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Rear Adm. Dale Horan Takes Command of Carrier Strike Group 8
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Rear Adm. Dale Horan Takes Command of Carrier Strike Group 8


Dale Horan
Dale Horan

Rear Adm. Dale Horan, formerly Joint Staff deputy director for operations (J3) at the Pentagon, has officially taken command of Carrier Strike Group 8 during a change-of-command ceremony aboard the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier.

The U.S. Navy said Friday Horan will be responsible for CSG 8’s eight ships and one air wing, including the Harry S. Truman carrier strike group.

He succeeded Rear Adm. Bret Batchelder, who has been assigned as the new commander of Naval Warfare Development Command in Norfolk.

Horan commanded Carrier Air Wing 9 during its deployment on the USS John C. Stennis as part of Operation New Dawn and Operation Enduring Freedom.

He is a naval aviator who has logged more than 3,460 flight hours and flown the F-14A and F-14B Tomcat with Fighter Squadron 142 aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and the F-14D with the VFA-2 aboard USS Constellation.

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DOE Picks Argonne Natl Lab Consortium to Support US-China Truck Efficiency Research Program
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DOE Picks Argonne Natl Lab Consortium to Support US-China Truck Efficiency Research Program


research and development RDThe Energy Department has chosen an Argonne National Laboratory-led consortium to explore new technologies that can help reduce fuel consumption and carbon emission from medium- to heavy-duty trucks.

DoE said Friday that Argonne will lead a team comprised of Cummins, Freightliner Custom Chassis, Ohio State University, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Purdue University and the University of Michigan to support the U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center’s Truck Research Utilizing Collaborative Knowledge program.

“Freight hauling by trucks is a significant source of energy consumption and pollution around the world, and the fuel savings promised by the technology advances under this CERC-TRUCK program will help to combat climate change while advancing low-carbon economies,” noted Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz.

DOE plans to invest $12.5 million in the program while the consortium’s non-federal partners seek to match or exceed the department’s allocated funds to generate at least $25 million for the effort.

The Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology and its consortium partners pledged to spend as much as $25 million over 5 years to help finance the program, the department noted.

The Argonne National Laboratory-led team will conduct research into internal combustion engines, energy management systems, hybrid electric powertrains, lightweighting and aerodynamics of medium- and heavy-duty trucks.

President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping announced CERC-TRUCK in September 2015 to build on the center’s efforts to develop energy conservation technologies for vehicles, buildings, coal and water-related technology.

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Denise Turner Roth: USDS Launches New Portal on GSA Website to Offer Digital Services Procurement Advice
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Denise Turner Roth: USDS Launches New Portal on GSA Website to Offer Digital Services Procurement Advice


Denise Turner Roth
Denise Turner Roth

The U.S. Digital Service has added a new online portal to the General Services Administration’s Acquisition Gateway website that aims to provide government agencies information on how to procure digital services, Federal News Radio reported Monday.

GSA Administrator Denise Turner Roth announced the launch of the TechFAR Hub during her keynote speech at the National Contract Management Association’s conference Sunday in Orlando, Florida, Tom Temin writes.

The online portal will serve as a “central location for digital services acquisition… advice to contracting people,” said Roth, an inductee into Executive Mosaic’s Wash100 for 2016.

She also announced that GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service plans to introduce updates to Schedule 70 contract vehicle for information technology products and services, Temin reports.

These include the plan to roll out a new special item number for cybersecurity offerings on Sept. 30 as well as the launch of the Fast Lane program that aims to streamline the admission process for technology firms into Schedule 70, according to the report.

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John Sopko: DoD, State Dept, USAID Have Invested Over $2.6B in Afghanistan ICT Sector Since 2002
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John Sopko: DoD, State Dept, USAID Have Invested Over $2.6B in Afghanistan ICT Sector Since 2002


John Sopko
John Sopko

John Sopko, special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction, has issued a report that says the U.S. Agency for International Development and the departments of Defense and State have invested more than $2.6 billion in Afghanistan’s information and communications technology sector since 2002.

Sopko said in the audit report dated July 19 DoD obligated at least $2.5 billion in the Afghan ICT industry in support of the Afghan national defense and security forces’ communication requirements.

The report said the State Department allocated more than $83 million in funds to support the country’s rule of law development efforts and media sector, while USAID invested more than $44 million to raise Afghan ministries’ ICT capacity.

Sopko’s SIGAR office noted that the entire scope of U.S. programs to support the Afghan ICT sector is unknown because DoD, State and USAID were not required to monitor projects through a central database.

The three agencies also established units to coordinate their efforts to support the country’s ICT sector, according to the report.

DoD coordinated programs through the telecommunications working group, which has continued to conduct meetings under the U.S. Embassy’s supervision since 2014.

The State managed its ICT programs for Afghanistan through the Afghanistan Reconstruction Group that operated between 2004 and 2008, according to the report.

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Michael Huerta: FAA Creates Cyber Committee to Prepare Against Nat’l Airspace Disruption
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Michael Huerta: FAA Creates Cyber Committee to Prepare Against Nat’l Airspace Disruption


Michael Huerta
Michael Huerta

The Federal Aviation Administration has established a cybersecurity streering committee to help prevent disruptions in the national airspace system and manage FAA networks connected to next-generation platforms, Federal Times reported Wednesday.

Aaron Boyd writes Michael Huerta, FAA administrator, told the station the administration has deployed next generation programs such as the Data Communications platform, or Data Comm, to create links between the FAA system, airline operations center and the aircraft’s systems.

“NextGen is a very complex system but at its core what we are doing is supplementing and replacing a radar-based system,” said Huerta.

