Ideas
Tapping Flournoy as SecDef Would Be a Really Big Deal
A natsec black belt and outstanding leader, the former policy undersecretary would also be uniquely positioned to implement some long-overdue personnel changes.
Science & Tech
US Army Wants Data Analytics to Spot ‘Emerging Tech Leaders’
The Army plans to issue a call later this month through its Small Business Innovation Research program.
Threats
Coronavirus Cases Are Spiking at Federal Agencies
More than 100,000 federal personnel have now tested positive for COVID-19, with some agencies experiencing acute upticks.
Policy
Rolling Back Trump's Workforce Policies Won't Be Simple
President-elect Biden has vowed to rescind on his first day a series of Trump-era directives aimed at weakening federal labor unions and politicizing the civil service, but repairing the damage could take much longer.
Ideas
A Simple Veterans Day Proposal for the Incoming Administration
Send every political appointee to visit Arlington National Cemetery — with someone who served.
Policy
Trump Installs Senate-Rejected Retired General As Pentagon Policy Chief
Anthony Tata moves up one grade level — with some limits attached.
Policy
Trump Fires Esper, Taps NCTC Director to be Acting SecDef
Christopher Miller becomes Trump's fourth acting defense secretary just 72 days before Inauguration Day.
Ideas
Whatever Happens in the Election, Get Ready for a Rocky Transition
Trump says if he loses, he won’t help hand over power, and if he wins, he'll root out government employees he deems disloyal to him.
Policy
Administration Rushes Out Guidelines for Ending Civil Service Protections
Just two days after the executive order, initial instructions are issued on converting career federal policy-making positions to at-will appointments.
Policy
‘Stunning’ Executive Order Enables Politicized Civil Service
President Trump's new directive allows thousands of federal jobs now filled through competition to be turned into at-will positions.
Ideas
The US Navy Has Drifted Badly Off Course
Three main failures are imperiling the sea service, writes the service’s former chief learning officer.
Ideas
Combat Leaders Go Through Hell to Learn About Risk. The Acquisition Corps Should Do the Same
One reason the “culture of innovation” hasn’t taken proper hold at the Pentagon is that its buyers aren’t trained over and over to weigh uncertainties.
Policy
Pentagon to Employees: How Can We Boost Diversity?
The request is part of Defense Secretary Mark Esper’s overhaul of personnel practices.
Ideas
Trump: Americans Who Died in War Are ‘Losers’ and ‘Suckers’
The president has repeatedly disparaged the intelligence of service members, and asked that wounded veterans be kept out of military parades, multiple sources tell The Atlantic.
Ideas
Fear of a Black General?
The case of one superstar colonel doesn’t prove anything about the Marines. But the larger pattern is worrisome.
Threats
The Pandemic is Pushing the Pentagon Toward Classified Telework
The risk-averse agency has cracked small-scale remote handling of secret and top-secret information. The challenge is doing it at scale.
Policy
Top Two Homeland Security Officials Are Serving Illegally, GAO Rules
Both acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf and second in command Ken Cuccinelli were unlawfully appointed to their posts, watchdog says.
Ideas