Doug Bush Says Army Faces New System Training & Resources Challenges
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Doug Bush Says Army Faces New System Training & Resources Challenges

Doug Bush, assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology, said the service branch is facing challenges with resources and affordability when it comes to training warfighters on new systems, Breaking Defense reported Tuesday.

Bush said a piece of gear that is “very difficult to train” on is not going to be as effective or, if it’s too expensive to train on, is “not going to be as affordable for the Army to do at scale.”

“Millions of people, hundreds of thousands of soldiers. So affordability there becomes a key factor for us, especially when we’re developing new systems,” the 2023 Wash100 awardee continued.

The Army is also working to fully ingest and understand how to use and train with artificial intelligence to enhance productivity and efficiency across the service.

“So the Army’s got efforts underway — the other services do as well — to build our capacity to fully ingest and understand how they’ve developed and actually make sure we understand what we’re being offered or what we’re proposing to use in the area of AI,” Bush said.

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DOD Invests in South Star to Bolster US Graphite Supply Chain; Laura Taylor-Kale Quoted
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DOD Invests in South Star to Bolster US Graphite Supply Chain; Laura Taylor-Kale Quoted

The U.S. Department of Defense has teamed with South Star Battery Metals Corporation, a company that manages several graphite mining projects.

Funds provided through the $3.2 million agreement will support South Star’s production of Coated, Spheronized, Purified Graphite, or CSPG, at their Coosa County, Alabama-located BamaStar Graphite Project, the DOD said on Wednesday.

“As one of our first awards to a Canadian company in the battery materials sector, this award exemplifies our combined commitment to strengthening our battery material supply chains and global approach to industrial base resilience,” said Laura Tayor-Kale, assistant secretary of defense for industrial base policy.

The agreement was made under the Defense Production Act Title III program, which aims to build, defend and revitalize necessary industrial base capabilities. Taylor-Kale called the investment, which also used funds appropriated by the Inflation Reduction Act, “another example of the critical importance” of DPA investment authorities.

Under the agreement, South Star will conduct a bankable feasibility study assessing all stages of the process, beginning with mining and ending with production of CSPG. The company will consider economic and environmental, social and governance criteria during the study.

Once the study is complete, South Star intends to build a downstream battery-grade processing facility in the southeast U.S. The new installation would convert concentrates from the BamaStar mine location into CSPG to be used as raw materials for domestic lithium-ion battery anode production.

This agreement is one of 23 awards made through the DPA Investment Program, which has issued $717.5 million in total funds.

DOD Invests in South Star to Bolster US Graphite Supply Chain; Laura Taylor-Kale Quoted

Learn more about how the DOD is investing in the production of advanced technologies at the Potomac Officers Club’s 10th Annual Defense R&D Summit on Jan. 31, 2024. To learn more and register to attend the event, click here.

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SDA Conducts Link 16 Tactical Data Network Demonstration; Derek Tournear Quoted
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SDA Conducts Link 16 Tactical Data Network Demonstration; Derek Tournear Quoted

The Space Development Agency has demonstrated space-to-ground connectivity using the Link 16 tactical data network.

SDA said Tuesday operators were able to transmit tactical messages from L-band radios aboard the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture’s Tranche 0 Transport Layer satellites to terrestrial radios at a ground test site within the territory of a Five Eyes partner country.

The operators working with the agency performed passive and active Link 16 network entry during the three demonstrations conducted between Nov. 21 to Nov. 27.

“I can’t underscore enough the significance of this technical achievement as we demonstrate the feasibility of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture and its ability to deliver space-based capabilities to the warfighter over existing tactical data links,” said Derek Tournear, director of SDA and a previous Wash100 awardee.

“This is not only the first time Link 16 has been broadcast from space, but the beginning of turning the world’s finest warfighting force into a truly connected beyond line-of-sight joint force,” added Tournear.

Link 16 is a communication system that enables the U.S., NATO and other coalition forces to share situational awareness data in real time.

