digital Government
Army tests weapons systems geared to the 20-something video gamer
The service salvages high-tech gizmos from its canceled $160 billion Future Combat Systems program to field systems to seven infantry teams by 2014.
Digital Government
Leadership Still Trumps Digits
I spent a couple of days last week hanging out with the Army Evaluation Task Force at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. They're testing all kinds of exotic systems and networks key to the Army's future modernization projects, and I wondered if troops in the future will be into battle at the click of a mouse.
Digital Government
VA Gets Real, Suspends 45 IT Projects
The Veterans Affairs Department on Friday said it halted development of 45 information technology projects that were behind schedule or over budget, with Secretary Eric Shinseki personally making the announcement.
Digital Government
How Many Computer Centers?
The answer to that question may be just 13, the number of <a href=http://www.disa.mil/computing/documents/CatalogOfServices.pdf>computer centers operated by the Defense Information Systems Agency</a> and none run by the Army, Navy or Air Force.
Digital Government
What is Defense-VA Interoperability?
The Defense and Veterans Affairs departments will achieve full interoperability of electronic health records by Sept. 30, Rear Admiral Gregory Timberlake, acting director of the Defense and VA interagency program office, told a House VA Committee <a href=http://veterans.house.gov/hearings/hearing.aspx?NewsID=427>hearing</a> on Tuesday.
Digital Government
VA's Flexibility Over GI Bill Choices
This month I cautioned veterans to <a href=http://whatsbrewin.nextgov.com/2009/07/vets_choose_your_gi_bill_caref.php>carefully weigh benefits</a> available under the new <a href=http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:h2642enr.txt.pdf>post 9/11 GI bill</a> and the older <a href=http://www.mygibill.org/federalbenefits/montgomerygibill>Montgomery GI bill</a>, even though the package of benefits under the new bill, in most cases, provides a better financial deal than the old one.
Digital Government
Infighting Tanks Yet Another Project
The Senate Armed Services Committee directed the Defense Department to terminate a new command and control system <a href=http://whatsbrewin.nextgov.com/2009/07/travelocity_for_command_and_co.php>modeled on commercial Web sites such as Travelocity</a> due to unwillingness of the services to agree on a centrally managed system.
Digital Government
An IRS Approach for VA Claims?
That appears to be the thinking of the folks on the House Appropriations Committee, who think the Veterans Affairs Department could model its disability and pension claims process on electronic tax filing systems.
Digital Government
Panel approves record $3.3 billion IT budget for VA, with stipulations
Committee restricts more than $1 billion in development funds until CIO Roger Baker completes his review to identify programs that deserve funding in fiscal 2010.
Digital Government
Elmo and the Brigadier General
Elmo, the fire engine red Sesame Street Muppet, will make a special guest appearance with Army Brig. Gen. Loree Sutton, director of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, at a press conference in Philadelphia next week. She will unveil how Elmo and his pals can help kids deal with the stress of military deployments.
Digital Government
Cyberattacks identified as a modification of five-year-old virus
The U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team identified the denial-of-service attacks as a modified version of the "My Doom" virus, which in 2004 infected more than 1 million computers worldwide.
Digital Government
North Korea's Hackers in a Luxury Hotel
An <a href=http://www.scribd.com/doc/15078953/Cyber-Threat-Posed-by-North-Korea-and-China-to-South-Korea-and-US-Forces-Korea>internal paper</a> published in May by an intelligence analyst at U.S. Forces Korea said North Korean hackers penetrated U.S. military networks and Web sites with greater frequency than any other country in the world, <a href=http://whatsbrewin.nextgov.com/2009/06/chinas_128_cyberattacks_a_minu.php>including China</a>.
Digital Government
U.S. Forces Korea Another Cyber Victim?
Repeated attempts to reach the <a href=www.usfk.mil>Web site of U.S Forces Korea</a> on Wednesday afternoon failed -- an indication that the <a href=http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090708_9390.php>alleged cyberattack launched by North Korea</a> over the July 4 weekend against South Korean and U.S. government Web sites continues.
Digital Government
JCS Chair on Facebook, With Fans
Adm. Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, launched his <a href=http://www.facebook.com/admiralmikemullen?ref=ts>Facebook page</a> on July 2 and has already managed to attract 309 fans.
Digital Government
Nurse files privacy suit against IT sections in stimulus spending law
Lawsuit, which is expected to be the first of many, alleges billions of dollars earmarked for creating electronic health records put personal data 'a mouse-click away from being accessible to an intruder.'
Digital Government
Coincidence, Thy Name Is Einstein
Depending on what newspaper you read on July 3, the Obama administration is either ready to roll out the third version of <a href=http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20080917_9296.php>Einstein</a>, a system designed to protect the computer networks of nonDefense Department agencies or delayed it because of privacy concerns related to the role of the National Security Agency.
Digital Government