DHS will only be merging the two offices if makes sense for the organization as a whole, not just for the “sake of merging them,” said Todd Keil, assistant secretary of homeland security for infrastructure protection. While they have closely related mission statements, the decision would need thorough joint assessments.

Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Office of Public Affairs of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Amy Kudwa said, “In line with Secretary Napolitano’s efficiency review, launched days after taking office in January 2009, and the first-ever Quadrennial Homeland Security Review, we consistently evaluate our organizational structure to ensure the best, most effective approach to our priorities.”

While no formal decision has been made yet about merging the two offices, the Department will continue to seek new, innovative ways and techniques to enhance security in an ever-changing threat environment, Kudwa said.

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Campbell represents something unique as he is the last continuously serving general officer who served during the Vietnam War to be leaving active duty. During Campbell’s career in active duty he saw many turning points.

“The Army of today is a fundamentally different from the Army of 2001,” Campbell said.

One of the turning points, Campbell explained, was when the Army became an all-volunteer force, in the summer of 1973. The next turning point was when the Berlin Wall collapsed, and the last turning point arrived with the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

As Campbell leaves his post, he shares his optimism about the Army’s future saying, “Our soldiers today are more expert, better educated, better trained, more lethal and more combat-experience than at any time, certainly, in the 40 years I have served in the ranks.”

While the Army is exhausted from almost nine years of combat, it remains resilient and determined, Campbell said.

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Many email users who are sending spam are not where one would think. Alexander noted that 47 percent are from Asia, another 23 percent from Europe, 16 percent from other parts of the globe and only 14 percent are from North America.

While this common library of humanity contributes to a wealth of opportunities and enhances our quality of life in so many ways, it comes with tremendous vulnerabilities, suggests Alexander.

“Today our nation’s interests are in jeopardy,” he said.

Alexander said, while technology is a part of the solution, the key is people. He said he believes NSA and Cyber Command have superb people in place and that they need to continue to recruit, train, and retain top talent to operate effectively in cyberspace, especially when thinking more long term.

With the 7 million machines to protect in the DoD, the military is at the greatest risk when it comes to cyber attack. These systems are part of the command, control, communications and logistics of our nation’s military and one weak link can impact the department’s ability to operate securely.

There is work to be done. Alexander and his team will work to accomplish three main goals in the coming months. First, they will work to develop a greater comprehensive approach to DoD’s approach to cybersecurity. Next, they will work to centralize command and finally, enhance partnerships with other government agencies.

“It is a privilege and honor to be apart of our cyber team,” Alexander said.

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This survey was held as a part of FCC’s broadband speed initiative. The Commission’s Consumer Task Force will be finding the broadband speeds that consumer’s get versus what providers are advertising. Speed matters, says FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski.

Genachowski says, “The more broadband subscribers know about what speeds they need and what speeds they get, the more they can make the market work and push faster speeds over broadband networks.”

On Tuesday, the FCC announced two new initiatives to drive broadband speed. The first one is that the FCC asked 10,000 volunteers to partake in a study to measure home broadband speed. Volunteers in the scientific study will be giving invaluable data to the FCC that will in turn benefit the entire public.

The second initiative is a public notice the FCC’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau issued to find new ways to measure broadband speed. The notice calls for input from the public, or any interested party.

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These additional funds are coming from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and will help bolster TSA’s efforts to enhance security and create jobs. A majority of these new funds will go toward an inline baggage system at San Diego International Airport, two inline baggage systems at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, and one inline baggage system at Little Rock National Airport.

“These state-of-the-art technologies will strengthen security for travelers by enhancing our capability to detect and disrupt threats of terrorism,” Napolitano said.

The new screening systems will be used to scan checked baggage for explosives and will help streamline the ticketing and boarding process for passengers by limiting the number of physical searches and re-scans.

The reminder of the new funds will go toward expanded the closed circuit television system in Salt Lake City International Airport and installing over 250 reduced-size Explosives Detection Systems at more than 60 airports across the country.

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Johnson spoke about the agency’s goal of Zero Environmental Footprint, which she called both a “big hairy audacious goal” (BHAG) and this generation’s “moon shot.” Johnson, who was nominated by President Barack Obama this past February said, “Yes, we CAN” achieve this lofty goal.

The deadline for GSA’s new sustainability plan to be submitted to the White House was last night at 5 p.m. Johnson held the nearly 100-page plan in front of the audience during yesterday’s luncheon and she said, “GSA is not just talking about it; we’re doing it.”

Johnson called GSA the “storefront” and a catalyst for other agencies. Moreover, she spoke about the shared work ahead with the private sector and that GSA, which is now on the front lines of Obama’s agenda, cannot achieve the sustainability goals alone. There needs to be more collaboration, not just participation, Johnson said. She said she believes there needs to be a clear distinction between these two forms of open government.

Johnson also spoke about a recent trip to Georgia with some of GSA’s top leaders to build new sustainability ideas. Additionally, she also talked about GSA’s plans to hire a large amount of new talent in the coming months and become “the cool place to work.”

Check out video recap here: http://blog.executivebiz.com/martha-johnson-gsa-administrator-speaks-at-poc-luncheon/10097

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A WMD is defined in the report as “any weapon or device that is intended or has the capability to cause death or serious bodily injury to a significant number of people through the release, dissemination, or impact of toxic or poisonous chemicals or their precursors; a disease organism; or radiation or radioactivity.” Due to this, response efforts to WMD incidents differ from conventional explosives.

After review, the DOJ found the FBI has taken proper steps to respond to a WMD attack. However, the DOJ as a whole is currently lacking sufficient response plans. One missing key is that DOJ has not assigned an individual or entity as “the leader” of a WMD response. Moreover, other DOJ personnel outside of the FBI staff have not received adequate training for a WMD response effort.

In the winter of 2008, the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction predicted a WMD attack would occur somewhere in the world by 2013, that is, without prevention efforts. DOJ’s new report calls for a comprehensive response plan to ensure safety and security. Specifically, it calls for the department to update its response policies, as well as designate an authority to the response efforts.

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John P. Holdren, assistant to the president for science and technology and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, said he believes, “It is essential to document with solid evidence the returns our Nation is obtaining from its investment in research and development.”

STAR METRICS will measure the value of federal research and development by observing the impact on economic growth, workforce outcomes, scientific knowledge and social outcomes.

In the short term, the agencies hope to find out the impact on jobs, and for the long term is all about measuring patents, publications, citations, and business start-ups, said NIH Director Francis S. Collins.

“STAR METRICS will yield a rigorous, transparent review of how our science investments are performing,” Collins said.

The research for STAR METRICS will stem from universities and other research institutions that volunteer to participate. There have already been 60 different universities that have indicated interest in participating in the program.

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Most recently, GSA called other agencies to boost innovation with plans to launch an online innovation challenge platform.

This online platform is free and will hopefully promote more public participation. GSA’s Associate Administrator for GSA’s Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies David McClure said, “By providing an online challenge and prizes platform governmentwide, GSA is helping agencies promote and harness innovation to more effectively engage with the public.”

The use of this new platform is motivated by the goal to empower the public to get involved in helping solve some of the critical issues in the government. The platform will be powered by ChallengePost and will be available next month.

ChallengePost is a platform that is being used for AppsforHealthyKids.com. For GSA’s new innovation challenge platform, it will be an avenue for agencies to post different issues and solicit suggestions from citizens.

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