No Furloughs at Customs and Border Protection
IRS Employees to Receive $70 Million in Bonuses
Uncharted Financial Waters at Defense
Postal Service Eyes Cuba
Should Leaders Ever Lie?
Unions: Efficiency Board Is 'Offensive,' 'Unwise'
AUTHOR ARCHIVES
Bob Brewin
Editor at Large
Bob Brewin joined Government Executive in April 2007, bringing with him more than 20 years of experience as a journalist focusing on defense issues and technology. Bob covers the world of defense and information technology for Nextgov, and is the author of the “What’s Brewin” blog.
Jon Stewart Weighs in on Defense-VA E-Health Record Standoff
March 28, 2013
FROM NEXTGOV
In one of those delicious coincidences that make life enjoyable, on Wednesday afternoon Stephen Warren, the Veterans Affairs Department acting chief information officer, told a handful of reporters that VA’s Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture -- or VistA -- electronic health record stands out as a world class ...
VA Eyes Operations and Security Chief Jose Riojas as New Chief of Staff
March 27, 2013
FROM NEXTGOV
John Gingrich, who has served as chief of staff of the Veterans Affairs Department since January 2009 abruptly announced his resignation on Monday, and I’m picking up strong signals that VA plans to tap Jose Riojas, assistant secretary for operations, security and preparedness, as his successor. Gingrich, an Army Gulf ...
VA Comes Under Fire As Claims Backlog Tops 900,000 Again
March 27, 2013
FROM NEXTGOV
The Veterans Affairs Department’s backlog of disability claims passed the 900,000 mark this week, amid growing anger over the department’s inability to make a dent in the pile. On Monday VA reported its disability claims backlog hit 903,286, an increase of about 8 percent, or 7,448 claims, from the previous ...
Defense Continues to Use Brain Injury Assessment Tool Debunked in 2010
March 26, 2013
FROM NEXTGOV
The Defense Department continues to use a controversial tool to assess traumatic brain injury even though the Army Surgeon General in 2010 questioned the tool’s effectiveness, citing a “lack of clear scientific evidence,” the Institute of Medicine reported today. TBI, considered the signature wound of the wars in Afghanistan and ...
The Four-Legged PTSD Treatment
March 26, 2013
FROM NEXTGOV
I reported on March 18 that the Veterans Affairs Department treats more than 30 percent of veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder with tranquilizers such as Xanax and Valium, despite clinical practice guidelines issued in 2010 warning against their use. Shari Duval, president of K9s for Warriors, a non-profit located ...
United Kingdom Eyes VA’s Electronic Health Record
March 25, 2013
FROM NEXTGOV
The Veterans Affairs Department and the United Kingdom’s National Health Service have teamed up to share ideas, strategies and leadership for development of health information technology, opening the possibility that the NHS could use VA’s electronic health record system. Peter Levin, the former VA Chief Technology Officer who retired this ...
CBS Apologizes on Air to Vietnam Vets Over Tasteless Reality Show
March 25, 2013
FROM NEXTGOV
Someone at CBS thought it quite cool to have contestants in the March 17 broadcast of the “Amazing Race” reality show taped in Hanoi use a downed B-52 bomber as a prop in an episode that gives a new meaning to the word tasteless. CBS put an “Amazing Race” sign ...
VA Awards Omnibus IT Contracts Valued at $5.3 Billion
March 25, 2013
FROM NEXTGOV
This story has been updated. The Veterans Affair Department awarded contracts for desktops, laptops, servers, switches, routers, storage services and tablet computers valued at $5.3 billion to three companies that will compete for orders through the indefinite quantity, indefinite delivery contract for five years. VA selected Hanover, Md.-based Alliance Technology ...
Military Suicides Are Up, Despite 900 Prevention Programs
March 21, 2013
FROM NEXTGOV
The Defense Department runs 900 suicide prevention programs, yet the number of military suicides has more than doubled since 2001, the head of the Pentagon’s suicide prevention office told lawmakers Thursday. Jacqueline Garrick, acting director of the Defense Suicide Prevention Office, told the House Armed Services Committee that the Pentagon ...
Obama Has 'Enormous Concern' Over VA Claims Backlog, But . . .
March 21, 2013
FROM NEXTGOV
White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters Tuesday that President Obama receives weekly updates on the Veterans Affairs Department’s disability claims backlog and it is an “issue is of enormous concern to the President.” VA has a backlog of 895,838 claims, 70 percent of which (629,585) have been in ...