Starting in late 2024, SDA intends to deploy PWSA Tranche 1 satellites. The first tranche will include 126 Transport Layer satellites, 35 Tracking spacecraft and 12 tactical demonstration satellites.

The PWSA Transport Layer serves as the foundation of Joint All Domain Command and Control in space.

SDA Conducts Link 16 Tactical Data Network Demonstration; Derek Tournear Quoted

Tournear will deliver the keynote address at Potomac Officers Club’s forthcoming 2024 Space Summit, to be held in the Tysons Corner, Virginia area on March 5. Save your spot now!

Senate Bill to Renew Section 702 Surveillance Authority With Reform Measures
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Senate Bill to Renew Section 702 Surveillance Authority With Reform Measures

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has proposed a bipartisan bill that would reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act — also known as FISA — through 2035 and introduce reforms when it comes to criminal queries, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.

The bill would prohibit FBI agents from searching the 702 database for evidence of a crime unless the investigation seeks to avoid a cyberattack on critical infrastructure or prevent loss of life.

According to the Post, the legislation would create a FISA Reform Commission to make assessments and offer recommendations and codify changes that the bureau has considered as measures to prevent intentional and accidental abuses.

“I think that the compromise product that we’ve got is pretty darn good, and it pushes the administration further than I think they want to go, but that’s what they can live with,” Warner told the Post. “So we’re actually in a pretty decent spot there.”

Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., were among the bill’s co-sponsors.

Ken Hofgesang, SAIC’s Vice President and HHS Account Manager is a Speaker for the 2023 Healthcare Summit
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Ken Hofgesang, SAIC’s Vice President and HHS Account Manager is a Speaker for the 2023 Healthcare Summit

Ken Hofgesang is a premier health and technology leader with more than two decades of experience. For the majority of his career, he has held increasing responsibilities at SAIC, honing skills in program management, software development, and healthcare systems. Currently, Mr. Hofgesang serves as the Vice President and HHS Account Manager. 

 

Catch SAIC’s Vice President and HHS Account Manager Ken Hofgesang as one of the speakers at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2023 Healthcare Summit.

 

On December 6, 2023, Mr. Hofgesang is set to be the keynote introducer at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2023 Healthcare Summit. His wide range of competencies makes him a sought-after leader for conversations regarding technological advancements across public and private healthcare sectors.

 

Delve into the professional profile of Ken Hofgesang and his importance to the annual healthcare summit.

 

Who is Ken Hofgesang?

 

Ken Hofgesang
Image from LinkedIn

 

Ken Hofgesang is the Vice President and HHS Account Manager at SAIC. He has served in this role since September 2022. Mr. Hofgesang also assumes the responsibility of Senior Program Director of Program Management, a position he has held since June 2006.

 

Mr. Hofgesang initially joined SAIC as a software engineer, a role he held from November 2004 to August 2006. Prior to joining SAIC, he served as a software developer at VillageWorks from January 2001 to November 2004.

 

Educational background

 

  • Bachelor of Science in Computer Science at Mount St. Mary’s University (1996–2000)
  • Master of Science in Computer Science at Hood College (2009–2013)

 

List of licenses and certificates

 

  • Project Management Professional from Project Management Institute (Issued 2013)
  • ITIL Foundation Level from AXELOS Global Best Practice

 

Ken Hofgesang’s development of IT-enabled health solutions for mental health research

 

Ken Hofgesang's development of IT-enabled health solutions for mental health research
Photo Contributor: TippaPatt/Shutterstock

 

Ken Hofgesang is renowned for his IT-enabled health solutions that pushed forward mental health research. In 2020, he managed SAIC’s IT support initiatives for the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), helping the government and university scientists study mental illnesses.

 

“They frequently hit certain roadblocks, whether it’s high-performance computing or high-capacity storage. We come up with innovative ways to help them,” Ken Hofgesang said. 

 

Under Mr. Hofgesang’s management, SAIC provided the ability to track clinical trials and patient safety data. His development of IT-enabled health solutions also allowed access to past studies through custom data center management applications.

