Defense One
'Mass Chaos': Diplomats Warned Obama Syria Was Inevitable
For months, diplomats told the White House to get involved in Syria, or pay a greater price down the road. Well, here we are. By Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
Pay & Benefits
Postal Service IG Puts Retirement and Leave Benefits Under the Microscope
USPS auditor pursues private-sector advice on ways to reduce costs.
Management
Obama Stocks Administration With Crusaders Against Climate Change
Stymied by Congress, the president is relying on executive action.
Management
Finding Common Ground at the FAA
Air traffic control modernization has hinged on putting aside labor-management strife.
Defense One
Syrian Rebel Commander Idris Prepared to Testify to Congress
Supporters say they may bring Syria’s rebels leaders from the front lines to the witness tables of Capitol Hill, should Congress balk. By Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
Nextgov
What Do HHS Employees Really Think? Agency Will Pay Data Miners to Find Out
HHS wants a contractor to monitor internal social network to glean employee sentiments.
Oversight
Treasury IG Faces Its Own Lawsuit Alleging FOIA Violations
Government accountability group challenges refusal to confirm or deny documents' existence.
Pay & Benefits
Retirement Funds Return to the Red in August
All TSP investments except for government securities posted losses last month.
Management
A Record-High Number of Young People Are Still Living With Their Parents: Why?
A story about jobs, bachelors, bachelor's degrees -- and a very weird government definition of "home"
Nextgov
Find Out How Much Money Telework Is Saving Your Agency
New tool tracks return on investment for federal telework programs.
Defense
The U.S. Is Doing an Awful Lot of Spying on Pakistan
Pakistan appears to have created a real renaissance opportunity for America's spying apparatus, raising numerous red flags.
Nextgov
How a Simple Browser Extension Could Help You Ward Off the Syrian Electronic Army
Software protects against phishing scams.
Management
Why You Should Stress Your Employees Out
Office anxiety might not be as bad as it sounds.
Nextgov
Pentagon Planned to Secure Web Domains Before Syrians Hijacked Marine Corps Site
Pro-regime hacktivists apparently redirected visitors to a letter urging troops not to strike.
Retirement
Informed Investor: Deciding on Survivor Annuity Benefits, Part VI: Lump-Sum Credit
This last of six columns on survivor annuity elections discusses the lump-sum credit. The lump-sum credit is a refund of a decreased annuitant’s CSRS or FERS retirement contributions previously made while in service. The column also examines who is entitled to the lump-sum credit payment and how a beneficiary designation is made.
Industry Insights
Federal Survey Results: 6 Key Challenges to Adopting Shared Services & How to Overcome Them
The Federal IT Shared Services Strategy requires that federal agencies first look at existing systems and services before considering new IT investments, but many are having difficulty with the transformation. In a recent Government Business Council survey of 300 federal managers, just 44 percent of respondents indicated that their agencies are really “shared-first.” Identifying which services should be moved to a shared model and finding existing providers are among the top challenges facing today’s federal leaders.
Pay & Benefits
Obama Issues Plan for 1 Percent Pay Raise Next Year
Move comes in the absence of congressional action on ending the three-year federal pay freeze.
Nextgov
What Politicians Don't Tell You About Federal Employees
Meet 19 people who will make you rethink what government service is all about.
Pay & Benefits