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DoD Gives Extension for Vendors to Implement NIST Cloud Security Requirements
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DoD Gives Extension for Vendors to Implement NIST Cloud Security Requirements


cloud securityThe Defense Department has issued an interim rule that amends a provision in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement to enable contractors to implement National Institute of Standards and Technology security requirements through Dec. 31, 2017.

A notice posted Wednesday on the Federal Register indicated that the extension is in response to industry feedback on another DFARS interim rule issued in August.

The initial interim rule covered vendor compliance with cloud security requirements under NIST Special Publication 800-171 to safeguard defense information on contractor systems.

This latest interim rule also requires vendors to report unmet NIST SP 800-171 requirements to the DoD chief information officer within 30 days of the contract award.

According to the notice, public comments to the interim rule are due Feb. 29.

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Report: Navy to Terminate ‘Red Wolves’ Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron
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Report: Navy to Terminate ‘Red Wolves’ Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron


ArmyChopperThe U.S. Navy will remove one of its two reserve helicopter sea combat squadrons from service in March as part of a reorganization program, Navy Times reported Sunday.

Meghann Myers writes the military branch has decided to decommission the Norfolk, Virginia-based HSC-84 Red Wolves and retain the San Diego-headquartered HSC-85 Firehawks.

HSC-84 has performed special operations with HH-60H helicopters and is a recipient of 120 Air Medals with Valor, 13 Bronze Stars and three Distinguished Flying Crosses, Myers reports.

Lt. j.g. Kara Yingling, a Navy spokesperson, told the publication that the branch also plans to establish two tactical units to fly MH-60S helicopters and support missions on the East Coast and West Coast.

“The TSU construct is still being finalized, but each TSU might have up to billets for 79 officers and enlisted,” Yingling added, according to the report.

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Timothy Bennett: DHS Eyes Drone Testing Program Consolidation
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Timothy Bennett: DHS Eyes Drone Testing Program Consolidation


droneTimothy Bennett, a program manager at the Department of Homeland Security’s science and technology directorate, has said DHS plans to merge two testing initiatives for unmanned aerial systems in an effort to improve border protection, Inside Unmanned Systems reported.

Dee Ann Divis writes Bennett said at a Center for Strategic and International Studies meeting held Dec. 16 that the department will combine the Robotic Aircraft for Public Safety program with the Robotic Aircraft for Maritime Public Safety initiative.

DHS will perform the second phase of the RAPS program at Fort Sill, Oklahoma on Jan. 11 to test the functions of drones in border patrol missions.

Bennett noted that the agency will carry out the RAMPS 1B demonstration in June as well as work with NATO and other allied countries to research and develop other UAS applications through the RAMPS program’s third phase, Divis reports.

DHS’ S&T directorate will also work to facilitate UAS-based communications between the Coast Guard and the Customs and Border Protection through the adoption of common control systems and data links, Bennett added.

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Pentagon Wants to Streamline Enterprise-Wide Project Requirements
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Pentagon Wants to Streamline Enterprise-Wide Project Requirements


DoD logo resizeThe Defense Department is seeking to adopt joint enterprise licensing agreements in a move to reduce program costs, Federal Times reported Wednesday.

John Edwards and Eve Keiser write JELAs require DoD to combine all project requirements into a single agreement that addresses all of the defense organizations’ needs.

Organizations with similar requirements will forge licensing agreements with government contracting companies under the approach, according to the report.

Federal Times reports DoD wants to apply JELAs to high volume deployments as part of the department’s transition to commercial cloud and cyber.

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Navy Capt. David Manero Named Defense Attache to Russia
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Navy Capt. David Manero Named Defense Attache to Russia


U.S. NavyU.S. Navy Capt. David Manero, special assistant to the Defense Intelligence Agency, has been appointed defense attache to Russia.

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and Adm. John Richardson, chief of naval operations, announced Manero’s new assignment in a Defense Department news release published Thursday.

The Navy Attache Affairs office screens and selects the candidates who will represent the service branch to international governments.

President Barack Obama also endorsed Manero’s promotion to the rank of rear admiral in April 2015.

The nearly 30-year Navy veteran also serves as integration branch head for international affairs at the chief of naval operations office.

He previously served as chief of the Europe division and security cooperation programs division of the U.S. European Command.