 

Other services packaged in the full-range IT solutions offered by SAIC to NIMH include:

 

  • Custom software tool
  • Enterprise architecture
  • Infrastructure support
  • Help desk support
  • Procurement systems

 

NIMH is one of the 27 institutions under the National Institutes of Health. Specifically, the health institution focuses on understanding and developing treatments for various mental illnesses, such as autism, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

 

What is SAIC?

 

SAIC logo
Image from Wikimedia

 

SAIC is a technology company with a demonstrated portfolio for the nation’s digital transformation initiatives. The company has established a proven track record for its expertise and understanding of emerging and existing technologies in defense, space, civilian, homeland security, healthcare, and more.

 

Ken Hofgesang: Introducer for the 2023 Healthcare Summit

 

Ken Hofgesang joins a roster of paramount executives who have poured a significant amount of time and effort into the healthcare industry. He is scheduled to be the morning keynote introducer for keynote speaker Rear Admiral Tracy Farrill, the Interim Director at Defense Health Network Continental of the Defense Health Agency for the 2023 Healthcare Summit.

 

Other key executives joining the annual summit include Lisa Gardner, Vice President of Federal Civilian Services at Noblis; Colonel Thomas Patrick Flanders, Chief Information Officer and Program Executive Officer at the Defense Health Agency; and Darrell LaRoche, Deputy Director for Management Operations at Indian Health Service; among others.

 

Secure a slot for the 2023 Healthcare Summit, organized by the Potomac Officers Club, to learn more about topics related to the importance of technologies, such as AI, data sharing, human-centered design, and digital transformation, in the healthcare industry.

 

The 2023 Healthcare Summit

 

2023 Healthcare Summit

 

  • Organizer: Potomac Officers Club
  • Date: December 6, 2023 (7:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m. – ET)
  • Location: Falls Church Marriott Fairview Park, 3111 Fairview Park Drive, Falls Church, VA 22042
  • Sponsors: LMI, SAIC, Noblis, LCG, and netskope

 

The Potomac Officers Club has organized the 2023 Healthcare Summit to discuss the transformational changes happening in the public and private healthcare sectors. At the onset of the global pandemic, the industry has experienced shifting patient needs, evolving threats, and the rise of new technologies.

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ORNL Joins Trillion Parameter Consortium to Develop AI for Scientific Research
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ORNL Joins Trillion Parameter Consortium to Develop AI for Scientific Research

Oak Ridge National Laboratory has joined a global consortium of research teams that aims to advance the development of large-scale generative artificial intelligence models for scientific discovery.

ORNL said Monday it will bring its expertise in developing trustworthy and energy-efficient AI systems to support the Trillion Parameter Consortium‘s — or TPC’s — goals for responsible AI use and development.

The laboratory will assist the consortium in building an open community of researchers interested in creating large-scale generative AI models, launching and coordinating projects across the AI and scientific community and creating a global network of resources and expertise to support the development of next-generation AI systems.

TPC researchers aim to use exascale supercomputers to train large language models on scientific research, including scientific codes, papers and observational and experimental data.

ORNL is home to the exascale supercomputer Frontier, which helps facilitate AI-based algorithms and simulations.

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NASA to Fly Galaxy-Scanning Mission Above the Antarctic During Annual Long Duration Balloon Campaign
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NASA to Fly Galaxy-Scanning Mission Above the Antarctic During Annual Long Duration Balloon Campaign

The Galactic/Extragalactic ULDB Spectroscopic Terahertz Observatory — a.k.a. GUSTO — mission, managed by NASA’s Explorers Program Office at Goddard Space Flight Center, is set to fly on the agency’s annual Antarctic Long Duration Balloon Campaign, which will begin around Dec. 1.

GUSTO, which is headed by University of Arizona’s Christopher Walker, aims to map a portion of the Milky Way galaxy while flying over Antarctica aboard a scientific balloon, NASA said Monday.

The portion of the galaxy to be scanned includes the galactic center and the Large Magellanic Cloud. The sensors that will be used are capable of detecting emission lines that would provide researchers insights regarding the lifecycle of the interstellar medium.

