Suzette Kent: Gov’t ‘United’ in Prioritizing AI Implementation
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Suzette Kent: Gov’t ‘United’ in Prioritizing AI Implementation


Suzette Kent: Gov't 'United' in Prioritizing AI Implementation
Suzette Kent

Suzette Kent, federal chief information officer and 2019 Wash100 Award winner, said the White House is focusing on deploying artificial intelligence to simplify manual functions and support information technology modernization efforts, Federal Times reported Tuesday.  AI can do manual jobs with a lower margin of error and less time while also creating new positions, Kent told attendees at the AI World Government Conference in Washington, D.C.

She added that advanced computing platforms, high-quality data, modernized networks, security and ethical implications are key factors to successfully implement AI in line with the White House’s recent IT modernization strategy. “The whole of government has a focus on AI capabilities and federal leadership is united in making this a priority,” she said.

Report: Agencies Failed to Comply With Cybersecurity Directives Over Past Decade
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Report: Agencies Failed to Comply With Cybersecurity Directives Over Past Decade


Jeff Brody

A recent report from the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee has found that government agencies have “historically failed to comply with cybersecurity standards.” According to the report, the number of data breaches experienced by agencies in recent years is “not surprising” due to the state of federal networks’ cybersecurity posture and how such agencies failed to address information technology infrastructure issues that left sensitive public information vulnerable to attacks. 

The subcommittee reviewed inspector general reports released over the last decade and discovered cases of non-compliance with basic National Institute of Standards and Technology cybersecurity standards. These include failures in protecting personally identifiable information, maintaining a comprehensive and accurate list of IT assets, installing security patches, modernizing legacy systems and ensuring valid “authority to operate” certifications.

IG reports covered by the study include those for the Social Security Administration and the departments of Homeland Security, State, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture, Health and Human Services and Education.

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Navy, USMC Increase AI Implementation Efforts; Richard Spencer Quoted
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Navy, USMC Increase AI Implementation Efforts; Richard Spencer Quoted


Navy, USMC Increase AI Implementation Efforts; Richard Spencer Quoted
Richard Spencer

The U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps are pursuing ways to further implement the use of artificial intelligence in operations, National Defense Magazine reported Tuesday. Richard Spencer, secretary of the Navy, said the service branch is planning to focus on AI for its fiscal year 2020 budget proposal.

The Navy requested for a 9.5 percent increase in research and development funds, with projects encompassing AI and autonomous technologies. Jason Stack, autonomy portfolio manager at the Office of Naval Research, said the Navy also uses AI to automate data processing for various operations involving unmanned systems.

The U.S. Marine Corps, meanwhile, is conducting experiments to further apply AI in warfighting. USMC’s warfighting laboratory partnered with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to boost the situational awareness of dismounted troops under the Squad X program.

Brig. Gen. Christian Wortman, who commands the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, said USMC also intends to implement autonomy across multiple mission areas such as information warfare, intelligence, logistics and long-range precision fires.

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Derek Tournear Named Acting Director at Space Dev’t Agency
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Derek Tournear Named Acting Director at Space Dev’t Agency


Derek Tournear Named Acting Director at Space Dev't Agency
Derek Tournear

Derek Tournear, formerly assistant director for space at the Department of Defense, has been named acting director of the Space Development Agency, Air Force Magazine reported Tuesday. Tournear will manage the agency’s research and engineering framework to address potential DoD space architecture concerns under his new capacity.

Prior to DoD, Tournear served as the director of research development at Harris and was the deputy vice president and general manager for integrated geospatial systems and environmental intelligence at Exelis. Tournear’s appointment follows Fred Kennedy’s resignation from his role as SDA director on June 21.

SDA has unveiled plans to deploy a network of satellites and payloads in low Earth orbit to augment missile defense, communications and national security missions.

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Dana Deasy to Receive Official Presidential Nomination for Pentagon CIO Role
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Dana Deasy to Receive Official Presidential Nomination for Pentagon CIO Role


Dana Deasy to Receive Official Presidential Nomination for Pentagon CIO Role
Dana Deasy

President Trump officially announced in a White House release Tuesday his intent to nominate Dana Deasy to become the chief information officer role with the Department of Defense. Deasy has served as DoD CIO since May 2018 and the White House’s move comes in compliance with a requirement in the fiscal 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, which took effect in January, Fedscoop reported.

Under the latest NDAA, the Pentagon CIO should be nominated by the president and undergo Senate confirmation as well as assume additional responsibilities. Deasy is a 2019 Wash100 winner and a nearly four-decade information technology industry veteran who has served as CIO at JPMorgan Chase. He also held senior IT leadership positions at BP, Siemens, General Motors and Tyco International.

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Navy Implementing Predictive Maintenance, Analytics to Extend Vessel Lifespan
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Navy Implementing Predictive Maintenance, Analytics to Extend Vessel Lifespan


Jeff Brody

The Naval Sea Systems Command’s chief engineer cited data analytics as key to improving ship maintenance and extending fleet lifespans, USNI News reported Monday.