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Joshua Skule to Serve as FBI HQ Intell Directorate Assistant Director
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Joshua Skule to Serve as FBI HQ Intell Directorate Assistant Director

FBIJoshua Skule, a 17-year veteran of the FBI, has been appointed as assistant director of the bureau’s intelligence directorate in its Washington headquarters.

He was most recently in charge of the intelligence division at FBI’s Washington field office, the bureau said Monday.

Skule joined the bureau in 1998 as a Chicago-based special agent focused on violent crimes and public corruption cases and later elevated to leadership roles within the counterterrorism division.

After that, he oversaw investigations related to organized and violent crimes, cyberspace and gang activities at the bureau’s criminal division in Washington.

Skule assumed the role of section chief at CTD in 2012 and was promoted to deputy assistant director of the same unit a year later before he became head of the Washington field office’s intelligence division in September 2014.

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Rachel Flagg: GSA Develops New Tool to Collect, Evaluate Federal Customer Feedback
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Rachel Flagg: GSA Develops New Tool to Collect, Evaluate Federal Customer Feedback

GSAThe General Services Administration has rolled out a government customer experience index for agency personnel to gauge the experience of other agencies and citizens that receive GSA’s digital and technical services.

Rachel Flagg, a program analyst at GSA, wrote in a blog entry posted Dec. 28 that GCXi is designed to “measure overall satisfaction, customer loyalty and ease of use for all our programs, as well as task completion for our websites.”

GSA’s Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies used the index during a 2015 survey of almost 9,000 customers across the government.

“We shared the survey data with the entire staff, and we instituted an action planning process to help our program managers evaluate the feedback and take strategic, data-driven action to follow up on the findings,” she stated.

The agency has also learned through GCXi that there is still room for improvement in the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, Electronic Capital Planning and Investment Control system and Digital Analytics Program, according to Flagg.

Profile: Stephanie Devaney, White House Precision Medicine Initiative Project Manager
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Profile: Stephanie Devaney, White House Precision Medicine Initiative Project Manager


$headshot Devaney_StephanieStephanie Devaney serves as the project manager for the Precision Medicine Initiative of the White House’s Office of the Chief of Staff and helps coordinate the program’s components.

Devaney was previously as a science policy analyst in the Office of the Director at the National Institutes of Health, where she helped to develop research programs such as the Precision Medicine Initiative.

She also served as a staff policy researcher at the Genetics and Public Policy Center at Johns Hopkins University, where she conducted studies on pharmacogenetics and drug labeling technologies, as well as analyzed non-invasive fetal gender genetic tests.

Devaney earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the Ohio State University and a doctor in philosophy in molecular genetics from the George Washington University.

Profile: Lt. Gen. Mark Bowman, Joint Staff C4/Cyber Director
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Profile: Lt. Gen. Mark Bowman, Joint Staff C4/Cyber Director

 

Mark Bowman
Lt. Gen. Mark Bowman

U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Mark Bowman serves as the director of command, control, communications and computers/cyber for the Joint Staff at the Pentagon.

The 37-year Army veteran oversees analysis and assessment, combined force C4 guidance and C4 requirement evaluation work for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

He was previously the director of architecture, operations, networks and space within the Office of the Army CIO, where he oversaw work to implement a U.S. Army network in a joint environment.

Bowman has also held various joint and operational assignments, and commanded at company and signal brigade levels at the Army.

He was the commander of D Company, 6th battalion, 1st Signal Training Brigade; 54th Signal Battalion, Saudi Arabia; Joint Staff Support Center, Defense Information Systems Agency; and 11th Signal Brigade.

 

Profile: Rear Adm. Douglas Morton, Director of Energy & Environmental Readiness for OPNAV
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Profile: Rear Adm. Douglas Morton, Director of Energy & Environmental Readiness for OPNAV


morton_doug_smallU.S. Navy Rear Adm. Douglas Morton has served as the director of the energy and environmental readiness division (N45) at the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations since April and is based in Washington.

He is formerly the deputy for security cooperation at the Office of the Defense Representative for Pakistan and commander of the Naval Facilities Engineering Command – Atlantic.

He has been a member of the Navy’s Civil Engineer Corps since 1983.

Morton has also served in overseas command tours in Guam and Southwest Asia, facilities assignments in Puerto Rico and various staff assignments across the Navy organization.

He was director of the Naval Civil Engineer Corps Officers School’s facilities planning academic division, executive officer of NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic as well as chief of staff and Seabee policy and doctrine branch head for NAVFAC.

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