FROM THE DESK OF CLEARANCEJOBS.COM
OPM update. Editor Lindy Kyzer reports, “The Office of Personnel Management announced this week it has completed its initial mailing of notifications to the more than 20 million affected in a July breach of federal background investigations. OPM was able to notify 93 percent of those affected . . . Government and industry officials have begun hinting at the results of that investigation, including the likelihood that background investigation oversight will likely move from OPM to a new agency.”
Squirrel tales. Contributor David Brown spins the yarn: “Before the dawn of fiber optics and communications satellites, transcontinental telephone traffic was transmitted using microwave relay stations in direct line-of-sight. Powerful dishes in adjacent cities would be pointed at one another and blast information back and forth. (They’re still used today, though in a much diminished capacity.) The CIA came up with a surprising, ingenious way of intercepting signals transmitted across the Soviet Union. Its codename was RHYOLITE. . . .”
THE FORCE AND THE FIGHT
Drone warriors. The Christian Science Monitor’s Anna Mulrine reports, “At the top-secret operations center here, Predator and Reaper drones scanning the skies of the Middle East stream back the data equivalent of two entire Library of Congress collections per day. It is the responsibility of thousands of college-age analysts here to pore over the intelligence, fulfilling the orders of ‘client’ commanders who may have questions about everything from the daily habits of Islamic State soldiers to the results of bombing campaigns.”
Coalition crumble. Vice News’ John Dyer reports, “Saudi Arabia’s coalition of Islamic countries against terrorism is starting to look like a paper tiger. A day after the kingdom announced with great fanfare that it would lead the 34-member alliance, a few of those so-called members announced that they weren’t necessarily part of it. ‘I think it’s a blunder on their part,’ said William Hartung, director of the Arms and Security Project at the Center for International Policy. ‘They assumed that if they called the tune other countries would fall in line.’”
Syrian rebel resupply. Reuters’ Phil Stewart reports, “The United States has delivered a fresh supply of ammunition to Syrian Arab fighters ahead of an expected stiff battle with Islamic State as they push toward the Syrian town of al-Shadadi, a key logistics hub for the group . . . . The munitions were shipped into Syria over land in recent days to Syrian Arab forces fighting in the northeast part of the country . . . . It appeared to be the third delivery of ammunition to the Syrian Arabs since the United States started supplying them with an airdrop in October.”
Women at West Point. Washington Post’s Thomas Gibbons-Neff reports, “Brig. Gen. Diana Holland is set to become the first female commandant of West Point’s Corps of Cadets . . . . She will assume command in the coming weeks, replacing Maj. Gen. John Thomson as the 76th commandant of cadets in the military academy’s history. . . . Holland, who will assume command on Jan. 5, 2016, graduated from West Point in 1990 as a lieutenant in the engineers unit. Currently, she is serving with the 10th Mountain Division out of Fort Drum, N.Y. as the unit’s Deputy Commanding General for support. Her role in that position is also a first for the Army.”
AQ coming out: Abu Salih. The Long War Journal’s Thomas Joscelyn reports, “Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) publicly identified one of its founding members for the first time in a video released earlier this month. Ibrahim Abu Salih (also known as Abu al Hassan al Hashimi) has been a jihadist for more than 35 years . . . . Abu Salih’s decision to come out from the shadows demonstrates that al Qaeda maintains a deep bench of leaders, many of whom remain unknown to the public more than 14 years after the 9/11 attacks.
Firing Squads. Also from Washington Post’s Thomas Gibbons-Neff, “On Nov. 11 1944, [Army Pvt. Eddie D. Slovik] went to court martial, where he was found guilty and sentenced to death. With frontline units engaged in heavy combat, Slovik’s division commander upheld the sentence. On Jan. 30, 1945, Slovik was put to death by firing squad, even after writing Supreme Allied Commander Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower for clemency — something that Eisenhower refused.”
CONTRACT WATCH
Apache optics. Military & Aerospace Electronics Editor John Keller reports, “Lockheed Martin Corp. won two contracts collectively worth $229.4 million Wednesday for work on an electro-optical fire-control system that help AH-64 Apache attack helicopter crews fire weapons accurately and navigate safely in bad weather and at night. . . . Fielded in 2005, M-TADS/PNVS increases standoff ranging for U.S. forces while providing air crews with greater resolution for pilotage and targeting, enhancing situational awareness, compared to previous versions of the system . . . .”
Oshkosh wins; Lockheed loses. UPI contributor Ryan Maass reports, “U.S. Army officials have directed Oshkosh Defense to resume work on Joint Light Tactical Vehicle production after Lockheed Martin’s protest was dismissed. . . . The direction to continue the $6.7 billion contract comes from the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command and Life Cycle Management Command, following Lockheed Martin’s protest of contract.”
TECH, PRIVACY, & SECRECY
Cybersecurity Act of 2015. Lawfare contributor Paul Rosenzweig reports, “We have white smoke. Finally, after 8 years of discussion Congress has passed a cybersecurity information sharing bill. The Cybersecurity Act of 2015 is Division N of the omnibus spending bill that will soon be enacted by Congress. Title I of that bill is the information sharing provisions. Let’s focus on that. Here are some of the highlights . . . .”
VA robotics. AP’s Julie Watson reports, “The Department of Veterans Affairs has agreed to pay for robotic legs that could allow scores of paralyzed veterans with spinal cord injuries to walk again. Veterans have been petitioning the VA to do this because many cannot afford the $77,000 needed to pay for the powered exoskeleton called the ReWalk. The device was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2014 for individuals to use at home. VA officials told The Associated Press that that the agency sent a memorandum Dec. 10 outlining its plans to train staff to be able to provide the ReWalk.”
NSA21: modernized. Government Executive’s Charles S. Clark reports, “Come January, employees of the National Security Agency will see the fruits of a 10-month ‘director’s charge’ review of the top-secret organization’s structure, its leader, Adm. Mike Rogers, said on Tuesday night. The modernization effort titled ‘NSA21,’ the first since the late 1990s, will address workforce development; collaboration and integration; innovation; and structure of the organization.”
