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Military and Homeland Defense

Why is the President Threatening to Veto the New Defense Budget…Again?

By Mike Martin
This year marked the eighth consecutive year in which President Obama has threatened to veto the annual defense budget legislation. It leads one to wonder, why exactly were House Republicans so adamant about passing through this bill, and what has led the White House to be so against it? Here are few reasons.

For TSA and VA, Time is a Valid Performance Measure

Given all of the recent controversies related to operational problems at TSA and the Department of Veterans Affairs, there has been a lot of talk about something that is of intrinsic value and practically unquantifiable—time. Unfortunately, timeliness does not appear to be a metric that TSA and VA use to measure their effectiveness.

In Fight Against ISIS and AQ, What Does Success Look Like?

The George Washington University annual program, “Securing Our Future,” bought together national, homeland and cyber security experts to discuss U.S. security challenges and priorities. What emerged were three clear metrics for measuring success in the fight against ISIS and al Qaeda.

The Space Community’s “E Pluribus Unum” Moment

Space should be viewed as an infrastructure. From military and intelligence needs, to civilian and commercial services, to technology creation and economic development, space has a role in it. The problem is the United States has let its space infrastructure deteriorate. For national security and other reasons, America needs to lead in space again.

FinTech Presents Challenges for Counterterrorism Financing

New app platforms based in financial technology (FinTech) might be the next vulnerability for Counter-Terrorism Financing.

Lest We Forget – 74 Years After Pearl Harbor

Yesterday was the 74th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. It’s not a milestone anniversary, but it’s an important day to remember, not because those who fought in WWII are quickly leaving us but because it reminds us of who we are down to our national DNA.

The New Star Wars: Why the Pentagon is Setting Up Shop in Silicon Valley

Fans of the space epic Star Wars are eagerly awaiting the release of the next installment in the film, but there is already a real-life battle in space, and the U.S. government is looking to the private sector for help. Defense Sec. Ash Carter recently spoke of a “GPS of Things.” What is that and what does it mean for the future of warfare and commerce?

White House to Nominate Admiral Neffenger to Lead TSA

Rumors have been swirling around the homeland security community for the past three weeks that U.S. Coast Guard Vice Admiral Pete Neffenger would be named to lead the Transportation Security Administration. Today, the White House made it official.

Uncle Sam Wants Tech Talent…and So Does Everyone Else

The infamous Tommy-gun toting John Dillinger was once asked why he robbed banks. He responded, “Because that’s where the money is.” That simple logic is similar to the thinking of government leaders, like DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson, who are looking to California as a vault holding a priceless commodity—a high-tech workforce.

That Was the Week That Was – The 2015 Version

March came in like a lion with a long list of news items, including Clinton e-mails, DHS funding and Boko Haram allegiance to ISIS. What could happen next?