“The environment and stratospheric wind conditions provide a unique and valuable opportunity to fly missions in a near-space environment for days or weeks at a time,” NASA Balloon Program Office acting chief Andrew Hamilton explained.

Apart from GUSTO, this year’s balloon campaign will support four other missions.

“The BPO team is excited to provide support to all our missions this year,” Hamilton said.

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VA Begins Market Research for Data & Analytics Integrated Modernization & Operations Program
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VA Begins Market Research for Data & Analytics Integrated Modernization & Operations Program

The Department of Veterans Affairs has started soliciting information on potential vendors that could support the Office of Information and Technology’s — a.k.a. OI&T — Data and Analytics Integrated Modernization and Operations, or DAIMO, requirement.

DAIMO will support the mission of the product engineering service for data and analytics, or PES DA, pillar within OI&T to provide an integrated ecosystem of interoperable data management, discovery and analytics tools that facilitate evidence-based decision-making across the VA enterprise, according to a request for information published Friday.

Through DAIMO, VA intends to consolidate the development, modernization and sustainment of products and programs executed by PES DA, which oversees the data and analytics product line to promote the accurate sharing of data products that enable the delivery of healthcare and benefits to veterans, according to the draft performance work statement.

Interested offerors should state their experience with developing Master Data Management platforms to consolidate and synchronize core customer data across multiple disparate sources and provide examples of their experience creating artificial intelligence- and machine learning-enabled capabilities to detect data anomalies and trigger a system response to prevent data corruption.

VA also wants information on data science and analytics uses that cross data functional teams and experience of potential vendors when it comes to operating cloud-based and legacy systems and developing synthetic test data to mock partner systems and support performance testing.

Responses to the RFI are due Dec. 1.

POC - 2023 Healthcare Summit

Find out the latest healthcare technology trends at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2023 Healthcare Summit on Dec. 6. Register here to attend this important event.

Army Releases Doctrinal Publication Focused on Achieving Information Advantage
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Army Releases Doctrinal Publication Focused on Achieving Information Advantage

The U.S. Army has released its first doctrinal publication outlining the service branch’s efforts and priorities to take advantage of data and information technologies during military operations and at home station.

Army Doctrine Publication 3-13, Information, sets the fundamental principles for creating and exploiting information advantages to achieve mission objectives while hindering adversaries’ ability to do the same, the service branch said Monday.

ADP 3-13 focuses on five activities to achieve information advantage: enable military activities for enhancing command and control; protect data, information and networks; provide informed perceptions of military operations and activities; influence the behavior of foreign relevant actors; and hinder adversaries’ capabilities to communicate and conduct information warfare.

“Operations now require leaders to consider how information enables operations, how to protect friendly information, how to employ information against an enemy or adversary, and how to attack the enemy’s ability to use information effectively,” said Richard Creed, director of Combined Arms Center’s Combined Arms Doctrine Directorate.

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Andrew Mara Named National Security Analysis Department Head at Johns Hopkins APL
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Andrew Mara Named National Security Analysis Department Head at Johns Hopkins APL

Andrew Mara, most recently executive vice president at the Center for Naval Analyses, has joined the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory as head of its national security analysis department, commonly referred to as the NSAD.

In this capacity, he will oversee a 200-person department that conducts analyses on national security issues for APL and its government sponsors, the laboratory said Monday.

“Andrew Mara is an accomplished researcher and leader whose analyses have guided some of our nation’s most critical national security strategy and investment decisions,” said APL Director Ralph Semmel.

Mara also served as director of the systems, tactics and force development division at CNA.

Prior to CNA, he spent 10 years at the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation Office, where he led strategic analyses on missile defense, nuclear command and control systems and space force structure assessment, among others.

Mara also served as a Science and Technology Policy Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science within the National Defense University’s Center for Technology and National Security Policy.

NSAD is focused on providing analytical capabilities for senior government leaders and operational commanders to help inform decisions related to advanced capabilities, technology and policy, architectures and complex systems and operations.

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