Coalition of Agencies Push for Cyber Workforce Paradigm Shift
The drumbeat of agencies, working groups, and commissions calling for heightened national attention to the cybersecurity workforce ratcheted up again last week, with a new report from the interagency Federal Cyber Workforce Management and Coordinating Working Group advocating for “strategic changes” to the nation’s approach to developing a cyber workforce.
Nominations Update: Over 400 Positions Filled, Several Hundred to Go
President Biden has to fill roughly 4,000 politically appointed positions in the executive branch and independent agencies. Of these, roughly 1,200 require Senate confirmation.
Pentagon Releases its First Departmental Social Media Policy
Acting Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Gordon Trowbridge issued a new policy outlining how official social media accounts should advance the mission of the U.S. military.
Federal Employee Appeals Board Finds Army Retaliated Against Whistleblower
The Merit Systems Protection Board holds the Army retaliated against a widow of a service member in it's first precedential decision on whistleblower protection since regaining a quorum.
DOD Issues Guidance for Civilian Personnel Reentry as Omicron Subvariant Spreads
Last week, Department of Defense (DOD) Deputy Secretary Kathleen Hicks issued guidance on the reentry of civilian employees but emphasized that business as usual is not expected.
DOD Realizes New Oversight Position in Chief Digital and AI Officer
In a memo to Pentagon leadership, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks announced the creation of a Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer (CDAO), a new position at the Department of Defense (DoD), to centralize oversight of data and artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives under one official at the Pentagon.
Federal Employee Vetting Doctrine Advances Security Clearance Reform
This latest iteration of the Trusted Workforce 2.0 initiative was the result of feedback from a proposal published in the Federal Register and subsequent public comments.
As Federal Agencies Disclose Vaccine Enforcement Actions, the Disciplinary Process Begins
As the vaccine mandate deadline looms for federal employees, agencies are beginning to plan and initiate their enforcement plans. On October 18, 2021, the Department of Defense (DOD) announced in a memo “progressive enforcement actions” regarding vaccine mandates for civilian employees, contractors, and visitors.
Continuous Vetting For All DOD Security Clearance Holders In New DCSA Program
The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA), a Department of Defense (DOD) agency, announced all clearance holders within the DOD, including service members, civilians, and contractors, are enrolled in a continuous vetting (CV) program – a process including 3.6 million individuals.
Who Ya Gonna Call? Security Clearance Myth Busters
This week on FEDtalk, tune in for an in-depth assessment of the most common myths in security clearance disputes. Peregrine D. Russell-Hunter, Director of Defense Office of Hearing and Appeals (DOHA), joins host Chris Keeven for the conversation.
Proposed Appropriations Bill Tackles DoD Personnel Management
The 2022 Department of Defense (DoD) appropriations bill from the House Committee on Appropriations addresses a number of concerns surrounding DoD’s recruitment and retention efforts. According to appropriators, the Department of Defense needs help filling employment vacancies surrounding career and technical education (CTE) and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in order to remain competitive with its counterparts in China and Russia.
Department of Defense’s management challenges and opportunities
Organizational psychologist Dr. Adam Grant testified before the Senate Committee on Armed Services during a hearing on management challenges and opportunities at the Department of Defense last week. He said, “I also worry that DOD’s culture is a threat to national security.”
NSCAI Issues Final Report on Expanding AI Capabilities in Federal Workforce
The National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI) issued a final report on the AI capabilities of the federal workforce which set a goal for the Department of Defense (DoD) and the intelligence community to be AI-ready by 2025.