Defense
Armed services having trouble finding qualified recruits
Leaders say percentage of military aged Americans interested in armed services is the lowest on record.
Pay & Benefits
Move over 'American Idol,' there’s a new contest in town -- FedPitch
Contestants get two minutes to pitch their ideas for better workforce management.
Defense
Passport system breach highlights shortcomings in agency privacy practices
House chairman seeks names of State Department contractors fired for inappropriately accessing presidential candidates’ files.
News
Wear and tear adds up on military aircraft
New F-22 and F-35 fighter aircraft are coming onstream, but the Air Force and Navy will be flying many 20-to-50-year-old planes for the foreseeable future.
Oversight
Contract award protests charging conflicts of interest on the rise
As agencies rely more on outside contractors to evaluate bids, GAO sees more complaints about bias.
Oversight
House GOP eager to strip debarment provision from contracting bill
Controversial amendment could prevent some major contractors from earning future government work, critics say.
Oversight
Independent panel recommends tighter access to radioactive materials
Stricter licensing process would reduce vulnerability to terrorism.
Pay & Benefits
OPM seeks enhanced hearing benefits in federal health plan
Move would follow last year’s move by most FEHBP carriers to provide hearing benefits to children up to age 22.
Pay & Benefits
The Five-Year Test
Details of the requirements for continuing federal health benefits into retirement.
Defense
Navy must start asking Congress for more money, says analyst
The service has been mum on extra funding needs for shipbuilding; inaccurate cost estimates are undermining credibility with lawmakers.
Tech
Software allows agencies to model disease, disaster response
New computer model creating "synthetic" United States enables tests of various strategies.
Oversight
Despite proclamations, earmarks continue
Flood of requests crashed committee's system, extending deadline into next week.
Oversight
Senators urge appropriators to add $350M for science
Money would be added to the upcoming fiscal 2008 war supplemental spending bill.
Oversight
Groups urge court to end use of national security letters
Filing comes one week after report revealed flawed and possibly illegal use of the security letters by the FBI.
Defense
On the sea and in the air, military bills come due
Air Force planes and Navy ships are reaching the end of their work lives, but current conflicts pinch new purchases.
Oversight
Public satisfaction with e-government hits lowest level since 2005
Rising user expectations rather than a decline in service could account for lower score.
Tech
Younger employees present challenge to information security, study shows
New generation of workers has more lax attitudes about technology than their older colleagues.
Pay & Benefits