Modernization

Navy net price tag hits $10B

The Navy last week released the details of its servicewide intranet project, designed to be the foundation for hightech warfighting, and revealed that the total price for the project will be about $10 billion, making it one of the most costly government IT projects ever mounted.

Digital Government

Sometimes seeing is not believing

Since the early 19th century, people have come to accept what they see in photographs as reality. The adage that the camera never lies has come to be accepted as historical fact, buttressed by the faith taken daily by all who read a newspaper or magazine that what is depicted in photos actually happened.

Digital Government

Lee indictment ignites polygraph, security debate

The Energy Department has issued new counterintelligence regulations in the aftermath of a security breach at a national laboratory that call for polygraph examinations of hundreds of agency employees, including highlevel political appointees who have access to classified information and computer systems.

Digital Government

Marines stand up alternate Y2K comm network

The Marine Corps last week conducted the first communications test of its new Headquarters Marine Corps Y2K Command and Control Network that will act as a backup communications pipe among major commands in case of widespread Year 2000related computer failures.

Digital Government

Indictment spurs DOE to step up polygraphs

The Energy Department has issued new counterintelligence regulations that call for polygraph examinations for at least 800 employees, including highlevel political appointees, who have access to highly classified information and computer systems.

Digital Government

Marines issue Y2K gag order

Marine Corps headquarters recently dispatched a message to its major commands that significantly restricts the release of information regarding the failure of any missioncritical computer system because of Year 2000 problems and aims to synchronize how the Corps will respond to public requests for information about such failures.

Digital Government

Clinton signs intell authorization bill

President Clinton on Tuesday signed into law the fiscal 2000 intelligence authorization bill, which calls for a review of the role and mission of the high-tech National Reconnaissance Office and forces the intelligence community to explain the legal standards it adheres to when conducting surveillance operations.

Digital Government

Details emerging on high-tech State bugging

State Department and FBI officials on Thursday characterized the listening and transmission device planted in the State Department by a member of the Russian intelligence service as an extremely sophisticated device that was professionally introduced into the department's headquarters.

Digital Government

NSA playing IT catch-up

The director of the National Security Agency has called for a sweeping overhaul of the super-secret agency's management and information systems to bring it up-to-date with the exploding pace of change in telecommunications and information technology. Air Force Lt. Gen. Michael Hayden is calling for

Digital Government

Delivering on the promise of 'plug and play'

When the Defense Department in 1993 began to search for a replacement to the antiquated World Wide Military Command and Control System, there was no system capable of meeting all the requirements for commanding military forces on a global scale. But officials soon realized that a cross section of t

Digital Government

Navy Fleet Hospitals face Y2K risk

Year 2000 certification errors made by a Navy program office have led the Defense Department's inspector general to conclude that the Navy's 10 deployable fleet hospitals may contain medical devices that are not Year 2000compliant.

People

Microsoft, Lotus battle hits Marines

The Marine Corps last week signed a deal with Microsoft Corp. for a 70,000seat enterprise license for its Office desktop software, adding more fuel to a controversy raging across government regarding stacked competition and billions of dollars in lost savings in office automation software. The Mar

Digital Government

Lawsuit claims NSA spying on Americans

The privacy watchdog group Electronic Privacy Information Center today filed a lawsuit in federal court that aims to force the National Security Agency to release sensitive documents thought to contain evidence of surveillance operations against U.S. citizens.

Digital Government

U.S., NATO planning crisis management network

At a meeting this week with NATO defense ministers in Brussels, Belgium, Defense Secretary William Cohen plans to discuss the creation of a new informationsharing network that will help NATO nations respond more effectively to crises such as the strife in Kosovo.

People

Final hours of the last MIAs in Vietnam

For most Americans, the war in Vietnam ended April 29, 1975, when the U.S. ambassador to Saigon officially evacuated his post. But for a small band of Marines, there would be one final mission.

Digital Government

Unisys Federal changes leadership

James McGuirk, the longtime president of Unisys Federal Systems, quietly left his post recently amid a top management shakeup at the McLean, Va.based firm.

People

Databases don't always tell the whole story

The 800,000 tourists who visit the Korean War memorial in Washington, D.C., this year may be surprised to find out that the database at the memorial, known as the Honor Roll, does not represent the official number of soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines killed in action during the Korean War.

People

Hi-tech offers families of Korea vets closure

The return last week of the remains of three American soldiers killed during the Korean War at the battle of Chongchon River in 1950 highlighted how advanced software and computer processing power is shortening the time it takes to identify remains and match them with the records of missing soldiers.

Digital Government

Intelligence bill targets NSA, Echelon upgrades

A bill that would authorize appropriations for the fiscal 2000 operations of the U.S. intelligence community includes funding for infrastructure upgrades at a key facility in what many suspect is a global, electronic surveillance network.

Digital Government

Feds consider Microsoft trial 'what ifs'

Should the government's antitrust case lead to a breakup of Microsoft Corp., some fear the world's leading software company may find it difficult, if not impossible, to lend direct support to federal agencies during times of crisis. The 'findings of fact' handed down Nov. 5 by District Judge Thomas