Rear Adm. Lorin Selby, chief engineer and deputy commander of ship design, integration and naval engineering at NAVSEA, told attendees at an American Society of Naval Engineers symposium that “condition-based maintenance” or the use of predictive capabilities for identifying minor performance issues, will help users mitigate vulnerabilities before the event of a system failure.

Selby said he wants to hold competitions to encourage app developers to produce technologies capable of analyzing ship components and schedule maintenance operations. When it comes to implementing such technologies, Selby noted that part of the challenge includes transmitting data securely.

“You can harvest that data and you could potentially discover vulnerabilities, so you have to protect that. That’s part of my project: as I do this, we’re bringing that security aspect into the program,” he said. The Navy is working on a pilot program to test predictive maintenance technologies aboard an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer this summer.

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New Marine Corps Unit Takes up Manufacturing Training Task
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New Marine Corps Unit Takes up Manufacturing Training Task


Jeff Brody

Marine Corps Systems Command has established a new manufacturing-focused unit due to new responsibilities gained in the first quarter of 2019. The command said Monday that its new Advanced Manufacturing Operations Cell carries the task of training marines on manufacturing methods applicable on the battlefield. AMOC succeeds a branch within the Deputy Commandant Installation and Logistics that provided manufacturing training to marines for years.

“We tackle a number of facets of advanced manufacturing—not just additive manufacturing,” said Capt. Matthew Audette, AMOC project officer at MCSC.

AMOC administers training at Marine Maker laboratory that features courses for a number of manufacturing applications such as welding, advanced manufacturing, laser-cutting and drone-building. The facility is located in Alexandria, Va. DC I&L worked to prepare MCSC for the transition and AMOC’s creation over a period of almost two years.

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DIA Launching Intell Repository System Dev’t Effort
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DIA Launching Intell Repository System Dev’t Effort


Jeff Brody

The Defense Intelligence Agency is working on a cloud-based repository platform to transition military intelligence data away from physical servers that require manual input across disparate networks, FCW reported Monday. The Machine-Assisted Analytic Rapid-Repository System will use automation and analytics to run a re-engineered environment designed to handle mission information, intelligence, infrastructure, space and cyberspace databases.

According to a recent DIA document, MARS will “create a military intelligence environment for the warfighter and analyst similar to the World Wide Web for consumers.” Tom Dillaplain, MARS functional requirements manager for DIA, noted that the agency seeks to incorporate interoperability into the system and “place the human at the most useful point” in artificial intelligence implementation. The Department of Defense plans to issue acquisition vehicles to develop MARS through increments by fiscal 2020.

GAO: Congress Should Enact Legislation to Allow T-Band Comms for First Responders
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GAO: Congress Should Enact Legislation to Allow T-Band Comms for First Responders


Jeff Brody

The Government Accountability Office has urged Congress to enable first responders to use T-Band radio frequencies for mission-critical voice communications. A new report issued Friday highlighted the challenges first responders are facing with the relocation of public safety communications spectrum from T-Band frequencies.

Stakeholders from New York, Los Angeles and Boston have noted that the Federal Communications Commission hasn’t verified alternative spectra for first responders. In addition, FCC assessed that relocation options are limited and costs range from $5 billion to $6 billion.

While the FCC has taken actions to address the concerns, officials said to GAO that planning for the auction were not yet initiated. Stakeholders also advised that the auction may affect first responders’ capacity to maintain communications for emergency scenarios.

GAO conducted interviews and reviewed case studies, related documents, statutes and regulations to help the FCC perform T-Band relocation.

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The Washington Post Lists Tenable as a Top DC Workplace for 2019; Bridgett Paradise Quoted
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The Washington Post Lists Tenable as a Top DC Workplace for 2019; Bridgett Paradise Quoted


The Washington Post Lists Tenable as a Top DC Workplace for 2019; Bridgett Paradise Quoted
Bridgett Paradise, Chief People Officer of Tenable

Tenable, Inc. announced on Tuesday that the company has been recognized on the Washington Post’s list of the 2019 Top DC Workplaces.

Tenable was ranked fifth, in the Large Company category, on the list. The ranking is based on employee surveys from more than 300 Greater Washington, D.C. area companies that evaluate factors such as leadership, culture and benefits.

“We are delighted to receive this Top Workplace award from The Washington Post because it reflects our employees’ passion and commitment,” said Bridgett Paradise, chief people officer of Tenable. Tenable’s continued innovation and cutting-edge products are the direct result of our employees who are focused on keeping customers secure,” she continued.

“It’s important for us to continue to foster an inclusive and collaborative environment for our employees and we’re honored that they’ve named us a Top Workplace.”

The company’s deep-rooted culture of innovation and collaboration has earned Tenable numerous accolades, including a 2019 Employee Voice Award from Quantum Workplace, a 2019 SC Award for Best Vulnerability Management Solution and a 2019 Corporate Growth Award from ACG National Capital.

About Tenable 

Tenable, Inc. is the Cyber Exposure company. Over 27,000 organizations around the globe rely on Tenable to understand and reduce cyber risk. As the creator of Nessus, Tenable extended its expertise in vulnerabilities to deliver the world’s first platform to see and secure any digital asset on any computing platform.

Tenable customers include more than 50 percent of the Fortune 500, more than 25 percent of the Global 2000 and large government agencies.

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