The highest-ranking woman in the history of the Pentagon is stepping down. Michèle Flournoy, undersecretary of defense for policy, announced she will resign and return to private life according to a statement released Monday from Defense Secretary Leon Panetta. “Michèle has been an invaluable advisor to me during my six months as secretary of defense, [...]

The Defense Department‘s program for processing security clearances has seen a marked improvement in the past six years, according to the Government Accountability Office, who in 2005 placed the program on its high-risk list. In a 63-page report published Friday, GAO examined the role Congress plays in helping federal agencies with their performance. In January, [...]

It seems the line of communication between the Defense Department and the National Reconnaissance Office is opening up, with recent meetings at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio and the newly created Air Force Materiel Command/NRO Liaison Office. The Air Force released a notice that following the NRO liaison office opening, Air Force Lt. Col. Chris [...]

The Defense Department is planning to set up an intelligence-gathering hub at the former Bethesda, Md. home of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the Washington Business Journal reports. The Army Corps of Engineers and the Defense Intelligence Agency are working on the large-scale project, which could take nearly five years. The corps, responsible for the military’s [...]

The Defense Department has submitted a draft budget plan to President Obama that includes the $450 billion in cuts required from the debt ceiling compromise, according to Bloomberg. It does not include the additional $600 billion cuts by sequestration that are mandated by the supercommittee’s failure to reach an agreement on a deficit reduction proposal, [...]

In mid-October, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told the House Armed Services Committee he wanted the Pentagon to be ready for an audit by 2014, three years earlier than the deadline mandated by Congress. Later in a memo to Pentagon comptroller Robert Hale Panetta ordered the department’s statement of budgetary resources — part of the audit [...]

Amidst the Defense Department‘s budget reduction efforts, lawmakers are urging the Obama administration to mar cutting of a joint developed commercial satellite program worth $7 billion, according to a Bloomberg report. The program that may be cut was developed by GeoEye Inc. and DigitalGlobe Inc., as part of the EnhancedView program, which provides commercial satellite imagery to intelligence [...]

On Monday, Army Maj. Gen. William E. Ingram Jr. both assumed his role as director of the Army National Guard and received a promotion to lieutenant general, according to a DVIDS report. Ingram was made the Army Guard’s 20th director with the last official director serving in April 2009, according to reported comments by Air [...]

Inspector General for the Defense Department, Gordon Heddell will be stepping down from his post on Dec. 24, according to a report by Politico. Heddell has held his position since July 14 2009. He indicated in an email to Politco that family obligations have made this the time for him to pursue new career options. The [...]

Navy Vice Adm. Mark D. Harnitchek assumed responsibility of Defense Logistics Agency from outgoing director Vice Adm. Alan Thompson, at a Friday ceremony according to a DLA release. Previously, Harnitchek served as deputy commander at the U.S. Transportation Command at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. Thompson, who took the position of director in 2008, will [...]