Civilian and Contractor Workforces: Complete Information Needed to Assess DOD’s Progress for Reductions and Associated Savings, GAO-16-172: Published: Dec 23, 2015. Publicly Released: Dec 23, 2015. “The Department of Defense’s (DOD) September 2014 and February 2015 reports did not fully address most statutory requirements identified in section 955 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Defense
Rand – National Security Implications of Virtual Currency
Joshua Baron, Angela O’Mahony, David Manheim, Cynthia Dion-Schwarz: “This report examines the feasibility for non-state actors, including terrorist and insurgent groups, to increase their political and/or economic power by deploying a virtual currency (VC) for use in regular economic transactions. A VC, such as Bitcoin, is a digital representation of value that can be transferred,… Continue Reading
FAS posts 3 new CRS documents on Sale and Use of Firearms
Arms Sales: Congressional Review Process, Paul K. Kerr, Analyst in Nonproliferation, December 17, 2015: “This report reviews the process and procedures that currently apply to congressional consideration of foreign arms sales proposed by the President. This includes consideration of proposals to sell major defense equipment, defense articles and services, or the re-transfer to third party… Continue Reading
What Is “Building Partner Capacity?” Issues for Congress
What Is “Building Partner Capacity?” Issues for Congress. Kathleen J. McInnis, Coordinator, Analyst in International Security; Nathan J. Lucas, Section Research Manager. December 18, 2015. “Since 2001, successive U.S. administrations have increasingly prioritized efforts to build foreign security forces—particularly in weak and failing states—arguing that doing so advances U.S. national security objectives. In turn, the… Continue Reading
U.S. National Terrorist Financing Risk Assessment 2015
Department of the Treasury – U.S. National Terrorist Financing Risk Assessment 2015, December 15, 2015. “After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the United States adopted a preventive approach to combating all forms of terrorist activity. Efforts to combat the financing of terrorism (CFT) are a central pillar of this approach. Cutting off financial support… Continue Reading
GAO Reports – Defense Health Care, Littoral Combat Ship, Medicare
Defense Health Care: Research on Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to Treat Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, GAO-16-154: Published: Dec 18, 2015. Publicly Released: Dec 18, 2015. Littoral Combat Ship: Knowledge of Survivability and Lethality Capabilities Needed Prior to Making Major Funding Decisions, GAO-16-201: Published: Dec 18, 2015. Publicly Released: Dec 18, 2015. Medicare: Increasing… Continue Reading
Pew – Views of Government’s Handling of Terrorism Fall to Post-9/11 Low
“Following the terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, Calif., the public’s concerns about terrorism have surged and positive ratings of the government’s handling of terrorism have plummeted. But other attitudes relating to terrorism and security, as well as perceptions of whether Islam is more likely than other religions to encourage violence, have shown far… Continue Reading
GAO Reports – Defense Acquisition Workforce, Recreational Fisheries Management, Women in STEM Research
Defense Acquisition Workforce: Actions Needed to Guide Planning Efforts and Improve Workforce Capability, GAO-16-80: Published: Dec 14, 2015. Publicly Released: Dec 14, 2015. Recreational Fisheries Management: The National Marine Fisheries Service Should Develop a Comprehensive Strategy to Guide Its Data Collection Efforts, GAO-16-131: Published: Dec 8, 2015. Publicly Released: Dec 14, 2015. Women in STEM… Continue Reading
Drone Sightings and Close Encounters: An Analysis
“The Center for the Study of the Drone at Bard College is an interdisciplinary research institution founded in 2012 that examines the novel and complex opportunities and challenges presented by unmanned technologies in both the military and civilian sphere.” Drone Sightings and Close Encounters: An Analysis, Dan Gettinger, Arthur Holland Michel. 2015. “This report represents… Continue Reading
Details of NSA use of NSL to obtain ISP data released
ArsTechnica – “For the first time, as part of a First Amendment lawsuit, a federal judge ordered the release of what the FBI was seeking from a small ISP as part of an NSL. Among other things, the FBI was demanding a target’s complete Web browsing history, IP addresses of everyone a person has corresponded… Continue Reading
GAO Reports – Army Corps of Engineers, Defense Transportation, Environmental Satellites, Government Efficiency and Effectiveness, Nuclear Weapons Sustainment
Army Corps of Engineers: Actions Needed to Improve Cost Sharing for Dam Safety Repairs, GAO-16-106: Published: Dec 10, 2015. Publicly Released: Dec 10, 2015. Defense Transportation: DOD Needs to Improve the Evaluation of Safety and Performance Information for Carriers Transporting Security-Sensitive Materials, GAO-16-82: Published: Dec 10, 2015. Publicly Released: Dec 10, 2015. Environmental Satellites: Launch… Continue Reading
CRS – Women in Combat: Issues for Congress
Women in Combat: Issues for Congress, Kristy N. Kamarck, Analyst in Military Manpower. December 3, 2015. “Over the past two decades of conflict, women have served with valor and continue to serve on combat aircraft, naval vessels, and in support of ground combat operations. The expansion of roles for women in the Armed Forces has… Continue Reading