“We’re doing a lot in that area but a lot of it is through constant surveillance and data sharing but also penetration testing,” he added.

The report added the FAA is working with industry vendors and has put together forums to bring together users and share information.

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William Galinis Succeeds David Gale to Lead Navy’s Program Executive Office – Ships
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William Galinis Succeeds David Gale to Lead Navy’s Program Executive Office – Ships


U.S. NavyRear Adm. William Galinis has officially taken the lead of the U.S. Navy’s Program Executive Office – Ships during a ceremony July 20 at the Washington Navy Yard.

He succeeded Rear Adm. David Gale, who led PEO Ships since June 2014 and oversaw shipbuilding for vessels such as surface combatants, amphibious and logistics support ships, support craft and related foreign military sales, the Navy said Thursday.

Galinis has served as deputy commander for surface warfare of the Naval Sea Systems Command, commander of the Navy Regional Maintenance Center, LPD 17 program manager, supervisor of shipbuilding for the Gulf Coast and commanding officer of Norfolk Ship Support Activity.

Galinis also took tours as a damage control assistant aboard USS Vreeland and as an engineer officer aboard USS Roark as a surface warfare officer.

He also held waterfront, program and staff roles with the supervisor of shipbuilding for conversion and repair in New Orleans, the Board of Inspection and Survey, the DD 21 program office, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations and the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Shipbuilding.

HHS Issues Guide to Protect Electronic Health Info from Ransomware
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HHS Issues Guide to Protect Electronic Health Info from Ransomware


health infosecThe Department of Health and Human Services has released new guidance to help healthcare organizations protect electronic health information systems from ransomware attacks.

HHS’ civil rights office developed the guidance to identify electronically-protected health information threats, mitigate the identified risks, implement security procedures, train users to detect malware, control ePHI access and maintain a disaster recovery plan, the HHS said July 11.

The guidance is part of efforts to help healthcare organizations comply with the requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

Other topics introduced by the guidance cover potential ways to understand and detect ransomware, implement security responses and mitigate impacts of ransomware.

HHS noted that ransomware works to encrypt data and demand ransom payment in the form of a cryptocurrency from the victim user in exchange for the decryption key.

“HIPAA covered entities and business associates are required to develop and implement security incident procedures and response and reporting processes that are reasonable and appropriate to respond to malware and other security incidents,” HHS said.

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Philippines Drops Reference to Arbitration Court’s South China Sea Decision in ASEAN Joint Statement
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Philippines Drops Reference to Arbitration Court’s South China Sea Decision in ASEAN Joint Statement

NavyShipsThe Philippines has agreed to drop the mention of a United Nations-backed court’s decision on a legal challenge with China over South China Sea in an Association of Southeast Asian Nations communique after Cambodia expressed objections to the judgment, Reuters reported Monday.

Michael Martina and Manuel Mogato write the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled on July 12 in favor of the Philippines over maritime disputes in South China Sea.

Diplomats told Reuters Cambodia also supported China’s demand for bilateral talks to address such disputes amid the meeting of foreign ministers from 10 ASEAN member countries in Vientiane, Laos.

ASEAN and China issued a separate statement that seeks to express commitment to freedom of overflight and navigation over the disputed waters, according to the report.

U.S. State Secretary John Kerry arrived Monday in Laos to attend the ASEAN regional forum and East Asia summit and is expected to tackle maritime conflicts over South China Sea with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, Martina and Mogato report.

David Shear, assistant defense secretary for Asian and Pacific security affairs, cited some of the Defense Department’s strategies to address disputes in South China Sea.

These approaches include the expansion of regional visibility through intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions and defense cooperation with allies in Asia such as Japan, Australia and the Philippines.

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FCC Names Thomas Power, Christopher Murphy to Lead World Radiocommunication Conference Panel
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FCC Names Thomas Power, Christopher Murphy to Lead World Radiocommunication Conference Panel


FCCSealThe Federal Communications Commission has appointed Thomas Power, a CTIA senior vice president, and Christopher Murphy, ViaSat regulatory affairs associate general counsel, as chair and vice chair of World Radiocommunication Conference 2019 advisory council.

The FCC said Thursday the committee will work to provide advice, technical support and proposals with regards to the WRC-19.

Power served as the U.S. deputy chief technology officer for telecommunications in the White House office of science and technology, national telecommunications and information administration chief of staff at the Commerce Department and was a senior legal adviser to then-FCC Chairman William Kennard prior to CTIA.

Murphy was Inmarsat‘s vice president for government affairs before he joined ViaSat and assisted the FCC’s international bureau on broadcast and mobile satellite licensing issues for the past 10 years.

American Public Power Association, DOE Sign Pact for Collaborative Electric Vehicle Adoption Efforts
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American Public Power Association, DOE Sign Pact for Collaborative Electric Vehicle Adoption Efforts


clean-energyWashington-based nonprofit organization American Public Power Association has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Energy Department to provide electricity for personal and fleet transportation in public power communities throughout the country.

DOE said Friday the two organizations will pursue collaborative efforts to help electric vehicle adoption progress and charge infrastructure deployment for private vehicles, commercial fleets, transportation for passengers and commerce as well as other efforts to help promote grid-sourced electricity as a transportation fuel.

“With the clean energy revolution accelerating and the electric vehicle market growing, it is critical that we expand cooperation as part of our EV Everywhere Grand Challenge,” said David Friedman, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy acting assistant secretary.

“With this MOU, we are eager to work together to electrify transportation with clean and renewable power in our biggest cities and smallest towns,” he added.

DOE added the partnership will build on its EV Everywhere Grand Challenge that works to make plug-in EVs as affordable as 2012 gasoline-powered vehicles by 2022.

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