Friday Finale & This Time Last Year: Jade Helm 15, Buhari Wins in Nigeria, Sonar-proof Subs

FROM THE DESK OF CLEARANCEJOBS.COM

Government Overhauls Classification System. Contributor David Brown brings us this special report: “In brief, you people can’t seem to keep your mouths shut about anything, and we can’t get the guys in J6 to solder the damn USB ports on anyone’s computers. Worse yet, the admins can’t tell which of you are copying bootleg movies and which are downloading the identities of covert operatives…The SECRET SQUIRREL working group recommendations are subject to final approval by SECRET SQUIRREL director, but should be studied in the event they are put into action.”

Foot in the door. Contributor Jennifer Cary says, “Once you have an idea of where you want to interview, you need to pin down a name. If you have a connection through friends or family, now is the time to use it. It’s much easier to get your foot in the door if you have someone who can personally introduce you to an expert.”

THE FORCE AND THE FIGHT

VA Commission on Care. Stars & Stripes’ Tom Philpott reports, “Seven of 15 outside health advisers appointed to recommend ways to improve veterans’ health services over the next two decades have proposed shutting down all Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers . . . . The American Legion noted that many commissioners are medical industry executives who stand to gain financially if VA care is privatized. Paralyzed Veterans of America said placing vets with special needs into private-sector care ;is a death sentence’ . . . .”

Warning to Pyongyang. Reuters’ Jeff Mason and Matt Spetalnick report, “U.S. President Barack Obama joined South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday, vowing to ramp up pressure on North Korea in response to its recent nuclear and missile tests. . . . the three leaders recommitted their countries to each others’ defense and warned they could take further steps to counter threats from Pyongyang.” See also, “Leaders Face Disparate Nuclear Threats,” “UN Sanctions On Shipping,” and “North Korea appears to have fired missile into sea.”

European Reassurance Initiative. Defense One’s Marcus Weisgerber reports, “With a nervous eye toward Russia, Poland’s president is asking NATO to keep more troops on its territory. . . . [Poland’s President Andrzej] Duda, who was elected president last year, was continuing the calls of the previous Polish government, which was unnerved by Russia’s 2014 invasion of Ukraine. The U.S. has been sending military forces to Poland and other nations in the region for more frequent training as part of the European Reassurance Initiative . . . .”

Veteran Service Organizations today. The Christian Science Monitor’s Anna Mulrine writes, “In the up-and-coming heart of a neighborhood that boasts a cross-fit gym, a sushi restaurant, and several modern art galleries, the door of the nation’s first Veterans of Foreign Wars post is open for yoga class. The instructor, Marine veteran Sarah Plummer Taylor, tells her cross-legged students that while they close their eyes, she’ll keep hers open, to watch the room – a nod to those grappling with post-traumatic stress.”

Virtual marksmanship. Duffel Blog reports, “In the wake of an Army Times report on abysmal force-wide marksmanship, Army leaders have returned fire with a quick solution to raise scores. . . . ‘When we upgraded qualification ranges to the digital world, though, most soldiers showed minor improvement immediately.’”

CONTRACT WATCH

FedRAMP advantage. Nextgov’s Frank Konkel reports, “Even as it’s taken – and responded to – criticism in recent months, the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program’s influence outside the Beltway has actually continued to grow. Originally designed as the approach to standardize the U.S. government’s approach to cloud computing security four years ago, FedRAMP compliance . . . may even have helped one U.S. tech firm win a contract with the Canadian government.”

New EW C4ISR designs. Military & Aerospace Electronics Editor John Keller reports, “U.S. Army researchers are reaching out to industry for new ways to build combination digital radio, surveillance, and electronic warfare (EW) systems that are compact enough for Army aircraft and ground vehicles. . . . The solicitation is asking companies to submit white papers on new ways to design a SWaP-optimized converged EW and command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) architecture that rely on OpenVPX, VICTORY, MORA, and REDHAWK for Army platforms.”

TECH, PRIVACY, & SECRECY

Intel sharing. Baltimore Sun’s Ian Duncan reports, “The intelligence community is close to completing a plan to let the National Security Agency share more of the raw data it collects with other U.S. spy agencies, a system that would put an end to more than a decade of wrangling among the different organizations. . . . Analysts at the CIA and the Defense Intelligence Agency have long wanted access to communications collected by the NSA . . . .”

ISIS nukes. Defense One’s Patrick Tucker reports, “The murder of a security guard at a Belgian nuclear facility just two days after the Brussels attacks, coupled with evidence that Islamic State operatives had been watching researchers there, has re-ignited fears about ISIS and nuclear terrorism.” See also, “U.K. to ship highly enriched uranium for disposal in U.S.

F-35 testing. Scout Warrior’s Kris Osborn reports, “The Air Force F-35 is using ‘open air’ ranges and computer simulation to practice combat missions against the best Chinese and Russian-made air-defense technologies – as a way to prepare to enemy threats anticipated in the mid-2020s and beyond. The testing is aimed at addressing the most current air defense system threats such as Russian-made systems and also focused on potential next-generation or yet-to-exist threats . . . .”

Cyber-mergency state. FierceGovernmentIT’s Stephanie Kanowitz reports, “President Obama has extended for a year an executive order that allows the government to block the property of those who threaten national cybersecurity. Obama issued the original order on April 1, 2015, and on Tuesday he announced its extension, stating in a release that the national emergency he declared under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act continues.”

POTOMAC TWO-STEP

C’mon in. “At least two Senate Republicans plan to meet with Merrick Garland next week, suggesting there’s momentum behind the Democratic campaign to pressure the GOP into at least one-on-one meetings with the Supreme Court nominee, if not an actual confirmation vote this year. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine had said during an interview with a Maine radio station earlier this week she will meet with Garland. And a spokesman for Sen. John Boozman of Arkansas said Thursday that he is planning one as well.”

Dysfunction bill. “Two key lawmakers warned Thursday that the failure of Congress to pass new language allowing the Department of Veterans Affairs to fire corrupt or negligent officials would be a ‘disservice’ to the nation’s veterans. Sen. Marco Rubio . . . and Rep. Jeff Miller, who chairs the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, wrote to the chair of the Senate VA Committee to urge him to consider Miller’s bill, which would expand the VA’s authority to fire officials.”

OPINIONS EVERYONE HAS

The fight against nuclear terrorism.” European Leadership Network contributors Bernard Norlain, David Owen, Paul Quilès, and Sir Malcolm Rifkind argue, “As long as the threat of nuclear terrorism exists, the effort to secure and reduce weapons usable nuclear and radiological materials must continue. Efforts to continue improving nuclear security measures include holding regular expert and industry meetings as well as meetings between senior government officials.”

See Things From The Enemy’s Point Of View.” War on the Rocks contributor Adam Elkus argues, “[W]e may never be able to read the minds of our adversaries. However, strategy nonetheless demands that we try.”

Planning To Fail.” Fast Company contributor Benjamin Hardy writes, “How do you stay on track to reaching a goal when you’re struggling to stay motivated? One answer that psychologists have hit upon is called ‘implementation intentions.’ It’s a simple principle, which comes down to knowing ahead of time exactly what you’ll do if you veer off course, as well as defining precisely what veering off course means for you.”

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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.