FROM THE DESK OF CLEARANCEJOBS.COM

HR overhaul. Contributor Jillian Hamilton reports, “The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is crying foul about a Pentagon’s proposal to revamp the civilian workforce’s policies and procedures for promotions, pay increases, and hiring. AFGE’s President David J. Cox calls this proposal ‘a flashback to the National Security Personnel System (NSPS).’ Cox considered NSPS to be ‘discriminatory and harmful to the workforce,’ so Congress repealed it within two years of the system going into effect.”

Networking work. Editor Lindy Kyzer advises, “Just randomly signing up for any career fair isn’t a great job search strategy. But doing your job search homework, identifying companies and recruiters you’d like to meet, and then networking with those individuals at an event – that’s a recipe for career success.”

THE FORCE AND THE FIGHT

Russia ops begin in Syria. Reuters’ Phil Stewart reports, “Russia has started flying drone aircraft on surveillance missions in Syria, U.S. . . . in what appeared to be Moscow’s first military air operations there since staging a rapid buildup at a Syrian air base. The beginning of Russian drone flights underscored the risks of U.S.-led coalition planes and Russian aircraft operating within Syria’s limited airspace, without agreeing on coordination or objectives in Syria’s civil war.”

Israel’s Russian détente. Defense News’ Barbara Opall-Rome reports, “In an attempt to assuage Israeli concerns about Moscow’s military buildup in Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday told visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the Syrian Army is in no position to threaten the Jewish state. ‘We know that the Syrian Army is in a situation where it is unable to open a new front. Our main purpose is to defend the Syrian state,’ Putin told Netanyahu prior to heading into extensive talks on implications of the Russian buildup at Israel’s north.”

CONTRACT WATCH

FLIR wins Navy $50 million. Military & Aerospace Electronics Editor John Keller reports, “U.S. Navy maritime surveillance experts needed upgraded long-range electro-optical forward-looking infrared sensors for surface warships operating in coastal waters and harbors. They found their solution from FLIR Systems Inc. in Billerica, Mass. Officials of the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Crane, Ind., announced a $49.9 million contract to FLIR Systems on Friday to provide Combatant Craft Forward Looking Infrared variant 2 (CCFLIR2) infrared and visible-light cameras.”

First, furlough all the contractors. Government Executive’s Charles S. Clark reports, “Though OMB may already be discussing shutdown preparations with agencies—with an eye toward funding the president’s priorities—it won’t publicize them until ‘the last minute,’ to avoid charges of encouraging the budget stalemate . . . . Contracting officers and contract administrative personnel are usually among the first agency employees furloughed . . . leaving contracts with no access to databases or email with agency managers—and contractors who work inside agencies may lose access to workspace.”

TECH, PRIVACY, & SECRECY

Cyber Command cyber-aptitude. Nextgov’s Aliya Sternstein reports, “As U.S. and Chinese leaders reportedly negotiate red lines in cyberspace, there is a hacker troop build-up playing out in their respective countries. . . . China’s People’s Liberation Army has the deeper bench, with an estimated 100,000 code warriors recruited over the past two decades, and the world’s most powerful supercomputer. By comparison, U.S. Cyber Command started from near-scratch in 2010 and wants to reach a force size of 6,200 by 2016.”

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Ed Ledford enjoys the most challenging, complex, and high stakes communications requirements. His portfolio includes everything from policy and strategy to poetry. A native of Asheville, N.C., and retired Army Aviator, Ed’s currently writing speeches in D.C. and working other writing projects from his office in Rockville, MD. He loves baseball and enjoys hiking, camping, and exploring anything. Follow Ed on Twitter @ECLedford.